99PI: Dude Where’s My Car?

What is your car telling you? #2 In our series on vehicle noises, let's look at a common culprit: the CV joint/axle. Crackle, Snap, Pop This isn't a breakfast cereal, it’s the order of events if you ignore a new noise coming from your vehicle. Usually, it starts as a faint crackling or clicking when turning.

What is your car telling you? #2

In our series on vehicle noises, let's look at a common culprit: the CV joint/axle. Crackle, Snap, Pop This isn't a breakfast cereal, it’s the order of events if you ignore a new noise coming from your vehicle. Usually, it starts as a faint crackling or clicking…

What is your car telling you? #1 I got the idea of doing a short post on different noises and what they might mean because, really, some people don't know. The first one I'm going to deal with is from recent memory; and the one that started me thinking about these posts in the first place, it's the Wheel Bearing noise. What's that humming? A wheel bearing noise is often a constant hum at a speed more than approimately 15mph and will be louder the faster you go.

What is your car telling you? #1

I got the idea of doing a short post on different noises and what they might mean because, really, some people don't know. The first one I'm going to deal with is from recent memory; and the one that started me thinking about these posts in the first place, it's…

Bad wiring repairs When a car comes in with a faulty daytime running light, warnings in the dash and a worried customer. And you see this. But this was repaired a few months ago, she can't understand why it's happening again. Well, this is why it's happening again. One of the worst wiring repairs I've seen in quite a while.

Bad wiring repairs

When a car comes in with a faulty daytime running light, warnings in the dash and a worried customer. And you see this. But this was repaired a few months ago, she can't understand why it's happening again. Well, this is why it's happening again. One of the worst wiring repairs…

Identifying Parts From My Workshop Floor I found these parts on my workshop floor a few of weeks ago. At first, I thought that a strut mount bearing assembly had failed and these were the remnants. I haven't changed out struts recently so it wasn't from a reassembly gone wrong. I haven't had any cars except our own in the workshop because I haven't fully set up yet, so they must have come from one of our cars.

Identifying Parts From My Workshop Floor

I found these parts on my workshop floor a few of weeks ago. At first, I thought that a strut mount bearing assembly had failed and these were the remnants. I haven't changed out struts recently so it wasn't from a reassembly gone wrong. I haven't had any…

AI Blogging. A Perfect Imperfection? Twice this morning I've read posts in my WordPress reader that were obviously written by an AI program. The person noted as the author may have come up with the idea but the construction and general writing is straight out of the AI handbook. I like writing my own posts, they're my thoughts and experiences. I sometimes get lost in the moment and go off on a tangent, a lot of what I write may be considered garbage.

AI Blogging. A Perfect Imperfection?

Twice this morning I've read posts in my WordPress reader that were obviously written by an AI program. The person noted as the author may have come up with the idea but the construction and general writing is straight out of the AI handbook. I like writing my…

Like a lot of people I drifted away from Twitter a while ago, I can’t get used to calling it X, but lately I’ve been checking in there again. The fact is that the news and many other interesting things are still mostly happening there. This was confirmed with the NASA Artemis account in the last few days. So I’m giving it another go and trying to ignore the noise.

Like a lot of people I drifted away from Twitter a while ago, I can’t get used to calling it X, but lately I’ve been checking in there again.

The fact is that the news and many other interesting things are still mostly happening there. This was confirmed with the NASA Artemis account in the last…

As bad as it looks Sometimes this can just be the sign of a bad oil cooler. We can replace the cooler flush the system and it's job done. Unfortunately that wasn't the case here. We ended up doing an engine replacement in then end.

As bad as it looks

Sometimes this can just be the sign of a bad oil cooler. We can replace the cooler flush the system and it's job done. Unfortunately that wasn't the case here. We ended up doing an engine replacement in then end.

It’s very possible, almost inevitable, that in the near future people won’t even remember manual gearboxes existed in cars. Most younger people I’ve done work for recently, enthusiasts aside, can’t even understand why anyone would want to shift gears themselves.

It’s very possible, almost inevitable, that in the near future people won’t even remember manual gearboxes existed in cars.

Most younger people I’ve done work for recently, enthusiasts aside, can’t even understand why anyone would want to shift gears themselves.

It looks worse than it is In the pursuit of finding a problem it can look a lot worse than it is. The story of this diagnosis is a long drawn out saga that finally came to an end after many twists and turns.

It looks worse than it is

In the pursuit of finding a problem it can look a lot worse than it is. The story of this diagnosis is a long drawn out saga that finally came to an end after many twists and turns.

Private Jets – The Economics of Everyday Things

I Thought That Was Standard @wordpress.org @wordpresscom daily prompt today is asking what changed for you during COVID. Do you remember the craziness in workshops back then?

I Thought That Was Standard

@wordpress.org @wordpresscom daily prompt today is asking what changed for you during COVID. Do you remember the craziness in workshops back then?

I haven’t had a chance to listen to everything in my podcast playlist recently, I’m slowly working through them. Today in the car I hit shuffle and the first one to play was Pizza Boxes by The Economics of Everything from Freakanomics. It was so good I stopped the shuffle and selected another one from them which was equally as good, Car Washes. Living in NE Ohio Im surrounded by them so it interested me even more.

I haven’t had a chance to listen to everything in my podcast playlist recently, I’m slowly working through them. Today in the car I hit shuffle and the first one to play was Pizza Boxes by The Economics of Everything from Freakanomics. It was so good I stopped the shuffle and selected another one…

Wasn't this a storyline in Big Bang Theory?

Ferruccio Lamborghini Quotes It's not impossible until we fail. If we fail, we fail searching for greatness Ferruccio Lamborghini

Ferruccio Lamborghini Quotes

It's not impossible until we fail. If we fail, we fail searching for greatness Ferruccio Lamborghini

Sometimes you just get a perfect shot

Everything Should Be a Sandwich Daily writing prompt If you could have something named after you, what would it be? View all responses Today’s prompt is an easy one. A sandwich. Plain and simple just an ordinary sandwich. Nothing special. No crazy ingredients. I just like sandwiches. I love making everything into a sandwich. When I plan dinner, one of the first questions is, can this become tomorrow’s sandwich?

Everything Should Be a Sandwich

Daily writing prompt If you could have something named after you, what would it be? View all responses Today’s prompt is an easy one. A sandwich. Plain and simple just an ordinary sandwich. Nothing special. No crazy ingredients. I just like sandwiches. I love making…

Blown ignition coil

Blown ignition coil

Ain’t as easy as it looks sometimes Daily writing prompt What makes you laugh? View all responses You know the one. A customer gets a quote, decides it's not for them, and goes off to sort it themselves or maybe finds someone cheaper. Fair enough. I get it. Money's tight, YouTube makes everything look straightforward, and how hard can it really be? Then the phone rings. It's them.

Ain’t as easy as it looks sometimes

Daily writing prompt What makes you laugh? View all responses You know the one. A customer gets a quote, decides it's not for them, and goes off to sort it themselves or maybe finds someone cheaper. Fair enough. I get it. Money's tight, YouTube makes everything…

One of the industries that’s changed the most As a mechanic, I’ve had to adapt more than most, but I’ve embraced it.

One of the industries that’s changed the most

As a mechanic, I’ve had to adapt more than most, but I’ve embraced it.

Saying no for a better work life Daily writing prompt How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals? View all responses This is something I've only recently started doing, saying no to jobs because they don't fit either my schedule or my niche. But I've learned the hard way. I would never say no to any work. I think it's something ingrained from being completely broke financially, you never want to go back to that so you're afraid to turn anything down.

Saying no for a better work life

Daily writing prompt How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals? View all responses This is something I've only recently started doing, saying no to jobs because they don't fit either my schedule or my niche. But I've learned the hard…

Always learning and achieving goals and skills Daily writing prompt What's a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had? View all responses I'm not convinced I have a secret skill, what I do have is patience in the way I approach my work and that gives me an ability to solve problems. Diagnosing cars is really about solving problems. Even if it's just a noise when your car is turning a corner, a mechanics mind will go into diagnosis mode.

Always learning and achieving goals and skills

Daily writing prompt What's a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had? View all responses I'm not convinced I have a secret skill, what I do have is patience in the way I approach my work and that gives me an ability to solve problems.…

Dry weather is my best friend. Snow, ice, and muddy drips? No thanks. 🌞🚗 #MechanicLife #GarageDays #DryWeatherWins

The Job That Taught Me to Ignore the Noise Daily writing prompt Who was your most influential teacher? Why? View all responses It's the car that - almost - kicked my butt! A few years ago I had a VW Touareg in the workshop with a crank no-start complaint. It came in running, but not well. And it was pot luck if it would restart once switched off. When I scanned for codes it had about three screens full of different faults.

@wordpress.org @wordpress Daily writing prompt: Who was your most influential teacher? Why?

Is there such a thing as free? What free tool do you want and how would you get it? Daily writing prompt Getting something free always comes with a catch right? Well not necessarily if you're an ITC1 member at Harbor Freight. Today - March 20th 2026 - they are giving members a choice of three different free tools if you purchase anything in store. If you're not a member but you spend $34.99 you also qualify.

Is there such a thing as free?

What free tool do you want and how would you get it? Daily writing prompt Getting something free always comes with a catch right? Well not necessarily if you're an ITC1 member at Harbor Freight. Today - March 20th 2026 - they are giving members a choice of three…

Why Does My Car Shake When Braking? The other day I got a call from someone concerned their car was shaking violently when braking. They couldn't figure out why it was happening and it was starting to worry them. Common symptoms could be Steering wheel vibration when braking Pulsation through the brake pedal Whole car shaking when braking Vibration that gets worse over time So let's list a few things that could cause this, how it might happen and what to do when it does.

Brake vibration isn’t always what it seems.

While worn rotors are the most common cause, ABS faults, hub runout, and even poor installation can create the same symptoms.

Bad grounds cause weird problems

Bad gounds can cause all kinds of issues and are overlooked often

Taking your car on a road trip Daily writing promptYou’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike? View all responses Is there any better way of going cross country than taking a car? Well maybe a Motor…

The @wordpress.org prompt today was about taking a road trip, kinda, so I got the Wagon Queen Family Truckster in the thumbnail. Is there a more fitting road trip car!?

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Confidence Daily writing promptWho is the most confident person you know?View all responses Getting a car into your service bay and carrying out any service or repairs requires confidence. All the knowledge w…

Todays @WordPress.org prompt was about confidence. It ties into working on cars perfectly. Confidence will get you through the job, it’s about having faith in yourself and your ability.

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Don’t let it get you down Daily writing promptWhat strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?View all responses Being a mechanic courts negativity on a daily – no hourly – basis, you have to have a th…

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Today's @wordpress.org prompt was about negativity and how you deal with it.