Author: Kyle

Categories
Cars

Engine Misfire fix!

Hello all!

I had the pleasure of helping my buddy Hunter fix his 1999 Lexus ES300.

He noticed that his car was running rough.  He checked the engine fault code and it read P0302 – “Engine misfire detected on cylinder 2”.  Before we go any further we needed to figure out what could cause this issue.

Things that could cause the problem:

-Spark plug is out of gap or should be replaced

-Ignition coil is faulty/worn out

-Bad compression (This would be worst case)

Now that we have some things to check we decided to start on the project.  We began by locating which cylinder was cylinder two:

es300 cylinder count

This cylinder happens to be located at the front left cylinder of the engine block.

Tools:

  • Socket Set

Materials:

  • Spark plug
  • Coil pack
  • Anti seize grease

We did not have a compression tester on hand so we decided to try a new spark plug first.

We used a socket wrench with 5/8″ socket with an extender.  To remove the spark plug we simply plugged the coil pack back on to the spark plug to pull it out.

After replacing the spark plug we started the engine up and still had a misfire.

The next step was to replace the coil pack which ended up being the solution!

Check out the video of the process!

Cheers!

Categories
Build stuff

How to build a Hammock Stand

Today we will discuss how to make a hammock stand a long with a Youtube video that shows the process.  We ended up spending about $100 on lumber, hardware, and paint.

We followed the instructions on this website, but decided that we could explain it better.

The hammock that we happened to use is this.

Tools:

  • Drill
  • 1/2″ Drill Bit
  • Compound Miter Saw
  • Hammer
  • Measuring Tape
  • Protractor (Could be printed from google images)
  • Safety Glasses
  • Two humans

Materials:

(Notes: Make sure the lumber is green treated and the bolts and nuts are galvanized, this will help with longevity of your stand)

  • Nine 8′ 2×4’s (1 will be for scrap pieces) green treated
  • Four 1/2″ diameter, 12″ long bolts
  • Six 1/2″ diameter, 8″ long bolts
  • Ten 1/2″ nuts
  • Ten 1/2″ washers
  • Deck screws (2.25″ long)
  • Paint (optional)

The drill that we used:

 

Step by Step Process:

  1. Cut 1/2″ hole on each end of two 8′ boards 6″ in from each end
  2. Cut 1/2″ hole on each end of four 8′ boards 4″ in from each end
  3. With the scrap piece of wood, cut four pieces of 4″ blocks
  4. Cut two of the 8′ boards in half
  5. Print a protractor from google and use 120 degrees to reference the angle you need to align the 4′ support boards
  6. Follow the steps in the video to learn about placement of bolts.
Categories
Cars

Oil Change

Everyone should learn how to change oil on their car.  It is simple maintenance to keep you on the road.  Many oil change companies push the “every 3000 miles” rule like it is a 10 commandment from the bible.  Here at Hardway Learning we know that the owner’s manual tells no lies.  This is why they have engineers designing the cars inside and out.  They would not tell you the improper oil change intervals because that would only mean that their reliability can no longer be trusted.  If anything their intervals would be on the safe side to what is actually necessary.  Most cars these days only need to be changed every 7500 miles.  I personally like to change mine every 5000 miles because this is easiest for me to remember.  (120k, 125k, 135k, etc.)

This video will teach you how to change the oil on your car.

Tools:

-Ratchet set

-Strong hands

-Towels to clean up oil

-Cat litter

-Ramps or jacks and jack stands for your car

-Appropriate amount of oil you need for your car (This can be found in your owners manual)

-Oil filter (Use the manual at the store to locate your model and year to locate the appropriate filter)

Categories
Cooking

Salted Caramel Banana Bread Recipe

Here is a video that we created to demonstrate how to make some tasty banana bread!

The recipe was sourced from here!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. butter, melted, plus more for buttering pan
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/4 c. buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 4 super ripe bananas, 3 mashed and 1 sliced
  • 1/2 c. caramel, plus more for drizzling