sdpatt
Sr. SHO Engr.
I’ve had a vehicle-maintenance busy couple of weeks and now I’d like to rest. And drive.
On Wednesday, December 31, 2003, during my holiday break from work, I performed the full package, front end 100K on a 1993 ATX. The owner had noticed a large volume of oil leaking from the front of the engine. We found that the rear bank exhaust camshaft seal (behind the cylinder identification sensor) was leaking badly along with the seepage from the crankshaft seal. In total, the car received new camshaft seals, a crankshaft seal, crankshaft position sensor, water pump (remanufactured), water pump O-ring seals, timing belt, serpentine belt, repainted battery tray, both oxygen sensors, a thermostat and an engine coolant temperature sensor.
On Friday, January 9, 2004, I replaced the right front hub and wheel bearing on my own 1991 SHO. This was required only 42,000 miles after the bearings in both front wheels had been replaced by a Ford dealership. The labor to remove the knuckle from the car required about 30 minutes of time. I took the knuckle and new parts to a Kwik Kar shop that is run by drag racers and has a DynoJet dynamometer. They also have quite a machine shop worth of tools, lathes, presses and fabrication gear. For the sum of $30, the owner and I removed the old and installed the new bearing and hub into the knuckle. With the labor and $64.99 Timken 520000 hub and bearing kit from AutoZone, the total fee for a new hub and bearing was a paltry $100.
I suspect that the axle nut had loosened due to the hub not being fully seated during the bearing and hub pressing operations. When installed on the car, the axle nut was torqued to the 170-204 lb-ft specification. I suspect that forces generated during driving along with the load from the axle nut caused the hub to fully seat into the bearing and allow the nut to be less than fully tensioned. This prevented the bearing from being fully compressed and caused the bearings and hub to wear prematurely. A lesson learned from this would have me tell anyone who has had a wheel bearing replaced to check the torque on the axle nut after the car has been driven 100 miles or so. I will certainly do so at least once and probably several times just to make sure that the nut is fully tensioned.
On Saturday, January 10, 2004, I worked on another acquaintance’s 1993 ATX SHO. His ride was suffering from oil leaks on the front end of the engine. Upon disassembly, we found a leaking front main seal and the rear bank intake camshaft seal. I replaced all three camshaft seals, the crankshaft seal and the crankshaft position sensor for this gentleman. He also had me install a beautiful, machined aluminum, front strut tower brace. As an engineer, I would state that that bar was very strong and fully capable of performing its intended function to stiffen the strut towers.
Yesterday, January 11, I applied my maintenance skills to an electric motorcycle owned by the My Gym business (children’s physical development activities) where my three-year-old daughter spends her energies. The bike was a non-functional Harley replica with training wheels and needed some careful attention. After various repairs, adjustments, cleanups and a charge of the twin sealed lead acid batteries; the bike was once again ready to hit the carpeted road of the Gym. My daughter should enjoy her extended Gym season.
Now, it’s my turn. To drive. This weekend (Jan 17-18), the Dallas area SHO club and Lone Star SHO Club are holding the annual Winter Run and second outing to the MotorSport Ranch. I won’t be able to join the group for the Run, but I will be at the Ranch for my second visit to the road course at the truly enjoyable MotorSport Ranch (http://www.motorsportranch.com/secondary.html).
These are the rewards of hard work.
On Wednesday, December 31, 2003, during my holiday break from work, I performed the full package, front end 100K on a 1993 ATX. The owner had noticed a large volume of oil leaking from the front of the engine. We found that the rear bank exhaust camshaft seal (behind the cylinder identification sensor) was leaking badly along with the seepage from the crankshaft seal. In total, the car received new camshaft seals, a crankshaft seal, crankshaft position sensor, water pump (remanufactured), water pump O-ring seals, timing belt, serpentine belt, repainted battery tray, both oxygen sensors, a thermostat and an engine coolant temperature sensor.
On Friday, January 9, 2004, I replaced the right front hub and wheel bearing on my own 1991 SHO. This was required only 42,000 miles after the bearings in both front wheels had been replaced by a Ford dealership. The labor to remove the knuckle from the car required about 30 minutes of time. I took the knuckle and new parts to a Kwik Kar shop that is run by drag racers and has a DynoJet dynamometer. They also have quite a machine shop worth of tools, lathes, presses and fabrication gear. For the sum of $30, the owner and I removed the old and installed the new bearing and hub into the knuckle. With the labor and $64.99 Timken 520000 hub and bearing kit from AutoZone, the total fee for a new hub and bearing was a paltry $100.
I suspect that the axle nut had loosened due to the hub not being fully seated during the bearing and hub pressing operations. When installed on the car, the axle nut was torqued to the 170-204 lb-ft specification. I suspect that forces generated during driving along with the load from the axle nut caused the hub to fully seat into the bearing and allow the nut to be less than fully tensioned. This prevented the bearing from being fully compressed and caused the bearings and hub to wear prematurely. A lesson learned from this would have me tell anyone who has had a wheel bearing replaced to check the torque on the axle nut after the car has been driven 100 miles or so. I will certainly do so at least once and probably several times just to make sure that the nut is fully tensioned.
On Saturday, January 10, 2004, I worked on another acquaintance’s 1993 ATX SHO. His ride was suffering from oil leaks on the front end of the engine. Upon disassembly, we found a leaking front main seal and the rear bank intake camshaft seal. I replaced all three camshaft seals, the crankshaft seal and the crankshaft position sensor for this gentleman. He also had me install a beautiful, machined aluminum, front strut tower brace. As an engineer, I would state that that bar was very strong and fully capable of performing its intended function to stiffen the strut towers.
Yesterday, January 11, I applied my maintenance skills to an electric motorcycle owned by the My Gym business (children’s physical development activities) where my three-year-old daughter spends her energies. The bike was a non-functional Harley replica with training wheels and needed some careful attention. After various repairs, adjustments, cleanups and a charge of the twin sealed lead acid batteries; the bike was once again ready to hit the carpeted road of the Gym. My daughter should enjoy her extended Gym season.
Now, it’s my turn. To drive. This weekend (Jan 17-18), the Dallas area SHO club and Lone Star SHO Club are holding the annual Winter Run and second outing to the MotorSport Ranch. I won’t be able to join the group for the Run, but I will be at the Ranch for my second visit to the road course at the truly enjoyable MotorSport Ranch (http://www.motorsportranch.com/secondary.html).
These are the rewards of hard work.
