My car defeated me today.
The alternator on my car went kaput. Nowhere in my area would do the job for less than $800-something, and most places were quoting $900-$1k.
So I looked up how-tos on YouTube and it looked like something I, a woman with zero experience or knowledge of working on cars, could do.
I got a remanufactured alternator for $180 and got to work following the tutorials I'd found.
It certainly did not go smoothly, but I managed it. It took me 6 hours to get the alternator out, mainly because every goddamn bolt holding the parts in place were basically cemented in. I had to use my foot to stomp one loose because I didn't have the strength in my arms.
Today I spent another 4 hours trying to put in the new one and all the parts back in place. And I did it!!
Except for the power steering belt. That fucker would not go into place, and trying to force the belt tensioner back took every ounce of strength I could muster.
All that work. All that time and effort and THE VERY LAST STEP to get my car up and running defeated me today. I had to get a task rabbit guy. He's coming tomorrow to get my belt back on.
On one hand I feel proud that I made it this far. On the other I feel like a complete failure because it turns out I couldn't complete the task myself.
Anyway, how was your weekend?
Good job! Sounds like it was your first time and things generally well.
This weekend a patched a hole in drywall for the first time and i feel like i did a pretty good job!
Things went well in that I didn't break anything except for a corroded bolt. I also dropped a wrench own into the under carriage somewhere, so that'll be fun to hear rattling around.
Dry hole patching is hard, I'm glad things went well for you too!
Twenty years ago I could have done that in my sleep. Now days I know I could not get as far as you got. Good job.
ETA: to be more clear.
Thank you. :) I'm lucky at this moment that I had the time and energy to get most of it done. :)
Had to correct my first comment. It was I could not get it done as much as you did.
Without the right tools and equipment. It’s hard work. Even with the right tools and equipment, it’s a skill.
My dad was a mechanic. Why I use to be able to do it because he loved doing it and that means us doing it. lol.
My uncle was one, but he retired before I was old enough to learn much from him. Lol, it's good he had you helping him though!
That where I learned the right tools and equipment make a huge difference. It’s funny basic mechanics was must have skill when I was a kid. Brakes, spark plugs, etc.
Now they last so long, it’s not as important to know. My kid asked me about something on an old key chain. I said it was a spark plug gap tool. Last time I used that was 20 years ago