Minor rant thread. Post your rants o' the day here!

Dusterbd13 said:

Ridiculously minor rant:

Why does the miata require dissassemly of the ball joints to change the strut? Thats just stupid.  

And the oil filter is a pain i  the ass to change.

 

Again, incredibly small and petty rant.

A) You don't have to separate ball joints. Just unbolt the large upper control arm bolt and slide it out, which then lets the whole assembly droop down and you pull the strut out the top of the upper arm. That's how I do it. 

B) Remove the intake manifold brace, and the filter becomes much easier to swap.

In reply to NickD :

I may have to look at removing that brace...

Umm... remove every time, or remove a toss in woods?

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Remove and toss in the scrap pile. Keith Tanner says they serve no real purpose and sees cars come in that have been missing them for quite some time and there is no harm done.

Visiting the in-laws for the holidays. Brother-in-law is manic/depressive and fell off the wagon a few days ago. He's looting booze from all over the house and thinks he's being sneaky about it. Not quite. Around dinner time he's usually ripped and starting to lose control of his shiny happy person filter. Christmas Eve was fun. I pulled my wife aside and told her that if he ruined Christmas for my small kids, I will drag him out back and beat him with a 2x4 (he's bigger than me, I need leverage).

Last night he tried to drag my wife and I into an argument about religion (he's a raving atheist with a razor sharp fedora and neckbeard). My wife flat old told him to sleep it off and she would gladly debate him today when he was sober. She put herself through college by being on the debate team (even I don't argue with her) so this should be fun to watch.

Today we informed the in-laws that we would be hiding all the booze in the house, which sucks because I would actually like to have a nice glass of scotch with my father-in-law at some point.

I get it, he's sick, but my patience is growing thin.

I'm sick. Cough/cold type of deal, head feels like its in the clouds. Come in to work today to get things done on 3 monitors, want to leave at 2 or so. Bosses daughter is here working today. Boss is not. Boss is trying to find things for her to do, so he is having me do things that are super low on my priority list because she can help with them. Which means that I'm not getting the things that I came in today to do done. 

This cold weather means im wearing my hunting coveralls at work because everytime we open the door the temp gets bitter cold. Boss told me camo makes me look like a hill billy! 

In reply to dropstep :

Just tell him that (whatever he's wearing ) dosent make him look cool, it  makes him look chili. And chili ain't never been cool.

In all of their infinite wisdom, for 2017 GM changed the charge air cooling system on the L5P DuraMax, so that now if you operate the vehicle with a plow on the front over 45mph, it'll throw a P026A Charge Air Cooler Efficiency - Low. Oh, and if operated under those conditions for longer periods of time, it could blow the engine up. And now they are saying, there's no fix for it, that's just how it is, deal with it. So now we are inundated in pissed-off customers who have to be told that they can't use their brand-new $75,000 trucks to plow snow and demanding them to be bought back so that they can either change brands or go find a used or unsold '16 DuraMax. Meanwhile, Ford and Dodge have no such issue. Really GM, why did you think this was a good idea?

In reply to slefain :

When he wakes up, look him in the eye and tell him you hid all the liquor, because he was being a douchebag.  His options are to climb back on the wagon, or leave.  Make sure you have the 2x4 in a handy location, just in case you need to clean him up a bit.

My brother in law hasn't been in the house since his Mother died 15 years ago.  No loss.

Just because I’m the car guy in the family, I’m supposed to be able to find a great deal on anything a family member might want in no time flat.  I think after this round, I’m done helping.

Is 15 over the new 5 over? I speed. There, I admit it. But I don't push it. 5-7 over on major roads and highways. 5, tops, usually. I was doing 10 today because I had people climbing up my ass. I'll be dammed if I'll be pushed any faster. How berkeleying fast do you want me to go? My only satisfaction was making some bumper riding asshat almost eat it through the twisties in the FR-S. 

Appleseed said:

Is 15 over the new 5 over? I speed. There, I admit it. But I don't push it. 5-7 over on major roads and highways. 5, tops, usually. I was doing 10 today because I had people climbing up my ass. I'll be dammed if I'll be pushed any faster. How berkeleying fast do you want me to go? My only satisfaction was making some bumper riding asshat almost eat it through the twisties in the FR-S. 

Depends on the road around here. If it's anything other than a main road or one the cops camp on, 14 over is pretty common, since reckless driving starts at 15

Appleseed said:

Is 15 over the new 5 over? I speed. There, I admit it. But I don't push it. 5-7 over on major roads and highways. 5, tops, usually. I was doing 10 today because I had people climbing up my ass. I'll be dammed if I'll be pushed any faster. How berkeleying fast do you want me to go? My only satisfaction was making some bumper riding asshat almost eat it through the twisties in the FR-S. 

depending on the road around here.. people will do 25 over because they know there is no place for a cop to hide. My supervisor regularly does 90 on a 50 mph road going to and from work

I should have been clearer. These roads are everything but school zones. Shopping, residential, etc... It is unusual for these roads in particular because they are loaded with cops, and we all know it.

Out of towners? 

NickD said:

In all of their infinite wisdom, for 2017 GM changed the charge air cooling system on the L5P DuraMax, so that now if you operate the vehicle with a plow on the front over 45mph, it'll throw a P026A Charge Air Cooler Efficiency - Low. Oh, and if operated under those conditions for longer periods of time, it could blow the engine up. And now they are saying, there's no fix for it, that's just how it is, deal with it. So now we are inundated in pissed-off customers who have to be told that they can't use their brand-new $75,000 trucks to plow snow and demanding them to be bought back so that they can either change brands or go find a used o unsold '16 DuraMax. Meanwhile, Ford and Dodge have no such issue. Really GM, why did you think this was a good idea?

I guess that means you won't be hauling a dirt bike on the front either.  I'll skip GM in my search for a new diesel truck.

A 401 CJ said:

NickD said:

In all of their infinite wisdom, for 2017 GM changed the charge air cooling system on the L5P DuraMax, so that now if you operate the vehicle with a plow on the front over 45mph, it'll throw a P026A Charge Air Cooler Efficiency - Low. Oh, and if operated under those conditions for longer periods of time, it could blow the engine up. And now they are saying, there's no fix for it, that's just how it is, deal with it. So now we are inundated in pissed-off customers who have to be told that they can't use their brand-new $75,000 trucks to plow snow and demanding them to be bought back so that they can either change brands or go find a used o unsold '16 DuraMax. Meanwhile, Ford and Dodge have no such issue. Really GM, why did you think this was a good idea?

I guess that means you won't be hauling a dirt bike on the front either.  I'll skip GM in my search for a new diesel truck.

 

Yeah, it's really dumb. No clue what they were thinking. We have construction/contracting companies that are pissed because they need the diesel towing capabilities to move equipment in the summer, and then they use their trucks in the winter for plowing services, and now they are finding they can't do that unless they transit everywhere at 45mph or remove the blade and transport it between sites on a trailer or something. And GM doesn't exactly go out of their way to warn the customer. There is no big warning under the hood or anything, it's just a small line buried in the owners manual. So these guys are operating off the assumption that every other previous DuraMax truck could be operated with a plow on the front, and then finding out the hard way that that's not true.

Sounds like a business opportunity, involving a formed plastic air duct to draw air from above the plow.  

So because I'm the worlds dumbest human I just managed to break this piece off the front of the V8 that's going in the Miata.  I'm so frustrated and pissed right now!!!!  Entirely my own fault, entirely preventable.  And will be hours more work wrestling this berkeleying engine and sourcing a new (water pump housing base?)

Timing cover.  Everybody learns eventually that you always tighten down the bolt that is attaching the chain to the engine...  Today was your day.

I once received an engine from a wrecker that was tied down to the pallet with four long, not tight bolts.  Took one chunk out of the block at the rear, and the accessory bracket up front.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Looking at it, yeah, it's the timing chain cover.  Appears to be about $40-$60 on Amazon.  Just one more thing to do I suppose.

The bolt was fine, the motor mount got hung on a bolt thread and the engine hoist won the "tensile strength contest" and the aluminum broke.  Grumble.

And thats why i always bolt to the head. Did same thing once with a mopar. 

Member: I can't find my order  

Snow: <finds it> That's because we need the photographer's release  

Member: Oh, I do this every year, you're just new  

Snow: I've been in this department for three years... and we need the photographer's release.

Streetwiseguy said:

Sounds like a business opportunity, involving a formed plastic air duct to draw air from above the plow.  

or a toggled on fan when towing

Well, last night sucked royally.