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Brownbear, It’s really not that difficult to put a GM throttle body on there. go to a pull-a-part style salvage yard and get the wiring, computer, distributor, you know everything off a chevy truck. Then go buy a new fuel pump for that donor truck to use on your car. Get a wiring diagram for that truck also. I’ve done this a couple of times and for me the hardest part or the biggest pain was just installing the fuel pump in the tank and running return fuel lines. Whole mess probably won’t cost you 300 bucks and they work just fine. You will also have to install an O2 sensor into one of the exhaust pipes. Just do it man! You’ll learn a lot about GM’s simplest fuel injection. Good Luck. 🙂
Brownbear, It’s really not that difficult to put a GM throttle body on there. go to a pull-a-part style salvage yard and get the wiring, computer, distributor, you know everything off a chevy truck. Then go buy a new fuel pump for that donor truck to use on your car. Get a wiring diagram for that truck also. I’ve done this a couple of times and for me the hardest part or the biggest pain was just installing the fuel pump in the tank and running return fuel lines. Whole mess probably won’t cost you 300 bucks and they work just fine. You will also have to install an O2 sensor into one of the exhaust pipes. Just do it man! You’ll learn a lot about GM’s simplest fuel injection. Good Luck. 🙂
I have had the Air Cat 1200 K for about a year and love it, it’s powerful and doesn’t make much noise.
I have had the Air Cat 1200 K for about a year and love it, it’s powerful and doesn’t make much noise.
I also wanted to add that around here(Oklahoma City) there are quite a few small shops that don’t have or have very little drivability diagnostic capabilities, They have good mechanics, But as Eric puts it they are mostly parts changers. You might stop in a few of the smaller shops in your area and inquire about diagnosing for them or even taking care of overflow/backlog vehicles for them. I do it here for a couple of shops and they pay very well for the time involved. Most will pay you cash…you know the kind that goes right in your pocket. lol. Just another source of income if you don’t have any “mobile” customers. 🙂
I also wanted to add that around here(Oklahoma City) there are quite a few small shops that don’t have or have very little drivability diagnostic capabilities, They have good mechanics, But as Eric puts it they are mostly parts changers. You might stop in a few of the smaller shops in your area and inquire about diagnosing for them or even taking care of overflow/backlog vehicles for them. I do it here for a couple of shops and they pay very well for the time involved. Most will pay you cash…you know the kind that goes right in your pocket. lol. Just another source of income if you don’t have any “mobile” customers. 🙂
I have seriously considered doing this also even to the point of (I purchased a utility bed for my F350 pickup) I printed some business cards and hand them out to folks from time to time. I am retired US Navy and consider myself very fortunate because I have a pension coming in. I’m a Master Tech and L1 certified and have worked as a flat rate tech for seven years so I totally understand your pain. For the past two years I’ve been on salary at a mom and pop used car lot that sells 20 to 60 units per month. They do not have anything except an air compressor, not even a lift, Hell, I have a lift in my garage at my house. I have, as you probably do also, THOUSANDS of dollars invested in tools, scanners, smoke machines, scopes and meters, I figure 40 to 50 thousand. And it is frustrating when you a putting your heart and soul into your job, and a major part of your pay for tools, busting your hump to earn 35 to 45K a year. When I have friends with company jobs that bring a ten dollar lunch box with them to work everyday and earn 50 plus. I really think it would work for me but I just got an Avionics job (what I did in the Navy) and will now be one of the ten dollar lunch box guys. Woo Hoo! Anyway, things to consider; 1. Where are you? I’m in Oklahoma and right now it’s like 17 degrees outside, makes it a little difficult to put a timing belt on the kids Honda in his driveway. lol. Granted there are a lot of fair weather days here even in winter. 2. Do you have a truck or van that you could work out of, and maybe a trailer so you could pick up a non running vehicle, or a gas powered compressor to carry on your truck for mobile air. Which brings me to 3. Do you have a work shop at your house that you could perform bigger jobs or maybe when the weather is bad outside? Because if you have to rent a space to use as a work shop, things start to get to expensive for a “one man show” as you put it. I think it would work, especially if maybe you have a working spouse that will help make the transition and be able to pay the electric bill or whatever if at first you have some slow weeks. And you can get into big trouble working out of your garage at your house from the city code enforcement especially if your neighbors complain, noise, smell, etc… 4. Plan on having a monthly expense for reference info such as Mitchell Pro or All Data or something, Because you cannot do it without it at least not for very long. I suggest you buy a year subscription and pay for it in advance before you quit your present job. I know Mitchell will give you 14 months for the price of twelve right now. 5. Talk to a CPA and decide do you want to be a self proprietorship or LLC. They, CPA’s are worth the money, especially at tax time, the one I spoke with charges less than 100 bucks a month to keep track of all the receipts and file taxes etc… 6. Maybe get a Smart Phone and set it up to take credit cards because most people don’t have the money to pay for car repairs, and credit cards don’t “Bounce”. BLAH BLAH BLAH I’ve rambled on long enough. I say DO IT! You are a Technician, you like me have a trade/skill that if it doesn’t work (and I think it will) you can always go back to wrenching for a shop owner or dealership. They are always are looking for people, at least around here. I would rather try and fail than live in fear of “what if it don’t work and I go broke”. Heck we all feel broke most of the time anyway. Hope this gives you some ideas, Later, Rick B)
I have seriously considered doing this also even to the point of (I purchased a utility bed for my F350 pickup) I printed some business cards and hand them out to folks from time to time. I am retired US Navy and consider myself very fortunate because I have a pension coming in. I’m a Master Tech and L1 certified and have worked as a flat rate tech for seven years so I totally understand your pain. For the past two years I’ve been on salary at a mom and pop used car lot that sells 20 to 60 units per month. They do not have anything except an air compressor, not even a lift, Hell, I have a lift in my garage at my house. I have, as you probably do also, THOUSANDS of dollars invested in tools, scanners, smoke machines, scopes and meters, I figure 40 to 50 thousand. And it is frustrating when you a putting your heart and soul into your job, and a major part of your pay for tools, busting your hump to earn 35 to 45K a year. When I have friends with company jobs that bring a ten dollar lunch box with them to work everyday and earn 50 plus. I really think it would work for me but I just got an Avionics job (what I did in the Navy) and will now be one of the ten dollar lunch box guys. Woo Hoo! Anyway, things to consider; 1. Where are you? I’m in Oklahoma and right now it’s like 17 degrees outside, makes it a little difficult to put a timing belt on the kids Honda in his driveway. lol. Granted there are a lot of fair weather days here even in winter. 2. Do you have a truck or van that you could work out of, and maybe a trailer so you could pick up a non running vehicle, or a gas powered compressor to carry on your truck for mobile air. Which brings me to 3. Do you have a work shop at your house that you could perform bigger jobs or maybe when the weather is bad outside? Because if you have to rent a space to use as a work shop, things start to get to expensive for a “one man show” as you put it. I think it would work, especially if maybe you have a working spouse that will help make the transition and be able to pay the electric bill or whatever if at first you have some slow weeks. And you can get into big trouble working out of your garage at your house from the city code enforcement especially if your neighbors complain, noise, smell, etc… 4. Plan on having a monthly expense for reference info such as Mitchell Pro or All Data or something, Because you cannot do it without it at least not for very long. I suggest you buy a year subscription and pay for it in advance before you quit your present job. I know Mitchell will give you 14 months for the price of twelve right now. 5. Talk to a CPA and decide do you want to be a self proprietorship or LLC. They, CPA’s are worth the money, especially at tax time, the one I spoke with charges less than 100 bucks a month to keep track of all the receipts and file taxes etc… 6. Maybe get a Smart Phone and set it up to take credit cards because most people don’t have the money to pay for car repairs, and credit cards don’t “Bounce”. BLAH BLAH BLAH I’ve rambled on long enough. I say DO IT! You are a Technician, you like me have a trade/skill that if it doesn’t work (and I think it will) you can always go back to wrenching for a shop owner or dealership. They are always are looking for people, at least around here. I would rather try and fail than live in fear of “what if it don’t work and I go broke”. Heck we all feel broke most of the time anyway. Hope this gives you some ideas, Later, Rick B)