Questions on autoshop rules?

Automotive
#1

I’m new here and have a few questions about the automotive shop. I’m a bit of a hermit due to my autism. This in turn makes me a huge stickler for reading and following rules so as to avoid as much face to face communicating and/or instructing as possible. Even though I have an extensive amount of experience with the trial-and-error method of learning… I prefer a moderately time consuming Q&A over the possiblity of property damage or personal injury (physical or emotional lol).

  1. Do we need permission bring our vehicles in the shop to work on off of the lift? i.e. in the space next to the lift.

  2. What is the proper procedure to bring a vehicle into the shop using the dock door? Will RFID access need to be activated prior? What buttons to push?

  3. I am usually at the space during graveyard hours of 10pm-8am. If there is nobody else in the building, are we allowed to work under vehicles, whether by jack or lift, alone?

  4. Given my night-owl-hours, who would be the best to contact to approve me for using the lift?

Thanks!

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#2

  1. No permission necessary. And, there’s a link to look at the cameras to see if someone is already using that space. Night-owls are not that uncommon at DMS.

  2. You’ll need your RFID activated to get into the building. There is (was?) an RFID reader at the bottom of the ramp, but functionality was spotty. I’m not sure of its current state. The bay door itself has Up, Down, and Stop buttons, just on the left of the door. As a note, the lock-out won’t let you reach inside from the ramp to lower the door. I’ve tried, and it won’t shut with an arm in the way.

For 3 and 4, we should page @Team_Automotive. You’d think you’d get them by posting in Automotive, but the page sends more of a notification. For instance, if I’m busy, I make just check to see if anything I’ve commented on or started has anything, and not look at categories that I should be following. If there are no blue or green circles on my pic, I may just move on.

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#3

You don’t need permission for anything other than using the lift until you take the class.

However there are rules that need to be followed. I suggest reading the automotive committee wiki page ( https://wiki.dallasmakerspace.org - I’ll add a more specific link when int near a computer)

The biggies are:

  • stop and honk with your windows down before pulling into the bays from the ramp.
  • any fluids leave with you
  • clean your messes (we provide kitty litter for spill cleanup)
  • wipe down the tools before putting them back
  • pull completely into the bays and no idling engines inside.
  • any work under a vehicle not using the lift must be using jack stands and chocks.
  • report tool breakages here on talk. Things happen, we just need to know about it
  • if you’re not sure, ask.

Also for lift training I am often a night owl myself and may be able to do a late night class. There’s a few other people needing it as well so we may try to find what works for most people. I ended up booked for the next few days, but I’d say I can get you early next week at the latest myself but there are a handful of lift instructors who may be able to sooner.

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#4

First, welcome to Makerspace! For many of us Automotive is one of the biggest money saving benefits of membership. Just being able to work indoors is great. Lots of us work late there. I think you’ll find the Gear Heads that use the area are friendly and a good source of help in trouble shooting or helping you find the right tool for the task (or showing you how use the various testing equipment and tricks to getting something done). Working late is quite common. If you need to leave to get parts or food, good idea to just leave a note on the vehicle “Gone for parts” of “food” with the time.

One rule Jim didn’t mention: Thou shalt not leave your vehicle overnight. When you go home it goes home. If you need to leave to get parts or food, good idea to just leave a note on the vehicle “Gone for parts” of “food” with the time.

We are lucky that there are parts stores open nearby, some late, pre-plague, open later.

  • Ace Westlake Just South of Valley View on Josey Lane, East side of road. Great selection of fasteners. Generally closes at 8PM, earlier Sunday.
  • Auto parts stores nearby:
    • Advanced Auto at Valwood and Josey Lane (SE corner behind CVS) opens 7:30 closes at 9PM earlier Sunday.
    • O’ Reilly’s, just north of Valwood on Josey Lane, West side of road.opens 7:30 closes at 9PM earlier Sunday.

There are some others around, just not as close.

Again, Welcome to DMS.
@Team_Automotive We’re out of kitty litter. Saw dust was used to do oil clean up the other night.

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#5

You can close the door from the ramp by reaching in and hitting the button. The photo-eye is down low and you need to keep your body/legs fully outside the doorway to avoid tripping it. It takes a small amount of contortion but it’s very doable.

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#6

Attempting a transmission fluid change which actually calls for my engine to be running and up to temp to gauge correct fluid level. Is it possible to have my car idling with the garage door open so there’s plenty of ventilation?

#7

That sounds kinda odd. I’d be concerned that you’d burn up your transmission doing that. I dont claim to know every transmission, but it doesn’t sound right.

#8

Isn’t that the final step? Drain fluid, replace fluid, run engine to check actual fluid level?

#9

Mine is same. You don’t run it empty. The transmission fills from the bottom through a snorkel type tube (just like what’s in a toilet tank). Then you leave the drain plug out and bring transmission to temp and excess fluid overflows and drains through the tube. Then you put plug back in.

To completely drain, you remove the snorkel tube with a big Allen wrench.

OP, last time I did this I securely duct taped (with metallic tape) a dryer vent tube to my exhaust and routed it under the cracked roll-up door, extending the tube 8-10 feet outside the door. Buying the ducting sucks but there isn’t any other way to avoid being inconsiderate. I’m not sure if what I did was strictly “legal” but there were no fumes and nobody complained.

image

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#10

After the old fluid is drained, required to fill it halfway, start engine, cycle through all gears, allow fluid to reach proper temp, and then it requires another 3-5 quarts. Level reading is only accurate once fluid is up to temp. It could take up to 25 mins of the engine idling.

If leaving the garage door open is not satisfactory maybe I will just need to roll the car outside and put it on some jack stands in the parking lot to complete the final fluid fill and level check. Please advise.

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#11

Working on cars in the parking lot is verboten. You could probably get away with doing it if it can be done sans jack stands (just topping off fluid). Don’t even try if it’s going to get fluid on the parking lot.

#12

@TBJK This is standard fill procedure on many German cars, including most BMWs of the past two decades or so. (Probably more re: German transmissions than German cars; if I recall there were some early-naughts Fords that had ZF-built trannies, so they’ve likely got the same procedure.)

EDIT - video from ZF on how to do a transmission oil change on their mid/late-00’s 6-speed auto, demonstrating the above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRrgmfM8VlQ
(practically the entire first half is safety CYA and “use our products only” stuff, of course)

#13

Strike “overnight” from that, for that matter. Doesn’t have anything to do with time of day – there are folks that have left their vehicle alone in the bay for multiple hours in the middle of the day, which is just as massively frustrating for those waiting. The core of it is, if it’s going to take longer than a quick parts run or fast food run, the car needs to go.

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