There are just some days I wish I didn't turn wrenches

[OR VietVet]

Tomorrow I am going to work all day at my friend's garage in Junction City, Or., about 12 miles north of here on Hiway 99N. I actually used to own a house there and lived there when my second wife died of a brain aneurysm. We are teaming up on my fellow American Legion friend's 2010 FJ Cruiser and get the engine back together. If this ends up working out like I want it to, I am actually going to become a part time employee there and kind of set my own hours and do a combination of service writing and be a second hand with the work in the shop.

This last job, on the 2006 Yukon Denali, paid really well for the 5 working days but cannot count on that all the time.

 

[89Suburban]

Tomorrow I am going to work all day at my friend's garage in Junction City, Or., about 12 miles north of here on Hiway 99N. I actually used to own a house there and lived there when my second wife died of a brain aneurysm. We are teaming up on my fellow American Legion friend's 2010 FJ Cruiser and get the engine back together. If this ends up working out like I want it to, I am actually going to become a part time employee there and kind of set my own hours and do a combination of service writing and be a second hand with the work in the shop.

This last job, on the 2006 Yukon Denali, paid really well for the 5 working days but cannot count on that all the time.

 

[OR VietVet]

If I had my own lift, I would go after more customers, but I don't, so I use word of mouth and actually keep pretty steady. I am usually averaging 23-30 hours a month, sometimes more.

 

[89Suburban]

If I had my own lift, I would go after more customers, but I don't, so I use word of mouth and actually keep pretty steady. I am usually averaging 23-30 hours a month, sometimes more.

Can you imagine if all us here ran a shop together? We would own.

 

[OR VietVet]

If I had my own lift, I would go after more customers, but I don't, so I use word of mouth and actually keep pretty steady. I am usually averaging 23-30 hours a month, sometimes more.

Even at my age, I feel like I could double those hours and be ok, physically. The better equipment would treat my body better too.

 

[OR VietVet]

I would only ever want a shop in a state where there is no rust. To hell with that rust crap. I lived with it for years in KC, Mo. and will not deal with it again. I wish I had the extra cash and opened a shop. The day to day and management of it, I can do. The selling of service, I can do. Hiring and firing, I can do. Most of the mechanical, I can do. With tech shortages around, finding a brick and mortar shop is not a problem and the business is there, The biggest problem is finding the techs. I could go to work tomorrow at $40 to $50 an hour and get up to 60 hours a week. BUT, then I have to put up with management that sucks and customers that have unreal expectations. I like doing what I do now because I pick what I want to work on and I fix it my way or not at all and I work when I want. The single biggest problem, is no lift. Oh well.....

 

[OR VietVet]

I cleaned parts all day in prep for reassembly of the FJ Cruiser. The timing cover, oil pan, valve covers...etc. Reassembly starts tomorrow. The old radiator was so full of crap, that it was at least twice as heavy as the new one. First pic is of the timing cover, before I cleaned today, showing the oil leak spot and the second pic shows one of the old ignition coils with water corrosion. The coils are being replaced as well.

 

[OR VietVet]

While I was at the shop in JC, I got a text from the guy I sold the Denali to, that also did all the work I suggested on it, and he said he went for a long drive with his wife and they said everything was better than they expected.
Now they have a Toyota Prius they want me to work on.

The original seller of the Denali to me, called me yesterday afternoon with a heating problem. He now wants me to look at what I warned him about after replacing a leaking water pump. He is starting to P*I*S*S me off.

 

[OR VietVet]

The Denali seller to me, has a 99 Yukon that had a leaking water pump that I replaced and leaks at the worm gear clamps for heater control valve. I had told him that low coolant can effect the heat output inside the cab. Then I found a clogged heater core by measuring temp at the in and out heater core hoses. 60 degree difference. I told him I would not do the heater core because I don't want to lay under the dash. He had it done by the cheapest price he could find. His choice. Then he called with a low temp reading at dash/cluster gauge. I said come on over and I would inspect. he wanted me to come to his place and I said NO! He said was busy and did not call back at a later time as promised. I waited over 24 hours and then asked why he did not call to schedule as promised. He said he got busy. I told him he could have called or texted so MY time would have been freed up. He is in his 20's and only cares about what he wants. Guess who will be busy each and every single time he calls or texts me from now on.

 

[OR VietVet]

View attachment 414036View attachment 414037View attachment 414038View attachment 414039View attachment 414040

Tell me what you see in this picture #2 of post #356, that I have yet to mention, that I found when I inspected the vehicle after purchase.

Sorry, but all you get is an "atta boy" if you post correctly.