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June 18, 2020

Is The Falcone TR-15 The Pitch-back of Hockey?

If you read my blog on a regular basis you may know that my boys are into youth & college hockey. We are always looking new training tools to try and even build. The Falcone TR-15 looked pretty cool so we thought we would give it a shot.

My boys are probably the biggest skeptics when it comes to new hockey training equipment, and after unboxing the Falcone TR-15 they immediately laughed and thought this device was going to be a waste of time. Having many more years under my belt, I told them to give it a try before making any judgment and to my surprise they did just that.

Unboxing and Setup of The Falcone TR-15

Continue reading “Is The Falcone TR-15 The Pitch-back of Hockey?”

May 24, 2020

Turtle Wax 53409 Hybrid Ceramic Coating – WIN!

If you have been to my site before you know that I’m a DIY type of guy and that includes taking care of my cars. I have been hand washing and waxing my cars since I was 17 years old. Car care technology has changed over the last 30 years and I’m always looking for the next big thing to try on my vehicle. Lately there has been lots of talk about Ceramic Coating your car for the ultimate shine and protection.

I did a ton of research into different types of Ceramic Coatings and most of them have proven to be very expensive, and they come in small bottles so you could possibly need two to complete your car. Also, if you put too much on your paint could develop high spots and it could wind up worse than when you started.

Turtle wax 53409 hybrid solutions ceramic coating

Continue reading “Turtle Wax 53409 Hybrid Ceramic Coating – WIN!”

May 9, 2020

2014 Dodge Charger Dead 12V Auxiliary Power Outlet

We all rely on the 12 volt auxiliary power outlet (formerly know as the cigarette lighter) in our cars. They charge our phones, power our GPS, run our kids video games. When the power goes out it can really be frustrating. Most of the time these auxiliary power outlets are easy to fix and get back into service quickly and easily.

Sometimes its as simple as a fuse

The car auxiliary power outlet was designed in the early 1900’s for lighting cigarettes in automobiles and though we have a profound new view on smoking the outlet itself has not changed much since then. The shape of the outlet opens itself up to issues simply because small metal objects can become lodged in the socket causing short circuits. In all honesty, there have been quite a few times I had a penny fall into the auxiliary power outlet and caused a blown fuse.

In the case of my 2014 Dodge Charger I’m not exactly what caused the fuse to blow, but its a simple fix none the less.

Parts you will need

Continue reading “2014 Dodge Charger Dead 12V Auxiliary Power Outlet”

May 2, 2020

BlueDriver is the best weekend mechanic scan tool for your car!

If you have read my blog before you would know that I’m a DIY kind of guy. I love to fix anything and everything including my own cars. Since the mid 90’s car computers and systems have become increasingly complex. Though it would be quite simple for most modern cars to display any errors and trouble codes on their numerous screens, the manufactures still love to light the check engine light! This is where the BlueDriver comes into play. The BlueDriver can help you scan your cars computer and not only read the trouble codes, but it also suggests common fixes for your issue.

A little history – Why the BlueDriver exists(or scan tools in general)

In the 1990’s the world was becoming more aware to the global warming crisis and how automobiles were contributing to the problem. Governments were trying to help by passing more stringent emissions standards. The problem was how could we insure the new emissions systems were properly working? The solution came in 1996 with the ODBII system On-Bard Diagnostic System 2. Prior to 1996 there were other more rudimentary systems, but ODBII was the standard for them all and still the standard today.

When an emissions fault was detected by the ODBII system it would light the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) also know as the check engine light. You would then take the car to your local dealer and they would use a scan tool to pull the error code to diagnose the malfunction. At first in the 90’s all cars had the same codes to diagnose emission issues, however as time went on manufactures started to add manufacture specific codes which required a manufacture specific scan tool.

The ODBII system grew into a robust diagnostic system that could not only report on your emission system, but also provide a wealth of information from live real time engine data to errors in baking systems, cooling systems, electrical issues, and so much more. Continue reading “BlueDriver is the best weekend mechanic scan tool for your car!”

April 5, 2020May 2, 2020

Working from home? Put that extra monitor to good use!

If you have been mandated by the government to work from home due to the Covid-19 outbreak and would like to be a bit more productive, it may be time to look in the basement or attic for that old monitor you just couldn’t throw away. I personally find it way more productive to work on two or more displays at a time and hopefully you will too.

The portable usb monitor

The simplest way to add an additional screen to your laptop or desktop computer is to plug in a USB portable display. This type of display is easy to install, easy to move from computer to computer, easy to travel with and reasonably priced.

My personal favorite is the ASUS MB169B+ 15.6″ display.

This display is simple to install, powered by the USB port so there is no power brick to worry about and is super light weight and is about as thick as a pencil. Best part its under $200 at Amazon

The only problem is at the time I wrote this post they were in and out of stock and difficult to find, and if you could find one in stock shipping lead times were over 10 business days.

Recycle the monitor you have

If you don’t want to go out and purchase a second display for you laptop or computer you may be able to simply recycle what you have on hand. The tricky part is making sure you have the correct cables and adapters to connect the monitor to your laptop or workstation. Continue reading “Working from home? Put that extra monitor to good use!”

January 3, 2020

Leaky Washing Machine? Check the Pump! Replacing Maytag 35-6780 Drain Pump.

Washing machines are just like any other durable good we buy for our home, eventually they will wear out and break down. Once this occurs we have three choices. 1. Replace the Washing Machine with new, 2. Call the repair man or 3. Just fix it yourself. According to an article I read in Consumer Reports once the machine hits 5 years you may consider tossing it for new, and at 10 years its a dead man walking. Mine had a leaky pump.

I currently have a Maytag MAV4755AWW that is around 15 years old, during a recent load of laundry water began leaking from the bottom of the machine. Was this the beginning of the end for my reliable Maytag washer? After a quick inspection it appeared that the leak was coming from the washer pump.

The big question is it worth while to replace the pump or simply replace the washing machine. In this case the pump is under $50 so well worth the time it takes to do this DIY repair!

Continue reading “Leaky Washing Machine? Check the Pump! Replacing Maytag 35-6780 Drain Pump.”

December 28, 2019

Choosing A Battery Tender For Your Classic Car

If you have read my blog in the past you would know that I picked up my first classic car about six months ago. A 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS! So far it has been a blast to drive and I have been enjoying it every chance I get. However through the month of November I was away for a couple weekends and the weather was poor for the rest so my SS went unused for about 6 weeks. Finally in mid December I had an opportunity to take the car out only to find the battery was drained and not enough juice left to turn her over. After talking to a few friends that also own classics they recommended I keep the battery topped off with a Battery Tender!

What is a battery tender and why do I need one?

There are a number of devices that can assist you with tending to your battery and starting your car. Continue reading “Choosing A Battery Tender For Your Classic Car”

November 29, 2019

2014 – Dodge Charger – How To Fix P0128 Error Code

My 2014 Dodge Charger threw a check engine light last week while my wife was driving home from work. After a brief read from my scan tool it was revealed that the error code is was P0128. Most likely culprit, the thermostat!

What is a P0128 error code?

The official meaning for the P0128 error code is “Coolant Temperature Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature” In plain English the car is basically saying that after a predetermined amount of time the coolant temperature has not come up to normal operating temperature. In other words the car is to cold! Modern fuel injected engines like to run at their specified operating temperature, and in the short term this is mainly a nuisance check-engine light, in the long run it could damage you engine and should be addressed. Continue reading “2014 – Dodge Charger – How To Fix P0128 Error Code”

October 25, 2019October 25, 2019

82 – 87 Monte Carlo Blower Motor Speed Control Repair – Part 2 Blower Motor Relay.

In my previous post I went though the procedure to change out my Monte Carlo SS blower motor resistor Unfortunately that did not fix the issue and I moved on to the next component in the circuit. The blower motor relay. Again this is an inexpensive part and is worth the investment to repair my classic car.

PARTS

I have to say that I now believe that Amazon carries everything or at least put you in contact with a vendor that has what you need.

Here is a link to the RY20 relay from Standard Motor Products that is an exact replacement to the existing relay. Under $14.00 at Amazon!

Continue reading “82 – 87 Monte Carlo Blower Motor Speed Control Repair – Part 2 Blower Motor Relay.”

October 14, 2019

82 – 87 Monte Carlo Blower Motor Speed Control Repair – Part 1 Blower Motor Resistor

As you know I enjoy writing about my projects and things I work on in the hopes this will help someone else in the world. Recently I purchased a 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS and though its in great condition as with any 35 year old automobile there are lots of maintenance items that need looking after. While out for a cruise I noticed some issues with blower motor speed control and decided to give a go at repairing it.

Blower Motor Works, but only on high!

The blower motor works well, however it only runs on the highest setting. Any other speed other than high will cause the motor to shutoff. I had this same issue on a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and had determined the blower motor resistor to be the issue, so I figured I would replace the same in my 85 SS

Blower motor resistor replacement

Blower Motor Speed Resistor — Blower Motor Speed Control Resistor

The blower motor resistor is a $12 part that can be ordered on Amazon (CLICK HERE) and can be installed in about 15 minutes in any GM G-Body car from 82-87. This would include your Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix, Brick Regal and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The example above even includes the wiring harness if yours is damaged. Continue reading “82 – 87 Monte Carlo Blower Motor Speed Control Repair – Part 1 Blower Motor Resistor”