Your recent repair? 2013 - 2020

[W2R]

I am in awe of all the repairing that has been described in this thread. I haven't repaired anything at all since the thread began! Don't know if I am lucky or lazy.

I have 41-year-old Pfister faucets that look a little icky, but they work.... I am not in any hurry to replace them this year. Eventually I might want to have my bathrooms remodeled.

 

[oldtrig]

W2R, I bet you can do those repairs. The internet has opened up all sorts of ways for people to repair their own things. I am no plumber but in 1999 my home was in bad need of replacing the old galvanized pipes. I did not want to pay anyone as I feel the only way it is going to be done right is do it myself.

I ordered a book and with the help of the internet, a co-worker and the book I did my entire home. I did not use copper as I was told CPVC would work just fine. I have a full basement so no tight places to work which was a great help. With the help from my wife we completed the job in about a month working on weekends and nights.

I joined some forums and asked questions before I ever started and everyone was great in the support I needed. I was nervous before I attempted this job but all I had to do is ask how much a plumber would charge and my nerves would calm.

At the time I was also working with a retired plumber who was one of the best. I would ask questions almost everyday and he also was great in suggestions. If I were to build a new home I would install copper as I think that is the best but in my case the pipe I used has worked just fine. Good luck if you get it a try. I believe you can do it. Oldtrig

 

[Ronstar]

Well, they can be fairly easy. Or (from earlier in this thread) ...

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/your-recent-repair-68722.html#post1399251

-ERD50

Ah, but yours was the mother of all disasters - corroded valves and a faucet that didn't fit the sink holes.

I had the corroded valve problem at our condo - on our main shutoff. I called a plumber and he said that he could replace the main valve but that I would have to shut off water to the building.

I knew where building shutoff valves were at the street, but I wasn't sure which valve shut off which building. So I went to an HOA meeting and asked. They didn't know, but they instructed me to contact the neighbors before I shut down water to the building.

The plumber came over the following morning. I knocked on a few doors with no responses, so I decided to shut down several valves up and down my street to make sure that I got my building shut off. Then people came out in the street in droves.

One lady demanded that I turn the water back on. I told her I would after the plumber replaced my valve in about an hour - she asked how she would know when the water was turned back on - I told her to open a faucet. Anyway, that wasn't good enough - I had to go to tell her when I turned it back on.

 

[Chuckanut]

Cleaned vacuum cleaner brush and installed a new drive belt.
Fixed a clock whose pendulum was malfunctioning.

 

[NW-Bound]

So, I got one of the 2 faucets in the master bath replaced. One look under that sink, and it all came back to me.

I have replaced faucets quite a few times, and the most recent one was for the guest 1/2 bath a year or two ago. I remembered there was a lot of teeth gnashing, and definitely some swearing and cursing. And I also remembered that it came from not having the right wrenches. The maneuvering in the tight place and trying of various adjustable wrenches with their big head, or vise grips or adjustable pliers, were the cause of scraped knuckles and frustration. That was dumb, attempting a job without the right tools.

So, I immediately headed off to Harbor Freight to get a set of bigger wrenches. That surely made the job easier.

By the way, I have not been to Harbor Freight for a while, but noticed that their wrenches and socket sets seemed to be of better quality than earlier. They cost a bit more too, but I am willing to pay more to avoid junks.

 

[ERD50]

... I remembered there was a lot of teeth gnashing, and definitely some swearing and cursing. And I also remembered that it came from not having the right wrenches. The maneuvering in the tight place and trying of various adjustable wrenches with their big head, or vise grips or adjustable pliers, were the cause of scraped knuckles and frustration. ...

I don't understand why they don't make replacement faucets with everything long enough to extend below the bottom of the bowl. What a pain to try to work in that little space between the back of the bowl and the wall.

Sometimes, I think you can attach the hoses to the faucet and then push those through from the top, and then you can connect the other end to the shut-off where there is a little more space. But it seems that usually you need to get the faucet in place, and then attach the hoses to those little 4" stubs. And tighten nuts up in that area. Those tricky angle/knuckle/pivoting faucet wrenches help, but are still a pain.

Our kitchen faucet (with pull out sprayer) came with a big tubular style socket wrench (like those old cheap stamped spark plug wrenches) that was about a foot long - it slipped over the hose and made tightening that part pretty easy. I don't recall if they did anything to make the hoses easy to connect, or maybe I just got lucky on that one.

-ERD50

 

[ls99]

Recently DW wanted new light fixtures in her bathroom. They were elegant, with elongated glass. Of course some assembly required. To attach the glass to the arms required a very long set of fingers to place and turn the large nut which will clamp it to the arms.

Miracle, the the box held a long plastic socket wrench into which the nut fit, which made the attachment simple and a joy. Love thoughtful manufacturers.


Current project, sticking right front brake caliper on the car. I replaced it 3 years ago. NAPA warranty will replace the unit. Downside, it will take three days to get the part. Upside, crappy weather predicted, so beater pickup will be in use anyway.

 

[jcretire77]

Garage door spring broke yesterday. As I still w*rk a bit of a bummer to not be able to get the door open. Instead I spent the day pretending to be retired waiting for the repairman.

 

[travelover]

...... I spent the day pretending to be retired waiting for the repairman.

Kind of ironic, isn't it, that every kid over the age of six has a cell phone, but no home repairman has one.

 

[NW-Bound]

That's because kids have nothing to do but yap on the phones or text all day. Repairmen are busy doing "stuff". People need and call repairmen. Cool repairmen do not have to call people though they do have cell phones.

By the way, I got the 2nd faucet replaced. It went a lot smoother than the 1st one yesterday, as the tricks to remove the old one were still fresh in my mind. The new Pfister faucets were fairly easy to install. Yes, they provided a long plastic deep socket to tighten the nuts on the valve stems. Nice!

 

[Donzo]

I have an 02 Chevy Silverado - it's been a great truck with no problems til now at 116,000 miles. It was sputtering and would not keep running (fortunately in my driveway) I went back by the gas tank and could hear the fuel pump running fast, then slow and then stopping - and the truck would stop running - fuel pump went out. I did some reading and more helpful was you tube on how to make this repair.
I called around and the price range was $675 - 890 to replace pump and filter..... The pump is in the gas tank so you either have to drain the tank and take it out or you can lift the truck bed up - I did the latter - loosened the bolts lifted the bed up a couple feet and held in place with a jack stand. Got to the pump thru the top of the gas tank - replaced. The fuel filter is on the frame rail - replaced. Rebolted the bed down and the truck drives perfect! My total cost was $175 for the 2 parts. Took about 3 hours.

A tip I learned - don't allow your fuel tank to go below 1/4 tank. The pump can heat up and then when you put in cold/new fuel it can stress the pump. Also most of the impurities (water etc) are on the bottom of your tank - if you go below 1/4 tank you may start picking that "gunk" up.

 

[SteveNU]

Just finished pulling the turbo out of my 2002 VW jetta TDI with 296000 miles on it. I've had problems with the variable vanes sticking for years causing it to go into limp mode (no power). We cleaned it up and put it all back together, so far its running good as new. Hopefully it will provide good transportation to my son the mechanic for another couple of hundred thousand miles!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[aja8888]

Just finished pulling the turbo out of my 2002 VW jetta TDI with 296000 miles on it. I've had problems with the variable vanes sticking for years causing it to go into limp mode (no power). We cleaned it up and put it all back together, so far its running good as new. Hopefully it will provide good transportation to my son the mechanic for another couple of hundred thousand miles!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

That's a lot of miles on the OE turbo. Good luck. My Jetta TDI only has 141K and runs very strong a hauls down 45 MPG all day long. Limp mode can also be caused by intercooler piping leaks as I went through that for a while on an older Passat TDI. Check this site out for the best help for these TDIs (if you don't already participate):

Fred's TDI Page. TDIClub.com. VW TDI Enthusiast Community

 

[spncity]

Air conditioning in car didn't work. Expected a big repair bill.

Was pretty happy to find this instructional video (or one like it - not sure at this point) that advises using the horn relay to test the air conditioning relay on a Toyota of a certain age.

So, a/c was fixed for the cost of a new relay.

Kindest regards.

 

[travelover]

...........So, a/c was fixed for the cost of a new relay. ...............

Per the video, he suggests "smacking the crap" out the old relay. Didn't work?

 

[robnplunder]

Changed kitchen faucet that started to leak. Got one from Home Depot and found out that I need extension tubes. Went back to Home Depot and got one that didn't need the extension. To be sure, I bought the exact same one that went bad.

 

[panacea]

Our furnace won't get the house warmer than 65 degrees. It's REALLY trying because we've had zero degree weather (and lower). I think I've determined the source of the problem is that the water hose dripping thingy was clogged with some kind of goo and it must of put the equipment into safe mode... if cleaned out the hose and so the water is flowing freely now but I think the equipment needs to be reset or something. Anyway, that's my expert opinion. Time to get the HVAC tech out here but we'll wait until Monday to call to avoid the weekend up-charge. It the meantime we'll huddle around the fireplace and wear warm clothes!

 

[travelover]

Our furnace won't get the house warmer than 65 degrees. It's REALLY trying because we've had zero degree weather (and lower). I think I've determined the source of the problem is that the water hose dripping thingy was clogged with some kind of goo and it must of put the equipment into safe mode... if cleaned out the hose and so the water is flowing freely now but I think the equipment needs to be reset or something. Anyway, that's my expert opinion. Time to get the HVAC tech out here but we'll wait until Monday to call to avoid the weekend up-charge. It the meantime we'll huddle around the fireplace and wear warm clothes!

Check the intake pipe for icing (on the outside of your house). Mine has frozen twice this winter. If you shut off the power to the furnace, then turn it back on, it should reset itself.

 

[ERD50]

Our furnace won't get the house warmer than 65 degrees. It's REALLY trying because we've had zero degree weather (and lower). I think I've determined the source of the problem is that the water hose dripping thingy was clogged with some kind of goo and it must of put the equipment into safe mode... if cleaned out the hose and so the water is flowing freely now but I think the equipment needs to be reset or something. Anyway, that's my expert opinion. ...

Is it running 100% of the time, or is it running and then shutting down? If running 100% - is the flame running 100%, or just the blower?

If the 'hose dripping thingy' was the one for the condensate for the furnace (and not a humidifier drain, if you have one), then it sounds like you found and corrected the (or 'a' - maybe more than one?) problem. But if that was the main issue, then maybe a reset - just turn the power off to the furnace for ten minutes and back on again - might clear everything and let it run normally.

Time to get the HVAC tech out here but we'll wait until Monday to call to avoid the weekend up-charge. It the meantime we'll huddle around the fireplace and wear warm clothes!

Unless you have a fireplace insert or actual wood-burning stove, you will most likely be losing heat overall with a fireplace. Those things suck air out of the house like crazy, but it can heat up the room you are in, which is maybe good enough for you.

edit - cross posted with travelover, but yes, the inlet pipe is another quick thing to check.

-ERD50

 

[spncity]

Didn't work?

Not sure that was the exact video. If I'd seen this one, I'm sure I'd have done some pounding on the problem relay. As it was, I swapped it and that was the problem!

Kindest regards.

 

[panacea]

Check the intake pipe for icing (on the outside of your house). Mine has frozen twice this winter. If you shut off the power to the furnace, then turn it back on, it should reset itself.

Is it running 100% of the time, or is it running and then shutting down? If running 100% - is the flame running 100%, or just the blower?

If the 'hose dripping thingy' was the one for the condensate for the furnace (and not a humidifier drain, if you have one), then it sounds like you found and corrected the (or 'a' - maybe more than one?) problem. But if that was the main issue, then maybe a reset - just turn the power off to the furnace for ten minutes and back on again - might clear everything and let it run normally.

Unless you have a fireplace insert or actual wood-burning stove, you will most likely be losing heat overall with a fireplace. Those things suck air out of the house like crazy, but it can heat up the room you are in, which is maybe good enough for you.

edit - cross posted with travelover, but yes, the inlet pipe is another quick thing to check.

-ERD50

I think you're right about the fireplace sucking the warm air out of here... but it did give us a cozy room to go to for the time being. I was able to get a technician out here at 8am this morning and it turns out it had nothing to do with the intake pipe or the hose, etc. The "heat exchanger" is apparently fried... Apparently that's necessary for generating heat. The good news is that the unit is still under warranty so I just have to pay for the service call. Four short hours from now I should be sitting in cozy comfort again!

 

[akck]

Your recent repair?

I finally got around to seeing how to fix a slow spinning washer. First was the coupler between the motor and transmission, a $10 plus shipping part. Well, it wasn't chewed up like I expected, but I replaced it anyway. Problem not fixed.

Next is the clutch, a $28 part plus shipping. Following that would be the transmission. Now, I don't normally order from Sears Parts because they charge $$ for shipping to where we live. However, they gave me a 10% off code and the part was $50 cheaper than my normal place. Since I have to remove it to replace the clutch, I decided to replace both now instead of finding out it wasn't the just the clutch after all.

All told, $200 to avoid buying a new washer and dryer for $1,000+. Why a new dryer? Wife refuses to have a mismatched pair. Parts should be in by Monday. Hopefully, it won't be a $1,200+ expense.

BTW, AppliancePartsPros has some of the best how-to videos. They are one reason I'm attempting the repair, since they go through all the steps from unplugging the appliance to putting it all back together. They also only charge $6.95 for shipping. A good deal for shipping to Alaska.

 

[NW-Bound]

I spent 2 hours to restring the dial cord in a vintage Technics stereo receiver. It was my 1st job of this kind. The problem was not in the cord stringing, but in the reassembly of the reduction gear of the variable capacitor gang, which had to be taken off in order to resolder a toothed gear onto the capacitor shaft.

And then, as I checked out the radio tuning, observed that the receiver sensitivity was subpar. Maybe it needs alignment of all the IF coils. Just something for a retiree to do.

 

[akck]

Next is the clutch, a $28 part plus shipping. Following that would be the transmission. Now, I don't normally order from Sears Parts because they charge $$ for shipping to where we live. However, they gave me a 10% off code and the part was $50 cheaper than my normal place. Since I have to remove it to replace the clutch, I decided to replace both now instead of finding out it wasn't the just the clutch after all.

The parts cam in early and I hopefully fixed it (test load running now). It looks to have been the clutch as it was off center. I probably could have fixed it, but it likely has some wear that will cause it to pop out. The transmission wasn't needed, but now I know it won't be the next part to break.

 

[twolfy]

Helped friend repair diesel truck on the side of the road in 5 degree (-22 wind chill) weather. Not a real tough repair ( serpentine belt, idler pulleys, and tensioner) but doing it in the snow with these temperatures really upped the difficulty factor. Fingers just don't want to work in these temps. All done and working great. Feels great to be back in a warm home watching the Olympic opening Ceremony