Tales from the Garge.

**toads** · 28th November 2004, 07:05

keep them coming motu ( when you get the time and inclination), I'm reading these avidly, my eldest boy is looking at doing the first year preliminary course at polytech next year in automotive trades, you know how teens are, think they know everything!, well this thread is very handy in proving experience is the best teacher. Pete has all but lost touch with his trade as far as modern cars go, he's been doing fleet maintenance for the past 15 years, he prefers it, the not havign to deal with the public thing and the time to sort things out properly without deadlines.

**Motu** · 28th November 2004, 10:22

It's not a trade it pays to stay out of for too long these days,we are all struggling to keep pace and if you slip off it's hard to get back on - one of the reasons I did my own thing,it was either get out or take the next step.Fleet maintenance is good,but I always did it for the large companies in the 70s,and I hated working for them.If there is one thing I specialised in it was sole charge positions - I've run 3 auto workshops in the old service station days,a machinery outlet (chainsaws to tractors and trucks) and a rental car/hire centre,with no one to fall back on for advice or just to sound out problems with I've had some experiance just winging it,doing it my own way with some interesting results.I've got a few stories to tell over the lunchroom table!My ultimate dream would be to have no financial worries and have a country workshop next to the house,where I could keep my local area running,fixing everything that came to my door,with no small claims,OSH or consumer rights to worry me,bliss...

**Motu** · 19th July 2005, 16:40

She's BAAAAAACK!!!!!!

She trusts me....we are doing the clutch AGAIN,for a real price,and she is trading it for an auto.

And I will get another bottle of wine - DEAL!

**vifferman** · 19th July 2005, 16:45

Oh Motu - that is... I dunno... classic? Mental? Predictable?

**Big Dave** · 19th July 2005, 17:45

Originally Posted by Jim2

If people bagged their doctor as much as they bag their mechanic, we'd have no health system.

Been a while since you've been to hospital then - the health system will eventually fail (some would say it already has) in this country unless a new model of funding is embraced.

Some Non elective surgery is rated on a points system of how much pain you are actually in, before you qualify. Helloooooo!

I bagged the doctor plenty!

**MOTOXXX** · 19th July 2005, 19:29

haha i was wondering why this thread got brought up again.

good to see youve sorted it motu.

**James Deuce** · 19th July 2005, 20:22

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Been a while since you've been to hospital then - the health system will eventually fail (some would say it already has) in this country unless a new model of funding is embraced.

Some Non elective surgery is rated on a points system of how much pain you are actually in, before you qualify. Helloooooo!

I bagged the doctor plenty!

I'm in or at a hospital every two to three months. My wife started her Nursing training at 17. She's half way through a Masters in Nursing. I have a reasonable handle on the NZ health care system. My Aunty has spent the last 10 years as a contract CEO restructuring hospitals like Mildura in Australia, so I've a reasonable handle on the Aussie system too. NZ is lucky to have the Hospital system it does, given its dispersed and tiny population, and the inability of the population to accept that there is a cost to decent medical care.

We should be bagging our Doctors at least as much as we do our mechanics. For some reason Doctors are accorded a level of respect usually reserved for pop stars and Saints., not the level of respect earned by professionalism and results.

**gav** · 19th July 2005, 23:39

300ZX dented sump, no oil pressure, shit, we had a 300ZX come in the other day, knocking away, no oil pressure.....hmmmm
Man, we have a classic, a female customer who 9 (yes 9) months ago we did a alternator repair on keeps ringing and coming in complaining the alternator is faulty. Looked up the records and seems , yes about 9 months ago, an alternator repair was indeed done. Before I started, but didnt look like a new alternator, merely a repair to the existing one. Anyway everytime we saw the vehicle everything seemed fine, alternator charging, battery OK, would start on the key everytime. Eventually we thought what the hell, chucked in a good S/H alternator, charged her $180 all up and sent her on her way. She's still complaining, claims the car loses power and dies when the lights are used. Last time we had to go and recover the car, she'd left it on the side of the road, we get to the car, find someone has tried to break in and wrecked the door lock, return to workshop and get more tools to break in. We had the key, eventually we get in, sure enough car started on the key and drive it back to workshop. Ended up fixing the lock and kept the car in the yard for a week. Started first time every morning in heavy frost. Fixed the door locks, and alternator charging fine, battery good, even with lights on, heater on, wipers on, radio on etc. She eventually turned up on Friday, we'd spent close to two hours on it including bringing it into the shop. Anyway send her on her way, no charge for work. Sure enough Monday morning, she rings and apparently its died

One of the mechanics had told her if it died again, don't try and start it, ring us straight away, so she has. I'm going to send him to check it out but I'm sure it will start fine, but the bugger has had the flu and hasnt been at work this week. Oh well.....

**Ixion** · 19th July 2005, 23:54

Originally Posted by Jim2

..
We should be bagging our Doctors at least as much as we do our mechanics. For some reason Doctors are accorded a level of respect usually reserved for pop stars and Saints., not the level of respect earned by professionalism and results.

M'self, have more respect for most mechanics than most physicians. Most, there's exceptions both ways.

By my reckoning, a physician just does what a mechanic does. Except the mechanic has to deal with a wider variety of models.

**Big Dave** · 20th July 2005, 00:39

Originally Posted by Jim2

I'm in or at a hospital every two to three months.

yep - you understand - apart from being an outstanding motorcycle action photographer, the co-pilot is a 20+year Cardiac Theatre nurse specialist with an MBA and is now working on her doctorate - we came to NZ for her to a redesign on a major health organisation, only to find they couldn't afford it - or her.

Not talking quality of care - which is the same - just the system - compared to OZ - it isn't very good. You pay a tax levy in OZ - but a GP visit is free.

Your Aunty would probably know my Mrs.

**Big Dave** · 20th July 2005, 00:41

Originally Posted by Ixion

M'self, have more respect for most mechanics than most physicians. Most, there's exceptions both ways.

By my reckoning, a physician just does what a mechanic does. Except the mechanic has to deal with a wider variety of models.

Hmmm countering the god complex.
Count one or two amongst my acquaintances - but I think of them more as well qualified plumbers when I need something done. Helps when i'm on the piss with them too.

**Motu** · 20th July 2005, 10:20

Originally Posted by gav

300ZX dented sump, no oil pressure, shit, we had a 300ZX come in the other day, knocking away, no oil pressure.....hmmmm
Man, we have a classic, a female customer who 9 (yes 9) months ago we did a alternator repair on keeps ringing and coming in complaining the alternator is faulty. Looked up the records and seems , yes about 9 months ago, an alternator repair was indeed done. Before I started, but didnt look like a new alternator, merely a repair to the existing one. Anyway everytime we saw the vehicle everything seemed fine, alternator charging, battery OK, would start on the key everytime. Eventually we thought what the hell, chucked in a good S/H alternator, charged her $180 all up and sent her on her way. She's still complaining, claims the car loses power and dies when the lights are used. Last time we had to go and recover the car, she'd left it on the side of the road, we get to the car, find someone has tried to break in and wrecked the door lock, return to workshop and get more tools to break in. We had the key, eventually we get in, sure enough car started on the key and drive it back to workshop. Ended up fixing the lock and kept the car in the yard for a week. Started first time every morning in heavy frost. Fixed the door locks, and alternator charging fine, battery good, even with lights on, heater on, wipers on, radio on etc. She eventually turned up on Friday, we'd spent close to two hours on it including bringing it into the shop. Anyway send her on her way, no charge for work. Sure enough Monday morning, she rings and apparently its died

One of the mechanics had told her if it died again, don't try and start it, ring us straight away, so she has. I'm going to send him to check it out but I'm sure it will start fine, but the bugger has had the flu and hasnt been at work this week. Oh well.....

The shoe is on the other foot with me at the moment - the charge light is on atleast 50% of the time in my Pajero at the moment,but everytime I test it it's charging fine...if I pull it and give it to my sparky he'll say there is nothing wrong with it,it's a twin battery model and it might take sometime to run down...I need a positive fail before I get involved.How did the 300ZX low oil pressure work out? was it the sump? I've had a few Nissans in with that since the Fairlady screwed me.Pulled a Falcon sump down once using a stud gun and dent puller,cheaper than pulling the motor.

Wot's the latest tale? This year has been full of drama - I usually get one big one that takes me to the cleaners every year,but this year it's just been continuous with jobs going wrong,not a good year for me at all.But here's one that's been a success today.The day before Xmas we had a diesel Hi Ace in with a very bad engine knock - you may remember me talking about it with 750Y...it was just an injector and we had them reconned and it was sweet.Well,almost....it dropped in power big time,and unusualy for a diesel the was no smoke at all,this is how we diagnose diesels,by the smoke colour,but it had none at all!This is only a back up vehicle for the owner and the lack of power is no biggie,but we had it in for something else a couple of weeks ago and I said I would look deeper.3 weeks ago and yesterday was the first day we looked at it.We checked the injector timing of course,changed fuel filter and all the obvious stuff,I had been talking to my diesel guy about it and he said it must of been overfueling with the worn injectors,and how it was running now was it's normal state.Well,that gets hime out of the hole,but doesn't help me...of course we had touched nothing other than the injectors,but something was wrong.So we have been winding up the fuel screw on the pump and have got power back,with black smoke! So now we just have to reach a compromise between power and smoke,we can get it into 4th gowing up the hill,before it was in 2nd.So did someone wind the fuel screw out,or are we compensating for a worn pump? The latter I think,as we have been looking after this thing for 10yrs and certainly haven't touched the pump.

**_Gina_** · 20th July 2005, 10:57

In my opinion (yup, I am full of them : )) the real difference between an automotive engineer and your doctor is that when your doctor tells you to take 'these pills' which should resolve the problem that you are experiencing and when you still have the problem, generally people will with no complaint take whatever crap your doctor tells you with a smile and some respect for how hard it can be to get it right from some vague description you have given him/her. They will then be charged another fee & probably try something else which costs more money with no idea whether it will resolve the problem or not.

Automotive Engineers are not afforded this luxury from the public.