Working for a living...

DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
Large scale surface mining operations. I specialized in overseeing the drilling and blasting operations.View attachment 428033View attachment 428034View attachment 428035View attachment 428036View attachment 428037
Why...where would you do that in AZ:D
If you have any problems with that one, there’s a guy in Tucson that knows them extremely well. PM me if you want his contact info.
I don't even remember what that was. Probably one of GM "Saabs". I know better than work on the real thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods
PJon

PJon

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Dec 9, 2020
794
3,222
93
Arizona
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Why...where would you do that in AZ:D

I don't even remember what that was. Probably one of GM "Saabs". I know better than work on the real thing.
New Mexico, Colombia, Nevada, China, Ohio, Wyoming and before retiring, again in Colombia. Regarding the Saab, they were still built in Sweden til he end. GM only owned the name. I still own one and it’s a great car with minimal problems, parts are still available and they’re a lot cheaper than GM parts of the same vintage.
 
PJon

PJon

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Dec 9, 2020
794
3,222
93
Arizona
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Additionally, although I didn’t work at them, Peabody had two very large operations in northern Arizona. The Black Mesa mine and the Kayenta mine. There are still some Copper operations in AZ along with many large scale operations that have since been shut down.
 
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
Regarding the Saab, they were still built in Sweden til he end. GM only owned the name. I still own one and it’s a great car with minimal problems, parts are still available and they’re a lot cheaper than GM parts of the same vintage.
There were at least a few rebadged GM products sold as Saabs in the 2000's.
One was a version of the Trailblazer/Envoy SUV turd that showed where they (GM) were heading. Straight up GM drivetrains. A version was also sold as an ISUZU Ass-sender.
EDIT: looks like this was the Saab 9-7.

I know there was also a sedan, but I'm not sure what engines were used, or where it was made. Never seen one of those.
I hope for Saabs sake they were built somewhere else, since sometimes the approach makes a huge difference.
A good example is the aforementioned Hyundai/Kia brand. I want to say it was a 2015 or thereabouts Elantra I was swapping, and was thinking that the Koreans are making pretty good cars these days. Shortly after, I worked on a Chevy Aveo...A few years older, but also Korean car. A good lesson in the fact that it's not the Koreans that are making good cars, it's Hyundai/Kia thats making good cars.
 
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
The myth...the legend (for the wrong reasons)...the ford DPS6 Power s***ift transmission....

20240508 164411


20240508 164501


20240508 164538



LUK makes a very complete kit...

20240508 164527


But we always replace the shift motors (Ford is actually cheapest), and the two seals that were subject to a TSB in early models. Like a dummy, I forgot to order the seals, so this will have to wait till in the morning to go back together.

BONUS PIC of the same pic above, since this site NEVER lets me delete something once inserted.20240508 164527
 
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
It's nice to see a company address issues. The last 2 LUK repsets we've gotten for the DPS6 have had the little retaining tab broken out of the box. The cheapest place to get these clutches is Rockauto (still over $600 while last I checked, Ford was over $1k for JUST the clutch disc itself), even with the shipping, so time constraints don't allow a return, and we've had to drop coin for a new Ford unit when this happened.

This set arrived with the dual release bearings in a separate, foam pillow, so as not to get damaged. Nice!

20240509 100310


Car was finished yesterday. Once new clutch is in, you have to do some re-learns with the scan tool. When these things are right, the shift nicely and are indistinguishable from a regular old auto when shifting. The trouble is keeping them right...
 
lee

lee

Village Idiot
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Apr 4, 2013
2,403
13,608
113
Springfield Ohio
Ownership

  1. 500
The myth...the legend (for the wrong reasons)...the ford DPS6 Power s***ift transmission....

This is what happens when the government makes rules that are well ahead of what companies can actually deliver.
Company gets desperate to make it happen, goes down a dead end path and pushes the "solution" out anyways.

Cant wait to see what happens when the latest round of CAFE rules fully kicks in, 58 mpg by 2032.
(I have a plan to replace my diesel truck well before then, plan is for that truck to last till I'm dead)
 
advertisement
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
This is what happens when the government makes rules that are well ahead of what companies can actually deliver.
Company gets desperate to make it happen, goes down a dead end path and pushes the "solution" out anyways.

Cant wait to see what happens when the latest round of CAFE rules fully kicks in, 58 mpg by 2032.
(I have a plan to replace my diesel truck well before then, plan is for that truck to last till I'm dead)
I don't want anything new anymore. It's gotten that bad...for me at least. And I don't even work on the newest stuff.
 
Remington

Remington

POIDH Enforcement Officer
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jul 24, 2016
20,243
115,774
113
Michigan
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X
I don't want anything new anymore. It's gotten that bad...for me at least. And I don't even work on the newest stuff.
Getting that way with my trade as well. New refrigerants, added SEER requirements making them like working on the international space station. I hate them and dont want to work on them either. I wont sell them to customers. I will not sell u anything I wont put in my own house! Cuz I know its gonna last. Not this new government pushed $hit!
 
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
Getting that way with my trade as well. New refrigerants, added SEER requirements making them like working on the international space station. I hate them and dont want to work on them either. I wont sell them to customers. I will not sell u anything I wont put in my own house! Cuz I know its gonna last. Not this new government pushed $hit!
Like 1234yf. 4 times as expensive as 134a, and the machines take 4 times as long to recover, etc.

And to what end? Didn't NASA say the ozone hole has been shrinking for years (scarcely covered by the news, of course)?
Someone who decided on this obviously has shares/stocks in a 1234yf company.
 
Remington

Remington

POIDH Enforcement Officer
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jul 24, 2016
20,243
115,774
113
Michigan
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X
Like 1234yf. 4 times as expensive as 134a, and the machines take 4 times as long to recover, etc.

And to what end? Didn't NASA say the ozone hole has been shrinking for years (scarcely covered by the news, of course)?
Someone who decided on this obviously has shares/stocks in a 1234yf company.
Right all very true

We even have small refrigeration thats using propane now! WTF! Scares the hell out of me brazing a line no matter the safety stds for it.
All of it takes forever to reclaim now and more money per pound. Ridiculous.
 
lee

lee

Village Idiot
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Apr 4, 2013
2,403
13,608
113
Springfield Ohio
Ownership

  1. 500
I love the idea of using propane as a refrigerant.
I could never spec it in one of my systems due to the "not done here" factor.
And I can understand a tech not wanting to mess with it (here's a bomb, go ahead and weld on it...).
But it's impossible to control something I can buy at wally world and it's dirt cheap.
It's like the ultimate stick it to the man solution.

When the US is keeping old cars running for forever like Cuba dose the propane as a refrigerant idea will come in handy.
 
Remington

Remington

POIDH Enforcement Officer
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jul 24, 2016
20,243
115,774
113
Michigan
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X
I love the idea of using propane as a refrigerant.
I could never spec it in one of my systems due to the "not done here" factor.
And I can understand a tech not wanting to mess with it (here's a bomb, go ahead and weld on it...).
But it's impossible to control something I can buy at wally world and it's dirt cheap.
It's like the ultimate stick it to the man solution.

When the US is keeping old cars running for forever like Cuba dose the propane as a refrigerant idea will come in handy.
Wish it worked that way but unfortunately it dosnt. Or just as easy as getting it a wally World🤣 propane for refrigerant use is used completely different for that form of use.
If a homeowner or average FJB joe was to grab it off the shelf and use it in this way they fo sho are going to blow themselves up. We use a completely different set and type of gauges and fittings know one have ever seen for this purpose and the vapor itself is used and is orderless for refrigeration. The other factor is the oil used for or with it. Using it in an old system would never work. Using the wrong oil will cause the oil to turn to snot then lock up the compressor or throw a rod. Like for example 134A was not intended as a direct drop for R12 cuz of the oils used also causing rotting of the seals. Seen many failures this way. Bottom line, this propane thing is just bad.
Ive worked with it and negative ghost rider
 
scttwlsn45

scttwlsn45

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Feb 8, 2024
65
368
53
Farmington, WV
Ownership

  1. 1000-3
I don't want anything new anymore. It's gotten that bad...for me at least. And I don't even work on the newest stuff.
This is what happens when the government makes rules that are well ahead of what companies can actually deliver.
Company gets desperate to make it happen, goes down a dead end path and pushes the "solution" out anyways.

Cant wait to see what happens when the latest round of CAFE rules fully kicks in, 58 mpg by 2032.
(I have a plan to replace my diesel truck well before then, plan is for that truck to last till I'm dead)
Look at what they did to gas cans… that’s why I didn’t like the idea of the government messing around with healthcare
 
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
Ah...the old FEAD (front end accessory drive...a Ford term). Doesn't get much easier than that. Unless you're modern GM and all your engineers who could actually design s*** have retired or moved on. Remove the engine mount to replace a drive belt? Check!

20240529 155815


GM has done this before in the past...for what it's worth...
 
T

thatguy2

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Aug 18, 2023
873
7,333
93
Kansas
Ownership

  1. 1000-3
I was a reactor operator at a commercial nuclear power plant till my wife got sick. I wasn't ready to give up my license and come off shift but the family needed me. I put alot of work into getting my RO license from the NRC. It did help me get a good management job in work management however. I'll try to see if I have pics, but we have to be careful as you can't have pics with security measures in the background. I know I have some rattlesnake pics though.
 
DG Rider

DG Rider

Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
Aug 14, 2013
9,499
43,303
113
Casa Grande, AZ
Ownership

  1. 700-2
Study this picture...

20241203 083327


This is a vent line for the fuel tank. Notice the small hole near my bottom fingers. That's a $2200 hole. Why?
Because the line in NOT detachable from the tank, meaning a full tank replacement is the fix. Tank is like $1800, + labor.

Who's guilty of such nonsense? Ford? Dodge? Chevy?
Nope...this is a 2019 Honda Passport. Thank you Honda!
 
advertisement

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!