What are you doing today?

[wayne petty]

today... mostly KICKING myself..

was doing a water pump on a friends 03 dodge intrepid.. 2.7 DOHC..

the water pump is behind the timing cover..   behind the timing chains.. behind the timing chain guides...

so after renting the proper damper puller..   removing both headlight assemblies.. the upper core support/filler panel.. the radiator cooling fans.. the belts and tensioners, the ps pump bolts..   the timing cover.. the upper plenum... the coils and harnesses from the top of the motor.. both valve covers..  turning the engine enough times to bring the bright links to the proper setting..    undoing the cover over the chain tensioner..  having both cams jump 1/8 of a turn..   i removed the passenger side cam sprocket..
this is kinda the point where everything shifted...

i got the chain out of the way by looping it kinda over the drivers cam sprocket..  got the guides and the water pump out.. then the new pump in.. then the guides..

after cleaning the timing cover and removing the old silicone molded seal..  i opened the box with the new felpro timing cover seal..

this is the first time i have done one of these..

when i layed the new aluminum framed molded silicone seal over the face of the timing cover i realized that its NOT going to seal... there is like a 1/8 inch gap..  where there is a step up from the timing cover face..

its exactly the same shape as the new aluminum /silicone gasket..

i scratched my head.. looked at it for almost an hour..  there is no way this is going to seal.. and its going to hold the timing cover out 1/16 of an inch or so.. there are two bosses that bolt tight to the front of the block in the middle of the cast aluminum timing cover..  when i tighten these bolts. the timing cover is going to CRACK..  the belt tensioner is going to be out too far throwing off the belt alignment....

i had the wife look up the part online and verify the part number.. read the package.. looked inside for instructions..    called a friends parts store.. got the felpro tech line..   gave him the info.. and described the issue.. this darn step above the face of the timing cover.. exactly the same shape as the new aluminum gasket .. less the silicone i removed..

the tech line said to return it to the store and pick up a mopar part..

so i put everything away.. as i needed to make a costco run also..

cleaned up.. drove over to dodge parts..  nobody at the counter.. hmm...

just sitting there on that mopar stool must have made me a LOT smarter..   pushed my brain back into my head..

i realized sitting there on that stool...   that the stepped part was the previous aluminum gasket frame.. that some previous tech had GLUED to the face of the timing cover with grey silicone that matched the aluminum of the timing cover and the gasket frame..    it was glued on really tight too.

http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/fpr/TCS45035/image/4/

sorry to bore you .. but i feel this is a confession.. sort of.. as least a got a chicken bake out of it at costco...

i hope all of your days went better than mine..

[UGLY OLDS]

Isn't it fun to follow behind a previous "Tech"   :?:  :evil:

What you discovered is what separates Technicians from the "Hacks" ....

Good on you for doing the job correctly .....

At the rod shop at GG Des Moines , one of the guys helping change my water pump un-knowingly gave me a super "Pat on the Back" when he said it was obvious that someone was "Thinking Ahead" when the Olds was assembled ......It was that easy to work on....... :oops:



Bob.......

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I pulled a small Mesquite tree out. Trunk was about 3 inches diameter.  I planted this one from a seedling we had pop up in the middle of the yard.

We have decided most of the mesquite trees in the yard need to go away.  Too messy (seed pods) , I need a suit of armor when I trim them to avoid the spikes these trees grow.

[enjenjo]

Corn's on, the party is about to start.

[phat46]

Corn's on, the party is about to start.

Same here, first local corn of the year, having it with BBQ and then off to the second night of the local "Car Cruise Weekend"

[Rrumbler]

Game day with my grand girls today, indoor soccer; they got stomped.

Tony, are you going to save the wood for grilling or smoking?  I think I would be so inclined.

[39deluxe]

Since it has cooled off some today I think I'll wash the wife's Corvette and her Equinox. If I'm lucky I can get her to to clean the interior. I also have some stuff to move to the storage room in the basement so I can park my car inside again.

Tom

[kb426]

I'm hotrodding a Fender Jazzmaster. When I'm finished with some of the stuff, I'll post pics. I'm spending the same time level as building a good hotrod.

[phat rat]

Took a run to West Alexandria Oh, it's near Dayton, to deliver 3 cabs a guy bought from me. Part of this years western parts hunting collection

[chimp koose]

spent the day helping my son get a new (to him)motorcycle. 2006 vulcan 800 with 1400km (800 miles) on it. He is pumped.

[Boyd Who]

spent the day helping my son get a new (to him)motorcycle. 2006 vulcan 800 with 1400km (800 miles) on it. He is pumped.

Isn't the '06 a 900?
Either way, the Kawi Vulcan is a fantastic bike. I had a '96 800 that I loved.
If he's interested, send him to the vroc.org website...the best Vulcan site and online club around.

[chimp koose]

06 is the last year of 800 and chain drive. Got boots, gloves ,jacket W/elbow ,shoulder, &spine board,rain gear,shades and a new helmet that has a blinking light in the back you can turn on or off and a set of "shades " that drop down from the brim like the helmet on an f18 flight helmet.Now that he has the gear we are going to pick up the bike.Found another almost identical vulcan with LESS km on it on kijiji, GREAT bargaining tool.

[Boyd Who]

Very cool! There are a bunch of easy mods that can be done to the 800's to boost power, they really are nice bikes. I was looking at an '02 in Winnipeg recently but with my wife's medical situation I think it's better to save my $$ for things we really need.

[32coupe]

I've been spending the last couple of weeks building a slotcar track, I got the bug again after 35 years a couple of months ago.
Now I have collected roughly 40 cars and I can't seem to stay away from Ebay, still collecting.








Not quite finished yet, I need to rig up a pulley system to run to a boat winch so I can lift it up when I need the room to work on cars.

[kb426]

That track looks to be loads of fun. I think I'll run across the ocean and challenge you to a race!