DIY car repair

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brothers
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DIY car repair

Post by brothers »

I'm obviously getting too old for this. Stubborn, that's what I am, and moreso, as the years tick off. I have this '07 Toyota Yaris. I replaced the water pump about 4 years ago. Obvously I forgot how difficult it turned out to be. The pump I installed has a lifetime guarantee, but both AutoZone and O'Relly's have checked their records on all of the parts I've bought over the years, and there's no pump listed. So I bought a new one from the new AZ just a half mile down the road, along with a new drive belt. Long story short, I sabotaged myself because I got the nuts and bolts much too tight when I installed the last one. I ended up spending hours, literally, trying to figure out how to remove this little bolt (one of three that hold the pulley onto the pump) from a place that has only about 1" of access, and I rounded off the head trying to get it loose. This rules out almost every tool in my garage. I decided I should grind off the bolt head. This is the correct thing to do, but then I had to spend another couple of hours trying to locate what I needed, and what I have on hand to get the job done. I had the foresight to buy a hand held high speed grinder at an estate sale a couple of years ago. From renovating old shaving brushes, I had a small grinding stone that fit the grinder. It took about an hour of grinding but at long last it worked. I was able to locate an identical bolt at Ace Hardware. Now my forearm is aching from holding that grinder down in the dark hollows of the engine compartment while the little grinding wheel slowly ate the steel away. All I've got to do tomorrow is take off the old pump by removing the 3 bolts and 2 nuts that are holding it in place, replace it, and re-install all of the assorted nuts and bolts. Not to mention replacing the alternator and the new drive belt. All of the above referenced tools and wrenches and extension cords and air hoses are now in two separate piles and they'll all need to be put away too.
Gary

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CMur12
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by CMur12 »

It sounds like you resolved a difficult problem yourself, Gary, so more power to you. Just don't over-tighten those bolts this time!

- Murray
ShadowsDad
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by ShadowsDad »

Well, you have more tolerance for "pain" than I do!

There are minor things that I'll do, but if it's something that requires gymnastics money is cheap. The older I get the more I believe that.

When you do the next installation is "Never-seez" OK on the bolt threads? I'd also ask why so many water pumps? I've never had even one replaced in 45 years of car ownership. Could it be the water being used? Maybe have a pro shop check for pH and whatnot?
Brian

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brothers
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by brothers »

It wasn't the threads, it was the friction between the back of the washer and the surface of the pulley that I couldn't overcome easily. The bolt is a 10mm, and there is literally too little space between the bolt and the car body to use a 3/8 drive socket and wrench. This meant I had to use a 10mm box end wrench, and those wrenches are actually rather short, which limits my leverage. In this case I got 2 out of 3, but the one that was stuck fell victim to the wrench slipping off too many times as I could barely get both hands on the short wrench in the very limited space available. This is a tiny underpowered car and the factory has regulated the transmission to maximize mpg at the expense of my personal concept of acceleration. I bought this car from my son after he got tired of it. I am amazed that the transmission hasn't exploded yet because I drive the heart out of it, just keeping ahead of all the big SUVs that are continually trying to run me over. I was surprised when the first water pump wore out, and wrote it off to just a defective pump. Then when this one wore out, I presume It's quite possible the little engine has to run at such high rpms it's stressing certain components to the breaking point. It's got about 95,000 miles on it. The issue of water is moot. The pump bearings are factory sealed and lubricated by grease, never coming in contact with water or coolant, both of which would be extremely poor lubricants! :D Edit: I suppose the failure may be a breakdown of the seal, which would cause coolant to enter the bearing. But I think the factory engineers should be alert to the effects of pH, etc., on their seals, and wouldn't be my concern. I don't have any influence on the design and manufacturing, and that's probably a very good thing!
Gary

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brothers
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by brothers »

The repair's done. Everything's back in place, and now the transmission has been flushed. That was a bit of maintenance I had deferred for too long. I didn't do it myself of course.
Gary

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Re: DIY car repair

Post by jww »

My dad did all the work on our cars when I was young, including changing out entire engines on more than one occasion.

As for me --- my idea of DIY is a new car being repaired under warranty at the dealership. I know buying a new car isn't the soundest financial decision, but I can't even begin to count the number of times when we owned used cars, and took them in for a repair and got dinged with bills in excess of $1000.

You are fortunate that you have the time and inclination to do this. I do sometimes wish I had that skill/capability/inclination.
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Squire
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by Squire »

I can handle anything regarding auto maintenance or repair with one tool, a cell phone.
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jww
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by jww »

Squire wrote:I can handle anything regarding auto maintenance or repair with one tool, a cell phone.
#-o
Wendell

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ShadowsDad
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by ShadowsDad »

jww wrote:My dad did all the work on our cars when I was young, including changing out entire engines on more than one occasion.

As for me --- my idea of DIY is a new car being repaired under warranty at the dealership. I know buying a new car isn't the soundest financial decision, but I can't even begin to count the number of times when we owned used cars, and took them in for a repair and got dinged with bills in excess of $1000.

You are fortunate that you have the time and inclination to do this. I do sometimes wish I had that skill/capability/inclination.
Drive them for 10+ years and it is. Buy one every few years and it isn't.

We're frugal and we drive our cars into the ground.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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jww
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by jww »

ShadowsDad wrote:
jww wrote:My dad did all the work on our cars when I was young, including changing out entire engines on more than one occasion.

As for me --- my idea of DIY is a new car being repaired under warranty at the dealership. I know buying a new car isn't the soundest financial decision, but I can't even begin to count the number of times when we owned used cars, and took them in for a repair and got dinged with bills in excess of $1000.

You are fortunate that you have the time and inclination to do this. I do sometimes wish I had that skill/capability/inclination.
Drive them for 10+ years and it is. Buy one every few years and it isn't.

We're frugal and we drive our cars into the ground.
Fair enough. We are on year 7 and 9 of our two current vehicles. Both have been excellent so far -- touch wood. :-$ [-o<
Wendell

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Re: DIY car repair

Post by Rufus »

jww wrote:
ShadowsDad wrote:
jww wrote:My dad did all the work on our cars when I was young, including changing out entire engines on more than one occasion.

As for me --- my idea of DIY is a new car being repaired under warranty at the dealership. I know buying a new car isn't the soundest financial decision, but I can't even begin to count the number of times when we owned used cars, and took them in for a repair and got dinged with bills in excess of $1000.

You are fortunate that you have the time and inclination to do this. I do sometimes wish I had that skill/capability/inclination.
Drive them for 10+ years and it is. Buy one every few years and it isn't.

We're frugal and we drive our cars into the ground.
Fair enough. We are on year 7 and 9 of our two current vehicles. Both have been excellent so far -- touch wood. :-$ [-o<
I'm one for driving a car into the ground. We currently own three cars (all bought new) of which the oldest is in its thirteenth year, the second oldest in its eleventh year and the third oldest in its third year. The three year old replaced a twelve year old car which we gave to our son; it's still running fine in its fifteenth year. What kills you financially with a new car is depreciation; at the end of its third year a car generally is worth half of what you paid for it. Hence it makes sense to keep a car as long as you can, but, in the final analysis, a car is just an expense.
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by Squire »

Keep it long enough it becomes a collectable antique.
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brothers
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by brothers »

That's what my wife says about me.
Gary

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Re: DIY car repair

Post by Rufus »

brothers wrote:That's what my wife says about me.
Me too. :mrgreen:
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by Squire »

Just so long as they don't trade you in on a new model.
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by Rufus »

Squire wrote:Just so long as they don't trade you in on a new model.
As I tell my second wife (and I'm her second husband), perhaps you'll be lucky third time. :P
Bryan
brothers
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Re: DIY car repair

Post by brothers »

Nah, they don't make 'em like me anymore.
Gary

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