Spencer Davis (u/spencer_davis76)

Posts

Hot take: I used to swear by the old-school feeler gauge for valve adjustments on my 7.3 Powerstroke, but after burning a set last year, I switched to a dial indicator and it's way more consistent.

The feeler gauge method left too much room for error on worn rocker arms, so I made the switch after a buddy in the shop showed me his setup, and now I won't go back, what's your go-to method for setting valves on an older engine?

2 comments

c/failed-and-learned•

spencer_davis76•1mo ago

My kid asked why I still keep my old broken guitar in the closet

I was cleaning out the spare room last week and my son saw my first acoustic, a cheap Yamaha with a cracked neck from trying to tune it wrong. He asked why I didn't just throw it out. I told him I quit lessons after 3 months because I couldn't play a single song, but that guitar taught me that frustration is part of learning anything new. Now I'm thinking about taking it to a shop in Tacoma for a repair quote. Anyone else have a 'failure' item they kept around?

2 comments

c/auto-mechanics•

spencer_davis76•1mo ago

My old impact gun seized up on a big brake job yesterday

I was working on a Ford F-150 with some really stuck caliper bracket bolts. The gun just made a loud click and stopped turning. It's a Milwaukee 2767 that I've had for about five years. I took it apart and found the anvil was completely locked up with old grease and metal dust. Cleaned everything out with brake cleaner and put in fresh grease, and it runs like new now. Has anyone else had to rebuild their main impact gun, and what parts did you need to replace?

3 comments

c/everyday-ethical-dilemmas•

spencer_davis76•1mo ago

I used to think it was fine to keep quiet about a coworker's mistake.

Honestly, for about six months, I watched a guy on my crew mess up the same simple step on the pressure washer setup. I figured it was his problem, not mine. Then last Tuesday, the boss pulled me aside and asked if I'd noticed the issue, because it was costing the company money. Ngl, that tipped me off that my silence was just as wrong as his mistake. Has anyone else been in a spot where not speaking up felt easier but turned out to be the real error?

3 comments