@4thtry said:
Here is a video showing how to replace spark plugs on a 2006 to 2012 Nissan Versa. This is identical to my car. Maybe an experienced mechanic could knock this out in 30 minutes, but I certainly could not. I'm thinking 2 hours minimum, probably 3 hours or more.
Damn that's a tiny car. Usually transverse 4 cylinders are easy, with the plugs right up front.
Don't know if people have seen this, a great show with legendary names: Clapton, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Jimmy Page, two Stones, Ray Cooper, Simon Phillips and an encore from Ronnie Lane, for whom this was a benefit gig. Not great quality footage, I think it's from a VHS tape, but sounds acceptable.
There is a semi-legal double CD set of the show with better sound available from various sources, if you look around enough.
With the addition of Joe Cocker and others the entourage visited New York, but Jimmy Page was not well and the shows weren't very well filmed or recorded.
I loved my 5speed vue (2.2l ecotec). Probably the cleanest factory engine bay I've seen that made for super easy work. No trans fluid lines because 5speed. Electric steering and throttle so no pump/hoses/cables. Most of the emissions stuff was either unnecessary so omitted or direct mount on the engine. No vvt or any of that advanced stuff that has expensive actuators that die often. The oil filter is accessed from the top, points upward, and uses a large socket to unscrew (super easy and no oil covered hand). Unfortunately the water pump is chain driven (can't win em all) but that is typically a one and done headache unless you are realy squeezing the miles out of it. I'm going to have to give myself a kick in the pants and swap that engine out this spring.
So I have an engine with ~200mi on it but it has been sitting for near 2 decades (only paid $300 with an attached auto trans). The seller told me he got it from a speed shop in Tennessee that pulled it from an 05 cobalt to swap for a factory race engine. He planned to drop this stock 2.2l in a rail or something but sat in a storage unit instead. I did some research and the story lines up with the release of the chevy phase 5 line of drag race prep parts. The center piece being a 500hp turbo 2.2l with a beefed up auto trans. Kind of neat. I'd believe this barely has any miles on it. None of the typical aluminum corrosion, only a light patina coating from sitting. Last time I turned it over by the crank I sprayed some oil in the cylinders and it was butter smooth so hopefully still OK.
Anything I should look into replacing on it while it is out of the engine bay? Someone suggested the timing chain guides due to age that plastic tends to fall apart. I thought maybe the water pump too as who knows what that amount of time has done to the shaft that might wreck the seal immediately. Openings were taped over except the fuel rail. Plan to pull the rail and blow out the inevitable dead bugs. Hoping vaseline might keep the injector orings from scoring in the process.
There's always risks with things sitting that long, especially the cylinders. As for seals, replacement parts sit on shelves for who knows how long till someone buys them. Plastic parts, the guides maybe worth doing since it's out already and like you said, the water pump is right there.
I don't have any experience with the EcoTec, that's a GM engine. My stuff is actual Saturn.
Takes just about 10 minutes to change plugs in the old Truck. The headers make it a little bit of a bitch, though.
Worst I had ever done was the wife's Grand Prix (early 90s vintage) with the 3.1L V6. Had to take loose the dogbone motor mount and rotate the engine forward and hope to whatever deity of your choice that the plugs came cleanly out of the aluminum head.
Update on my caffeine reduction - today marks 8 days with zero caffeine, not even chocolate. So got that going for me.
My nicotine reduction is going well, also. Down to less than half a pack on average, with a goal of zero nicotine in the next 6-8 weeks.
After that is focusing on weight management and training to be able to pull off a 5K on demand (currently able to run/walk a 5K). Will be an all-new JR come DDIY.
Looking at this handsome boy as the next addition to our family:
He's a black mini Schnauzer, 8 weeks old, we meet him next week. Sadly, we lost our previous beautiful companion - the salt and pepper Schnoodle in the avatar - some time ago and it's time for a new furry presence.
Had a mini-schnauzer a few years back. He was pretty smart for a walnut. He somehow contracted pancreatitis and became diabetic, which apparently is not uncommon in this breed. They can also get acne and rashes from allergies. They can also wolf down peanut butter sandwiches when unsupervised. He knew he was in trouble, tried to get rid of the evidence quickly, and apparently thought the pending scolding was worth the transgression.
We’ve been looking at a few rescue schnauzers lately. This would be our 3rd. It’s about the only breed my allergies will tolerate. Thankfully they are friendly, smart and funny. Our first was diabetic, so we gave her insulin shots every day.
@Wolf said:
Had a mini-schnauzer a few years back. He was pretty smart for a walnut. He somehow contracted pancreatitis and became diabetic, which apparently is not uncommon in this breed. They can also get acne and rashes from allergies.
Yes, they can have heath issues and a low fat diet is essential. They can also suffer from gall bladder issues, stones in the bladder and other things which kept our vet in fine wine.
Hobi, our late schnoodle, was on a special diet and had several tablets a day; he showed great skill in eating the food around the pills but not the pills themselves. He was a lovely dog with a beautiful nature
@Tom_S said:
We’ve been looking at a few rescue schnauzers lately. This would be our 3rd. It’s about the only breed my allergies will tolerate. Thankfully they are friendly, smart and funny.
We had a look at a rescue dog but she was four and had grown up in a house which never trained here, took her for walks etc although she wasn't otherwise maltreated. She therefore had a few issues which would have made her a bit difficult for us; a shame as she was a really cute dog and it would have been nice to give her a good home.
I took on a guitar amp repair project for a friend who plays guitar at our Church. He bought this Ampeg B-12XT amp a long time ago. I don't know the whole back story but he had a "high end" shop in Chicagoland recap it and change the old 2 prong plug to a safe 3 prong plug. A few years ago it started squealing and having a lot more hum.
This is what it looks like under the hood (grant it, this amp was made in 1967, so pretty common for the time period):
A bit busy I'd say. Right away I noticed that the shop just drilled a hole in the steel chassis and attached the ground lead from the new 3 prong plug/cord with a ring terminal. No other grounding changes were made to the amp
Then while doing my voltage and ohm checks I discovered this honey of a solder joint. It was one that they did when recapping the amp:
After redoing all of their solder joints, adding copper wire runs to create a real star gound system the amp is now very quiet and musical. I hate "hacks"!
This should maybe in the booze section, but I went to a supermarket wine shop this morning and they had a sign saying they were selling "Gluten Free Wine" ??
Wine doesn't have any gluten anyway as far as I know...just grapes, maybe some sulphur dioxide and either egg white or bentonite (i.e. dried fish bones) for fining/filtering. Acid or sugar may also be added, depending on the rules of where the wine's made.
Makes as much sense as 'cholesterol free bananas', etc.
@GeoffMillar said:
Wine doesn't have any gluten anyway as far as I know...just grapes, maybe some sulphur dioxide and either egg white or bentonite (i.e. dried fish bones)
When my wife went vegan we were shocked to find out that wine wasn't just grapes. I actually did not believe at first that there were eggs in wine. Shows what happens when you assume.
One of the issues with packaged vegan food and meals such as falafel, sausages and patties is that many have a huge amount of salt and other flavourings, which sort of undermines their health benefits.
We make our own vegan/vegetarian meals, such as chick pea burgers:
2 tins drained chick peas
1 tablespoon plain flour
six spring onions, diced and lightly fried for 5 mins in olive oil
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oat bran
handful of chopped fresh coriander or parsley
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
handful of frozen peas or sweet corn kernels
no salt!
Blitz the chick peas in a food processor, then mix everything together, form into 7-8 burgers and put in fridge for at least two hours. This is a fairly wet and gluggy mix but turns out fine.
Lightly fry in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Don't turn over too soon or they sort of fall apart.
We serve with a topping of yoghurt and mango chutney.
72 here (Northern IL) right now. Maybe even warmer tomorrow before the winds pick up, temps drop 50+ degrees, and chances for thunder storms and even tornadoes late tomorrow night.
Comments
Damn that's a tiny car. Usually transverse 4 cylinders are easy, with the plugs right up front.
Don't know if people have seen this, a great show with legendary names: Clapton, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Jimmy Page, two Stones, Ray Cooper, Simon Phillips and an encore from Ronnie Lane, for whom this was a benefit gig. Not great quality footage, I think it's from a VHS tape, but sounds acceptable.
There is a semi-legal double CD set of the show with better sound available from various sources, if you look around enough.
With the addition of Joe Cocker and others the entourage visited New York, but Jimmy Page was not well and the shows weren't very well filmed or recorded.
Geoff
Spark plugs, yup, I feel your pain. Have to remove upper intake plenum on the G35 to access the coil pack/spark plugs. 🤦🏻♂️
The Saturn is exact opposite, standard 4cyl, right on top, easy peasy.
I loved my 5speed vue (2.2l ecotec). Probably the cleanest factory engine bay I've seen that made for super easy work. No trans fluid lines because 5speed. Electric steering and throttle so no pump/hoses/cables. Most of the emissions stuff was either unnecessary so omitted or direct mount on the engine. No vvt or any of that advanced stuff that has expensive actuators that die often. The oil filter is accessed from the top, points upward, and uses a large socket to unscrew (super easy and no oil covered hand). Unfortunately the water pump is chain driven (can't win em all) but that is typically a one and done headache unless you are realy squeezing the miles out of it. I'm going to have to give myself a kick in the pants and swap that engine out this spring.
So I have an engine with ~200mi on it but it has been sitting for near 2 decades (only paid $300 with an attached auto trans). The seller told me he got it from a speed shop in Tennessee that pulled it from an 05 cobalt to swap for a factory race engine. He planned to drop this stock 2.2l in a rail or something but sat in a storage unit instead. I did some research and the story lines up with the release of the chevy phase 5 line of drag race prep parts. The center piece being a 500hp turbo 2.2l with a beefed up auto trans. Kind of neat. I'd believe this barely has any miles on it. None of the typical aluminum corrosion, only a light patina coating from sitting. Last time I turned it over by the crank I sprayed some oil in the cylinders and it was butter smooth so hopefully still OK.
Anything I should look into replacing on it while it is out of the engine bay? Someone suggested the timing chain guides due to age that plastic tends to fall apart. I thought maybe the water pump too as who knows what that amount of time has done to the shaft that might wreck the seal immediately. Openings were taped over except the fuel rail. Plan to pull the rail and blow out the inevitable dead bugs. Hoping vaseline might keep the injector orings from scoring in the process.
There's always risks with things sitting that long, especially the cylinders. As for seals, replacement parts sit on shelves for who knows how long till someone buys them. Plastic parts, the guides maybe worth doing since it's out already and like you said, the water pump is right there.
I don't have any experience with the EcoTec, that's a GM engine. My stuff is actual Saturn.
Takes just about 10 minutes to change plugs in the old Truck. The headers make it a little bit of a bitch, though.
Worst I had ever done was the wife's Grand Prix (early 90s vintage) with the 3.1L V6. Had to take loose the dogbone motor mount and rotate the engine forward and hope to whatever deity of your choice that the plugs came cleanly out of the aluminum head.
Update on my caffeine reduction - today marks 8 days with zero caffeine, not even chocolate. So got that going for me.
My nicotine reduction is going well, also. Down to less than half a pack on average, with a goal of zero nicotine in the next 6-8 weeks.
After that is focusing on weight management and training to be able to pull off a 5K on demand (currently able to run/walk a 5K). Will be an all-new JR come DDIY.
Looking at this handsome boy as the next addition to our family:
He's a black mini Schnauzer, 8 weeks old, we meet him next week. Sadly, we lost our previous beautiful companion - the salt and pepper Schnoodle in the avatar - some time ago and it's time for a new furry presence.
Geoff
So I'm guessing he'll have your family all fully trained by 8 months...
We shall see!
Geoff
Had a mini-schnauzer a few years back. He was pretty smart for a walnut. He somehow contracted pancreatitis and became diabetic, which apparently is not uncommon in this breed. They can also get acne and rashes from allergies. They can also wolf down peanut butter sandwiches when unsupervised. He knew he was in trouble, tried to get rid of the evidence quickly, and apparently thought the pending scolding was worth the transgression.
InDIYana Event Website
We’ve been looking at a few rescue schnauzers lately. This would be our 3rd. It’s about the only breed my allergies will tolerate. Thankfully they are friendly, smart and funny. Our first was diabetic, so we gave her insulin shots every day.
Yes, they can have heath issues and a low fat diet is essential. They can also suffer from gall bladder issues, stones in the bladder and other things which kept our vet in fine wine.
Hobi, our late schnoodle, was on a special diet and had several tablets a day; he showed great skill in eating the food around the pills but not the pills themselves. He was a lovely dog with a beautiful nature
Geoff
We had a look at a rescue dog but she was four and had grown up in a house which never trained here, took her for walks etc although she wasn't otherwise maltreated. She therefore had a few issues which would have made her a bit difficult for us; a shame as she was a really cute dog and it would have been nice to give her a good home.
Geoff
I took on a guitar amp repair project for a friend who plays guitar at our Church. He bought this Ampeg B-12XT amp a long time ago. I don't know the whole back story but he had a "high end" shop in Chicagoland recap it and change the old 2 prong plug to a safe 3 prong plug. A few years ago it started squealing and having a lot more hum.
This is what it looks like under the hood (grant it, this amp was made in 1967, so pretty common for the time period):
A bit busy I'd say. Right away I noticed that the shop just drilled a hole in the steel chassis and attached the ground lead from the new 3 prong plug/cord with a ring terminal. No other grounding changes were made to the amp
Then while doing my voltage and ohm checks I discovered this honey of a solder joint. It was one that they did when recapping the amp:
After redoing all of their solder joints, adding copper wire runs to create a real star gound system the amp is now very quiet and musical. I hate "hacks"!
Right on, man🤘🏼
Those are such cool old amps. Glad you were able to get it singing again.
This should maybe in the booze section, but I went to a supermarket wine shop this morning and they had a sign saying they were selling "Gluten Free Wine" ??
Wine doesn't have any gluten anyway as far as I know...just grapes, maybe some sulphur dioxide and either egg white or bentonite (i.e. dried fish bones) for fining/filtering. Acid or sugar may also be added, depending on the rules of where the wine's made.
Makes as much sense as 'cholesterol free bananas', etc.
Geoff
When my wife went vegan we were shocked to find out that wine wasn't just grapes. I actually did not believe at first that there were eggs in wine. Shows what happens when you assume.
My dad makes homemade wines in the cellar, and I KNOW he doesn't use eggs. Most of them are fruit based. You could start that hobby too...
You vegan by proxy too then, David?
InDIYana Event Website
Not really, but pretty much everything made in the house is vegan, so probably 95% of what I eat is vegan.
I stumbled onto this via Leland Sklar's YT channel. Watch these masters in action.
There is vegan wine, typically it's unfined so can be a little cloudy, but I think there are other products which will do the same job.
'Vegan wine' is a real product, 'gluten free' wine is BS.
Geoff
Nice guitar solo, thanks for the link
Geoff
Wife and I eat a lot of vegan meals in-between non-vegan meals. We enjoy it.
One of the issues with packaged vegan food and meals such as falafel, sausages and patties is that many have a huge amount of salt and other flavourings, which sort of undermines their health benefits.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-25/plant-based-food-vegan-vegetarian-is-it-healthy/103503542
We make our own vegan/vegetarian meals, such as chick pea burgers:
2 tins drained chick peas
1 tablespoon plain flour
six spring onions, diced and lightly fried for 5 mins in olive oil
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oat bran
handful of chopped fresh coriander or parsley
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
handful of frozen peas or sweet corn kernels
no salt!
Blitz the chick peas in a food processor, then mix everything together, form into 7-8 burgers and put in fridge for at least two hours. This is a fairly wet and gluggy mix but turns out fine.
Lightly fry in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Don't turn over too soon or they sort of fall apart.
We serve with a topping of yoghurt and mango chutney.
Geoff
So nice here today my truck got bath. Snow tomorrow then back to the 60’s by the weekend 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
I would hand wash the Sorento, but I imagine my shoulder would reject such nonsense.
72 here (Northern IL) right now. Maybe even warmer tomorrow before the winds pick up, temps drop 50+ degrees, and chances for thunder storms and even tornadoes late tomorrow night.