Finally!

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I'm OK with it. I actually like it, with that directness, tight drivetrain and the way the whole truck comes alive over 50 (vibrating and rattling like a mofo, I doubt there's a single bushing left) it's fun to drive!

But he's worried about his kid being able to handle it. I disagree but he's the dad.

Pete

The Dad needs to try steering and stopping a car/truck with PS and PB with the engine off and then try the same thing in that truck. He might learn a little something.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I feel exactly like this:

Because you have soft spot in your heart for needy vehicles.

Regards,

D-Ray

[piece-itpete]

I do But....

My 03 Grand Marquis was backed into lightly in a parking lot, the trailer hitch of a F150 put a really nice dimple right where the driver's door and fender meet.



No big deal, and by the time I called the guys' insurance he had already called them admitted fault and started a claim!

Fantastic. State Farm - the adjuster met me in a couple days at work and cut a check the next day. I shopped around and had the door/fender fixed, and the rust starting on the bottom of the doors fixed with a little left over. Amazing. I was about to pay to have that rust fixed!

I'm also in the middle of changing the interior with a set I got a while back from a closing upholstery shop, complete leather interior for pennies. Have the back seat out and done, it's not hard.

While the interior is out I'm steam cleaning the carpet and installing a new stereo setup, take the 6 x 8s out of the back (stupid factory setup) and replace with 6 x 9s, and either component speakers front or the 6x8 factory setup, fused 4 ga power wire from the battery to the trunk, 6 line rca and speaker wire from the head unit to the trunk, and a very nice 4 channel amp I picked up of ebay. I'm going to use the factory head unit for now because my SO still plays her cassettes :-)

It's also going into a shop for a weird miss I can't find, to get a cracked wire in the harness replaced (I found it, but I'm not that guy), to figure out why the A/C compressor won't kick on (I changed the accumulator, hoses, all orings & valve stems, both switches and orifice tube). It'll hold a charge and the compressor'll come on if I jump the relay, mystifying. Maybe a bad out-of-the-box switch? Also a tranny flush and a onceover from an old mechanic who drives full size Fords himself.

Then simply change the entire suspension including all four KYB gas-a-just cop valved shocks, civvie springs front and cargo coils rear, all new bushings, change the sways f&r to cop ones (much bigger) with new bushings and links, and the watts link and rear upper and lower control arms. This should transform the handling and last the life of the car, as long as I own it anyway. Oh and rear tranny seal and u-joints (spicer).

That's all :-D Reading that is scaring me. I might as well live in a cave and take grease baths.

I sold the Lincoln! :cry: And the 88 S-10. But bought this:



'Bulldog'!

1991 S-10 'EL' package from NC, gauges (oil, temp, volt), 2.5l 5 speed, A/C, manual steering, power brakes. 85K miles, cleaner underneath than my 03 Grand Marq. Kenwood cassette player. Nice bedliner.

Tight too. And, it's got 'dual exhaust' lol, splits off the muffler.

Hood/roof, dash and top of door panels are a bit faded and the dash is cracked. The left front bumper is a little bit higher than the right. Apart from that nice. The paint might buff out. The interior (dash and cleaning) I'll get to later. Engine compartment really clean, at least from this salted yanks' perspective.

A nice surprise, it came with a stack of receipts starting in 09, with a goodly chunk of work done, starter, water pump, EGR, module, cat, IAC, cap and wires, clutch master cylinder, blower motor, recent A/C service, fuel pump. One of the receipts is for the rims. Has all original paperwork including the original bank note :crazy

On one receipt is says 'customer states it won't go up hills very well'. I've already learned, serious hills need second in this truck :-D

Of course all things must balance. It's got a minor exhaust leak, and a weird 'chirping' sound that goes away with light pressure on the clutch pedal, turns out it's a known problem, the pivot ball stud. I'll probably have to pull the tranny to get rid of it, but for now, it's a chirpin', and a consolation is this truck is SIMPLE. Can't imagine pulling the tranny is very hard. Just another thing on the (very long) car list.

I've also got good speakers for the dash (it only has accommodation for a pair of 4 x 6s up front, no rear) and will install my good head unit from the Town Car along with a small amp.

I do want to mention, Bosch has a $2 rebate on their Platinum IR Fusion plugs, and I found them for $4 delivered on this truck, when I replaced the decent looking plugs on this truck with them it ran noticeably better, smoother with more perceived power.

Phew, I'm chatty today

Pete

[Charles]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I do But....

My 03 Grand Marquis was backed into lightly in a parking lot, the trailer hitch of a F150 put a really nice dimple right where the driver's door and fender meet.



No big deal, and by the time I called the guys' insurance he had already called them admitted fault and started a claim!

Fantastic. State Farm - the adjuster met me in a couple days at work and cut a check the next day. I shopped around and had the door/fender fixed, and the rust starting on the bottom of the doors fixed with a little left over. Amazing. I was about to pay to have that rust fixed!

I'm also in the middle of changing the interior with a set I got a while back from a closing upholstery shop, complete leather interior for pennies. Have the back seat out and done, it's not hard.

While the interior is out I'm steam cleaning the carpet and installing a new stereo setup, take the 6 x 8s out of the back (stupid factory setup) and replace with 6 x 9s, and either component speakers front or the 6x8 factory setup, fused 4 ga power wire from the battery to the trunk, 6 line rca and speaker wire from the head unit to the trunk, and a very nice 4 channel amp I picked up of ebay. I'm going to use the factory head unit for now because my SO still plays her cassettes :-)

It's also going into a shop for a weird miss I can't find, to get a cracked wire in the harness replaced (I found it, but I'm not that guy), to figure out why the A/C compressor won't kick on (I changed the accumulator, hoses, all orings & valve stems, both switches and orifice tube). It'll hold a charge and the compressor'll come on if I jump the relay, mystifying. Maybe a bad out-of-the-box switch? Also a tranny flush and a onceover from an old mechanic who drives full size Fords himself.

Then simply change the entire suspension including all four KYB gas-a-just cop valved shocks, civvie springs front and cargo coils rear, all new bushings, change the sways f&r to cop ones (much bigger) with new bushings and links, and the watts link and rear upper and lower control arms. This should transform the handling and last the life of the car, as long as I own it anyway. Oh and rear tranny seal and u-joints (spicer).

That's all :-D Reading that is scaring me. I might as well live in a cave and take grease baths.

I sold the Lincoln! :cry: And the 88 S-10. But bought this:



'Bulldog'!

1991 S-10 'EL' package from NC, gauges (oil, temp, volt), 2.5l 5 speed, A/C, manual steering, power brakes. 85K miles, cleaner underneath than my 03 Grand Marq. Kenwood cassette player. Nice bedliner.

Tight too. And, it's got 'dual exhaust' lol, splits off the muffler.

Hood/roof, dash and top of door panels are a bit faded and the dash is cracked. The left front bumper is a little bit higher than the right. Apart from that nice. The paint might buff out. The interior (dash and cleaning) I'll get to later. Engine compartment really clean, at least from this salted yanks' perspective.

A nice surprise, it came with a stack of receipts starting in 09, with a goodly chunk of work done, starter, water pump, EGR, module, cat, IAC, cap and wires, clutch master cylinder, blower motor, recent A/C service, fuel pump. One of the receipts is for the rims. Has all original paperwork including the original bank note :crazy

On one receipt is says 'customer states it won't go up hills very well'. I've already learned, serious hills need second in this truck :-D

Of course all things must balance. It's got a minor exhaust leak, and a weird 'chirping' sound that goes away with light pressure on the clutch pedal, turns out it's a known problem, the pivot ball stud. I'll probably have to pull the tranny to get rid of it, but for now, it's a chirpin', and a consolation is this truck is SIMPLE. Can't imagine pulling the tranny is very hard. Just another thing on the (very long) car list.

I've also got good speakers for the dash (it only has accommodation for a pair of 4 x 6s up front, no rear) and will install my good head unit from the Town Car along with a small amp.

I do want to mention, Bosch has a $2 rebate on their Platinum IR Fusion plugs, and I found them for $4 delivered on this truck, when I replaced the decent looking plugs on this truck with them it ran noticeably better, smoother with more perceived power.

Phew, I'm chatty today

Pete

Pressure cycling switch on your air squezzer. Not to familiar with Fords, but on a GM it screws into the side of the accumulator, has a couple of wires going to it. It's mounted to a Schrader valve, so you can pull it without losing your charge.

Or maybe it is the relay, or the feed which activates it.

Chas

[piece-itpete]

I don't know how I missed this. Thanks Chas. I swapped relays but heck on it, it's going into the shop tomorrow.

Changed the exhaust manifold gasket and the donut on the downpipe on the S-10. Soooo easy, no rust and room in the compartment! Ran hot too so I swapped the t-stat out to a 180 degree.

Failed echeck, super high NO. Turns out GM has a patent on the EGR, so the aftermarkets don't function very well (they had to change the design a little), THEN, GM in their infinite wisdom decided to source theirs from the same place as the aftermarkets - nobody makes the 'good' part anymore.

New tires. The tire guy is my good friends' kid I know well. He had his younger brother take a look at the exhaust, turns out it had a bad weld, he climbs under it with a grinder and I kick him in the rear (I'm 'Uncle Pete') and chew him out for no jack stand.

He places the stands goes to the jack, starts pumping and immediately the truck fell off the jack!

Fortunately it only bent a tierod end and it turns out all the tierods are bad anyway.

Paint buffed up decently, and I added a 'trunk', a butterfly box:



Pete

[hillbilly]

We like S10's, Pete. Got 3 of 'em in the driveway. 2 94's, and a 99. All 2.2 5 speeds. Had a few more but they were only trading stock and only bought them to turn a quick dollar. My own personal 94 I have been driving 13 years now, after my wife thought it was time to lay it to rest. She learned in the last 13 years seeing me drive it that it was FAR from worn out.

[piece-itpete]

cool, I've heard they were tough.

Pete

[hillbilly]

Pete, my wife sold her 2000 Cougar about two weeks ago for 1500.00

It was bought new locally and never seen salt. Very nice condition but she parked it a year ago because she doesn't buy parts to fix anything. She only drives a car until it needs something then just parks it and buys another vehicle. You know what it needed? Nothing but a cheap fuel filter. She drove the thing 192,000 miles without ever doing a damn thing to it tune-up wise. It still ran good, just lost a bit of pep on the hwy over time and wouldn't gain speed no faster at full throttle than it would at part throttle do to the filter plugging up. She had it in her head that it needed a new cat, but didn't listen to me telling her the fuel pump was running in a strain ( the high pitch buzz in the tank had went to a slow low pitch hum ). Before selling it, I went and bought a filter for it myself while she wasn't home, and installed it before the buyer came to look at it. Soon as I started it up I could her the fuel pump spinning faster as it was supposed to. Car ran great. Zippy as hell just like it did before the filter plugged. Guy drove it and gladly dished out 1500.00. I told him he may want to replace the plugs and wires though as they are still original with 192k. Smooth as it ran, the guy said he'd just drive it until it sets a misfire code. He turned on the cold A/C and drove away with a smile. My wife wanted to know what I did to it and I told her: '' I spent about 15.00 for a fuel filter, just like I told you it needed a year ago when you parked it thinking it needed something more ''. One day she'll listen. Or maybe not. Hell I don't argue with her once her mind is set... but I've enjoyed the 94 S10 for 13 years now after she declared it junk.

[piece-itpete]

My experience, 'Or maybe not' is the correct answer

I'm green with envy over you no salt guys.

Pete

[hillbilly]

Pete, I'll work on just about anything for people. But I shot a set price to a guy once that turned out to be a pain in the ass. I didn't know he had moved down here from up north, and nary a bolt was willing to co-operate with me! I honestly feel sorry for mechanic's in the rust belt. I had to chisel the bolts out of the crossmember.