No. I might not KEEP it very long because it is difficult to work on…
My 84 Corvette (really any Corvette) My 93 SHO Taurus. ANY V8 Audi, BMW or Mercedes as they tend to pack 'em in really tight. Any transverse mounted V8 from any manufacturer.
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Wrong tool for everything has served me well. Now I can see the proper tool for the proper job, but s Hillbillys can get some damn good stuff done with what we have to work with, No Snap-on trucks stop by on any basis. Got the straight jaw, curved jaw, needlenose jaw vice grips, still surviving!
Any system on a car that I can not access and diagnose with a scan tool is difficult to work on.
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I generally agree with that, but I keep them around for some projects. sometimes for ripping and tearing or grabbing rusted fasteners firmly.
Also, 2 weeks ago I drove up to Tampa International Airport in the early hours and while driving, a message popped up on the Grand Prix’s driver information center. It said “right rear turn lamp” and sure enough when I signaled for a right turn I just got a rapid flash indicator.
Stopped at a Wal-Mart and bought two 3057 bulbs. Went to put one in and the plastic wing-nuts retaining the t-light assembly had been tightened by Godzilla, wouldn’t budge, and I couldn’t grasp them by hand on a good angle.
Back into Wal-Mart and I bought the cheapest pliers, a small “knock off” vice-grip for $2.47 that worked perfectly in my limited space. I got the bulb installed and off I went.
CSA
Mini for sure. Most European-manufactured vehicles would make me nervous. Performance cars of any type, also . Were I purchasing a new or used car I’d look up the parts and labor cost for these as a basis to make the decision on the ease and expense expected for these jobs…
- engine oil and filter changes
- water pump
- clutch slave cylinder
- alternator
- normally wearing brake parts, front & rear
- timing belt
- transmission service
- wheel bearings
- is the available service data clear, concise, and comprehensible?
For example, clutch slave on a 2016 Corolla is about $100 and 1 hour, while on a 2016 Chevy Camaro, $300 and 6+ hours. Chevy Cruz, nearly 8 hours. Whew!!
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You are off by more than a $1000.
The 2016 Corolla doesn’t have a remote mounted clutch slave cylinder like a classic car, the hydraulic unit is combined with the clutch release bearing like any modern vehicle.
The labor to replace the clutch release bearing w/hydraulic unit is 9 hours.
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Stay away from bmw hybrids. Especially auction bought and not running
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Interesting. Seems to be a nomenclature issue. The service data for the 2016 Corolla clearly lists a “clutch slave cylinder”, with a one-hour labor replacement time, but no procedure how to service or replace it. I looked at the same category for the 2015 Corolla and the clutch service procedures are included for that model year. It also list a “clutch slave cylinder” with a one hour replacement time. But there seems to be some ambiguity what the “clutch slave cylinder” phrase refers to. Upon further investigation it looks like it is actually referring to a part called the “clutch release bleeder sub-assembly” which is bolted on the outside of the transmission and wouldn’t take long to replace. But that’s not what is usually called a clutch “slave cylinder”. The clutch release bleeder sub-ass’y provides a place to bleed the clutch hydraulics, but the actual slave-action takes place in the release bearing apparently.
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I think the vise grip is a wonderful tool and is perfect for clamping one end of a through nut and bolt so you don;t have to deal with slop from two ratchets. Of course if I was being paid for wrenching I suspect my main tool would be either a 3/8 air ratchet or a cordless impact gun. I am amazed when I watch a utube video of a repair how much they speed up the work.
I am very sorry to see that Vise Grips are now made in China now. I got a very old needle nosed Craftsman brand locking pliers replaced recently and they were not worth bringing home from the store, the metal was so weak. Hanging right next to them at Sears was an Identical looking pair of Chinese made Vise Grips.
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I’m in the same club. My formal training ended in 1976. I refuse to remove a bumper to replace a headlight bulb.
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I worked at a GM dealership in the mid 1970s. I concur.
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Work is work for a mechanic. If you get paid .8 to replace that headlight and you can do it in .5, you’re ahead of the game.
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When I sold my last British vehicle(1966 MGB) I included the few Whitworth tools I had.
The vertical adjustment piston on my computer chair failed. A pair of vise grips clamped on the shaft has “fixed” it so far.
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Vise grips are very useful when replacing hatch/hood struts. You lock the vise grips on the shaft of one strut, then replace the other. The vise grips lock the strut so that the hatch doesn’t slam down on your head. The new strut will be strong enough to hold the hatch open while you replace the second one.
Wouldnt that technique leave burrs on the strut shaft which would then tear up the seals?
Who cares? It’s the old, failed strut and you’re gonna throw it away as soon as the job’s over.
Gotcha. I thought you were putting the clamp on the first new strut while you were putting in the second.
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I have not worked flat rate since Nov 1976 and have been retired since Sep 2009.
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Any car built after '80 when computers became standard.
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