Wrench monkey
Spent today with Dad wrenching on the Benz.
I set out to change the belts, oil, fog lamp bulb, and driver's seat springs.
Dad immediately became obsessed with the air cleaner assembly and promptly broke the crankcase vent tube, which was replaced by day's end with a steampunk chunk of copper tubing.
I broke a non-essential part of the headlight frame, so we were even.
Together, we changed the belts through a simple 28-step process.
Really - no cursing was required, but our arms were sore by the end.
The oil change was a friendly and mess-free process thanks to a well designed oil filter that does not immediately spill oil all over you and the ground, but rather drains it right down with the rest of the oil. So sensible, so German.
Back to Dad and the air cleaner assembly. While I'm changing the oil, he removes the air cleaner assembly, which *was* rather loosely attached.
Boy, were there bugs under *that* rock.
Two hoses were disconnected, and 3 or 4 screws to nowhere had to be corrected.
The air intake had a loose hose clamp, and then a vacuum (or EGR-related) hose had torn off and was hanging loose.
The Benz has shown itself to indeed be the most reliable car on earth.
I dare say you could disconnect most of the hoses under the hood and the damn thing would still run ok.
After Dad's earnest wrenching, you can do pullups on the air cleaner.
With the tubing reconnected, fresh belts, and 2 fresh *GALLONS* of diesel synthetic motor oil ('cause that's how freakin' much it takes) the car runs confidently and smoothly, with enough low-rpm power to drive up maisimai's tailpipe. Er, her car's tailpipe. Hahaha.
Tomorrow? Seat springs and a new radio antenna.
I set out to change the belts, oil, fog lamp bulb, and driver's seat springs.
Dad immediately became obsessed with the air cleaner assembly and promptly broke the crankcase vent tube, which was replaced by day's end with a steampunk chunk of copper tubing.
I broke a non-essential part of the headlight frame, so we were even.
Together, we changed the belts through a simple 28-step process.
Really - no cursing was required, but our arms were sore by the end.
The oil change was a friendly and mess-free process thanks to a well designed oil filter that does not immediately spill oil all over you and the ground, but rather drains it right down with the rest of the oil. So sensible, so German.
Back to Dad and the air cleaner assembly. While I'm changing the oil, he removes the air cleaner assembly, which *was* rather loosely attached.
Boy, were there bugs under *that* rock.
Two hoses were disconnected, and 3 or 4 screws to nowhere had to be corrected.
The air intake had a loose hose clamp, and then a vacuum (or EGR-related) hose had torn off and was hanging loose.
The Benz has shown itself to indeed be the most reliable car on earth.
I dare say you could disconnect most of the hoses under the hood and the damn thing would still run ok.
After Dad's earnest wrenching, you can do pullups on the air cleaner.
With the tubing reconnected, fresh belts, and 2 fresh *GALLONS* of diesel synthetic motor oil ('cause that's how freakin' much it takes) the car runs confidently and smoothly, with enough low-rpm power to drive up maisimai's tailpipe. Er, her car's tailpipe. Hahaha.
Tomorrow? Seat springs and a new radio antenna.