This is why maintenance is key

"Nibbles" (nibbles) 01/24/2014 at 09:35 • Filed to: Maintain your damn cars, learning time

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I'll just leave this here at the top for you all to stare at.

A few weeks ago, my in laws had a housewarming party. My sister in law was there with her family as well. While entertaining guests and having some drinks, she asks me if I could help her son out with some work on his car. He has a 2000 Bonneville SSE with less than 100k on the clock. I like Bonnes so I agree. She says he needs rear brakes and has a check engine light on. No problem! We set a date for last weekend, and I headed down to Security (just south of Colorado Springs) in the pickup to lend a helping hand.

Non sequitur: The truck performed flawlessly on the nearly 200 mile round trip. I even neared 90 mph (to keep up with traffic lol) and it didn't shake, shudder or lose competence. SCORE! /non sequitur

I get to their house and immediately start work. I started on the easy side, the one with the least damage. Pads were still there. Rotor was still there. A quick R&R and piston press and whammo we're done. Swapping to the passenger side is where I saw what you see in the header pic. That's his rotor. No pads left. The inner pad was so worn that the backing plate was about 2mm thick! The piston was out of the caliper and seized. That ring? That was clamped hard to the caliper. The rotor hub was spinning freely. Here's another pic

Thankfully the piston boot was still intact. No damage done to the piston except it was almost entirely out. I was able to reinstall and press in without issue - no leaks thank gawd! I slapped on the rest of the parts, gave him some good old fashioned chiding, told him these pics were going on the internet, and finished the job.

We then did the sister in law's rear brakes on her G6. She takes the car to Grease Monkey (probably) and they told her that the pads and rotors were shot and needed replacing. After inspection I found that the pads, while worn, were still within spec and the rotors were about as new as they were when she had them installed 6,000 miles ago. But since we already had the parts and this was a learning experience, I cracked a beer and taught her son how to replace pads by making him do them. He did a good job. We left the rotors.

His check engine light? Failing MAF sensor, standard issue on the 3800s. He'll get that replaced. Moral of the story? MAINTAIN YOUR CARS OR I WILL HECKLE YOU AND POST PICTURES ON THE INTERNET

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:38

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good lord I have seen this numerous times. How the hell does this happen within 100K miles unless the caliper was locked up. But in that case - Why is my car so slow? Why am I filling my gas tank every 50 miles? What is that FRIGGIN SMELL?

These are all things a non mechanic should at least take heed of

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:39

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WHAT IF WE DON'T SUPPLY YOU WITH PICTURES OF OUR POORLY MAINTAINED CARS???????

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

Mattbob > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:40

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"He'll get that replaced. "

Weaksauce. That should be part 2.

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 09:41

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You'd think so, eh?

I don't know how he did it. Not sure how he didn't notice the screaming, or the loss of power, or the loss of braking when the disc finally snapped.

Nibbles > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 01/24/2014 at 09:42

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Didn't say anything about those pictures being of your cars, now did I?

C'mon, I'm Nibbles. I have more pictures than you could shake a stick at

Nibbles > Mattbob 01/24/2014 at 09:44

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It probably will be. The MAF is installed with security Torx screws, so I'll probably have to go down there to do that as well. Here's a write up!

1: Unplug MAF
2: Remove 2 security Torx screws
4: Remove MAF
5: Install new MAF
6: Heckle
7: Install 2 security Torx screws
8: Plug in new MAF

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:45

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the worst WTF moment I had was on an 84 S10 diesel. Customer came in and said the front wheel wobbled over 15 mph and was making a "grinding noise". I put it up and literally took the wheel off with my hands. Once you took the weight off the tire what was left of the wheel bearing wasnt sitting in the worn out groove on the spindle any more and just came off. I stared for 10 minutes and shook my head

Frank Grimes > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:46

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I love this post. You seem like a good man helping him like that I hope he remembers and appreciates it also I hope you were only as vicious as necessary.

Frank Grimes > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:47

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Could I have a few of mine back please Sir Nibbles?

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:47

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On the note about the pickup: Just for memory's sake, is yours project Thanks Obama? I can't recall if that one's yours.

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 09:48

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Ouch

I got one for ya. Not as damaging but just as delightful. A friend of mine has a 2007 Escape. 6spd auto, which has been replaced like 3 times now. She's had nothing but hell with the thing. She calls me up a few weeks ago and says that the check engine light is on. Gives me the code, emissions related to TPS sensor or something like that.

She brings it to the house, I pop the hood, and what do I see? One of those 2-cent resistor boxes people sell on eBay for like 20 bucks. I aks her about it, says that she and (my other friend) installed it because whatever. I remove it, no check engine light. I then went into a lengthy dissertation about snake oil

Nibbles > Frank Grimes 01/24/2014 at 09:49

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I hope he does too. He took to it rather quickly and didn't even need help on the G6. He's a good kid.

Nibbles > Frank Grimes 01/24/2014 at 09:50

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Please submit requisition form 1107-PICGF in triplicate and I will have the data retention department get back to you on that. Expect 6-8 weeks delivery time

Nibbles > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 01/24/2014 at 09:50

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You are correct good sir, the truck in question is indeed Project Thanks Obama

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:51

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Ok, I was just making sure. Sounds like she handled well!

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:52

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hahahaha oh man people and cars. I am actually surprised that escape has been such a bitch though, everyone I know that has one loves it and they have been dead reliable

Frank Grimes > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:52

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Sounds like you got yourself a good jedi apprentice. Also you/he is extraordinarily lucky those pistons weren't nuked the first thing I thought of was oh crap those caliper pistons are toasted!

Frank Grimes > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:52

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Oh Bullocks.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:54

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Do we have to fax you a copy on green paper?

DomGuy > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 09:56

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I helped a friend replace his brakes on his Mitsubishi Eclipse one time. When he would slow down to a stop it sounded the Satan's own personal army of banshees had possessed his wheels and were determined to drive the living into pants-shitting madness with their ghastly, unearthly wails.

The rotors were so rusted on, it took us 6 hours of hammering, drilling, an entire can of WD-40 to do a single one. I wish I had pictures.

efme > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 10:03

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on my s10 i think the bolts that connected the front right driveshaft wobbled themselves out... the plate that would have connected it to the front diff was just slapping around under there. crazy things happen!

efme > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 10:04

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I'm not surprised... i would say vast majority of people don't know what that smell is. if your car has a seized caliper its not -that- much slower espeically if the pad was worn out and its just a metal puck on there. eventually the noise went away....

Nibbles > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 01/24/2014 at 10:05

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Handled like a Dakota with 190k on the clock!

I still have to do pitman and idler arms - there's still some slack in the steering. Also shocks are due.

505Turbeaux > efme 01/24/2014 at 10:06

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jesus man! yeah this was a rear driver and man there was nothing there

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 10:06

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The early 6ats had a lot of issues, but they're hit-and-miss. Unfortunately she got the short end of the transmission stick

Nibbles > Frank Grimes 01/24/2014 at 10:07

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Indeed. That was the worst of our worries.

Nibbles > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 01/24/2014 at 10:08

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No, that's not necessary. But please remember to include a cover sheet

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 10:08

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ah reminds me of my parents 1990 V6 grand voyager. Took Plymouth dealer 4 trannys to get one that worked. good old 7/70 warranty came in handy

Nibbles > DomGuy 01/24/2014 at 10:08

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OUCH

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 10:09

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Don't even get me started on Chrysler automatics

Seriously

So many stories

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 10:11

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lol the only one that lasted was my moms Sundance. And I cringe everytime I still see one of those on the road.

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 10:13

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I've never not had to replace a Chrysler's automatic tranny. It's the biggest reason I forced the wife to buy this manual Dakota

That and most Jalop truck ever

MonkeePuzzle > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 10:31

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this pic deserves to be on http://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledin…

nice work on getting him going again. That free spinning metal could have randomly jammed and caused his wheel to lock and spin his car at really any time

Nibbles > MonkeePuzzle 01/24/2014 at 10:32

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I considered putting it there, but I try to stay away from Reddit as much as I can

I don't need something else to suck the life out of me

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 10:48

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awesome...what year?

Stupidru > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 11:00

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Every kid needs somebody like you to teach them about cars.

Cheers mate! Good on ya!

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 11:21

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1995. Magnum 5.2 (318), 4x4, extended cab, dark green. Bought it for $900 because the PO curbed it, bending the lower control arm/torsion bar mount and driver rear axle shaft

Not a bad buy at all

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 11:25

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oh my favorite body. I remember this project now! I know of that gen with a 360 in it (I think they made it one year). Some dude up the coast has one with a stick that he drives in the winter instead of his Cobra replica. Odd dude but man is that truck clean

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 11:30

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The 360 wasn't available in the Dakota until the 2nd gen, at least factory-wise

The two are identical though. A swap is stupid easy to do. I thought about doing so, but in the interest of keeping numbers matching (for what reason I don't know) I think I'm just going to bore/stroke the 318 to 390

505Turbeaux > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 11:35

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I remember this guy making a big deal about it being factory, but researching, maybe he was full of shit (probably - he does drive a replica Cobra). I drove a few Dakota R/T's with the 360/5M and those were a ton of fun

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux 01/24/2014 at 11:36

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Chrysler was weird back then, too. It may have been a special order.

My wife's old Dakota was one of those. A 1997 2wd single cab SLT with the 5.2. In 1997 you weren't supposed to be able to get the 5.2 unless you went with 4wd.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Nibbles 01/24/2014 at 15:14

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Coming along though!