Category: car repair

Lawn Mower Repair

Last time I used the mower it was running rough. So in the spirit of good preventative maintenance I put it away until I had some time to look at it. It would appear that the bolts that hold the carburetor had evaporated. After some looking I found one bolt laying on top of the mower deck and the other had gone to the land of lost bolts.

I searched around in an old canning jar and found that little bolt on the right side that was missing. Looks pretty factory I think. The other one I just screwed it into the nearest empty spot.

I think Dad would be proud but Uncle Harold might shake his head at that one bolt but it’s all I had.

Mower

I am a ham handed dumb ass

I must confess, I should pay someone else to do any work. Last week while returning home from work on the New York State Thruway my wife’s 2004 Chevrolet Aveo spewed forth all of its coolant just West of exit 25A. The OEM housing split into two pieces after 90,000 miles.

I ordered parts from Amazon and noticed the replacement was two pieces and made of pot metal not the original plastic. I checked Advance Auto Parts and they had the same piece for $41 plus tax, Amazon was $22.63 with tax and Amazon Prime shipping in two days. Same manufacturer same everything so Amazon wins.
Thursday night I decided to try bolting it on the car, what a cluster.
Those little pieces shaped like a D are the ears that once were attached to the housing. I have broken three of four. See that little o ring there? I failed to remove the original one before putting the new one on. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I ordered a new one from Amazon tonight and it should arrive early next week. Just in time for me to install this on Christmas day.
Littered in broken parts and dreams. The one nearest the camera is the original plastic housing with its o ring laying on top of it. The quarter inch drive and ratchet were the tool of choice for the wreckage.
The port on the block where this connects minus the o ring.
So long story short this should cost me about the same as buying the part locally and if I break two more of these it’ll cost about the same as paying someone else to do it.
I got the new part in December 24th and bolted it on the car without breaking it. Burped the coolant system and took it for a thirty mile test drive. Then drove it about eighty miles that night with no problems yet.

Note to self for 2009 Suzuki Sx4

I put a new battery in the fob for my 2009 Suzuki Sx4 and followed the steps below to reprogram the fob.

1)Confirm that all doors are closed and ignition key is out of ignition key cylinder.
2)Open driver side door.
3)Insert ignition key into ignition key cylinder within 10 seconds after step 2).
4)Remove ignition key from ignition key cylinder within 10 seconds after step 3).
5)Push and release driver side door switch 3 times by hand within 20 seconds after step 4).
6)Insert ignition key into ignition key cylinder within 10 seconds after step 5).
7)Remove ignition key from ignition key cylinder within 10 seconds after step 6).
8)Press and hold “LOCK” and “UNLOCK” buttons on transmitter for 5 seconds or more within 20 seconds after step 6) and confirm that all doors are operated from lock to unlock.
9)Press “LOCK” or “UNLOCK” button on the transmitter within 5 seconds after step 8) and confirm that all doors are operated from lock to unlock. With this process, transmitter code has been programmed.
10)If you want to program the additional transmitter, repeat the procedure from Step 1) through Step 9).
11)Make sure that keyless entry system properly operates by operating programmed transmitter(s).

I had both sets of keys with me when I did this. I just tossed the second set on the ground about ten feet away from the car while I did this and then tested both fobs after I was done.

Ford Freestar Cruise Control

Check the fuse and its good then check the switch on the bottom of the master cylinder with a jumper across the two wires. This is number one and number sixteen, I just put the jumper across number one. Looks like I have to replace the switch after putting a paper clip in for a jumper and driving up the road it worked like it should. Reconnect the switch and the cruise control turns on but when you try to set it the light blinks on and right back off. This started with cruise control working sometimes and not others. 
From what I read I may get a few drops of brake fluid when I pull the switch out, but as long as I replace it right away not much should leak out. 
I found it through Amazon for $16.80
“Motorcraft SW6580 Cruise Control Switch”