Your recent repair? 2013 - 2020

[John Galt III]

Replaced the front brake pads on my car. 105,000 miles on the original pads ! Easy job. But I had to do the first wheel over again since I didn't notice I had to seat the spring clip in the pad tab. A mechanic who knew what he was doing could have completed this whole job out in 20 minutes. For maybe a $100 labor charge, lol. Took me two hours, but I enjoyed doing something useful and money-saving.

 

[aja8888]

Cleaned the throttle body on stepdaughter's 2003 Rav4. Also replaced the idle air control valve and throttle positioner at that time. She purrs like a kitten at 600 RPM now. Car has 132,000 on it.

 

[Senator]

I installed a new boiler... Saved about $3,000 for 16 hours of work. A boiler guy would have done it in about 5 hours.

 

[Henry Lili]

- Repalced a car side view mirror.
- Two bathroom sinks and faucets/lines.

 

[ls99]

Replaced Throttle position sensor on 99 Suburban. It is a 7.4 engine. To remove, have to dis assemble the intake ducting and loosen the throttle body, else can not remove the sensor. There is an indentation in the intake manifold for the dsensor body. About 40 minutes total. Symptom was late and hard shifting of the transmission. And no codes.

 

[Winemaker]

I have a leaking power steering line on a 07 Blazer. I ain't gonna touch it. My mechanic will be amply rewarded.

 

[bolt]

- I repaired all the USAs economic maladies-.


A nations reputation is a mirror of its currency -jmho-.
FDR & Nixon both removed USAs currency from the gold standard.
All FIAT currencies have failed. All currencies worldwide are now FIAT.
You do the math.

 

[Walt34]

Replaced the master bathroom toilet tank lever, one of the items I mentioned buying at Home Depot in this post. The old one broke, as in the lever fell off. It took five minutes to replace, but only because on the way to the basement to get an adjustable wrench I stopped in the kitchen for a cookie.

 

[aja8888]

Walt, you are on a roll.....painting, screens, toilet......

 

[sengsational]

I'm doing the (mostly) DIY HVAC replace. Before going this route, I did a bit of poking around here and noticed several "regulars" here have gone that route (which gave me courage). It's not worth getting the license for managing refrigerant and the associated tools, so I'll outsource that bit, which includes brazing (I've only got a propane torch). But I'm expecting delivery of the replacement components on Tuesday. The old 1991 era system is ready for recycling. I'm pulling a few parts off that might sell on eBay. I've kept the cooling side limping along for years by having "the man" add small bits of R22. The furnace was pretty healthy as, since it's the upstairs unit in a 2 story foyer house, it never ran much.



The whole project has been a zero "hardware store run" effort so far. Happened to have an old bag of cement (actually stored in a sealed 5 gallon pail) and got the aggregate from the creek bed. I thought about shooting this project and adding to my DIY videos, but it's really sweaty in the attic, so couldn't justify it; shooting roughly doubles the time it takes to get through a project.


One more thing... I got an estimate to have this done turn-key: $7156. That's a 1.5 ton, 14 SEER A/C and an 80% 40K BTU replace. I found the same exact thing online for $2013 for a $5143 savings (less refrigerant and brazing, which I've not got a price on yet). But still, I figure the quote I got had about a 75% mark-up on materials and labor...I think they've got plenty of business and aren't hungry right now. I guess the best time to buy is in the spring or fall. But I don't care as this is the upstairs system and we're empty nesters.

 

[John Galt III]

I'm doing the (mostly) DIY HVAC replace. Before going this route, I did a bit of poking around here and noticed several "regulars" here have gone that route (which gave me courage). It's not worth getting the license for managing refrigerant and the associated tools, so I'll outsource that bit, which includes brazing (I've only got a propane torch). But I'm expecting delivery of the replacement components on Tuesday. The old 1991 era system is ready for recycling. I'm pulling a few parts off that might sell on eBay. I've kept the cooling side limping along for years by having "the man" add small bits of R22. The furnace was pretty healthy as, since it's the upstairs unit in a 2 story foyer house, it never ran much.



The whole project has been a zero "hardware store run" effort so far. Happened to have an old bag of cement (actually stored in a sealed 5 gallon pail) and got the aggregate from the creek bed. I thought about shooting this project and adding to my DIY videos, but it's really sweaty in the attic, so couldn't justify it; shooting roughly doubles the time it takes to get through a project.


One more thing... I got an estimate to have this done turn-key: $7156. That's a 1.5 ton, 14 SEER A/C and an 80% 40K BTU replace. I found the same exact thing online for $2013 for a $5143 savings (less refrigerant and brazing, which I've not got a price on yet). But still, I figure the quote I got had about a 75% mark-up on materials and labor...I think they've got plenty of business and aren't hungry right now. I guess the best time to buy is in the spring or fall. But I don't care as this is the upstairs system and we're empty nesters.

sengsational, is that $7156 estimate for just the outdoor heat pump unit, installed? Is the interior unit (air handler) compatible with the refrigerant you will be using in the new exterior heat pump?

 

[travelover]

This won't be of interest to 99% of you, but I installed a DC-DC battery charger in my travel trailer. Generally, trailer batteries don't charge well off the tow vehicle's alternator due to long wires and more recently due to "smart charging" in the tow vehicle aimed at better fuel economy. These DC-DC chargers have been around for a while but were north of $250, but Renogy has one priced a little over $100, on sale.



https://www.renogy.com/renogy-12v-dc-to-dc-on-board-battery-charger/

 

[davebarnes]

Repaired a broken path light. No light as wires were broken.

1. Had to buy a new ground stake as the old one was stripped.
2. First trip to HomeDepot for a few feet of 16/2 brown lamp cord.
3. Second trip to HomeDepot to buy a new soldering gun as my 45-year-old gun died in the middle of the soldering process.
4. Reassemble and test.

 

[samclem]

I'm doing the (mostly) DIY HVAC replace. Before going this route, I did a bit of poking around here and noticed several "regulars" here have gone that route (which gave me courage).

Looks great. Yep, I went this route when I replaced the AC in the house we are re-doing for DD (2 ton, replaced evap coil too. I had done the furnace myself a few months earlier). I went crazy in re-doing the ductwork, otherwise it would have been a piece of cake.

You know this, but for others: When the AC guy comes to do his part of the install (brazing he lines, evacuation of the system, and fill with refrigerant), the critical bits are to 1) assure he/she is back-purging the copper line with nitrogen as he does the brazing (else the inside of the copper gets a coating that will eventually come loose and clog something/damage the compressor) and 2) Assure he/she evacuates the system thoroughly before adding the refrigerant. For most installations, it should be pulled down to the 500 micron level, then left there for a period of time to be sure all is well. This can take a long time, and some tech's are tempted to take shortcuts, so it pays to be specific about it in advance when discussing the work you want done. The guy who did DD's house charged me about $300 IIRC, and I did all grunt work (equipment in place, power hooked up, etc). The only thing I'd do different next time is to include a sight glass in the line so it is easier to diagnose a problem. I'll be doing the AC on our own home in a few months, and I'll probably handle things the same way. It saves a lot of money AND you know it is done right.
[/QUOTE]

 

[aja8888]

This won't be of interest to 99% of you, but I installed a DC-DC battery charger in my travel trailer. Generally, trailer batteries don't charge well off the tow vehicle's alternator due to long wires and more recently due to "smart charging" in the tow vehicle aimed at better fuel economy. These DC-DC chargers have been around for a while but were north of $250, but Renogy has one priced a little over $100, on sale.



https://www.renogy.com/renogy-12v-dc-to-dc-on-board-battery-charger/

Very nice solution!

 

[sengsational]

sengsational, is that $7156 estimate for just the outdoor heat pump unit, installed? Is the interior unit (air handler) compatible with the refrigerant you will be using in the new exterior heat pump?

The estimate is for the condenser, evaporator and gas furnace. The only existing things that will be reused will be the line set and the ductwork.

Looks great. Yep, I went this route when I replaced the AC in the house we are re-doing for DD (2 ton, replaced evap coil too. I had done the furnace myself a few months earlier). I went crazy in re-doing the ductwork, otherwise it would have been a piece of cake.

You know this, but for others: When the AC guy comes to do his part of the install (brazing he lines, evacuation of the system, and fill with refrigerant), the critical bits are to 1) assure he/she is back-purging the copper line with nitrogen as he does the brazing (else the inside of the copper gets a coating that will eventually come loose and clog something/damage the compressor) and 2) Assure he/she evacuates the system thoroughly before adding the refrigerant. For most installations, it should be pulled down to the 500 micron level, then left there for a period of time to be sure all is well. This can take a long time, and some tech's are tempted to take shortcuts, so it pays to be specific about it in advance when discussing the work you want done. The guy who did DD's house charged me about $300 IIRC, and I did all grunt work (equipment in place, power hooked up, etc). The only thing I'd do different next time is to include a sight glass in the line so it is easier to diagnose a problem. I'll be doing the AC on our own home in a few months, and I'll probably handle things the same way. It saves a lot of money AND you know it is done right.

Thanks for that insight. I saw your posts earlier about your experience with this process and hoped that you'd provide me some of the possible "gotchas". I did have most of those steps on my list (which I pulled from a detailed estimate that I got a long time ago). But I didn't have the longer wait after pulling the vacuum. I'll add that in. And knowing what you paid is helpful too. Thank you.


Just delivered a few minutes ago. Here's what it looks like. Delivery included having the guy roll the pallet jack right into the garage. Looks like I'm the proud owner of not only the HVAC thing, but also a pallet.

 

[ls99]

In process of replacing gaskets of Country Comfort wood stove. 8 feet of 3/4" for the door seals and 10 feet of 3/8" of the stuff for the transparent ceramic windows.

One of the 10 ceramic window's clamping screws would not budge. Even after soaking overninght with liquid wrench. Ended up breaking the head off. Thus had to drill through the old threaded body, use bottoming tap to cut new thread and find a suitable 10-24 screw. Thus dragging out the job.

 

[NW-Bound]

I installed a new boiler... Saved about $3,000 for 16 hours of work. A boiler guy would have done it in about 5 hours.

So, an experienced guy would make $600/hr. You made only $187.5/hr. Still not shabby.

 

[samclem]

The only existing things that will be reused will be the line set and the ductwork.

Yep, I wasn't able to reuse the line set since we were transitioning from R22 to R410a. The lubricants in the R22 system play havoc with R410A. Some contractors re-use the line anyway, or put some goo on that is supposed to neutralize the old lube. The price of the new line set looked like a good investment in our case.

 

[Jeffman52]

My 2002 F150 window switch stopped working. Rolled the window down to pay my way out of the airport garage, it wouldn't roll back up. The switch is very easy to access and replace. I got home late in the evening, took a quick look on Amazon and saw it was $15 and would deliver the next day. But I got to thinking, I can just knock this out and go to Autozone and get one since they are just up the road. Autozone price = $118!! I laughed and said, this is why Amazon is putting all of you out of business. No thanks. I mean WTH, its not like it was solid state technology. Its a rocker switch wrapped up in pretty plastic that matches the truck!!!

The next day my $15 switch showed up and a few minutes later it was installed. Working great again.

 

[sengsational]

Yep, I wasn't able to reuse the line set since we were transitioning from R22 to R410a. The lubricants in the R22 system play havoc with R410A. Some contractors re-use the line anyway, or put some goo on that is supposed to neutralize the old lube. The price of the new line set looked like a good investment in our case.

I'm also going from R22 to R410a. The quotes I got a few years ago, and the current one, they all said the current line set would be fine (but maybe because they didn't want to try pulling the new line set down the wall). One guy said if I wanted or needed new lines, they'd be running down the outside of the building (inside some kind of pipe/channel thing). Several of the quotes include flushing the lines with a solvent. I plan on going that route. Knowing the flush is super important, I'll make sure that gets done, and done right.

 

[aja8888]

My 2002 F150 window switch stopped working. Rolled the window down to pay my way out of the airport garage, it wouldn't roll back up. The switch is very easy to access and replace. I got home late in the evening, took a quick look on Amazon and saw it was $15 and would deliver the next day. But I got to thinking, I can just knock this out and go to Autozone and get one since they are just up the road. Autozone price = $118!! I laughed and said, this is why Amazon is putting all of you out of business. No thanks. I mean WTH, its not like it was solid state technology. Its a rocker switch wrapped up in pretty plastic that matches the truck!!!

The next day my $15 switch showed up and a few minutes later it was installed. Working great again.

I have the same generation F150 (1998 Lariat). If your power mirrors are a bit wonky and don't seem to adjust to full travel, get a new switch from Amazon as the factory switch gets funny after 10 years or so. Simple fix like a window switch.

 

[spencnor]

I'm also going from R22 to R410a. The quotes I got a few years ago, and the current one, they all said the current line set would be fine (but maybe because they didn't want to try pulling the new line set down the wall). One guy said if I wanted or needed new lines, they'd be running down the outside of the building (inside some kind of pipe/channel thing). Several of the quotes include flushing the lines with a solvent. I plan on going that route. Knowing the flush is super important, I'll make sure that gets done, and done right.

I changed out my R22 unit on the 2nd floor to R410a. The line set ran down an interior wall to the underfloor crawl space and then out to the condenser. The existing line set was flushed out with a solvent made for this purpose. No problems thus far for 5+ years.

 

[Jeffman52]

I have the same generation F150 (1998 Lariat). If your power mirrors are a bit wonky and don't seem to adjust to full travel, get a new switch from Amazon as the factory switch gets funny after 10 years or so. Simple fix like a window switch.

My power mirrors are more than a bit wonky LOL. I have them set manually with distinct instructions not to touch them!!! Thanks for the idea. I might give that a try and see if that takes care of it.

 

[Walt34]

I changed out my R22 unit on the 2nd floor to R410a. The line set ran down an interior wall to the underfloor crawl space and then out to the condenser. The existing line set was flushed out with a solvent made for this purpose. No problems thus far for 5+ years.

Similar experience here. I didn't do the work, an installer did, but they flushed the existing lines and all still seems fine a bit over 6 years later.