Wrenchin... Adventures under the hood... Put em here.

**gravitylover** · 01-27-2023, 11:47 AM

Lol. When I was looking last year they were 14+ with those miles and I couldn't swing it. Of course now with having to put a motor in the Caravan it'll be over that...

**fatnslow** · 01-27-2023, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Lol. When I was looking last year they were 14+ with those miles and I couldn't swing it. Of course now with having to put a motor in the Caravan it'll be over that...

I know NOBODY wants to admit loving a minivan but when they run reliably it's about as utilitarian of a vehicle you can find. When that thing is dialed you'll appreciate it. It's like that not so beautiful girl that you know that never says no when it's booty call time.

**Cocximus** · 01-27-2023, 11:53 AM

I would love a Mercedes R350 minivan.

**gravitylover** · 01-27-2023, 11:56 AM

I've always had a thing for vans and minivans because they just fit the need and I'm wired for function over form. I used to love being able to toss a pile of shit and a half dozen people into my old 74 Ford E100 custom Turtle Top conversion and have wanted another van ever since I sold that in 1987. I'm actually kind of excited in a weird way to get this thing dialed in. I'll get another problem soon

**skaredshtles** · 01-27-2023, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by MontuckyFried

For real! Speaking of window level, don't get me started on lifted trucks (and honestly stock ones like the new ginormous Silverado/Sierra) and their xenon or LED headlights blasting your rear-view mirror directly. HOW THE F IS THAT LEGAL?! The US gov has all sorts of nit-picky regulations they have on auto makers, but somehow a regulated headlight height has escaped them? Some of these new trucks have headlights that are higher up than what's on new semis.

Pretty sure those lights are technically illegal. I believe that headlight (as well as bumper) height *is* regulated.

But lack of enforcement, and freedumb.

**gravitylover** · 01-27-2023, 12:33 PM

Regulated headlight height is something like 8" higher than it was 30 years ago as the average vehicle height has come up with the proliferation of SUVs and overgrown pickups.

**skaredshtles** · 01-27-2023, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by fatnslow

I know NOBODY wants to admit loving a minivan but when they run reliably it's about as utilitarian of a vehicle you can find.

Fuck off. I love(d) our minivan. Don't really drive it much 'cause the kid does and it has enough issues that it's relegated to an "around town" vehicle until it dies.

When that thing is dialed you'll appreciate it. It's like that not so beautiful girl that you know that never says no when it's booty call time.

Well... I don't know about *that.*

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**fatnslow** · 01-27-2023, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by skaredshtles

Fuck off. I love(d) our minivan. Don't really drive it much 'cause the kid does and it has enough issues that it's relegated to an "around town" vehicle until it dies.

Well... I don't know about *that.*

Dude, I have driven them since I was 24 when I got it as company car and I STILL drive one with no kids left at home. You won't find a bigger homer for them than me.

**Timberridge** · 01-27-2023, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

I've always had a thing for vans and minivans because they just fit the need and I'm wired for function over form. I used to love being able to toss a pile of shit and a half dozen people...

Are you Hasidic?

**gravitylover** · 01-27-2023, 01:44 PM

Fuck no haha. In college we'd pile a bunch of us into my campervan and go down to Phoenix to see a concert or just to screw around in the desert where it was warmer and drier than Flagstaff. We'd bring a half dozen cases of beer and a big bag of shrooms and do dumb shit. Sometimes we'd go out to California and do dumb shit on the beach or dose up and go to Disneyland or some Dead shows. Couldn't have done it without the van. It also made for some epic ski trips.

**fatnslow** · 01-27-2023, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Timberridge

Are you Hasidic?

the diamond thread is somewhere else

**Cocximus** · 01-27-2023, 02:00 PM

I'm surprised insurance isn't denying coverage due to lifts and that there are no big personal injury lawsuits.

**MontuckyFried** · 01-27-2023, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by skaredshtles

Pretty sure those lights are technically illegal. I believe that headlight (as well as bumper) height *is* regulated.

But lack of enforcement, and freedumb.

It must not be THAT illegal when it's coming out of the GM factory as such. Have you not seen the new Silverado and Sierra? Particularly in higher trim HD models, they're egregious. They put those torches at the TOP side of an already extremely high hoodline.

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Regulated headlight height is something like 8" higher than it was 30 years ago as the average vehicle height has come up with the proliferation of SUVs and overgrown pickups.

This.

**skaredshtles** · 01-27-2023, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by MontuckyFried

It must not be THAT illegal when it's coming out of the GM factory as such. Have you not seen the new Silverado and Sierra? Particularly in higher trim HD models, they're egregious. They put those torches at the TOP side of an already extremely high hoodline.

Yeah - I would expect that they are legal from the factory - I was referring to the aftermarket lifted brodozers being technically illegal, bumper-wise and light-wise.

**gravitylover** · 01-28-2023, 02:54 PM

I want to get something for the car that I've never seen and not sure it exists. I want a 360° camera that I can mount on the roof that connects to my phone or a screen I can reach easily. I want to be able to tap it and have it capture 30 seconds either side of the tap. I want to do a travel blog and have a dash cam that'll record shit going on around me because with as many miles as I expect to do I'm sure shit will go wrong. Is there such a thing?

**anotherVTskibum** · 01-28-2023, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

I want to get something for the car that I've never seen and not sure it exists. I want a 360° camera that I can mount on the roof that connects to my phone or a screen I can reach easily. I want to be able to tap it and have it capture 30 seconds either side of the tap. I want to do a travel blog and have a dash cam that'll record shit going on around me because with as many miles as I expect to do I'm sure shit will go wrong. Is there such a thing?

It would probably be easier just to do front and rear facing dash cams, maybe even add side-facing ones if you have windows that you don't open. I'd suggest spending enough to be able to connect wirelessly to pull video, as I find that I only get motivated to deal with bringing in the cards from my truck if I expect something truly interesting (YMMV, of course).

Sent using TGR Forums mobile app

**mcphee** · 01-28-2023, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

I want to get something for the car that I've never seen and not sure it exists. I want a 360° camera that I can mount on the roof that connects to my phone or a screen I can reach easily. I want to be able to tap it and have it capture 30 seconds either side of the tap. I want to do a travel blog and have a dash cam that'll record shit going on around me because with as many miles as I expect to do I'm sure shit will go wrong. Is there such a thing?

https://youtu.be/YQRm1cg8T8I

**gravitylover** · 01-28-2023, 04:08 PM

Haha.

There are some wireless 360 cameras on Amazon but they don't have some of the functionality I want. I dunno, maybe they do. I'll keep looking. It can't be distracting, obviously, and I'm far from tech savvy so it needs to be simple.

**bagtagley** · 01-30-2023, 03:44 PM

At 110k miles on the factry plugs, the Odyssey was due. Got them all swapped out, much more smoothly than anticipated. Is there anything more satisfying than a smooth repair?

Get in and fire it up. The cluster lights up like a Christmas tree and she runs like shit. My youngest said “why is it shaking?”. “Hmmph” was my response. Is there anything more unsatisfying than thinking a repair went smoothly only to find out you fucked something up?

Drove it, unhooked the battery a couple times, said a prayer to the car gods. No dice. Pulled everything out of the way to start pulling plugs and a lightbulb went off. I had forgotten to reconnect the number two coil. Hooked it up and everything is fine. Phew!

**fatnslow** · 01-31-2023, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

At 110k miles on the factry plugs, the Odyssey was due. Got them all swapped out, much more smoothly than anticipated. Is there anything more satisfying than a smooth repair?

Get in and fire it up. The cluster lights up like a Christmas tree and she runs like shit. My youngest said “why is it shaking?”. “Hmmph” was my response. Is there anything more unsatisfying than thinking a repair went smoothly only to find out you fucked something up?

Drove it, unhooked the battery a couple times, said a prayer to the car gods. No dice. Pulled everything out of the way to start pulling plugs and a lightbulb went off. I had forgotten to reconnect the number two coil. Hooked it up and everything is fine. Phew!

What year and trim do you have ? If you have VCM you might consider disabling it to extend the life of your engine.
https://www.odyclub.com/threads/vcmu...m-faqs.268778/

**gravitylover** · 01-31-2023, 03:01 PM

Got new tires for the XC60 today because the old ones were worn nearly to the threads on one front (and those Kumhos SUCKED!) because Mavis can't do an alignment to save their miserable fucking lives. The one in my town is the original and we've been going there since they opened over 25 years ago and I know everyone including the owners (of the whole chain). As I found out, apparently they only align toe in/out

because the camber was out 16° on the front left and the caster was out 14° on the front right

If you've never had a Road Force balance with a new Hunter machine and a good alignment, also on a new Hunter rack, do it! It will transform your car. Also, the new Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06+ is a pretty amazing tire. I think I scared the bejeezus out of my wife proving it

My van is in the shop now for the new motor so while there's room he's doing new motor mounts, new KYB strut kits, new control arms and a bunch of little stuff to hopefully get me a few years where I only have to tinker with regular maintenance things. It is a ChryCo product though so don't worry, I'm sure I'll do my part to keep the thread alive

**mcphee** · 01-31-2023, 06:38 PM

^glad you’re getting them sorted. I hope you have some vehicular relief for a while. Cheers!

**warthog** · 01-31-2023, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

At 110k miles on the factry plugs, the Odyssey was due. Got them all swapped out, much more smoothly than anticipated. Is there anything more satisfying than a smooth repair?

Get in and fire it up. The cluster lights up like a Christmas tree and she runs like shit. My youngest said “why is it shaking?”. “Hmmph” was my response. Is there anything more unsatisfying than thinking a repair went smoothly only to find out you fucked something up?

Drove it, unhooked the battery a couple times, said a prayer to the car gods. No dice. Pulled everything out of the way to start pulling plugs and a lightbulb went off. I had forgotten to reconnect the number two coil. Hooked it up and everything is fine. Phew!

I was guessing you pulled all the wires at once and got the order mixed up.

Picked this shirt up recently from Freiburger's store. Keeps it straight for me on my '79 AMC 304.

Picked this up too- for fun- my neighbor owns a Plaid.