The gearhead thread.

[sweetandsour]

Got the oil changed in my wife's car this morning, and on the way home I was trying to reset oil life to 100%, pressing all the buttons. Turns out the engine must be off, with the key in the on position. Later this afternoon we back out of the driveway, put it in drive, and the car misfired and idled roughly down the road as an orange wrench icon displayed on the dash.

I backed the car home, raised the hood, disconnected the battery, waited 15 secs, reconnected the battery. All good, the car runs fine. I'm knocking on wood now, and thanking God.

[Roadmaster]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tr7Jo43An49yq8Ui7

[Roadmaster]

[sweetandsour]

I like that old ad, RM.

My abs and traction control light came on in my truck last night, and I've already checked fuses. Brake lights aren't stuck on. Working on my truck was not what I planned for my day today.

[FredS]

My brother and I visited the Shelby American Collection museum in Boulder last Saturday then went to see the Ford v Ferrari movie. The museum was fantastic and it was cool to see some of the actual cars that are portrayed in the movie. The movie is, thankfully, not a love letter to Carroll Shelby. I always thought Shelby was a pompous prick. Perhaps thinking highly of oneself is critical to the success he had, but I was always put off by his personality. Shelby was a litigious bastard who sued the company I bought my replica kit from (Factory Five Racing) as well as an internet forum I used to be active in (FFCobra.com). The movie is not critical of Shelby, but I'm sure it couldn't have been produced, in the manner it was, while he was alive.

In the movie, mild mannered Ken Miles gets as much coverage as Shelby.


I saw one teen aged boy in the theater. Besides him, I think my 50 year old brother was the youngest person in the audience. It was a geezerfest.

[JimVH]

Bad. Ass.

British manufacturing company JCB has created the world's fastest tractor. In successfully breaking the Guinness World Record, the Fastrac Two reached speeds as high as 150 MPH and an average run of 135.91 MPH. The previous record was held by the Fastrac One, which reached speeds of 103.6 MPH over the summer.

[Thunktank]

Lots have been going on around here lately. The DIVCO is once again be discussed and argued over. First of all, it’s really my wife’s project. Her idea and her find. Meanwhile the other three of us, her bother, his boss (they do custom builds) and I are in continual flux with each other and my wife as to what and how we should do it. I’m trying to convince my wife that we need to do a body off frame restoration, that it’s worth it in the end. And the artist wants to make it a retro hot rod. When all is said and done the piggy bank manager (my wife) is beginning to understand that to make great things happen she has to meld her classic style and budget mind with a hot rod artist and my insistence on getting things done right the first time which ain’t cheap. Great times.

One thing we all agree on is that it won’t be rushed.

I have spent the last few months rebuilding my son’s 2000 Nissan Xterra. It’s the definition of a proper teenagers first car; cheap and in need of TLC before use. It’s been quite the project for me. It is not a mechanics friend. While the bones on those early Nissan Xterras and Frontiers are good, the junkyards are full of them due to relatively small issues that are an absolute pain for a mechanic and therefore too expensive to fix. The intake and all the related electrical parts, sensors, spark plugs and so on are an absolute PITA. I did it. All of it. The Jeep XJ should be a relative pleasure as that becomes my next toy to build. But at least now the Xterra runs and drives beautifully for a 20 year old truck. It carry’s some of my DNA especially along that darn firewall.

[GaryInVA]

Last Saturday we were in Conroe, TX. On highway 105 a sportscar pulled up next to us. My 12 year old son lost his mind yelling, "That's a McClaren 570!" My wife looked over and said it was a middle-aged woman driving it with two kids in the back. She googled a McClaren 570 and my son was spot on. Proud daddy.

5 minutes later while talking about the car I said, "You know what the kids in the back of the McClaren were yelling? Look at that!!! A white Honda Civic Si coupe! Looks like it's a '13. Those things cost like $25k new!!!"

[mustangii]

I used to be a gas jockey years ago, saw some weird stuff pumping gas. we also checked and filled tire pressure and washer fluid.
ed,

[mustangii]

I need to get started on my 83 Ram 150 shortbed this year, got the 440 and trans lined up. need to visit https://www.lmctruck.com/ to buy some parts and get working on the title.

edm

[FredS]

I need to get started on my 83 Ram 150 shortbed this year, got the 440 and trans lined up. need to visit https://www.lmctruck.com/ to buy some parts and get working on the title.

edm

Good luck with the title. If it's not clean and in your name I wouldn't drop much money on fixing it up.

[mustangii]

I need to get started on my 83 Ram 150 shortbed this year, got the 440 and trans lined up. need to visit https://www.lmctruck.com/ to buy some parts and get working on the title.

edm

Good luck with the title. If it's not clean and in your name I wouldn't drop much money on fixing it up.

I am looking for a cab or another truck with a clear title.
edm

[Roadmaster]

I need to get started on my 83 Ram 150 shortbed this year, got the 440 and trans lined up. need to visit https://www.lmctruck.com/ to buy some parts and get working on the title.

edm

Good luck with the title. If it's not clean and in your name I wouldn't drop much money on fixing it up.

I am looking for a cab or another truck with a clear title.
edm

I've got an 86 Dodge w150 4 wheel drive Royal SE I would sail worth the money 360 automatic. Clear title I'm the third owner.

[JimVH]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

[michigander]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

Did you smoke your pipe and give them grandfatherly advice while they were working?

P.S. tell me there's a jack stand holding that thing up somewhere. That picture gives me the willies!

[JimVH]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

Did you smoke your pipe and give them grandfatherly advice while they were working?

P.S. tell me there's a jack stand holding that thing up somewhere. That picture gives me the willies!

Yes, along with lots of authoritative pointing with my pipe.

Three jack stands, wheel chocks, two jacks, and me pacing, looking, and listening nervously.

[FredS]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

Did you smoke your pipe and give them grandfatherly advice while they were working?

P.S. tell me there's a jack stand holding that thing up somewhere. That picture gives me the willies!

Yes, along with lots of authoritative pointing with my pipe.

Three jack stands, wheel chocks, two jacks, and me pacing, looking, and listening nervously.

Unless you had them take some measurements pre-lift and do a drive-way-alignment post-lift, you might suggest that the buddy save up a few bucks to get the front end aligned when he can.

[JimVH]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

Did you smoke your pipe and give them grandfatherly advice while they were working?

P.S. tell me there's a jack stand holding that thing up somewhere. That picture gives me the willies!

Yes, along with lots of authoritative pointing with my pipe.

Three jack stands, wheel chocks, two jacks, and me pacing, looking, and listening nervously.

Unless you had them take some measurements pre-lift and do a drive-way-alignment post-lift, you might suggest that the buddy save up a few bucks to get the front end aligned when he can.

Thanks. It’s going straight for tires and alignment tomorrow. These kids are amazing. I tried several times to stump them, but they were way ahead of me.

[Roadmaster]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

Did you smoke your pipe and give them grandfatherly advice while they were working?

P.S. tell me there's a jack stand holding that thing up somewhere. That picture gives me the willies!

Yes, along with lots of authoritative pointing with my pipe.

Three jack stands, wheel chocks, two jacks, and me pacing, looking, and listening nervously.

Unless you had them take some measurements pre-lift and do a drive-way-alignment post-lift, you might suggest that the buddy save up a few bucks to get the front end aligned when he can.

Thanks. It’s going straight for tires and alignment tomorrow. These kids are amazing. I tried several times to stump them, but they were way ahead of me.

Might chick pinion angle as well.

[FredS]

My grandson's buddy needed a leveling lift on his truck. I dig that they want to come here to do it.

I don’t miss the days when I had to spend every weekend working on cars to keep them going, but it’s still fun now and then to spend an afternoon turning wrenches by choice.

These kids are amazing. I tried several times to stump them, but they were way ahead of me.

You know what I like more than seeing kids working on cars?
Nothing!
Not one damn thing.
(Well, except fishing)