Properly diagnosing problems

[user removed]

To avoid the possiblilty of wasting time and money.

An extreeme example of "jerry rugging" a repair. Done by me.

My youngest brother brought me a Toyota Pickup he had owned for a while. He had a clutch problem, didn't want to disengage completely.

Everything seemd to be working fine until I saw that when he pushed the clutch pedal in and out.

THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT PULLY WAS MOVING FOREWARD AND BACKWARD OVER 1/4 INCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now everyone tell me what I did to fix THAT.

regards
mech

[mechman600]

Pulled the pan and rolled new thrust bearings in?!?

[user removed]

The thrust washers were lying in the bottom of the oil pan, crank and center bearing cap worn together where thrust washer had fallen out.

I dropped the center main cap, and welded flanges to hold the thrust washers (top and bottom) in place, filed-ground to fit after welding.

Now what happened?

Started it up and pushed the clutch in. It died. Started again just a stab at the clutch, nosie from parts hitting each other (crank into replaced thrust washer). Kept at it (nothing to loose) and eventually it quietd down (still glaringly obvious) and did not drop idle speed (cut off).

When he came to get the truck, he got very specific instructions as to how to drive it.

Think of your clutch life as measured in hours, if it even gets that far. The engine is scrap metal, you have nothing to loose but my time involved, and the thrust washers, didn't bother with the oil pan gasket just slobbered on some rtv.

He learned to drive the truck almost without using the clutch at all.

How long do you think it lasted?

regards
mech

[jakobnev]

It lasted until today?

[user removed]

He drove it another 6k miles and sold it with full disclosure. I think the buyer had another engine and was looking for the rest, probably wrecked the vehicle but the engine was OK.

His 100% trust of my advice was the only reason he got that many miles out of that truly iffy repair. He understood the rules and truly dedicated his mind to driving without clutch. The fact he minimized clutch disengagement made it last a heck of a lot longer than I ever gave it a chance of lasting.


regards
mech

[pgfpro]

That's awesome!!!

[2000mc]

well the thread seems to be more about the magic of old mechanics. They know how and why most things fail, what works, what doesn't. I remember talking to a couple of old techs when I was pretty green, they would have their old beater vehicle on the hoist to fix something. Then they would proceed to make a $0 "jerry rugging" repair, that if I attempted at that time, even with the same materials, would of failed almost immediately. somehow when the old mechanics do it, bubble gum repairs seem to last as long as the original warranty

[jcp123]

That's kind of how I feel about the Echo. I've rigged a few repairs and the car seems to take it in stride.

[mechman600]

That is awesome. As the shop foreman in a commercial truck dealership, there is always something I tell my guys:
"It's amazing what will work, and it's also amazing what will not work."

[TheGrimMechanic]

I had an old beater Bronco that I was too lazy to check the oil in. Ran it completely out of oil a couple of times. Once on the highway at 75mph. Just filled it back up with oil and kept driving it. Never made a tic afterwards. Had 300,000 miles on it when I sold it and it still ran fine. The kid that bought it from me called me 3 weeks after I sold it to him and I was expecting to hear him gripe about the engine blowing up. He left a message telling me how happy he was with it and that it ran great!