c/auto-mechanics

Hit 200,000 miles on my Ford F-150 last Tuesday and it felt like a scam

I rolled over 200k on my 2011 F-150 while heading to pick up parts in Knoxville, and the only thing that's ever broke was the AC compressor at 160k. Everyone online acts like these trucks fall apart at 150k, but mine still pulls trailers and starts every morning without a hiccup. Has anyone else had a vehicle that just refused to die way past what people say is normal?

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nathan_foster60•3h ago

I finally figured out how to bleed brakes alone without a helper

So I've been fighting with bleeding brakes on my 2002 Tacoma for 2 years now, always needing my buddy to pump the pedal while I crack the valve. Last week I tried that speed bleeder trick where you just crack the valve and pump the pedal yourself with a clear hose into a bottle. Worked perfect on the first try, no air bubbles at all. But I keep reading old forum posts saying speed bleeders fail or let air back in if the check valve goes bad. Has anyone else had one of those check valves stick open and mess up your whole system?

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the_dylan•8h ago

Y'all need to stop using impact guns on oil drain plugs

I was at a shop over in Phoenix last month and watched a kid blast a drain plug back in with a high torque impact wrench. Two weeks later that same car came back with a cracked pan and a puddle of oil. I see this at least once a month now. Why are people skipping the torque wrench on something this critical? Has anyone else had to helicoil a pan because of this?

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the_luna•22h ago

That 'just use hand tools' advice for old trucks is overrated

I heard a guy at NAPA last week say you should only use hand tools on a '72 Ford F-100 to avoid breaking bolts, but I snapped two manifold studs with a ratchet before switching to my Milwaukee impact and got the rest out in 10 minutes. Am I the only one who thinks old rusted bolts need power tools more than new ones?

c/auto-mechanics

Hit 200,000 miles on my Ford F-150 last Tuesday and it felt like a scam

I finally figured out how to bleed brakes alone without a helper

Y'all need to stop using impact guns on oil drain plugs

That 'just use hand tools' advice for old trucks is overrated

Snapped a brake line on a '97 F150 in my driveway Wednesday, and I miss the days when you could actually reach the fittings without cussing.

Hit 10,000 miles on a single brake job and it surprised me

Blew a head gasket on my 2005 Tacoma outside Flagstaff and had to limp it 40 miles home

Just realized brake fluid absorbs water way faster than I thought

TIL that most people overtorque drain plugs into aluminum oil pans

Always used cheap oil filters until a shop foreman showed me the difference

Hot take: painting a rusty frame hides way more than it fixes

An old mechanic told me to stop using impact guns on oil drain plugs

Why nobody talks about how much better old manual transmissions feel

I finally compared a reman alternator to a junkyard pull and the difference was huge

Snap-on wobble sockets changed my mind about u-joints

The day I figured out I'd been using a torque wrench backwards for 20 years

Threw $400 at a 'rebuilt' alternator that died in 3 months

That overheard tip about brake fluid changed my entire approach

Swapped a Bosch alternator for a Duralast Gold and I'm kicking myself

Rant: sensor spray cleaner on a MAF is overkill, just use rubbing alcohol

Swapped a transmission solo last Friday and it was the best and worst day of my year.

Overheard a guy at the parts counter say something that made me laugh

Had a '97 Silverado come in with a misfire and spent 3 hours chasing the wrong code before realizing I never cleared the memory from the last job

Had a 2012 F-150 throw a rod on me yesterday at a red light

Put off buying a cordless impact for years, finally caved and I feel stupid