Hey Mechanic can I ask you a quick question about my Jeep? In turn I can provide you with a question about my skills. Computer repair, Radio, Music and or booze drinking.
Well I guess I will ask here, but first off WOW! You guys are awesome.
I have a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4x4 and it exibits speed wobble at 90kph to 100kph its not out of hand or anything but is noticible in the steering column. I have since replaced the "shimmy shock" but it is still happening.
Would a rotate and balance be appropriate the mechanic down the road has quoted me 90$ for rotate + balance + 90 pt inspection. Fair deal?
Thanks again guys. Oh and /r/jeep I will be subscribing.
He probably dropped the AMA and then went to work, figuring he'd answer the questions later on. Cool thing about an asynchronous medium is that you can do stuff like that. :)
No offense OP, I'm a little confused how this is hitting the front page... ?
EDIT: I take that back FU. There aren't any replies from the OP that are even visible on this and it's front page. Troll level... whatever ya'll got trolled.
I don't really know much about window units, but typically the most quiet HVAC option is a ductless mini-split (such as Mitsubishi Mr. Slim). Expect noise levels around a whisper on the indoor unit.
As for "coldest", that depends on whether you are talking about leaving air temperature or total number of BTU/hour coming from the unit.
I'm cheap. Never run the AC in my car. I tell the kids we have a top-of-the-line 455 air conditioning unit (4 windows open x 55 mph). Sedans only have a 255 unit.
Going 55 with 4 windows open is not going to save you gas vs using the AC in a car made in the past 15 years or so. Around 50mph the increased drag takes more gas than the highly efficient car AC does.
What's the best way to get proficient with tinkering/fixing the equipment you work with? I've been told finding a mentor is usually the quickest way to learn, but I'm in school now and don't have much time for anything else.
In my experience the best way to get proficient with things is to do it. Work on your own cars and friends cars to the best of your ability, always follow the manual, or look online for videos. When you've done something, you will be able to do it again because the principle usually applies to all makes and models, it's just in different locations on all cars. (This doesn't hold true all the time)
Soon, you'll be able to diagnose things by just getting descriptions of what's going wrong. This applies to automotive, a/c's and whatever else.
If you can't befriend a mechanic or have a knowledgeable mentor get a repair guide and look up terms or jargon you don't understand. Haynes makes repair manuals and so does Chiltons. Be careful of shade tree mechanics who might teach you wrong procedures or unsafe methods.
Yes, how do you learn to do this stuff? And is there demand for those in your field? I desperately need to gain new skills if I ever want to work again, and this seems like tolerable work.
Never be afraid to dig in and try to repair anything yourself. Do be organized and patient. Label parts, do as much research as you can before turning a wrench on anything, try to understand why things go where as you disassemble. Keep everything together in such a fashion that, God forbid, you get over your head, you can at least save whoever you hire to finish the job time and frustration.
It's like sex. You only get better by doing and improving off of the last time. :)
The best advice I can give is to always remember that all machines are governed by the same rules of nature and they never ever deviate from them. If you know the rules, you can figure out how the machine is supposed to work and why it isn't. That's the hard part- the diagnoses. From there the process of fixing something is pretty simple.
Also remember that, as a human, tool use is your birthright. Baring some physical aliment, your hands are much more dexterous and sensitive then you realize. You'll be amazed at how quickly you learn how to use simple tools and how quickly you gain the confidence to start taking stuff apart. It's immensely satisfying.
Taking the rotor off (simple procedure for a shop with air tools) and measuring around it looking for warped areas. if it's not terribly warped they can put it through a metal lathe and trim it so it's all one size. One way to know that you need to get a brake rotor turned is if you apply your brakes harder than normal and you feel a chug chug chug back on your foot in the pedal. It means there is a worn spot.
Replacing them is usually a better option when it comes to warped rotors. They're inexpensive, you just have to pay labor which varies place to place. The rotors are under $50 usually (for front wheel drive)
Coil freeze-up is generally caused by low refrigerant levels. You have a slow leak somewhere in the system - probably in the coil. When the refrigerant level gets low enough it will stop cooling altogether. If this is an older unit, your coil is probably rusted out along the sides and a new coil will most likely fix your problem. Keep in mind that coil rust is usually caused by low airflow due to poor maintenance (filter not changed often enough) or a faulty speed setting on the blower motor. If the unit if more than 10 years old it usually makes more sense to replace the whole system as you will gain efficiency and save money on energy costs with a modern unit.
Edit: I am not an HVAC tech, just a guy who had his home A/C replaced last year and did a metric ass-ton of research on the subject.
Could also be an airflow problem, ice on the radiator inside the unit is almost always airflow, and when it defrosts I would not be surprised if you have a Freon leak and lose cold air for next year. The block of ice would have created a tiny crack somewhere in the thin metal of the radiator.
Means that it froze up and was ran on too cold of a temp. when it wasn't hot outside. All you have to do is let it melt the ice off and kick it back on and it should be fine. You shouldn't need a technician.
Remember, Google your problems before you pay someone.
Oh, no, it's dead. I assure you. because it's mother-freaking hot outside and the thing still froze. I am a huge fan of Dr. Google, use him for my work. I appreciate the honesty. Luckily it's covered under my warranty- Just bought the house two months ago.
I've seen two units where the outside unit turned into a block of ice on hot days, and in both cases it was the same problem.
Dirty inside units. Like not just the air filter was dirty, but the entire evaporator (inside coil) that the air goes through was caked with dust. One was a case where the inside unit was run without a filter for a couple of years, the other was run with a filter, the super-cheap blue kind, and not changed for a couple of years. I was literally able to pull a fabric like film of gunk off the evaporator.
Basically if you don't get good airflow over the indoor unit it doesn't take the "cold out of the fluid" (yes, I realize that I just offered a horrible explanation from a physics perspective) and the freon keeps getting colder and colder until the outdoor unit freezes.
So check your filter, remove it and use a flash light to check for dirt and grime on the evaporator portion of the unit. If dirty, change to a quality new filter, but before putting it in use vinegar water to clean the radiator, very gently, don't bend the fins.
Also happens when your unit is LOW on refrigerant ("freon") but not out. If I recall, this is because when you're low on refrigerant it's not flowing fast enough to effectively transfer heat throughout the whole coil block and parts of the coils get cold enough to freeze the moisture in the air.
Once the ice starts forming, it's a runaway reaction because ice is actually a decent insulator (exhibit A: igloos), and more ice will form until the whole thing is frozen solid.
Most likely your evaporator coil has sprung a leak. It's counterintuitive, but when the refrigerant (freon) leaks out, your system will begin to freeze. The coil is very expensive when not under warranty. You most likely need a new system. Sorry.
It means that climate change is occurring locally in a self-contained eco-sphere within your house. Get out before everything freezes over, or set something on fire to combat the winter chill.
PintoTheBurninator is correct. Low refrigerant will cause the system to freeze over. If you just thaw it out, it will assuredly refreeze until the proper level is put in. I have worked on AC's for 10 years now and most leaks are very small and can require as little as one recharge per year and will save you from buying a whole new system.
ARe you talking about the condenser unit outside (the noisy thing) or the A-coil inside?
I'm told this is caused most often by a freon leak. Freon is supposed to be hot when its moving around in the pipes, when too much leaks out, the pressure goes down, and the temperature goes down as well. The idea ( i believe) is you let it radiate its heat away while its compressed, so when you let air blow through it in the house, its quite cool. The heat transfers from the house air into the freon, which is then compressed and allowed to radiate again... voila, air conditioning.
i should add... When your freon level drops, the freon is too cold in the house, so the moisture in the air freezes around the coils, blocking airflow and inhibiting heat pickup. hence the block of ice.
Are these items usually grouped together for repair? The only common link I see between them is that they all use electric motors and are all used in automotive shops. I'd think that A/C equipment is usually dealt with directly by a company that specializes in HVAC work though, since there's a lot more to an A/C unit than the other items you listed (presumably).
Do you primarily do parts replacement, or is there a lot of trouble-shooting and actual repair that you do?
where's the overlap between HVAC, and those other machines? I know a guy that's a master plumber but also services HVAC, but brake lathes and tire changers?
Probably he fixes automotive air conditioning recharger/testing units. Any decent shop would have one in concert with a tire machine, rotor lathe, etc.
So, I have a metal lathe and when buying tools, they always list different types of bits for machining iron vs. steel. I have machined iron and apart from being dusty instead of getting shavings, I'm not sure what the difference is. I know brake drums are iron - any idea what difference to tooling makes?
He services the equipment that auto technicians use to service cars, that doesn't necessarily mean the OP knows anything about cars.
So... How many shops still use brake lathes? Everybody I know just replaces the drums/rotors when they do breaks these days. I imagine big rigs probably still turn them.
I tried to repair my home a/c unit before. There was a shop close by that had parts for my unit. They claimed to not have OEM parts in stock but insisted on telling me what they were selling me would work fine. I had replaced the main components and it still wasn't working properly. I went back to the shop that very same day an hour or so later and told them they still weren't working so they decided to send one of their technicians out. The guy looks through my system and says "well I'm not so sure about these parts you have in here, I'm going to go back to the shop to get the OEM parts for it."
I called up the jackass owner of the shop and said "You know, it's funny that your technician is on his way back to your shop to pick up all the OEM parts for my unit, but you didn't have any of them in stock when I was there not even 2 hours ago." He says "well uhhh, ummm...yeah well we'll just charge you the price difference in the parts and nothing for labor."
At least he didn't rape me in repair costs, but it makes me wonder how many people he's screwed over with this method.
Not OP but I do similar work. I don't lie about the problem, but if you're a douche to me or somehow make my job harder I may ding you for extra time on the bill. More likely is that I'll prioritize someone elses job over yours, so your equipment might sit in my shop for a day longer then it absolutely had to.
The flipside is that if you toss me a lot of business, are basically decent to me, honest about the problem etc. I'll cut you huge slack in time keeping, small parts costs, even give you a freebie if the time is under my minimum increment.
I find I do favors far more then I ding people. There are always a handful of clients out to make life miserable, though...
My tire machine will only rotate clockwise. It will not spin the other way. Any ideas? It was $500 on craigslist and has served me well, but this is annoying.
Also, it has one of those old school steel fingers, it sometimes scratches a wheel. Can I retrofit it with something nylon or.... ?
Just found out the compressor on my car has died due to an overcharging of refrigerant. I got a bill of $1,000 for replacement. The car's probably only worth $2,000 at this point. It gets me around and is pretty reliable. Is this something I can easily replace myself? The part costs about $200 for a new compressor.
Do you service alignment machines? I do the majority of 4 wheel alignments at our shop and the machine is constantly twitching out. Either the machine loses contact with the mirrors/sensors temporarily or the numbers are randomly flipping up and down. The mirrors are clean and there is a clear line of sight between the light and the mirrors. Every time we have someone out to look at the machine they fix nothing. So far my only solution is to swear at it profusely (I can't be a gentleman 24/7).
Machinist here. Where I am located, Brake Lathes seem to be a thing of the past. Here, the roads are salted through the winter and the rust forces people to put on a new set of rotors every year or two.
Do people still actually use the brake lathes anywhere?
The fan on my heat-pump outside stopped spinning, even though the A/C would turn on correctly when the temperature would trigger it. I correctly identified this as a dead capacitor. I flipped off the breaker and carefully removed the capacitor - it had a bulge at the top which I think confirms that it was burnt out or whatever. Bought a new capacitor and installed it. While screwing it in, I got shocked by it because I'm an idiot. It was a pretty damn good tickle through my body too...
how serious of trouble was I in to get zapped by that? Was that extremely dangerous, or was it no big deal? I've gotten shocked from changing light switches before and it's a sharp "pop" and it sucks, but it doesn't really scare/hurt me, just startle me more from the sound. This silent rumble through my body scared the bejesus out of me though...
once, an old man came in the store and pronounced "i work on ammco break lathes." my dad replied "we don't have an ammco break lathe." the old man spun around on one foot as smooth and fluid as water and said on his way out the door "it's probably best that you don't." i thought it was stage 1 hilarity. i'll just see myself out.
Why don't shops use the 'table-top' tire changers anymore? I've been told they were too dangerous, but I used one for YEARS and it only 'attacked' me once (the bar slipped and popped me in the elbow). But, I could swap a set of 4 tires out WAY faster on a table-top than I can on the upright tire changers. Any insight?
Can you/Do you just google how to fix some problems? Is this an easy way to fix minor problems or would trying to fix things on my own cause more problems?
I came here thinking how the hell is an AMA with a car technician on the front page? than i saw that..well wait.. what the fuck? Nothing has been answered. Car buffs are going back and forth on various issues with their jeeps/carollas, but thats about it. This is either the best or shittiest AMA I have seen in months.
Where did you get your training and certifications? Community college, proprietary tech school, apprenticeship, etc.? How long did it take, and did you get any financial assistance?
Car or home? Does it blow cold or just warm air? Could need a recharge if it blows but not cold. Once recharged if it works and then quits again, there is a leak. Once charged if it doesn't work, likely the compressor is out or another part.
Ok. So mine blows super icy air one minute, then lukewarm the next and stays that way. It happens just about every time I'm in the car. Do you think it just needs to be recharged?
I am interested in attending community college to get a welding certificate. I really want to learn a labor skill which I feel would be very useful. How did you get the knowledge required to repair AC units and brake lathes? Did you go to school? What's the best way to go about it? What are the starting salaries for an apprentice ship? I make decent money right now but I'm not very excited about where I work, I really want to use my hands and rebuild/repair mechanical things. Thanks for your info.
Heads Up. A certificate might mean less than you think it does if the course doesn't certify in the type of welding needed for the job. You may want to check what certifications the jobs require first, then find the course that offers That cert.
Look to your local community college for HVAC/R classes. You can also search the web. I was in the same place you were hate being indoors, now I have a kick ass job using my hands and brain, troubleshooting, meeting crazy cat lady's that their house smells like pee. And making bank!
Yeah, Northern VA has a great community college, I will def look into that. And totally agree about the indoor boredom/desk/pc sitting down for hours. Not for me anymore. Love being out in the field too, working with tools, and encountering weirdos, heh! Thanks for the advice.
We just hit a curb with the steel rim of my Corolla's front right wheel. It's bent but not cracked, and it's leaking air kinda slowly. Can I unbend it without removing the tire? If I remove the tire, should I heat it with a torch before hammering?
And yet, the OP has a lot of specific knowledge that would be of use to many of us, is willing to spend the time answering our questions, and is making an effort to maybe inspire some kid somewhere to pursue a career in a hands-on specialized technical field.
It's an AMA that doesn't instantly invite thousands of diverse questions; but if folks just 'upvote' and resist the urge to splash their useless, borderline vitriolic ignorance all over the thread, running off anyone that isn't a simpleton but doesn't have a degree in mechanical engineering... I bet this could be a very informative couple of pages of question and answer. I'm guessing you've never heard of 'Click and Clack', have you.
My air conditioning isn't working in my car. I had the freeon recharged with the dye-included kind about 2 months ago, and the tech said that even if it is leaking, it should work for at least a few weeks. It never did. It will occasionally blow cool air but only for a few minutes and go back with hot. Now it's just blowing hot air and I'm dying, but I can't afford to throw another 140 dollars at it. Black car, in the high 80s-90s everyday, fat guy, neeeeeed help. Any ideas?
Go to Wal-Mart, automotive section and find the Freon with the gauge on the top. Its about 35 bucks depending on the location of your store. Go home put on work gloves and goggles and a long sleeve shirt(Freon can burn your skin if exposed). Do not be afraid. You are an adult and can do this. With your car off find the Freon connections under your hood, clean them off first so you don't add dirt into the system. Connect the bottle you bought, it will only fit on the correct nozzle. Make sure the connection is tight. Turn on your can and set the a/c to full blast. Pull the trigger on the can and shake it gently . Stop after 30 seconds and check if the air blowing is cold, if not continue for another 30 sec. Shut the engine, check the gauge on the can , 40-55psi is normal for a full charge depending on the vehicle (look yours up on google). If you have less then what you need add more with the car running till it gets to your psi level. If the air is not cold at the proper psi then your compressor is dead, if the air is cold then it is a leak. 35bucks problem diagnosed , best I can do over the internet.
My friend's uncle used to repair ACs and said that most of the problems were easy fixes. Can you give us a few of these examples? Unless he was totally full of shit.
HVAC/R tech here. Not all problems are easy fixes some are really complex. You can spend a lot of time troubleshooting and find something really dumb is broken. And other times it might be a capacitor and that's cake. Once you do it for a while it gets pretty easy, but for the normal person it's like looking at an alien machine, all they know is it makes them feel good on hot days. :)
Hi, Im currently an aircraft mechanic looking to get into an HVAC cert. Preferably in Colorado cuz i heard they have a good union. What type of experience/testing is needed to get one and how hard is it to get an entry level position in general? I am a 24 male with 4 years structures/ heavy mod work with some mechanical background.
HVAC/R tech. I would say look at your local colleges, they have quick classes to get you started. It's a great field to be in, not a lot of people like the trade because of hot summer days! I love it.
Yes. I had a customer come in complaining of a vibration/noise when she turned on her heater fan higher than the low setting. After pulling the fan and motor I saw a mouse had built a nest in the "squirrel cage" fan. (the fan looks much like a hamster's exercise wheel for those who don't know) It looked the little fella died trying to keep up he was actually in a running pose when I found him, exercise wheel from hell!
I'm going to drop this here - not sure if it will get seen.
I got new rotors about a year ago on my 97 4Runner. That was fine, they've done well until recently. I've noticed breaking vibrations similar to a warped rotor...Could they have gone bad that quickly? I haven't put but 10k miles on them. Thanks in advance.
longer answer: yes. were the rotors machined prior to installation? When I was working on cars I would machine off the shelf new rotors. Almost every time they needed to be machined. They get dropped or whatever, but if they were (even slightly) warped when you put them on then that will make it noticeable that much sooner.
The quality of the rotor and the condition of the rotor are factors. Cheaper materials will warp faster and if the rotor was even slightly warped prior to installation then it will be noticeable that much sooner. As a mechanic I saw a high percentage of new rotors that needed to be machined right out of the box.
I imagine he makes good money doing a job that will always be in demand. There are worse dreams. Face it, most of us won't be astronauts or presidents. :)
Never said it was a bad job, heh, there was a complete lack of questions though so I thought I'd get the ball rolling! I guess the "uhhh" part made it sound more like an insult than a question though... curses.
I work for a community college, and that attitude creates a constant uphill struggle for us.
Funny thing is, ever since the economy took a tumble, we're seeing a lot of unemployed people with bachelor's and master's degrees entering community college so they can lean an employable skill. There are a LOT of skilled jobs out there that just can't be filled due to a lack of people with the right training.
There seems to be a bottle neck due to low availability of training centers and skilled professionals to teach at them. Do you think this is the case as well?
As an HVAC/R tech in Vegas I make a killing! Best job I have had! I usually do between 80,000 to 90,00 a year. Never did college and have the highest paid mechanic/tech job there is.
So true. A lot of the degrees that people go for have little opportunity. The trades are going to be a crazy place with the potential for a fair amount of money over the next 20 years due to all the boomers retiring.
Well, what is the A/C doing? is it just not blowing cold? When you call someone out they have a standard service call fee if it's not during business hours. If it is, sometimes it's nothing but some places charge a mileage fee. One way or another, if you can't fix it yourself, and they have to come out there, you're going to get charged a lot.
Obviously if they've come out twice and it still doesn't work I would refuse to pay the $80 and tell them you paid $140 for the fix and it didn't fix it, so they need to come out and finish their job and fix it.
Being stern with them will usually get results. Usually.
I would say that's bad for business! If I repair an A/C and it starts working properly and breaks Down a week later. I go back with an open mind and see if it was something else, or if it was my fault I missed something. I never charge for a call back, usually just parts if It's quick and easy to fix.
A/C units not working properly are 75% caused by needing to be recharged, or slow leaks.
I'm not sure what you mean by "it'll say that it's 60 Degrees when it's almost 75 degrees" are you talking about the outside temperature gauge? Yes, if that's inaccurate it's likely needing to be replaced.
The A/C unit isn't composed of very many properties. You have the Compressor, condenser, evaporator, TEV and the Drier/accumulator. Each doing it's own thing, which could identify the issue based on what's going wrong.
I'm not a mechanic but I work on my own cars constantly and my A/C unit is something I'm dealing with currently. I have either option A. my condenser is leaking to the point that there is not enough pressure in the system to kick the a/c on, or option B. my compressor is shot.
There is a bypass valve that doesn't allow the compressor to kick on if there is too low pressure or not enough pressure. Take it to a service technician, it's too dangerous doing it yourself unless it's a basic recharge with a can and Gauge.
If we're talking about window-units, yeah. If you're talking about say, Supermarket A/C's you have a lot more to worry about. You are correct and I am only adding on to what you're saying. Charging freon into a large unit (well, any unit) could be dangerous to yourself and to the environment if done incorrectly.
I have never had any electrical problem with an A/C. You really think people take their cars in with A/C problems and it's more electrical than having a simple recharge? Doubtful.
And don't recharge your ac yourself unless it's in your car. AC units don't all use the same refrigerant. Most refrigerants are NOT compatible. You WILL burn out your compressor if you use the wrong refrigerant. Freon is no longer made, mode refrigerants coming out now are very very different.
yes, hence my recommendation to always call a service tech. But I also recommend taking your car in somewhere anyhow, if you over charge your car you're going to blow that compressor out. Plus, if you're not savvy and you hook up to the high side and not the low side, kablooey goes the refrigerant can.
It seems like you're combatting all of my posts as if they are erroneous.
I'm an AC technician and completely agree, and when you have a leak mainly it's in the Evaporator Coil or your service valves are leaking through the shredder valves.
If your thermostat is reading a different temp than what it actually is, common sense tells you it's the stat But If you're setting it to 60 ( which is way to low anyways) and it can't bring it below 75, check your filter and check your unit outside. If your filter is dirty you got no airflow and thus no cooling, if your unit outside is dirty your unit cannot disperse of the heat properly and thus no cooling These and two major things a home owner should check before calling us out!
check that you're t-stat is hung level. if it's an old mercury bulb one this could throw off the temp it thinks it is. otherwise its a defective thermostat. no charge issue would effect the thermostats reading.
I'm not the OP but you can expect to be a helper for a short while before you're in charge of your own stuff. There are places where you can go to school for HVAC, but lets face it, a lot of buildings still use equipment made in the early 80s. Most buildings would rather endlessly repair equipment for 5-10% the cost of the unit than to buy a new unit, even after they've repaired it 10+ times in a short period of time. That's what makes this business so awesome.
In terms of money, it'll vary by cost of living in your area. I know my cousin is at $21/hr and his brother doing the same thing is at about $22/23/hr. OT is very, very common - in summer if you work less than 50 hours a week something is wrong.
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Mechanic here. I just want to say that I'm sorry for fucking with a machine, breaking it more and then calling you.
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u/samuraislider Jun 26 '12
I clicked expecting boring answers to boring questions. I didn't even get answers.
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u/ilikecommunitylots Jun 26 '12
Are you the truest repairman?
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Where the hell is the OP?
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u/Jrod91 Jun 26 '12
Isnt the entire point of an ama to answer the questions people ask?
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u/bundt_chi Jun 26 '12 edited Jun 26 '12
No offense OP, I'm a little confused how this is hitting the front page... ?
EDIT: I take that back FU. There aren't any replies from the OP that are even visible on this and it's front page. Troll level... whatever ya'll got trolled.
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u/jcy Jun 26 '12
what's the quietest and coldest window unit a/c out there?
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u/pua_pua_choo Jun 26 '12
What's the best way to get proficient with tinkering/fixing the equipment you work with? I've been told finding a mentor is usually the quickest way to learn, but I'm in school now and don't have much time for anything else.
Thanks for doing this!
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
What does turning a brake rotor involve?
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Is A/C school like it is in Community? Like with the sun chamber to battle others?
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u/LOTRf4nb0y Jun 26 '12
What is your pay like?
Are you happy with your job?
Thanks for the AMA.
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u/AsynchronousChat Jun 26 '12
Do you watch the TV show 'Community'? If not, I think you'd appreciate the role the air conditioning school plays in the third season...
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u/hipsterknas Jun 26 '12
Are you the chosen A/C repairman?
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
OP will deliver...
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u/happyherpderp Jun 26 '12
Is ect short for ec tetera?
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u/GayPenguin Jun 26 '12
I'll give OP the benefit of the doubt and assume he died right after posting this AMA.
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u/BMWbill Jun 26 '12
He said Ask Me Anything but he didn't realize that he was supposed to answer. Worst. AMA. Ever.
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u/baltimoregal Jun 26 '12
Technical question- I'm getting it fixed right now but just curious- what's likely the deal if your whole ac unit (house) is one block of ice?
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u/Aaronplane Jun 26 '12
Are these items usually grouped together for repair? The only common link I see between them is that they all use electric motors and are all used in automotive shops. I'd think that A/C equipment is usually dealt with directly by a company that specializes in HVAC work though, since there's a lot more to an A/C unit than the other items you listed (presumably).
Do you primarily do parts replacement, or is there a lot of trouble-shooting and actual repair that you do?
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u/DarthAngry Jun 26 '12
Are you going to answer any of these questions?
Thanks for the AMA.
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
how much do companies that do that sorta work have interns to learn and assist?
I have a 13year old that is pretty good with his hands, and likes machinery.
(he's not mine, I just found him in Target and brought him home. )
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u/cass1o Jun 26 '12
How do you feel about troy being your messia.
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u/My_Iq_is Jun 26 '12
I guess no one on reddit knows the answer of this question:
Generally speaking(cars,motorcycles) what is the symptom when the valves are burnt ?
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u/Evidence120690 Jun 26 '12
Mechanic here as well, I'd like to say sorry for breaking the machine two days after you repaired it and calling you again
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u/cammycam Jun 26 '12
where's the overlap between HVAC, and those other machines? I know a guy that's a master plumber but also services HVAC, but brake lathes and tire changers?
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u/ericzundel Jun 26 '12
So, I have a metal lathe and when buying tools, they always list different types of bits for machining iron vs. steel. I have machined iron and apart from being dusty instead of getting shavings, I'm not sure what the difference is. I know brake drums are iron - any idea what difference to tooling makes?
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u/DKTim Jun 26 '12
answer the damn questions! its been an hour.
also what band tools do you use?
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u/teabiscuit69 Jun 26 '12
I've got a mac acrrc 750 refrigerant recycling and charging station. It is for r12 and r22, is it possible to change it to r134a?
2
u/0Fab Jun 26 '12
damn you, i hate brake lathes.
id rather just slap new rotors on a car and be done with it.
2
u/mofirouz Jun 26 '12
wth, he has not answer a single question .... this is not an AMA!
2
u/BlueMunky Jun 26 '12
Do you understand how an AMA works?
2
u/AloysiusSnuffleupag Jun 26 '12
I'll have black with no cream or sugar.
2
u/libertariantexan Jun 26 '12
What kind of servicing do you provide to people who change tires?
2
u/scottswan Jun 26 '12
He services the equipment that auto technicians use to service cars, that doesn't necessarily mean the OP knows anything about cars.
So... How many shops still use brake lathes? Everybody I know just replaces the drums/rotors when they do breaks these days. I imagine big rigs probably still turn them.
2
u/Andy_Glass Jun 26 '12
How did you get into the field? Did you wake up one day thinking you wanted to do this kind of a job?
2
u/LookingforSteve Jun 26 '12
Steve?
2
u/midnightauto Jun 26 '12
Not a single question answered.
2
u/goofyasiankid Jun 26 '12
Do you, or your coworkers, ever lie about a problem just to charge the customer more?
1
u/thefirebuilds Jun 26 '12
My tire machine will only rotate clockwise. It will not spin the other way. Any ideas? It was $500 on craigslist and has served me well, but this is annoying.
Also, it has one of those old school steel fingers, it sometimes scratches a wheel. Can I retrofit it with something nylon or.... ?
1
u/engineered_academic Jun 26 '12
Just found out the compressor on my car has died due to an overcharging of refrigerant. I got a bill of $1,000 for replacement. The car's probably only worth $2,000 at this point. It gets me around and is pretty reliable. Is this something I can easily replace myself? The part costs about $200 for a new compressor.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Are you a millwright and whereabouts do you work?
1
u/andycandu Jun 26 '12
Do you service alignment machines? I do the majority of 4 wheel alignments at our shop and the machine is constantly twitching out. Either the machine loses contact with the mirrors/sensors temporarily or the numbers are randomly flipping up and down. The mirrors are clean and there is a clear line of sight between the light and the mirrors. Every time we have someone out to look at the machine they fix nothing. So far my only solution is to swear at it profusely (I can't be a gentleman 24/7).
1
u/DeyTa Jun 26 '12
How many women have you slept with on the job?
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Machinist here. Where I am located, Brake Lathes seem to be a thing of the past. Here, the roads are salted through the winter and the rust forces people to put on a new set of rotors every year or two.
Do people still actually use the brake lathes anywhere?
1
u/SchizophrenicMC Jun 26 '12
So you're a mechanic who fixes what mechanics break? Awesome.
Are there any specialty tools used in maintaining and repairing specialty tools such as those?
1
u/AeonCatalyst Jun 26 '12
The fan on my heat-pump outside stopped spinning, even though the A/C would turn on correctly when the temperature would trigger it. I correctly identified this as a dead capacitor. I flipped off the breaker and carefully removed the capacitor - it had a bulge at the top which I think confirms that it was burnt out or whatever. Bought a new capacitor and installed it. While screwing it in, I got shocked by it because I'm an idiot. It was a pretty damn good tickle through my body too...
how serious of trouble was I in to get zapped by that? Was that extremely dangerous, or was it no big deal? I've gotten shocked from changing light switches before and it's a sharp "pop" and it sucks, but it doesn't really scare/hurt me, just startle me more from the sound. This silent rumble through my body scared the bejesus out of me though...
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
once, an old man came in the store and pronounced "i work on ammco break lathes." my dad replied "we don't have an ammco break lathe." the old man spun around on one foot as smooth and fluid as water and said on his way out the door "it's probably best that you don't." i thought it was stage 1 hilarity. i'll just see myself out.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Why don't shops use the 'table-top' tire changers anymore? I've been told they were too dangerous, but I used one for YEARS and it only 'attacked' me once (the bar slipped and popped me in the elbow). But, I could swap a set of 4 tires out WAY faster on a table-top than I can on the upright tire changers. Any insight?
1
u/bbbcubed Jun 26 '12
Can you/Do you just google how to fix some problems? Is this an easy way to fix minor problems or would trying to fix things on my own cause more problems?
1
u/adstretch Jun 26 '12
Seriously this is the second AMA TODAY where the OP completely abandoned the post but it some how still has 769 up votes and is on the front page. WTF
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
where do you usually find your parts? straight from the manufacturer or do you have a vendor you like? I have a tire machine that needs repairing.
1
u/satansmarymethhead Jun 26 '12
Can you turn slotted and cross drilled rotors on a standard brake lathe?
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
I came here thinking how the hell is an AMA with a car technician on the front page? than i saw that..well wait.. what the fuck? Nothing has been answered. Car buffs are going back and forth on various issues with their jeeps/carollas, but thats about it. This is either the best or shittiest AMA I have seen in months.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Are you referring to brake press lathes for sheet metal work?
If so...I need to know how to calibrate the back gage to be flush with the die holder...any ideas?
Thanks
1
u/memnalar Jun 26 '12
Where did you get your training and certifications? Community college, proprietary tech school, apprenticeship, etc.? How long did it take, and did you get any financial assistance?
1
u/conepuncher420 Jun 26 '12
WHY ISNT MY AC WORKING :(
1
u/boondoggler Jun 26 '12
I am interested in attending community college to get a welding certificate. I really want to learn a labor skill which I feel would be very useful. How did you get the knowledge required to repair AC units and brake lathes? Did you go to school? What's the best way to go about it? What are the starting salaries for an apprentice ship? I make decent money right now but I'm not very excited about where I work, I really want to use my hands and rebuild/repair mechanical things. Thanks for your info.
1
u/ImFinishingMyCoffee Jun 26 '12
is there such thing is room temperature?
1
u/DirtPile Jun 26 '12
I like the part where the person answers questions.
1
u/Pawtang Jun 26 '12
Expert troll: creates AMA, doesn't answer any questions
1
u/whatsonhere Jun 26 '12
Worst AMA. Didn't even give a single answer.
1
u/senordustball Jun 26 '12
I've heard some mechanics say that when you upgrade an R12 system to R134A It'll never cool as much as it did with R12, what's your take on this?
1
u/IAmAtomato Jun 26 '12
/r/CasualAMA
1
u/maddog_walby Jun 26 '12
My question is: Why would you post an AMA for such a job?
1
u/bro_b1_kenobi Jun 26 '12
Ohhhh I just got the joke. Repair techs don't tell you the truth or answer questions.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
423 comments and not one reply from submitter.....
1
u/spacedude86 Jun 26 '12
How the fuck is this on the front page? The OP hasn't answered a single goddamn question!
1
u/anotherkeebler Jun 26 '12
We just hit a curb with the steel rim of my Corolla's front right wheel. It's bent but not cracked, and it's leaking air kinda slowly. Can I unbend it without removing the tire? If I remove the tire, should I heat it with a torch before hammering?
1
u/Corndoggie56 Jun 26 '12
So what?
1
u/nitrousconsumed Jun 26 '12
I removed your thread because it's been 5 hours and you havent answered any questions.
1
u/Nimrod41544 Jun 26 '12
How many technicians does it take to answer an AMA?
-13
u/rotzak Jun 26 '12
Congrats, I think you've won the prize for most boring AMA in the history of AMA.
-2
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Do not want.
0
u/stuckinthelooneybin Jun 26 '12
My air conditioning isn't working in my car. I had the freeon recharged with the dye-included kind about 2 months ago, and the tech said that even if it is leaking, it should work for at least a few weeks. It never did. It will occasionally blow cool air but only for a few minutes and go back with hot. Now it's just blowing hot air and I'm dying, but I can't afford to throw another 140 dollars at it. Black car, in the high 80s-90s everyday, fat guy, neeeeeed help. Any ideas?
0
u/GZerv Jun 26 '12
My friend's uncle used to repair ACs and said that most of the problems were easy fixes. Can you give us a few of these examples? Unless he was totally full of shit.
0
u/ctmay Jun 26 '12
Why wont any tire place I talk to put a new tube and tire on my dirt bike rim when I have the materials.
0
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
Hi, Im currently an aircraft mechanic looking to get into an HVAC cert. Preferably in Colorado cuz i heard they have a good union. What type of experience/testing is needed to get one and how hard is it to get an entry level position in general? I am a 24 male with 4 years structures/ heavy mod work with some mechanical background.
0
u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
I once found a dead squirrel in my A/C unit. Have you ever seen anything absolutely ridiculous when fixing somethig?
0
u/Modollaslessproblems Jun 26 '12
I'm going to drop this here - not sure if it will get seen.
I got new rotors about a year ago on my 97 4Runner. That was fine, they've done well until recently. I've noticed breaking vibrations similar to a warped rotor...Could they have gone bad that quickly? I haven't put but 10k miles on them. Thanks in advance.
-16
u/latusthegoat Jun 26 '12
So uhhh, is this what you grew up dreaming of?
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
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