Forum Replies Created
-
Replies
-
Darn you. You made me want to buy a new toolbox and pointed out some tools that I should get.
Those new vise grips that look like they are off the Mac truck (red easy release handle) how strong are the teeth and clamping force compared to the old vise grips?
Those wire fishing tools are they OTC?
How long do those Bench Buddy wire brushes last compared to like an IPA or Mac set?
What are those weird rolloc things that look like a sponge with the hole in the middle?
Also bulb pliers is there a reason you use those instead of your fingers?Same Quality as Mac or Snap-Off 1/3 the price http://extremetools.net/ If you really think about it a toolbox just holds tools and has roller bearings. That is all it does. It does not make you money. It might make you slightly more efficient, but not enough so to make you more money.
Your toolbox tbh still looks half empty when compared to mine. I have very little specialty tools. In all honesty it is just something to hold your stuff and keep it safe. You should look to your own forum as well as we always recommend estate sales, craigs list, ebay, let go, and pawn shops never forget pawn shops.
Rusty Truck Toolkit
Sockets – Mac Tools Precision Torque aka Edge (Impact Only)
Twist/Spiral/Flute Sockets – Blue Point Twist, Turbo Socket (Makes them for Snap-On)
Combination Wrenches – Snap-On Flank Drive+ , Wright Tool Wrightgrip
Air Hammer – Snap-On PH3050, Matco MT2816
Air Hammer Bits – Mayhew 37322 or 37394
Penetrating Oil – Silikroil by Kano Labs, Aerokroil by Kano Labs, ATF + Acetone
Pipe Wrenches – Rigid, Snap-On PWZ
Nut Buster – Channellock Nutbuster,
Vise Grips – USA Only Vise Grips
Handheld Torch – Bernzomatic TS8000,Milwaukee. Craftsman is dead there are 3 companies trying to buy the brand out. Milwaukee is used by pros and it works and works well and they have a very nice range of products that work on the same set of batteries.
Sears may sell Kenmore and Craftsman brands
Sears Puts Kenmore, Craftsman Up for GrabsI own pp3. I really like it. pp4 and hook seemed to cost more then it would be worth. I got the fox and hound aka short circuit detector with my pp3. As for people messing up pins that is just people not knowing how to use the tool and not buying the full kit.
The fox and hound works well but, takes time to learn to use but, once you do it can save you from running new harness’ and overlays. It has saved my co-workers 12hrs worth of work already. I have only used it once and it saved me about 4hrs of diag.
The pp3 i have used to do a lot of diag. Sure you can’t send waveforms or read them on it but, i have a scope for that. being able to apply clean power and ground and the fact that it reads both can save a lot of time. Being able to know within seconds if something is shorted to power and how much or ground and how good of a ground cuts diag down a lot. I normally use it and some home made back probes, a piece of wire and a bright bulb and i can voltage drop wires or sets of wires quickly.
I got away without using one for 3 yrs but, after owning one and using it a lot. I do lots of PMs and DOTs so I am always doing a lot of lighting diag. You start to realize it is just faster and having a known good ground and known good power at the flip of a switch along with the secondary known good ground it is just way faster then hooking and unhooking.
As far as waveforms if you have manufacturer scan tools diaging those issues is normally faster and easier with the scan tool over a scope.
Stay away far away from New Craftsman. Old Craftsman stuff with -V- mark on it is good. The industrial stuff is also good but, way overpriced. The rest is not worth the money. Husky is ok. I am more of a fan of Gearwrench.
But, but, Boondock saints you and your F***in rope.
In all seriousness not many applications where it would be useful. You are much much better off “Tarp Straps”. Though if you buy them buy good quality USA made ones. They will cos 3x the price of the others but, will last much much much longer. Also normally you have spring loaded whatever by using them and if they decided to let go especially when you are working you will definitely regret buying the cheap ones.
Here is the brand I bought from and a lot of good info about them: US Cargo Cntrol – Rubber Tarp Straps
Put a couple strong magnets in your screwdriver holder and within a month or 2 all your screwdrivers will be magnetized. I have my pickup tools in my tool cart and because the metal hits the cart metal right next to the magnet all of my prybars, screwdrivers, and lady slippers are now magnetized. Which is great because they are striking instruments as well soo they get magnetized after they loose it.
Do not get me wrong school is going to give you a foundation that once you get the mechanical stuff under your belt will allow you to be miles ahead of most techs it just normally costs way tooo much. At $7K i would say that is great.
I also agree with Jasonw electrical separates the men from the boys. I get yelled at all the time because electrical takes so long where really it is the fact that where I am at I have to figure it out without schematics. If you are good at electrical you will always always be able to get a job as a technician. That is something that having mastery of makes you irreplaceable. As does having an understanding of the way the sensors work together to form the information a vehicle needs to run.
Also understanding how the computer figures out to trip a code as bad especially electrically can set you apart from people. Such as inductive currents, rf interference, knowing which sensors are 5v vs 3v vs 12v etc. So you can have a sensor reading high voltage because it is normally 3v and it is reading 5v you know that it can only be from one of the power wires for the 5v sensors cutting your diag down to 1/4 of what it should be.
Electrical and understanding the way the computer uses different sensors to create increases in rpms, cooling, fuel trim, etc along with knowing how it decides something is bad can make a huge difference and will greatly set you apart from most of the part changers you will run into.
There are pros and cons to going to school for the stuff. If you apply yourself you can learn a hell of a lot if in a good school but, at the same time the costs for those schools are unreasonable if you ask me.
I went to school and learned way more then I ever would have in the field but, I also studied 4+ hrs a day and read the text books we had cover to cover. Then had manufacturer training on top of it. I spent a lot of time learning the field. Only to be pissed off in it. Most managers just want it done fast and good enough. Two things that if you have been doing this for more then 2-3yrs you know do not make quality.
If you ask me I would say find a shop that is open 2-3 shifts. Apply to them and then ask in the interview if you can shadow during the day and work during the night. I would avoid school if you can learn from a book. If you can’t then school is beneficial just look at costs. I went to UTI and it was 42k add a CDL 3k add my certs 1k. That is before tools. Tools I have invested very very heavily in I have like 30k worth but, only spent like 10k. I learned who made what for who and asked if anyone ever broke that kind of tool. If yes Tool Truck. If no brand that tool trucks re badge.
So imagine 42k debt just walking in and needing to spend another 3k the first year you do the job and at least 1k every year after for another 10 yrs. That is why I say avoid school if you can but, school does give advantages.
Might be the way the dealer scan tools do electronic relative compression vs actually doing them by hand /w scope. By hand with a scope you can see everything and overlay multiple graphs dealer scan tool it just gives you a bar graph for each cylinder the percentage of contribution. Far less useful and the computer determines which is what cylinder piss poorly i might add. Though if you see you have cylinders out of wack you still have to pull stuff to replace if you are going to repair anyway and at that point you can actually determine which is bad so….
Electronic relative compression tests are built into most manufacturer scan tools they are also not very accurate for determining which cylinder it actually is in my experience anyway. Intermittent missfires unless the coil is hiding under the intake cover i would still use a inline bulb first, hell most of the time adding that if it is a gap issue will normally add enough load it won’t spark. As for injectors i normally use a mechanics stethoscope. Timing adv is also normally listed in manufacturer scan tool as is cam position. You can also monitor both of those as you do a relative compression so you can see whether it is off or not.
Good to know that if I decide to go independent it is what I can use it for. I guess I am spoiled having been in dealerships that way. There are a lot of tests that are built into the tools.
I am not firing a parts cannon. I narrow it down to 2 things. There is legitimacy to doing it the way I do. Labor rate is 120/hr. I can replace the part in 5 mins and know if it will fix it or I can pull out the computer, boot it up, hook to the car/truck, have it detect the car/truck, connect to the module go to the activation part, hook up my dmm or scope, run the test and monitor the results. 20 mins vs 5 mins @ 120/hr not to mention if it does fix it, the piece is normally at least half way if not all the way installed where after that 20 mins I still have not removed either part. Why 5 mins cause either way to get to the part you are going to have to take the same stuff apart in most cases.
There are times where pin point tests are great such as testing injectors before you remove the valve cover on a engine where the intercooler and air filter are both mounted to it. Sure then pin point tests it is. Vast majority of the time though the difference is 4 bolts and swapping parts. In a dealership it is no problem doesn’t fix it we just return the part to out parts dept. If you have to order like an independent would then going your route makes sense. That is one of the differences between dealerships and independents.
Ahh i was wondering why there would be injectors on something so old. Makes sense as both are coils collapsing as to why they would look the same.
Im so glad my vw tdi is emissions exempt.
Nice. Im guessing there is no emissions exemptions for age where you are at. That looks like an injector on the scope. Couldn’t just pull one at a time and check the emissions each time? Did ya listen to them with a stethoscope?
Or did you avoid having to pull stuff apart by just hooking to it with the scope cause that old I can tell you I would definitely do that to avoid disconnecting things.