Been having a time of it lately.

Also is there any kind of 'how not to be a greenie round the shop' manual beyond binging AvE vids?

Downward pressure, sharp tools.

@Freiheit - CA Why is Snap-On still in business? Does the quality of their tools really demand such a high price? All my wrenches are Craftsman, and although I don't use them but about once a week, they've stayed sharp for the 5 years I've had them. Plus, the warranty

What do you guys think of Klein?

I have them, they're electrician's tools more than anything

@Deleted User If you're just a hobbyist, do Craftsman. Klein is like $40 for a pair of pliers

@John O - Snap on has killer warranty and support but these days it's a lot of marketing.

Replacements are no questions asked, that's what you pay so much for

I'm sure the fact that they offer in house financing helps, too

There are other small task-specific companies.

No questions asked returns pisses me off. I have to pay more because some retard can't take care of his shit?

A decade later you'll appreciate it when Craftcuck no longer makes it

Buy old tools @John O - there are deals to be had.

I’ve been using a new holland set for years but I’m in the market for another set now and want to by US made

Le farm law

@Freiheit - CA Yeah bro, I'm very aware that Craftsman is in it's way out

@John O - What kind of work do you do?

@John O -#7072 if it's just home stuff, that'd cool, I don't mean to be a rude snob. I own no Snap-On, but use it at work all the time, have my own set of other stuff for same kind of work at home.

Commercial electrical @Freiheit - CA

I see.

@Joseph McCarthy - NJ what is it you're doing?
I have a ton of pointers and advice, I've been working blue collar for the last 18 years. Grew up on a tobacco farm and I'm a tool maker by trade, so I've pretty much seen it all.

When a motor in a power tool is going out you'll start to smell ozone, and it's cake to replace the motors. You can really smell it from a drill.

If you're giving a saw hell and it's screaming obviously back off and let the blade do the cutting. Hand saws let the blade cut don't try to use your saw as a knife.

If you're stripping heads out of screws make sure you have the proper bit size, most people use a #2 phillips head for everything, it's to big for a #1 ph and it will strip, if you try to use a #2ph on a #3 ph it will strip because it's to small. Push as hard as you can on it to try and back out the screw then ease off the pressure.
If you're using a hand screw driver, mostly slot head, put the palm of you hand on the butt of the driver and apply pressure using your other hand to turn it, sounds like common sense but it's not.
If you have a stripped screw, Phillips, you can try a square bit and about half the time you'll get it out, if whatever you're working isn't wood or it will be hidden get a pair of needle nose vice grips and un screw it that way. Or you could drill it out...

Just throwing that out there. Also who cares about being green around a shop. Everything outside of machining I learned by doing, fucking up, starting all over until I got it right. Made note of mistakes and learned my lesson.

Tools are personal preference. If you're just a home owner pretty much anything you buy will get the job done. If you're going to be using that tool more than a few times a month buy something contractor grade.
Like I'm a big fan of Milwaukee linemen pliers, where John uses Klein, I cut nails all day with mine and Milwaukee seems to holds an edge longer.

@Joseph McCarthy - NJ oh and READ THE FUCKING MANUAL

You wouldn't believe how many people out there don't know the potential of their tools.

Also SnapOn, new holland, Browning are better than craftsman and popular mechanic because they use a better quality steel. Those cheap pig iron dropped forged wrenches break easy.
And I believe that SnapOn does on site repair too. I know the Milwaukee reps will do repair for cheap.

Sorry, just thinking of things.

@RevStench I'll ask you some question when I get a break from work.

@Deleted User every mechanic I know uses nothing but SnapOn and New Holland. My boss only uses New Holland wrenches.

He says they hold up longer than any other wrenches, they don't strip as fast as others

Their socket set has been on point for me for 8 years.

The case itself has cheap snaps but the wrenches drivers and sockets have been really sturdy

Haha that's all companies, crappy cases but nice tools, I have a set of Pittsburgh sockets and most are stripped out, I broke a few, so I'm actually looking for a new set now. I was at the New Holland dealer yesterday looking at their sets. Funny that we're having this conversation today. I like real world feed back when it comes to tools.

@RevStench you won’t go wrong with em.

Snap on tools are amazing I have a small set to do work on my car

@RevStench generators and compressors at work and a project car held together by zipties and bailing wire 😂

Bought a generac powerwasher two weeks ago to clean my implements. Changed. My. life.

Hi guys. Indy tech here. 5 years experience plus 2 years of tech school.

Nice. Welcome aboard!

Awesome, welcome bro @Justice - WI

No start. Replaced battery, plugs and wires, coil pack, camshaft and crankshaft position sensors. P0340 on MIL. 01 Caravan 2.4L 4-cyl. @here

Did you check all your contacts to make sure theyre clean?

Is the starter just not cranking?

Could be ignition switch

@sigruna14 no start how? Won’t turn over? No juice at all? Somewhere in between?

Cranks but doesn't run.

Fuel pump was replaced recently and I hear it whine when I turn key to on so don't think it's that.

@Deleted User If you're talking about wires then hell no they ain't clean, there's oil everywhere.

Maybe try cleaning off the contacts to make sure that the oil isnt impeding the flow of current

Starter could be bad

Seems unlikely though

@sigruna14 Check inertia switch

@John O - Is that like blinker fluid?

No, it's a safety device that cuts off the fuel line if you flip. As the vehicle gets older, they become more sensitive

It's just a spring loaded normally closed switch. You can test it by pressing the button, and if the car starts and then stops, it's the switch

@John O - But if that switch were tripped, would I still hear the fuel pump whine when I turn the key to on?

Yeah

It stops the fuel line, not the electrical circuit going to the motor

The intention is that if the car gets in an accident, the fuel line doesn't pour all over you if the hose breaks

@John O - Where is the reset button? I Googled it but nothing definitive.

Consult the owner's manual

It was under my dash in my old truck

Or just Google "your vehicle inertia switch"

The reset button is on the switch

@sigruna14 You get it?

@John O - The internet seems to think this car doesn't have that. I just gave it to the shop to diagnose. I'm tired of dropping dough and screwing with this damn thing.

If I keep replacing things hoping it'll fix pretty soon it will basically be a whole new car. Anyway evidence seems to point to wiring or computer. Either one is pretty much beyond me I think.

I replaced the computer three years ago and if it's that then idk what to do, maybe it needs flashing or something. I just got one from Advance and threw it in, seemed to work fine until now.

What kind of car?

I'm just curious at this point

Inertia switch is often by rear left tail light in the trunk.

...here's a video for your car I think https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KFuE31wFgE8

Nvm...not helpful.

John, he posted earlier that it’s a 2001 Caravan 2.4L 4-cyl.

Yeah, what brand

Dodge/Chrysler in 2001

Crank problem is almost always fuel issue for me siggy

Quick question. Does anyone have a good book they would recommend on the basics of automotive mechanics?

Haynes Repair manuels. The Bible for any DIYer.

Many a man tore his knuckles to bring us the glorious Haynes Manuels.

@Deleted User Perfect. Thank you. And this is an overview of everything I'll need to know?

Does this cover most modern cars? Sorry, completely illiterate on the subject.

Yes and you can purchase them at any autozone, napa or cookie cutter parts store.

Yes, everything. From routine maint to changing out A-frames.

It has it all.

Great. Just picked it up on Amazon. Thanks! Love how they're specific by model/year.
Second question. Is there a basic book on how engines work?

I dont have a good rec for that other than Youtube.

I imagine youre buying for someone

No, I just don't want to be completely helpless on the topic.

Ah. Well good luck with it!

Thanks! :)

@SamanthaM best advice I can give you is to work on small stuff, all preventive maintenance i.e. oil changes, and all fluids, spark plugs and filters.
Then make a point to know how your car/truck sounds every little noise it makes. Pay attention to roughly how many RPMs the engine is idles at. Once you know how your vehicle acts and sounds it will help you start to identify problems. Or at the least put you in the right direction. Newer cars are a lot harder to figure out as a newbie, if you're driving '96 or older its a little easier to pin point problems

@SamanthaM the absolute best advice I can give is find a man😂 😂

@RevStench 100% agree. Long story. Fixing things myself is plan B. Thank you, lol. Also just interested in the subject.

@SamanthaM another great intro - https://www.amazon.com/How-Cars-Work-Tom-Newton/dp/0966862309

@Deleted User Thank you! Just purchased. Big help.

@SamanthaM I was just joking about getting a man. Can't leave a good joke untold. 😂 you should do the maintenance on your car, once you get the swing of it it takes about 15 minutes to change your oil and filter and clean your air filter. It's really easy.

Get k&n filters. You just spray them off and apply oil

For sure, I put about 370k on my last one. It was with the car for 11 years. Still white. Just blew it off every oil change.