Looking forward to a little wrench time tomorrow

"As Du Volant" (skuhnphoto) 04/10/2015 at 19:57 • Filed to: car repair

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Funny story. A couple months ago the check engine light came on in my girlfriend's Suzuki SX4. Got the code scanned, no big deal, I forget the name of the code but basically the engine wasn't reaching operating temp and the readings on the temp gauge confirmed that. I figured it's a stuck thermostat and planned to replace it before the car was due for inspection (end of this month).

So on Monday I ordered the thermostat, had it on Tuesday, and today I drove her car to work intending to leave it there overnight so the coolant would be nice and cold when I head back out there tomorrow to fix it using the service bay the manager so graciously let me borrow.

But when I got in the car this morning... the check engine light was off. I fired off a text telling her "See, I told you all we had to do was get a thermostat!" And then it dawned on me... emissions inspection here is contingent on having the check engine light off, and since it's off I can go ahead and have the car inspected! I dropped the keys off with one of our service writers (who looks a lot like Bryan Cranston) and headed to my office.

But then about an hour later he walked back to my office with some papers in his hand. Not good. It's never good when they come to your office instead of buzzing your phone extension. "Needs front brakes" he said. "You're at 2/32 and your rotors are too thin to be machined. It's going to fail."

Fast forward a few hours and I've got a pair of rotors and a set of pads waiting for me, plus that thermostat I might as well still install since the problem will just come back anyway when the weather gets cold again.

Since I haven't had the money to properly fix my project car I really haven't done much wrenching for a while, and I miss it. The extent of what I've done has just been minor repairs to keep our relatively young daily drivers on the road. So tomorrow I get a little wrench time, and I'm so looking forward to it.

I did mention it's my girlfriend's car. She'll be working on it too. She doesn't have experience working on cars but wants to learn, so one half of that front brake job has her name written all over it. Best way to learn is through experience, you know.

And now it's time for beer.

Funktheduck > As Du Volant 04/10/2015 at 20:04

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Woo. I love working on cars when I don't have to. The goal is to overhaul the fuel system on my truck this spring/summer

Steve in Manhattan > As Du Volant 04/10/2015 at 20:19

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I miss working on my old Volvos. Hell, I even miss changing the oil on the 300D.