Disco (and house) updates [updated]

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
08/11/2020 at 10:36 • Filed to: None

Well it must be Monday! Oh wait... it isn’t? Ok well...

Took the Disco’s front drive shaft out late yesterday and dropped it off at the re-builders. They want $250 to do it and I acquiesced, even if that is right in the middle of the price range for a new one. Unlike a new one, however, I can have it back today. The drive shaft is almost certainly not the problem though. It had no play in it, though the rear u-joints were a little crusty, apparently due to some mud that got trapped in there, and the gator for the expandy bit (technical term) was shot. On the bright side, failure of the front driveshaft almost always takes the transmission with it, as the driveshaft essentially turns into a large steel baseball bat and the aluminium transmission doesn’t stand a chance, so now that I’ve had it rebuilt I shouldn’t have to worry about that ticking time bomb.

Even if it was probably fine for the life of the car.

[UPDATE 11AM] Wow. Driveshaft is done!

Unfortunately once I undid the last bolt from the transfer case I was treated a small discharge of gear oil. Looks like the front output seal is leaking and had filled up the cavity there. Luckily it looks like the worst part of that replacement is what I’ve already done, removing the driveshaft. Thank [insert deity here] it wasn’t the input seal. You have to drop the transfer case for that one. I think I’d just let it leak. Seal is being overnighted from RockAuto and I am hoping to borrow a lift for that one, but my friends have been flaky of late and I can’t exactly press the issue.

I did take the car for a test drive and that was SUPER WEIRD. I don’t know why I expected the car to drive differently MISSING AN ENTIRE DRIVESHAFT but it really didn’t. Just lock the center and it performs as normal.

ABS and TC automatically disable when you start the car with the diff lock engaged

The roofers are back (again) to for realsies finish the roof today. I have a portion of flat roof on my house for reasons no one fully understands and they didn’t order enough material to do all of it in one go. Also they made a big deal about not being able to do it when there even was a chance of rain, which means literally every time they’ve been out it has been actively raining.

I’m sure that is fine.

It isn’t raining now, but there is a 58% chance within the next three hours. Hope they’re feeling quick!

I haven’t been impressed with the flat roofing crew even a little bit. I don’t know what they’re doing up there, but at one point the fell/plonked something down/ wrestled so hard they actually broke two blades off a ceiling fan. I didn’t even know that was an option!

I’m sure they were weakened from being old, but still... impressive roof roughhousing.

[UPDATE 11AM] Roofers are also done.

Speaking of house stuff! My downstairs AC keeps kicking its upstream breaker. This can mean a number of things, but given that unit hasn’t been looked at in a couple years I figured I’d open it up, clean the coils, and take a look. All the caps tested good, but I did find one looking quite... fuzzy. Think this deserves a replacement, even though it did test fine.

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In terms of good news, I have a new camera body coming in today and I am pretty excited. I was a little drunk and feeling a little sorry for myself the other day, never a good thing. My partner has been getting really into his recently purchased micro 4/3 (M43) camera. Initially I scoffed as I’ve always been a SLR/DSLR guy, but I have to admit he has been taking some pretty solid pictures with it. Once I learned that I could buy an adapter and put all of my manual SLR lenses and DSLR ones too... I was sold. I’ve been toying with the idea of having a smaller, grab and go/ knock-around camera for years, and apparently this was enough to convince me.

I found a good deal on a used body (heyo) and it should come in today. The adapters come in over the weekend and we’ve been playing with them a bit. Aside from not being able to focus with my 8mm fisheye, it seems like a neat system. Worst case the body I purchased can be use as a fancy webcam, so $300 for that actually doesn’t sound so bad.

So... for the rest of the week on the Disco I need to:

Fix transfer case output seal

Reinstall driveshaft

Drop headliner and fix roof rack leak (optional?)

Change the oil (optional)

Rotate and balance tires (optional)

Replace door locks (very optional)

The oil isn’t overdue, but it is older so it may be time. The tires, similarly, are fine as-is but I wouldn’t say no to a rotate and balance before driving 1000 miles. Door locks I am contemplating as a “evening in the hotel parking lot” activity as they’re not hard to do, just time consuming.

Wish me luck.

DISCUSSION (16)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 11:11

I think I paid $75 /u-joint including balancing when I had the half shafts rebuilt on my datsun. So $250 doesn’t sound too far out of wack.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/11/2020 at 11:20

Ok fair. 3x u-joints (because Land Rover) plus the gator and the weird ball thing that I don’t have a name for...

HammerheadFistpunch > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 11:24

I got brand new custom driveshafts from Tom woodd for 250. Granted they took a few days.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch
08/11/2020 at 11:37

Though, to be fair, I have no idea what I would want out of a custom driveshaft.

HammerheadFistpunch > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 11:58

I mainly wanted a double cardan shaft for the front and a new slip joint for the rear, but other than the double cardan I just gave them the length and they made them. They are smaller diameter but they are thicker steel. I could have just gone with new ujoints on the stock shafts but i was hoping the new slip joints would reduce the shunt. it didnt

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 12:08

Do you keep track of your expenses, ala StudyStudyStudy? Seems you're always working on that thing...

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 12:22

Oh god no. Why would I do that!?

I kept meticulous notes on my first project car and I sometimes do on the ones that I’m not keeping, but stuff like the Land Rover, Saab, and Alfa that are “keepers” I’m not bothered throwing them a couple hundred dollars every now and then. Stuff like the Jag and (former) Wagovan I kept a little better eye on the purse. I never make money on those cars, but the goal isn’t to lose it. (Or lose much, anyway.) Either way, I find I enjoy the “budgeted” projects a lot less as every unexpected repair feels like an invisible slight of some kind, w hereas unexpected repairs on the others just feels like cost of ownership.

One small benefit of the pandemic is the household food and drink bills are minuscule compared to “normal”. (We used to eat and drink out... a LOT.) Pair that with the resumption of work travel and per diem, but again not actually eating out means pocketing 80% of that too , the car budgets have had a little extra padding of late. Plus most stuff is actually pretty cheap, with the exception of the Landy’s new door locks, driveshaft and the Jag’s impending AC repair.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 12:25

Also what is StudyStudyStudy?

jminer > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 12:25

I’m with you and never keep accurate track of a vehicle repair costs. Then you’d never do this kind of thing again, if it’s a few hundred at a time and you’re enjoying it spend it but if you kept track you’d find out how much it was actually costing you...

newnamesameme > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 13:40

I dont know anything about wrenching so i cant comment there but what kind of camera body are you getting? I have a Fuji XT-1 w/the 18-55 kit lens and then i have two prime lenses from my GF’s grandfathers film days. A 135mm Contax and a 35mm Contax which on my Fuji equate to 210mm and 53mm (give or take).

I hike a lot and backpack a little and was thinking of getting a Fuji X100V to cut pounds out of my pack weight. To be clear im a total hack at picture taking but its enjoyable.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > newnamesameme
08/11/2020 at 14:30

I ended up with a Olympus OM-D E-M1 as it represented the best cost/performance ratio for what I was wanting to do. Also it looks like a baby DSLR. Bought a Olympus 14-42mm EZ (new version) to be the “kit” lens for it. Also ended up with some adapters to adapt to my Nikon SLR and DSLR lenses. Sprung for the “reducer” style as well, which has a 0.71x reduction, getting the lenses closer to their original focal length.

Wow the Fugi looks neat! I like that it has dedicated dials for stuff! That would have given me serious pause if I’d seen it before I bought the Olympus haha. The main thing I was after is the micro 4/3 ecosystem seems to have a TON of adapters and adapted lenses, which brings a lot of utility I don’t have with my “big” Nikon.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 15:22

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-it-cost-me-to-own-a-500-car-finale-1841511156

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/11/2020 at 16:18

Ahh yes. That. Please see my previous answer :-P

(Though that was some nifty hashtagcontent)

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/12/2020 at 01:55

Leaking sun roof is almost certainly either a broken drain pipe or the drain pipe is clogged. My money is on the drain pipe being broken (brittle plastic), you can either seal the sunroof or fix the drain pipe.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
08/12/2020 at 11:21

Yeah that seems to be the most common failure but I had mine checked when I got the headliner replaced and they were good. Apparently the next two most common leaks are the roof rails (which is my bet based on the location of the leak) or the windshield. I can dump water down my sunroof drains all day and not have a wet headliner.

Sidenote: The guys (and gals) on the Disco FB group that go to GREAT LENGTHS to seal/ remove the sunroofs drive me bonkers. Like yeah... they are known for leaking but can be fixed. Why do you do all this crap with silicone and gaff tape and epoxy only to have them still leak and complain about it . Why not just fix it? Mad respect for the ones that completely remove them and weld in patch panels. That looks pretty cool.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/12/2020 at 11:36

Disco owners are a weird bunch... lol