New belt tensioner and radiator hose on my (mostly) daily driver 2010 Rav4 this morning. Now I'm all ready to go to Sunrise in 2.5 weeks.
Swore it was the alternator, as this thing has almost 164k miles and it's the original. Took me a bit to diagnose as the belt tensioner.
Got up extra early and fixed that this morning. Can't even hear the thing running from more than a few feet away anymore.
This is my first front wheel drive vehicle I've ever owned and first 4 cylinder as well and working on the rear wheel drives (where the engine doesn't sit sideways) is extremely easy. I learned at a young age that mechanics cost too much money. Worst case scenario I've had friends help me when I've needed help with things. I can't afford to pay mechanics. This was a pain in the ass and I had massive anxiety completing this job, due to the goofy sideways engine set up.
I also have taken it upon myself to figure out plumbing and the like, since I've been a homeowner. I can't afford $1000-$2000 dollar service bills. I'd be leasing or making payments on something brand new and trading it in every 3-4 years if I didn't know how to fix things myself.
I'm not quite an HVAC specialist, so I had to have a friend help me with that. He's not an HVAC specialist either, but he's a master of all trades.
I'm much less stressed now and don't have to worry about taking the f-250 down to Sunrise and spending hundreds on gas.
I'm all ready for another f***in win in Sunrise in 2.5 weeks, as well as Tampa the next night.