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  1. Strokenmerc

    Trained House Cats

    Wife has a cat that will do numerous "tricks" for a treat. Sit, shake, lay down, beg by rubbing his head, and spin in a circle on command...as long as you have a treat in hand. We adopted him from the local shelter at about 5 months old and he came with a voracious food addiction.
  2. Strokenmerc

    PUP 5W30 - 6 pack - $23.78 with S&S Amazon

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JMCCGDQ?SubscriptionId=AKIAJPZLBECZNBCPHMZQ&tag=brksk-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=386001&th=1
  3. Strokenmerc

    Tire balance bead experiment - do they work?

    I have successfully used air soft bb's in the past on a set of mud tires. Main reason was because dried mud would cause noticeable vibrations on the trip home. I now have a wash down hose available where I hunt so regular wheel weights work as long as I take the time to spray the wheels off...
  4. Strokenmerc

    1.4 lierecotec 2017 trax noise!

    Just a shot in the dark, but check out the issues with the AC compressors on the 1.4L motors used in the Trax and Cruze. My daughters Cruze has had the compressor noise for over 100k miles so it must not be detrimental.
  5. Strokenmerc

    Power Steering conditioner

    My Tacoma had a steering issue a while back. It pulsated anytime the was moderate load while turning (i.e. slow turns or turning while not moving). I did nothing more than a complete fluid exchange by pulling the return hose and adding new fluid while cycling the wheel. 100% improvement and that...
  6. Strokenmerc

    How important is a great engine?

    I would assume the vast majority of transmission issues could be chalked up to "lack of maintenance" and/or "lifetime fluid". How many transmissions that at least get a spill-n-fill every so often die an early death? Not looking for statistics, just throwing thoughts around.
  7. Strokenmerc

    New Prius Can Be Ordered With a Catalytic Converter Shield

    Seems to me the better "theft deterrent" design is the cat/exhaust manifold as a single unit. This puts the cat out of reach from the underside unless the hood is opened. This placement is vehicle/engine dependent and likely increases the cost of replacement but should make it more difficult to...
  8. Strokenmerc

    Chevy 5.3 slow pumping gas

    Not sure what the specific cause of your issue is, but I have had similar issues filling my trailblazer. Not sure if it is related to the routing of the fill tube or not, but if I angle the nozzle handle 90 degrees there is no issue. Edit - Filling my boat is a separate issue due to the...
  9. Strokenmerc

    beach tent/shelter

    We use a 10x10 pop up canopy with no issues. Have a beach cart to carry the tent, cooler, and chairs. A small shovel to bury the legs maybe 8" and a strap from the beach cart to the canopy frame to prevent "sailing away". The canopy we use has adjustable legs and we usually lean the roof into...
  10. Strokenmerc

    Do you use a reminder sticker when you do your own oil change?

    I use an excel spreadsheet to track all maintenance/repairs with a tab for each vehicle/mower/tractor/ATV. All of them get a label from a label maker with the date/mileage or hours/oil used. The vehicles get a label high in the corner of the windshield and the OPE gets a label near the key...
  11. Strokenmerc

    How much power can I make from a 5.3l LS with these limitations?

    A stock 5.3 with a decent intake and exhaust with a proper tune is all you need to meet your retirements. Any other power gains will have negative effects on your requirements. The key to waking up a stock LS is proper tuning IMO.
  12. Strokenmerc

    how much oil do you keep on hand?

    Well, call me abnormal. After the oil clearance of 2019/20, I have way too much to say it's for personal use but I do help friends and family. IIRC, the cost per quart when purchased was about $0.80 and $3 per Fram FPS filter so an average oil change is about $8.
  13. Strokenmerc

    Help! Problem with TV and Soundbar.

    After you turn on the external sound, you might need to disable the TV sound if there is a noticeable delay. My previous TV sounded almost like an echo when using a sound bar.
  14. Strokenmerc

    WM Exclusive: Goodyear Reliant All-Season

    Disclaimer - I am not a fan of Goodyear tires in general (except trailer tires) due to issues I experienced in the past with poor tread life and overall performance. I had been looking for tires for the wife's Sportage for a couple weeks and was down to Michelins or Generals. I basically...
  15. Strokenmerc

    2008 Envoy -- the good/bad/ugly...

    Maybe I'm the odd man out, but I would buy another low mile TB if the price was right. I actually found a low mile V8 swb nearby but the asking price was well above what I am willing to spend. With 230k miles, my '03 has been extremely reliable needing nothing more than what I consider basic...
  16. Strokenmerc

    Hi. My name is Brian and I am a motor oil hoarding addict.

    Thank you Gene K for the reality check. I'm not regretting the ~600 quarts and 60+ filters I have stashed with roughly the same list of vehicles.(y)
  17. Strokenmerc

    Castrol Edge Pick-Up Oil!?

    Can't wait for the inevitable clearance that hopefully aligns with a rebate😁
  18. Strokenmerc

    Hi. My name is Brian and I am a motor oil hoarding addict.

    I would have admitted to hoarding a year ago, but with the current pricing/supply issues, I have just enough to last to the next clearance😁
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