Why I Love the Internet. Reasons 1,234,577, *578 and *579

[Sean Malone]

How many times has information you found on the internet saved the day? Happens all the time for me. 5 or 6 years ago it helped me figure out how to cut the new crown molding after I promised my wife it was a piece of cake.

Last summer my motorcycle decided it wouldn’t go over 80mph and displayed an ‘FI’ on the gauge cluster. A few clicks of the old mouse and I was using a paper clip to jump a diagnosis connector under the seat which triggers the actual code to display. Hit up the innerwebs to find out I needed a new secondary valve actuator.

A few months ago my truck was stalling at stop lights but no engine light displayed. Again, in about less than a minute I found I could pull ‘hidden’ codes by putting the truck in neutral, engaging the parking brake and turning the key on and off (without starting it) 3 times. The code displayed under the odometer and a quick lookup on the web showed a bad oxygen sensor.

The other day my daughter informed me her engine light came on her Honda. Straight to my laptop I leapt to find that I could pull the code from a connector under the glove box using the ol’ paper clip trick. Code lookup said misfire on cylinder 4. Replaced the wires and plugs. Problem solved.

There have been so many things like this such as many tutorials I used to work on our old Miata. I did all of the struts and the front hubs and replaced the convertible top (not for the mechanical timid) from guides I found on the internet.

Found numerous recipes for Gai Ka Prow (Thai Basil Chicken) and have been experimenting with that. Can’t find any decent restaurants in FL, so I’m making it myself!!

Of course, everything I know I learned from wiki.


So what has the internet done for you lately?

[devilmaster]

The entire new menu. ;)

And manuals for every piece of kit that we acquired in the purchase.

[Methanolandbrats]

I fixed my water softener with a $45 part and fixed a gas stove burner with a tiny piece of wire. It would not light and it turns out a flame port was clogged, total cost was $0 and about two minutes time. That was just in the last two weeks. Saved big $$$$ with those two examples. Life would no longer be possible without the innerweb. :)

[Sean Malone]

I fixed my water softener with a $45 part and fixed a gas stove burner with a tiny piece of wire. It would not light and it turns out a flame port was clogged, total cost was $0 and about two minutes time. That was just in the last two weeks. Saved big $$$$ with those two examples. Life would no longer be possible without the innerweb. :)

Had a zero cost fix like that last week. the speedo in my wifes minivan spun all the way around to the wrong side of the stop peg and stayed there. Immediately I thought "crap, this is gonna cost". In a matter of about a minute on the internet I found a message board were they had placed a sticky on this issue. the fix? Hold the tripometer reset button in for 30 seconds. The gauges go into self diagnosis and reset. Worked just like they said it would. Oh, the root cause? Weak battery. You would think they would display the little battery dummy light. Guess its a way for the dealers to make some extra money.

[ChampcarShark]

Computer advice, helped me save a couple of motherboards by just replacing a worn out power supply instead of the whole machine.

Not to mention the wonderful advice you get in this forum to get your PC running top notch.

Let me add the countless times I have found codes for my universal remotes to work with my different tvs, and dvds. (after the original code list was misplaced of course).

[Methanolandbrats]

Let's not forget all the interesting people you can "meet" on the internet :gomer:

[dando]

Had a zero cost fix like that last week. the speedo in my wifes minivan spun all the way around to the wrong side of the stop peg and stayed there. Immediately I thought "crap, this is gonna cost". In a matter of about a minute on the internet I found a message board were they had placed a sticky on this issue. the fix? Hold the tripometer reset button in for 30 seconds. The gauges go into self diagnosis and reset. Worked just like they said it would. Oh, the root cause? Weak battery. You would think they would display the little battery dummy light. Guess its a way for the dealers to make some extra money.

Same deal with my Bimmer and the check engine light. Loose gas cap trips the light. :irked:

-Kevin

[Methanolandbrats]

Same deal with my Bimmer and the check engine light. Loose gas cap trips the light. :irked:

-Kevin
Thats OBD 2 emissions monitoring. CEL on solid says check me, flashing CEL means stop driving and fix me.

[Methanolandbrats]

Had a zero cost fix like that last week. the speedo in my wifes minivan spun all the way around to the wrong side of the stop peg and stayed there. Immediately I thought "crap, this is gonna cost". In a matter of about a minute on the internet I found a message board were they had placed a sticky on this issue. the fix? Hold the tripometer reset button in for 30 seconds. The gauges go into self diagnosis and reset. Worked just like they said it would. Oh, the root cause? Weak battery. You would think they would display the little battery dummy light. Guess its a way for the dealers to make some extra money. Same with VWs. There is a voltage regulator in the instrument cluster and low voltage when you start the car can spike it somehow. The first VW symptom is the trip meter reseting itself on a start. That means buy a battery now or a cluster later. :)

[Andrew Longman]

My dishwasher wasn't washing the upper rack. It took a little looking around and I never did find actual relevant repair advice but I found a site that will sell replacement parts for almost any appliance.

Their exploded diagram to help make sure you order the exact correct part helped me understand how the washer worked and showed me what I needed to disassemble to test hypothesis.

Turned the food grinder was full of turkey bone and broken glass and the attached pump couldn't get water to the upper sprayer.

Cool thing too was if I needed a replacement part I could have ordered from them anything, including something as simple as a single 10c washer

As it was cleaning out the grinder did the trick.

[Sean Malone]

My dishwasher wasn't washing the upper rack. It took a little looking around and I never did find actual relevant repair advice but I found a site that will sell replacement parts for almost any appliance.

Their exploded diagram to help make sure you order the exact correct part helped me understand how the washer worked and showed me what I needed to disassemble to test hypothesis.

Turned the food grinder was full of turkey bone and broken glass and the attached pump couldn't get water to the upper sprayer.

Cool thing too was if I needed a replacement part I could have ordered from them anything, including something as simple as a single 10c washer

As it was cleaning out the grinder did the trick.

My pop just told me that he ordered a USB cable for his GPS from a 'free' cable site (forgot its name). The guy sends you the cable, he picks up shipping and if it suits your needs he has a voluntary $5 'donation' request.

[JLMannin]

My front-loading clothes washer was not fully draining and displaying "FU#" - can't remember the number now. I found a service manual and part number for a replacement pump - replaced the pump and solved the problem. Replaced it two more times until the original manufacturer stopped making parts and I got a part from another supplier - that pump is still working and has lasted longer than all the others combined.

I was too stupid to figure out how to get the light cover off in my oven to change the light bulb - internet revealed a tip of using my belt to grip the cover and wrench it off.

I located and ordered an optical sensor for my outdoor porch lights when the original sensor gave up the ghost and the lights never came on.

[WickerBill]

I was able to help a despondent Nigerian businessman recover a large sum of money by simply sending him a hundred thousand up front. He's going to reward me handsomely!

[Sean Malone]

I was able to help a despondent Nigerian businessman recover a large sum of money by simply sending him a hundred thousand up front. He's going to reward me handsomely!

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[swift]

Learned how to install a car radio this summer. DIY > paying $60 at the retail store.
http://www.installdr.com/InstallYourself.html