As fun as wrenching is, we don’t always want to do every job as soon as it’s necessary. Maybe we don’t have the time, maybe we don’t have the parts, maybe it’s just January out and we simply don’t want to freeze ourselves on the pavement. Regardless, we’re all putting something off, and earlier this week I asked you all what’s perennially on your to-do list. Look over all of these on your own car — if everyone else is ignoring it, you might be too.
Washer Fluid
It’s 11F in my garage and even colder outside, I’m hard pressed to check my oil and fill up the washer fluid.
I did buy a $500 Land Rover LR3 back in August and it needed all the maintenance done so I did it already.
Have you been using your wipers to get all that road salt and grime off your windshield? Do you know how much fluid you’ve gone through? Do you know how much you have left?
Recalls
I have the Jeep 4XE 95B recall for the battery pack possibly self igniting. Been putting off taking it in because it has been cold here and from what I have been reading, parts availability is a concern, but more so it seems that the testing done by some dealerships is suspect and people are not trusting the results. Also some people have gone in for the update and test, told they were fine and good to go only to start having issues with the battery right after.
I like my GC 4XE, but all of this kind of makes me want to trade it in on something else but I am not sure what that something else is. I like the Land Rover Defender, but it’s a Land Rover... Maybe the Honda Passport Trailsport.. Maybe go big and get a adventure van for getaways and stuff like a STO Stealth/Beast Mode.
Remember that letter you got in the mail, with that weirdly low-res and crunched picture of your car on it? Yeah, that one was important. You probably should have read that one.
Rust Repair
Does rust repair count lol?
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback that I got wasn’t cared for by its previous owner in Minnesota, and really needs some rust repair on the floor board and rear fender wells. I’m trying to prepare by learning as much as I can about basic welding, but I’m scared I’ll mess it up.
Rust repair definitely counts! Especially since it’s the kind of issue that only gets worse with time. Have you checked your soft top drains recently?
Squeaking Brakes
Squeeky rear brakes on the Mazda CX-5. I put them on within the last 3 years and the pads and rotors have plenty of life. Also replaced the Driver’s side caliper. The issue is the hardware which is a known problem at Mazda to the point that they updated the clips and changed the PN. Basically once the pad are worn enough I’ll do it all over and replace them with brembo pads, rotors, and hardware.
Klone’s brakes are loud because of a known part issue, but are yours squealing for a different reason? Are you on your indicators?
Timing Chain
I’m currently in negotiations to buy a 2006 Buick LaCrosse with the 3.6 VVT engine. Car currently has 95K miles on it, so its due for a timing chain replacement very shortly, which is exactly why the owner is looking to sell.
Part of me thinks I could probably get away with six months to a year before investing two grand in maintenance, but my left brain doesn’t want to risk driving around in a ticking time-bomb.
What’s your timing chain — or belt — interval? How close are you to it? Check your manual.
Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I
So Much
The radiator cap. I need to go screw a new car underneath it at some point this year.
This is the exact issue I had with my GS. I mean, uh, the issue I have with it. Present tense. I haven’t blogged it yet so as far as you know I still have that bike.
Contact Points
I’m up to date right now on the fleet as far as required maintenance. I have a full shifter rebuild to do, and the parts in the garage for the ‘00 Z3 but that’ll wait till its warmer, and ideally a 2.8 engine swap, the engine is here too.
I just installed some grill lights on the X3 wired to a wireless switch but after a few days I would prefer to just wire them to the foglights. That will wait till warmer weather as well.
Shifters wear down slowly, so you may not notice how much slop you’re getting until you drive a newer car to compare. Bushings, rubber, these things don’t last forever.
Carburetor Maintenance
I was rejetting my beemer’s carbs, which, without a dyno, can be a slow process (especially because these are not the stock carbs and the intake/exhaust are also not stock, so it’s not like there’s a recipe). I’m at the point where I believe the main and pilot jets are correct, but am still working on atomiser/needle position.
With snow/ice/sub-freezing temps those carbs are drained and my battery is on a tender until it thaws a bit.
Okay, your daily driver probably doesn’t have carburetors. Maybe you own another car that does, though. Or a bike. Or maybe you just bought some carburetors off Facebook Marketplace because you think they look neat. That would honestly be pretty cool.
Okay So This Is Kind Of Just A Whole Restoration Thing
Oh the list is long and distinguished.
85k on the replacement small block chevy so I’m in the window for a timing chain. Bonus points because I know how it was driven before I got it.
Transmission is at 185k miles and could use a rebuild but it is a 700R4...
Needs a new headliner as the old one is falling down.
It’s 24 degrees outside and it’s time for a new battery. Blower motor needs replaced. (I have that already).
I haven’t put the new fog lights in despite it being the foggiest time of year.
What else...? I have the new carpet pad but need to tear the interior completely out.
Rebuild and replace the rear windows with the sliding set...
Need to run new ground wires to both windows to get the motors running slightly faster than a frozen snail...
Oh and it needs about 20k worth of body work and paint...ish.
That’s a start...
This one might be less of a piece of advice and more of a cautionary tale. If your car is like this, have another car. At least until this one is finished.
Suspension
Mine is three pronged. I need to replace the rear shock/struts, I have the replacements in the garage and already did the fronts. I’ll wait until it is warmer. Another is a broken bolts for my battery tie down. Just replaced the battery and when I went to undo one of the tie own bolts the head twisted off. I need to drill it out and replace. The last is a ripped intake runner boot thing. My car was throwing a CEL and I couldn’t figure it out and then I found a ripped accordion boot/hose. I taped it up with duct tape, the metal kind and it has been fine for about a year, but I really need to replace that at some point soon.
Your struts, eventually, wear out. Does your car feel bouncier than usual? Less damped? Maybe check those out.
Water Pump
VW Golf Sportwagen water pump/thermostat. It’s actually covered by a recall but do I want to have the lowest guy on the dealership totem pole trying to beat book rate on my personal car with 1000 little plastic connectors? No. No I do not. I have the parts sitting on shelf waiting for me to clear out a couple motorcycle projects.
Getting your bikes done first is just good etiquette. They’re more important, really. Water pumps can wait, at least until they can’t any more and your engine starts to overheat. But: Then you get to ride the bikes more.
More Suspension
E90 sprung a pinhole leak in one of the end tanks. It’s at the very top, JB Weld has been sealing it nicely for a few months now. I have a new radiator and hoses, but I’ve been letting my mom enjoy the car since I got a new DD.
WK2 Jeep definitely has some worn out suspension bushings, causing strange movements when I hit certain bumps. Been putting that off for over a year now, I’ll get to it before this next ski trip...
Bushings, too, wear out in your suspension. Check up on those while you’re underneath, looking at the struts.
Fluid Leaks
Nothing for the Chevy Bolt.
My Chevy K1500 tho... its been sitting for a while, because I had a knee surgery done in December. I went to fire it up the other day, and as I usually do, I checked under the hood, to realize the brake fluid for the rear was low... walked around the car to see a buncha fluid coming down from the rear left brake drum. So I gotta fix that once my knee feels better.
Fluids, generally, are best when inside your vehicle. At least, in the parts of your vehicle they’re supposed to be in. Not outside your vehicle, and not inside any other parts. It’s a careful balance.
Submitted by: redneckrob and his flock of Volvos
Subaru Spark Plugs
My sparkplugs on the wrx. They were due ~10k miles ago?
They are also NGK iridums... and the manual wants a 60k replacement interval? Naaaa......
Plus its a boxer and I just dont wanna pull my intake and battery and crap out and finger fish these again. I did them last time and it wasnt too bad but... ehhhh
Oh bud I do not envy you on those. Godspeed.
Submitted by: skraelingshortbus
Yourself
Real answer... All of them.
I had back surgery in December. Early last week, I was feeling pretty good. After a session of PT, I didn’t feel so good. Then when I saw the doctor, I found out why. I’ve found a way to break 2 screws in my back. So now I have loose screws in my back as well as my head.
I am under strict orders to do nothing but walk.
In a perfect world, my back will fuse with the remaining screws properly. Based on how I feel, there is a good chance I will need surgery to remove the screws back there after fusion is complete.
However, in a less than perfect world, I will have more screws fail. If more screws fail, I will need to start over again with surgery, this time with more hardware and more evasive methods so the recovery will suck a lot worse.
This is what happens when you use grade 5 instead of grade 8.
Before you can do anything on your car or bike, you’ve got to make sure you’re up to it. Get yourself feeling good before anything else.