Working on the Heater Core Right Now , I would rather shoot my toe off than do another heater core
Pep talk for our non-mechanically inclined forum members
- Thread starter Gunnersmate
- Start date
Heater core is easy. We can swap one out and back in pulling the dash all the way out in about 5 hours. But, it only takes us about 20 minutes to pull the dash because we don't fight anything. Steering column out, etc.
I'm with you man. I used to do what I could, basically all the OP listed, but I've gotten to the point where the sweat, aggravation, and busted knuckles are just not worth a couple hundred dollars. I am old now, I can afford to pay the guy who does it for a living. Figure I'm contributing to the economy.
I've owned this '85 Mercedes for 21 years now - and I mostly know what I can do and what I'm better off farming out. I just put new radiator hoses, belts, and water pump on it because the 4 YO water pump grenaded for reasons unknown. BUT - the local European car mech is going to change the heater hoses for me. I did that job once, you can't get to anything as they're sandwiched between the dual firewalls, you can't reach anything because its in the middle of the width of the car, blah, blah. It isn't gonna be cheap having someone else do it - the mech knows its a pain in the ass too! Just obtaining the right hoses is a challenge - you're best off calling Mercedes parts and giving them the VIN, and you still might end up with the wrong parts! It was a cross over year and the California version of that car has some unique parts on it.
I think I told the story about the '87 F-250 Diesel I had someone else change the VC gaskets on. I bought the gaskets, then started looking at the job... Called "Coast Fuel Injection" and asked them what they'd charge. "It'll be down there in 20 minutes...". Got a call 90 minutes later from a really pissed off mechanic: "You didn't tell me this thing had a Banks turbocharger and an aftermarket air conditioner - I'm gonna have to charge you and extra 50 bucks!" I replied "Why do you think you're doing it? If it were easy, I would have done it myself!". It was one of those stand on your head, use 3 wobbles and 4 extensions kind of jobs...
I do most of my own work, but have a mechanic for some jobs. He's honest and doesn't overcharge or find other items that need repair. He won't fix anything else without calling and explaining it.
But I've only had 4 cars in his shop in 20 years.
But I've only had 4 cars in his shop in 20 years.
Yep I get but still drives me crazy to see so many people that are to afraid to do it themselves and just piss money away on no brainer repairs and upgrades
R1PPLE41
New Member
Great post @Gunnersmate . Sometimes all the people need is a good peptalk…
I was pumped the other day about how smooth my install was going on the SwayLoc until I went to position the arms & realized my arms were below the drag link.
Doh!
Decided to pop out the tie rod & damaged the treads with an errant hammer strike.
Trusty, tiny dremel cutoff wheel saved my bacon again. Sliced maybe 3 or 4 threads off the top & was able to get the nut back on…cotter pin and all.
I’m not even being sarcastic when I say I had the best time.
These seemingly FUBAR situations become zen-like in the moment.
I’d encourage others new to working on their Jeep to start small with an oil change or painting your flares. Whatever appeals to their mechanical or artistic sensibilities. Things snowball from there in due confidence.
When I bought my first TJ in 2009 I’d never even changed my oil before(nor cared to). Now on Saturday mornings I’m just looking for an excuse to crawl underneath it.
I was pumped the other day about how smooth my install was going on the SwayLoc until I went to position the arms & realized my arms were below the drag link.
Doh!Decided to pop out the tie rod & damaged the treads with an errant hammer strike.
Trusty, tiny dremel cutoff wheel saved my bacon again. Sliced maybe 3 or 4 threads off the top & was able to get the nut back on…cotter pin and all.
I’m not even being sarcastic when I say I had the best time.
These seemingly FUBAR situations become zen-like in the moment.
I’d encourage others new to working on their Jeep to start small with an oil change or painting your flares. Whatever appeals to their mechanical or artistic sensibilities. Things snowball from there in due confidence.
When I bought my first TJ in 2009 I’d never even changed my oil before(nor cared to). Now on Saturday mornings I’m just looking for an excuse to crawl underneath it.
Not necessarily fear of doing repairs. What's the worst that can happen? You screw something up and end up having to take it to the shop? That's not a big deal. I would guess most of us on here have another vehicle.
I take the TJ twice a year to a Jeep-only shop that's over two hours from me. In the Fall it goes in for inspection, oil change, and a pre-Winter check-up, and in the Spring/early Summer it goes in for its well baby check and oil change. As a matter of fact I'm taking it there today.
Anybody can change the oil in a TJ, check fluids, rotate the tires, etc. I have zero fear of these things but I take it to the shop for a few reasons:
1. The place has been in business for a long time and all they do is TJ's and CJ's. It's a small place that relies on word of mouth and repeat customers and they're trustworthy. They go over the Jeep, tell me how everything looks, and I leave with the peace of mind you get from knowing she's not likely to leave me stranded in center city on a Sunday afternoon.
2. My best old friend from high school lives right around the corner. We hadn't seen each other in over 40 years and when I looked him up one day there he was. So I spend a few hours with him.
3. Living out here in the rurals and being retired I don't see a lot of people so it's nice to get away to the city for a day, eat some good goddamn pizza for a change, maybe an Indian place near there for lunch. There's a great record store not far from there I hit up (my daughter wants Highway 61 Revisited, which we can't find up here. I'll check there, maybe surprise her this evening).
4. It's hot as hell here in the Summer and I'd just as well not sweat all over my garage for three or four hours.
5. Big one for me: I have nowhere to recycle parts or oil where I'm at.
I'm sure I could think of other reasons but the bottom line is, I probably spend an extra 3 or 4 hundred dollars a year to have a professional mechanic work on my Jeep and there's no shame I feel in that. I like my Jeep, I like to drive it with the top down, run through the gears, and I like to keep it on the road. I don't wheel anymore and my TJ is stock and I don't do a lot of the work on it. But my daughter loves riding in it, and when she starts driving next year a Jeep is what she wants. So, to each his own.
Chapman4266
TJ Enthusiast
Matco makes a big wheel creeper I use at work outside. Does pretty good. Deep pea gravel would still be a problem though.