I've got a couple of old Chevy trucks...an 01 Silverado and an 03 Suburban. Both are still structurally sound, but we live in northern Indiana so rust is a fact of life.

My 01 has had an ABS light on for a while because the left front wheel speed sensor went bad. It does funky things to the brakes, so it needed fixed, but it's been cold and snowy and I haven't driven the truck since November so I was kinda putting it off. Finally warmed up a bit and I got the part, so today was the day. Truck has been sitting for months, but it fired right up and ran like a top. Pulled it in the garage, popped the wheel and the brake rotor off with no rusty drama, and even the little 5mm hex bolt came out of the hub and didn't break off. Sensor wasn't seized and popped right out, new one went in and everything went back together. Brakes work, and before we got out of the driveway on the test drive the light went off and stayed off, job done!

I did the upstream O2 sensors in the Suburban about a month ago. What an awful hellacious job that was. Had to work through a tiny gap in the frame to get them out (1/8 turn at a time) and they fought me the whole way. Then the threads were all galled up and cross-threaded when I tried to get the new sensor back in, so I ended up having to pull the exhaust, order a tap and die, and do them out of the vehicle. It was such a fight to get that off, that I decided I might as well drop the trans and fix the leaky rear main seal and oil pan gasket while I had it out, and why not do motor mounts too while I was in there. 30 minute O2 sensor job turned into a weeklong ordeal.

Well, like an idiot I didn't change the downstream sensors while I had it out. Two weeks after I get the job done, the light comes on for one of those. So I ordered two more from RockAuto. Didn't expect them to get here till next week but they showed up this afternoon. Jacked the truck up, got out the breaker bar, O2 sensor socket, and a 2 foot piece of pipe to use as a cheater bar, and got ready to go to war. A little bit of pressure on the first one and it broke loose, then threaded the rest of the way out by hand. Second one went the same way. I've never had an exhaust component cooperate like that! 30 minutes and job done. I'll take the win!

I wish all auto repairs went like that... but Murphy's Law always intervenes when I do stuff at home!

Did you check to make sure you still have your 10 mm socket? I guarantee that fucker is gone, even if you didn’t use it.

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I wish all auto repairs went like that... but Murphy's Law always intervenes when I do stuff at home!

I have a 1999 Nissan Maxima we bought new. I still use it for around town and it runs great. Since it was running so well, I decided it was time to change plugs (actually well past due mileage-wise). No problem but then I thought gee the PCV is original I think so I guess I'll change it while I'm here.

Annnd that's where Murphy came calling.

The top half broke off, the bottom half, along with the brittle grommet in a bunch of little pieces, fell down inside the rocker cover. Off comes the intake manifold, a gazillion vacuum lines, EGR crap, and a couple coolant lines.

I'm afraid to touch it much less put it back together.

quote:

Originally posted by Patriot:
Did you check to make sure you still have your 10 mm socket? I guarantee that fucker is gone, even if you didn’t use it.

Yeah, those were long gone before I even started lol. I've replaced quite a few...they should sell kits.

quote:

The top half broke off, the bottom half, along with the brittle grommet in a bunch of little pieces, fell down inside the rocker cover. Off comes the intake manifold, a gazillion vacuum lines, EGR crap, and a couple coolant lines.

Yep, you know exactly the type of thing I'm talking about !

"they should sell kits"

BRAZEN 10mm Socket Ten Pack

https://www.amazon.com/10mm-So...TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:

quote:

Originally posted by Patriot:
Did you check to make sure you still have your 10 mm socket? I guarantee that fucker is gone, even if you didn’t use it.

Yeah, those were long gone before I even started lol. I've replaced quite a few...they should sell kits.

They do sell kits/multi-packs of just 10mm sockets on Chinazon, usually quantity 10. I have seen sets where they have shorties, deep, and impact in 1/4" and 3/8" drive.

When (not if) I lose my last hoarded 10mm (deep, 1/4" drive), I'll probably pick up one of these and be flush for at least a week!

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has found a 10mm socket or two nestled deep in a car's suspension. Always feels very special, especially if it is a quality item.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has found a 10mm socket or two nestled deep in a car's suspension. Always feels very special, especially if it is a quality item.

Prior to retiring* I flew for a few local companies, as a contract pilot. Most of them had their maintenance done at one of the most expensive (not necessarily the best, in my experience) facilities at the airport (KORL). Over the years, my pre-flight inspections yielded a pretty good collection of quality tool, mostly Snap-On, harvested from the engine compartment.

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*Retirement encouraged by FAA's refusal to renew my Medical Certificate because prostate cancer.

Always nice when things go better than expected!