YukonTyler

last year i sold somewhere between $175 000 and $200 000 worth of wheels and tires at my little shop.  do you know how quickly the cost of weights ads up? i'd go broke doing m/bals like that.

also, dually? balance beads all the way.

On 11/16/2021 at 6:12 AM, mchan68 said:

....... and, we've lost a parts driver, parts counter person and two young, newly licensed techs as of this week due to the requirement to be double vaxxed to remain employed.

you guys have a vaxx requirement at the dealership? that is wild to me. i wouldn't expect that in small to mid-sized private industry.

my wife is about to get shit canned from her teaching job here in the Yukon over 'failure to attest' to vaccine status. can't say that i blame her. 10 years in the trade and she's ushered out (along with colleagues) without ceremony. and the Yukon is the only jurisdiction in the country to bring in a vaxx requirement for teachers. meanwhile, there is a well-publicized shortage of teachers in the Territory. it boggles the mind.

Last one I saw was on a 3.0 Escape with a plugged catalyst on bank 1   ; )

Best of luck! Fortune favours the bold ...

I also left the dealership scene and I have to say it was one of the best choices that I've ever made. I opened my own shop 2 years ago now and I can say that it has helped bring me a great deal of satisfaction. 

2007 Sierra 1500 - both front axles, right front hub bearing, 20" tires, upper control arms, front stab links, right front caliper and front brakes

2004 Liberty - rear wheel seals, steering rack

1991 Explorer with 800 000 km - starter, idler pulley

2010 Goat 1500 - all brakes, left side exhaust manifold

1997 Goat 1500 - cat back exhaust, tires

2015 Rogue - new tires

2017 F350 gas job - tires, serpentine belt, front brakes

It is a different world for.an independent.

Wasn't there a bulletin for this back in the day? I could swear there was an SSM saying normal function, do not replace the intake (under warranty), or something to that effect.

2000 E150 for a front blower motor and resistor.

2015 Passat TDI for SCR concerns

2008 Chrysler Aspen for a blown serpentine belt due to a bad tensioner and idler

2006 Caravan for electrical concerns, light and power door locks inop after a local chain installed a new battery

2005 Pontiac Montana van for inop mode door operation

2007 Rio for a bad brake pulsation

2012 Grand Cherokee CRD for glow plug issues, checkover the brakes

: D

2005 Subaru Forester for a long block.

2003 Acura 3.2 CL for a battery, high pressure hose and hood struts

2012 F150 for a blend door motor

2007 Honda Pilot for a front blower motor, cabin filter, timing belt and water pump

2010 Dodge Journey for a battery, timing belt, water pump, trans cooler lines, outer tie rod, both rear hub bearings

We just got out of a 2-week -35 to -45 cold snap, so lots of batteries, steering hoses, block.heaters, oil pan heaters and battery heaters.

Running my own shop is fun!

I just opened my own shop here in Whitehorse 2 weeks ago. I am a one-man show and things are pretty darn busy. I thought that things would be pretty active, but my word the response has been overwhelming. In between the oil changes, tires swaps, light bulb replacements and pre-purchase inspections I have the following on the go (either parts in, or job approved and parts on order) ...

- 2003 Legacy for head gaskets, rear pinion seal and rear brakes

- 2013 F150 3.5 for a vacuum pump, r/side valve cover gasket, plugs & boots

- 2012 F350 for a new rear crown and pinion (10.5 Sterling), all shocks, rear brakes and a wheel seal

- 2001 Odyssey for a timing belt, CV axle and a couple wheel bearings

- 2000 Legacy with head gaskets, customer wants a JDM 2.0 SOHC installed instead

- 2001 Corolla for a high pressure p/s hose

- 2000 F150 for a 6006 assy. For real, haha.

- 2010 Elantra for a trans service, trailer hitch install, new alloy wheels, front stab links and a new fuel filler door release

- 2010 Ranger for a left side cat, plugs, fuel filter and wires

- 2010 F150 for rear clutch packs, install Firestone helper air springs and thermostat replacement

- 2003 Matrix for a valve cover gasket

So far this is a blast. Ask me again in six months, or even in a week or so when I find out if the 9.75 clutch pack tool that I'm about to make out of threaded rod, a few nuts, a few washers, my bench grinder and mig welder is going to work on that 2010 1/2 ton  ; )

It has been a while, but I remember book time on these being just a hair over 10 hours? And I seem to remember charging out about 8 hours to do the works. When they were all over the place that was more than enough time to get the job done and still have some good gain time.

All sorted. Much thanks!

Hey y'all,

Back toward last winter I applied on a maintenance job posting at our local major petroleum distributor. I screened in, interviewed and got the position, and now I get to look after all of the buildings, fuel storage and fuel delivery infrastructure (multiple bulk plants, retail fuel stations and card locks) for North 60 Petro here in the Yukon. I am based out of Whitehorse but get to go all over the Territory - pretty neat.

Pay is virtually the same, but the level of autonomy is greatly increased and the daily variety is definitely something. I wasn't expecting to exit the trade at 32 but it was too good of an opportunity to pass over. On the side I have started a small, mobile used vehicle pre-purchase inspection and insurance inspection service. This fills my time on select weeknights and I am truly as busy as I want to be. The phone doesn't stop ringing : )

One of the things I do miss however is access to Oasis. Can anybody in Canada run a VIN for me? A family member is looking at a used 2015 Escape from down south - just want to see the warranty start date, if it had prepaid maint and if there has been any batshit crazy warranty history. If anybody can lend a hand then speak up and I'll forward the serial #. Much obliged! 

Blast from the past eh.

I sold my VCM II to Aaron years ago.

Ironically, I currently have a job offer on the table from another manufacturer, and I'm cautiously optimistic about another job that I interviewed on last week which is actually completely out of the trade. I don't think I'm going to be at the blue oval for too much longer. If I hadn't sold the scanner back then I sure would be now.

intake heater solenoid had its load side stuck closed. thanks for the info on the heater - when i saw the solenoid i assumed that it was for the glow plugs. it was a quick and easy repair this morning.

rock on ...... i had no idea there was an air heater. thanks!

I seldom touch diesels - especially the older ones. I know next to nothing about the 7.3.

2002 Excursion kills two new batteries in ~30 minutes KOEO. I put my ammeter on it and it fried the 10 amp fuse immediately. Put a charger on and it runs at ~40 amps. The CAC crossover pipe thing is hot to the touch after a bit of KOEO time - hot enough that oil residue on the CAC boots on the crossover actually started to give off a bit of smoke.

The fuel bowl feels cool. The glow plug solenoid is definitely warm, but nowhere near as hot as that crossover pipe. Forgive my ignorance - is there anything else in the CAC crossover or immediate area which could give off that kind of heat? 

http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/topic/6220-b-style-battery-terminal-crimper/?hl=%2Bbattery+%2Bcable

that is a mighty nice crimp. i might need to grab a tool like that.

the odd time that i have to repair cable ends i usually grab a set of copper cable lugs from a jobber. a small dose of muriatic acid cleans up the wire, slide on some adhesive lined shrink tubing and then the lug and it gets 'crimped' with a set of channel-locks. i then proceed to put about a quarter roll of solder into the void of the lug with a butane torch.. if the terminal itself is poor or doesn't have a spot with threads then i'll install a new marine type terminal.

- 2014 Escape 6F35 with harsh reverse engagement and the odd flare on almost all upshifts. trans is going back in now.

- 2011 F550 6.8 going knock, knock, knock

- 2014 F150 5.0 for a left side cylinder head ... P0308, down 8% on relative and coming out the intake like they always do

- 2011 Subaru WRX for both head gaskets

Looks like I'm late to the party - never had seen this concern before! Thanks for the feedback.

Odd concern - cranks and fires properly with the (factory) remote starter. Click but no real crank (tries to turn over, sounds like weak batteies) when starting the the key in the igntion.

I fixed it with two new batteries. My question is why would the truck fire all of the time with the remote starter but not with the actual key. Increased electrical demand with the key in the ignition? That doesn't seem likely when most loads are shed during cranking.

 

89 E350 motorhome with a 460 - died while running and then crank no start.

 

- put a lift pump in it due to low fuel pressure reading (suspect was running only off of the boost pump)

- then put a distributor in it for erratic spark. found the roll pin holding the gear in place all out of sort

 

Runs. Now to find a timing light. This thing is as old as I am.

I'm only 4 years older than you and I have one in my box. Slacker.

 

haha. this was quite literally the first distributor i've pulled since trade school - as evidenced by the fact that i was 180 out on the first try. honestly, i'd rather chase open networks and intermittent driveability than a no start on this pre-obd 2 stuff.

89 E350 motorhome with a 460 - died while running and then crank no start.

- put a lift pump in it due to low fuel pressure reading (suspect was running only off of the boost pump)

- then put a distributor in it for erratic spark. found the roll pin holding the gear in place all out of sort

Runs. Now to find a timing light. This thing is as old as I am.

Agreed. I would do everything on the primary run (phasers included) plus both secondary chains and tensioners. 

Did I mention I'm the only tech in the shop this week that has a drivers license?

You work at Peace River Ford? We hired (and fired) 4 licensed techs over the 3.5 years I was there. Three of them did not have a driver's license. I don't know if that's a worse commentary toward the techs or management.

Somewhat related - everything that;s old is new again. On Monday the 17th I'll be back at Whitehorse Motors in the Yukon. Here's to not burning bridges when you leave a place : )

Power surges into your home really suck...

Emergency phone call from my sick elderly mom (housebound) at my house about "no power" and her O2 machine down.  Standby gen started, then shut down.

 

I called company that installed it, and prepared to leave work.

 

Get home, a few minutes before electrician.  Find partial power, 9 breakers blown, including the 60A for my garage.  I'm not touching anything.

 

Long story short, electrician believes surge came through.  I found the aforementioned breakers blown, 18 damaged surge protectors, 3 smoked completely, in my garage all breakers for plugs popped and 1 gfci completely melted.   Turning on one breaker in particular made a sound and flash much like a transformer exploding.  Ended up unplugging everything on that circuit and putting them back.

 

Also lost my receiver and suboofer in the garage. 

 

Gen works fine, he believes as shore power came back, it surged, doing the damage and causing the gen to shut down. 

 

I found out later a car hit a pole earlier in the day. 

 

Needless to say, I'm a bit wound up, looking, checking and smelling every piece of electrical equipment in the place.

 

As a side note, electrician did say that when many surge protectors go, they sometimes deliberately short input lines to blow the breaker to prevent surges from going through.

 

Just ordered 18 new surge protectors and the electricians are coming back to install a whole house protector in the box and some other work I want done. 

That sounds brutal. Does your house policy cover any of that? If it does then is it even worth making a claim?

Reminds me of a Mustang I did a couple years back - near every module and LED bulb, plus many relays and electric motors all had the smoke let out. Boosted with high voltage after sitting idle through the winter was the final story. Somehow we warrantied everything.