Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

General => Lounge => Topic started by: *MAYHEM* on August 08, 2007, 09:33:24 PM

Title: Very angry...
Post by: *MAYHEM* on August 08, 2007, 09:33:24 PM
My job doesn't leave me enough time to work on my car so when I need something more than basic maintenance I take it to one of the mechanics that have shops behind our shop. I took it to one to have some work done a few months ago and was less than impressed with his work. So when I decided to replace the thermostat and the fan I took it to one of the other shops.
 
So today I'm driving to work when I feel an odd vibration coming from the engine. It got really bad as I turned into our parking lot and as I put the car in reverse to back into my spot I lost the power steering. I was a bit preturbed until I opened the hood to see what was going on.
 
First thing I notice is the serp. belt is off at the water pump. Next thing I notice is the fan is sitting crooked. So is the WP pulley. The bolts for the fan/pully are backed out and haning loose in the fan spacer and the threads don't look too good.
 
Apparently the new mechainic hasn't heard of Loc-Tite. Result? WP pulley is chewed up and unusable. This was an underdrive pulley from Ford Racing, $130 for the kit, and I doubt Jegs will sell me just the WP pulley.
 
So when I go to confront said half-assed mechanic, guess what? He's gone. I don't mean out to lunch, I mean GONE! Apparently he has been stealing catalytic converters from the cars he was working on and replacing them with straight pipe. There is a felony arrest warrent out for him now.
 
He better hope the police find him before I do. They just want to put him in jail. I want the sonovabitch DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the ground! I want to drive by in the middle of the night and piss on his ashes!
 
Yeah, I'm a little angry.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: bhazard on August 09, 2007, 12:03:13 AM
Ouch, im glad I do as much of my own work on my car as I can...
Title: Very angry...
Post by: atariman on August 09, 2007, 12:04:29 AM
Quote from: bhazard;167336
Ouch, im glad I do as much of my own work on my car as I can...


:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree:
:birdsmily:
Title: Very angry...
Post by: turboranger91 on August 09, 2007, 12:07:30 AM
this is why i make time to work on my cars... i just don't trust anyone else.

by the way... remind me never to piss you off.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: kingcars on August 09, 2007, 12:12:16 AM
Three things to remember about guys:

Dont get between them and their cars

Dont get between them and their girls and/or families

Dont get between them and their food


Obviously, one of these rules has been violated.  Go kick his ass!
Title: Very angry...
Post by: yellow86coogr on August 09, 2007, 01:42:14 AM
Honestly, I'm not related to the guy.............AT ALL. No family in Columbus either.
That really sucks, especialy being your daily, and only as well. I'm sure if you hunted one up, (pully) somewhere on the net, you might be able to find someone who's got one of those cheap. Time being, what are you doing for transportation? Call me if I can be of help.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: vinnietbird on August 09, 2007, 06:06:19 AM
Get with any of the companies that sell the underdrives and you can buy an individual pulley.Fila is sending me two underdrives and I got the new alternator pulley shipped to me last wek.Even paid through Pay-Pal.I look for undredrives on E-bay,contacted one of the companies,all fixed up.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: *MAYHEM* on August 09, 2007, 09:21:42 PM
UPDATE:
 
Decided to get a new fan spacer and bolts and hobble it home. One problem. Threads on one of the holes in the water pump are so messed up I can't get the threads on a new bolt started.
 
Looks like I'm gonna have to replace the water pump, pulley and belt.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: 32VFoxBird on August 09, 2007, 09:36:56 PM
you cant clean it up with a thread chaser?
Title: Very angry...
Post by: cougarcragar on August 09, 2007, 09:37:22 PM
Can you run a tap through the messed up hole to clean up the threads?

32V: You beat me to it. :)
Title: Very angry...
Post by: *MAYHEM* on August 09, 2007, 09:42:01 PM
I'm gonna try that as a temp fix but I won't trust it for long.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: 32VFoxBird on August 09, 2007, 09:44:16 PM
are you using a mechanical fan? (no clutch)

i'd ditch for an electric fan. car will rev a lot faster.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: 84 Fila on August 09, 2007, 09:48:47 PM
Did is strip the holes in the waterpump? It might be an excuse to upgrade that maybe

Or like 32v said, do an E fan
Title: Very angry...
Post by: jncocowboyx on August 09, 2007, 10:07:31 PM
a ford taurus fan works well.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: 88sportcoupe on August 09, 2007, 10:38:10 PM
What about putting a bolt through with a nut on the backside/frontside?
Title: Very angry...
Post by: *MAYHEM* on August 09, 2007, 10:47:32 PM
Fan is a Flex-lite with a 2 1/2" spacer, no clutch. The fan and spacer are fine. The bolt holes in the w/p pulley are pretty badly chewed up, I don't trust it. The water pump is a Jegs aluminum high flow one bolt hole is chewed up, I don't trust it. I'll replace the pulley and pump in a few weeks after a I get the other Cat. When I replace the pump if someone really wants it I'll sell it for $40 and give you the pulley for free.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: daboss351 on August 09, 2007, 11:03:23 PM
you think the pump can be made usable? that would be a nice cheap alternative for me since my pump is leaking out the weep hole
Title: Very angry...
Post by: *MAYHEM* on August 09, 2007, 11:08:47 PM
Quote from: daboss351;167617
you think the pump can be made usable? that would be a nice cheap alternative for me since my pump is leaking out the weep hole

Only way I would trust it would be to drill all four holes perfectly straight and tap them for larger bolts. Any other way I would not trust for either strength or balance. And out of balance fan is going to destroy the pump pretty quick and if it isn't strong enough you may end up with your fan sticking through the hood.
 
But you're welcome to try.
Title: Very angry...
Post by: 84 Fila on August 09, 2007, 11:32:51 PM
If it's the stabilty of the fan your worried about... why not just go E fan? Or is it the rigity of the bolts holding the pump pully to the pump itself?
Title: Very angry...
Post by: daboss351 on August 09, 2007, 11:36:24 PM
im gonna be running a e fan so theres no problem there! let me know when your getting rid of it!