Stuff is not always what they should be when you buy them!

I ordered a new CV shaft from local auto parts store and got it home to install. Upon inspecting it closer, it was built wrong when remanufactured . I have this happen many times-left the store and not verify what I had?? I know better too, I should have inspected it closer. I was able to get a replacement the next day but it screwed up my schedule. Not that I have anything pressing going on but I may have went Ice fishing?!?! (Those of you that know will get a kick out of the ice fishing comment). Anyways my point being whether it be auto parts, food or electronics make sure you are always getting what you pay for. I've wrapped up the VW engine swap project and am getting ready for an older polaris 350 engine/parts swap. Sheryl is going to have me bug her in the kitchen cooking chicken enchilladas for Scooby and Sally later, then the NASCAR race. P.S. Rest in peace Jim Demulling-passed away yesterday, apparent heart attack. Keep the family in your prayers. JROD

How to flush the heater core on your vehicle without paying any money!

I have an '05 Pontiac Gran Prix with a 3.8 liter engine. Now that the cold season has arrived I have been using the heater in the car. The problem was that the blower did not blow out very hot air. Well the first thing that you would think is a plugged heater core, right? The only way too unplug the heater core is too have the entire cooling system pressure flushed or purchace new core and install it for a large fee. I called around for the lowest cost business that would flush it for me. I discussed my problem with the lowest cost business- Express Lube and they said to bring it up and they will take a look at it and see if it would be the thing to do. I pulled the car in the shop and the mechanic explained to me that the 3.8 litre is notorious for blowing the head gasket while pressure flushing the coolant system. Upon inspection he advised me not to do the flush, instead he showed me a trick that did save me alot of money.
At the heater core there is an inlet and outlet rubber hose for coolant. The mechanic told me to swap the hoses around and make the inlet the outlet and visa/versa and to run it like that for a few days. I will be darned if it did'nt work!! So now my cars heater is flame thrower again and it was all done with no money spent. I must say THANK YOU to the guys at Hwy8 Express Lube!! I will be paying them for a few oil changes this winter when I get lazy...I mean lazier!! LOL

Pontiac 2.4 quad water pump replacement.

Reservoir and upper motor mount Water pump and coolant manifold.

Just completed a miserable job of replacing the water pump on a '99 Pontiac Grand Am, 2.4 quad. Things to note are thermostat is below exhaust manifold and pump also and runs off of the timing chain. Here are my step by step instructions that will make it alot easier for you to do if you ever have the oppurtunity or want to attempt to replace one?!?! Will save you $800-$1000.

1. Block car up so you can work under as well as over the passenger side fender of car, drain oil, antifreeze and remove passenger side wheel.
2. On passenger side remove antifreeze reservoir and control module below that.
3. Remove the 3 bolts on heat shroud of exhaust manifold.
4. Disconnect exhaust from manifold- 3 nuts with 15mm deep socket. 2 of them are easily accessible from under the car with an extension. Donot let the flex end bend much or damage to its seal can occur- you do not need to twist it anyway.
5. Remove nut securing the oil dipstick and coolant return hard line. The dipstick tube will come out stiff, but wiil come. Coolant return has a nut on manifold bolt and another bolt securing it to driverside of block, remove and just pull it out of the housing. there is a rubber "o" ring that will need a touch of grease to reinstall.
6. Now we have complete access to remove all the bolts from the manifold and take it completely out. 2 nuts are a bugger to get at but you will figure it out. This being cleared out of the way exposes everything from the thermostat to the water pump.
7. Remove 2 bolts in thermostat housing, note thermostat orientation.
8. Remove the 6 bolts for the water pump backside housing. Bolts are all different sizes so lay bolts out so you will know correct placement for reinstall!!
Now the fun part;
9. Support engine with a jack, for removal of upper motor mount on passenger side.
10. Remove the 2 nuts attaching mount to car. Completely remove the 2 large stretch bolts from the top of mount and remove mount assembly and set it aside.
11. Loosen the 3 bolts on the motor block that connect it to the mount about 1/8 of an inch (a little GM trick they don't want us to know about). This will allow you to remove all timing chain cover bolts.
12. Below passenger fender, remove all black plastic shrouding to expose the crank shaft pulley and remove pulley.
13. Now we are ready too remove the 20+ bolts and nuts holding chain case cover on. 10mm if I remember correctly!?! Set cover aside.
14. Remove outer gasket and middle gasket. They must be replaced, I paid $40 for timing chain gasket kit and that has the crank seal also that we will be replacing.
15. This is the critical point. We do not want to get the chain out of time so before we loosen the chain tensioner, turn motor by hand until holes line up with holes on the back side of each cam sprocket. I use drill bits that just fit, and that will keep everything in place when we release the tension (another GM trick they don't want us to know about). Also grease pen mark cam sprocket to chain and crank sproket to chain, to again safe guard timing and eliminate a catastrophe, RIGHT!!
16. Gently remove the chain guide right below the water pump sprocket.
17. Remove the 2 bolts holding tensioner right below the guide that was removed. Be very gentle and all chain will stay in place.
Remove the 3 bolts mounting the water pump. Gently lift chain off sprocket at the same time pulling out the water pump at slight angle. Remove the tapered water pump gasket, When you get a new water pump, I paid $48, some stores have a core charge if not, still bring old one with to verify it is correct part. (Good rule of thumb!) There should also be 3 new gaskets-tapered rubber, water pump to coolant manifold (apply high temp red silicone) and coolant manifold to block gaskets (apply high temp red silicone). VERIFY ALL PARTS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE PARTS STORE!!

For installation follow the steps back through. Hope this helps some one out there. GOOD LUCK!

Replace recoil rope on a pull start gas engine.

This is my first real post. Do not know if it will pan out but going to ramble anyway. Had a family friend stop by with a recoil from an old K-series Kohler. The rope had broke and he did not know how to fix it. This is how I do it.
The wheel that the rope (pull cord) raps into has a coiled spring behind it. If the spring is still all intact behind it do not take it apart-thats a whole differant ball game and we can cover that sometime if anyone is interested?
Reload the spring by turning counter clockwise 6-8 rotations (99% go counter clockwise). This is the mechanism to retract the rope once we put a new one on. You have to be the judge depending on how long your old rope was. The idea is to have a little pull to rope when it is all the way retracted so it does not dangle there. Only use the amount of rope that you had before. Figure a way to lock the recoil in place once loaded. A small screwdriver poked in somewhere works well. Remove what is left old rope. Tape a piece of small wire on the end of new rope and feed it through the hole in the shroud. Work it in until you can manage the wire through the hole in recoil, tie it off with good square not and drip a little hot melt on to keep it from unravelling.
Now I must tell you my first couple times doing these recoils, weird stuff happens and if it can happen it usually does-once, than we know not too do it again, hopefully.
Before recoiling rope back in, be sure to have your rubber handle tied on the opposing end of rope. If you do not -well you see where that end of the rope will end up. We will hot melt that also but lets be sure the rope length is correct first. Allow rope to recoil holding everything and letting it retract gently. try it out and reinstall on your engine.
Any more pointers that I missed I would appreciate.
JROD