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The Water Cooler
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Pending Dodge Maintenance is Depressing.
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<blockquote data-quote="vvvvvvv" data-source="post: 2134344" data-attributes="member: 5151"><p>You don't even need that much for plugs in most cases. You don't even need a "right facility".</p><p></p><p>$60 in tools, though, will pretty much cover everything that a non-mechanically-inclined person can handle under the hood. Shoot, I'm a computer nerd and I had no problem doing a near-complete tear down and build-up on my F-150 after a local dealer falsely informed me that a piston was cracked and offered to replace the motor with a salvage for 2x MSRP plus labor. I only went to the dealer because of getting screwed by mechanics too often (and in hopes that I could get the warranty extended a couple hundred miles). They don't call 'em stealerships for nothin'. Did it without even pulling the motor. Even did that stupid one-piece exhaust system on the Mini Cooper when the tubing cracked cleanly just in front of the cat. Dealer said "we can only put in a new system", couldn't find a local mechanic that wanted to touch it. 3-hours and a lot of four letter words later and it was pulled, welded back together, and put back in. I think my wife freaked a little when she saw the smoke from the exhaust bolts after starting it back up, but that's because I'm very liberal with PB Blaster when removing exhaust bolts. Broke one off early in life and learned my lesson.</p><p></p><p>I probably don't have more than $300 in wrenches, sockets, ratchets, a 3-ton floor jack, jack stands, and various screwdrivers, plus a few specialty tools, and none of it is Harbor Freight crap (I'm not counting my air tools - just simple hand tools). It's all Craftsman or Stanley (except the jack was bought when the local Walmart was clearing out the Torin jacks that they decided to start carrying again a couple months later). Believe me, buying Craftsman or something else with a lifetime no-questions-asked warranty is worth it. Pretty nice when someone runs off with your breaker bar so you put a 3ft cheater pipe on a ratchet and bend the handle before the internals give up 20 lugnuts later. Take it in, set it on the counter, get a big "WTF" look and a replacement. On a truck, you really don't even need the jack and jack stands unless you're doing your own tire rotations or brake jobs. I went ahead and bought the specialty tools that I thought I'd use more than once since the rental fee seems to typically be about half of the buy-it-now price. Everyone of them I've used more than once, although not necessarily where intended. Shoot, my impact socket set jumps from 21mm to 33mm because I needed a 33mm for the nut that holds on the hub on a Dodge Intrepid - turns out it also fit the crankshaft on a Briggs motor.</p><p></p><p>Shoot, if you were closer I'd just give you the tools I bought this last time my Ford shot a spark plug out. Full 1/4" and 3/8" drive ratchet/socket set plus spark plug sockets. Was stuck 90 miles from home, so just pulled it into a Walmart parking lot and attempted to fix it myself (before finding that it had stripped the head on its way out, and in an out-of-round manner, something I was not comfortable attempting to fix.) Now I need a bigger toolbox.</p><p></p><p>And yes, changing plugs every 30K is definitely 1970. Most manufacturers even recommend 75K-100K (or more) on newer vehicles. I personally pull one each oil change just to inspect it (just part of my routine of basic checks while the oil drains) and confirm that it is burning properly, but I admit that's a little overboard. Just habit and peace of mind.</p><p></p><p>But really, it will take you maybe an hour to change your plugs, and that's even taking your time with it, perhaps even shooting the bull with a buddy you invited over to look over your shoulder to make you feel better, or maybe making your kid's or the neighbor kid's day by letting them hand you tools or plugs. Just don't get the Walmart or Harbor Freight spark plug sockets... the rubber in them seems to be hit or miss on whether or not it will grab the plug with it in the socket and without having the plug push out your extension. Go ahead and spend the extra $5 for your sanity. Of course, if it is an issue and your plugs are deep in a hole, you can always loosen them and then use one of the plug wire or coil boots to pull out the plug.</p><p></p><p>Seriously, even having a shop do it the price shouldn't be more than $150 including plugs. I'm at a point in my life where I do buy services that I could otherwise do myself if I'm going to pay someone less to do it compared to what I make in the time it would take me to do it, but I sure as hell wouldn't pay $500 for a change of plugs, even if it included a multi-point inspection, unless it was a Bugatti.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="vvvvvvv, post: 2134344, member: 5151"] You don't even need that much for plugs in most cases. You don't even need a "right facility". $60 in tools, though, will pretty much cover everything that a non-mechanically-inclined person can handle under the hood. Shoot, I'm a computer nerd and I had no problem doing a near-complete tear down and build-up on my F-150 after a local dealer falsely informed me that a piston was cracked and offered to replace the motor with a salvage for 2x MSRP plus labor. I only went to the dealer because of getting screwed by mechanics too often (and in hopes that I could get the warranty extended a couple hundred miles). They don't call 'em stealerships for nothin'. Did it without even pulling the motor. Even did that stupid one-piece exhaust system on the Mini Cooper when the tubing cracked cleanly just in front of the cat. Dealer said "we can only put in a new system", couldn't find a local mechanic that wanted to touch it. 3-hours and a lot of four letter words later and it was pulled, welded back together, and put back in. I think my wife freaked a little when she saw the smoke from the exhaust bolts after starting it back up, but that's because I'm very liberal with PB Blaster when removing exhaust bolts. Broke one off early in life and learned my lesson. I probably don't have more than $300 in wrenches, sockets, ratchets, a 3-ton floor jack, jack stands, and various screwdrivers, plus a few specialty tools, and none of it is Harbor Freight crap (I'm not counting my air tools - just simple hand tools). It's all Craftsman or Stanley (except the jack was bought when the local Walmart was clearing out the Torin jacks that they decided to start carrying again a couple months later). Believe me, buying Craftsman or something else with a lifetime no-questions-asked warranty is worth it. Pretty nice when someone runs off with your breaker bar so you put a 3ft cheater pipe on a ratchet and bend the handle before the internals give up 20 lugnuts later. Take it in, set it on the counter, get a big "WTF" look and a replacement. On a truck, you really don't even need the jack and jack stands unless you're doing your own tire rotations or brake jobs. I went ahead and bought the specialty tools that I thought I'd use more than once since the rental fee seems to typically be about half of the buy-it-now price. Everyone of them I've used more than once, although not necessarily where intended. Shoot, my impact socket set jumps from 21mm to 33mm because I needed a 33mm for the nut that holds on the hub on a Dodge Intrepid - turns out it also fit the crankshaft on a Briggs motor. Shoot, if you were closer I'd just give you the tools I bought this last time my Ford shot a spark plug out. Full 1/4" and 3/8" drive ratchet/socket set plus spark plug sockets. Was stuck 90 miles from home, so just pulled it into a Walmart parking lot and attempted to fix it myself (before finding that it had stripped the head on its way out, and in an out-of-round manner, something I was not comfortable attempting to fix.) Now I need a bigger toolbox. And yes, changing plugs every 30K is definitely 1970. Most manufacturers even recommend 75K-100K (or more) on newer vehicles. I personally pull one each oil change just to inspect it (just part of my routine of basic checks while the oil drains) and confirm that it is burning properly, but I admit that's a little overboard. Just habit and peace of mind. But really, it will take you maybe an hour to change your plugs, and that's even taking your time with it, perhaps even shooting the bull with a buddy you invited over to look over your shoulder to make you feel better, or maybe making your kid's or the neighbor kid's day by letting them hand you tools or plugs. Just don't get the Walmart or Harbor Freight spark plug sockets... the rubber in them seems to be hit or miss on whether or not it will grab the plug with it in the socket and without having the plug push out your extension. Go ahead and spend the extra $5 for your sanity. Of course, if it is an issue and your plugs are deep in a hole, you can always loosen them and then use one of the plug wire or coil boots to pull out the plug. Seriously, even having a shop do it the price shouldn't be more than $150 including plugs. I'm at a point in my life where I do buy services that I could otherwise do myself if I'm going to pay someone less to do it compared to what I make in the time it would take me to do it, but I sure as hell wouldn't pay $500 for a change of plugs, even if it included a multi-point inspection, unless it was a Bugatti. [/QUOTE]
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