Finally!

[piece-itpete]

Got the tool box. I'm in love. Don't tell the SO Spent all day yesterday carres - um I mean sorting tools out of my old boxes, cleaning, just enjoying tools and my new box.

Managed to change 1 O2 sensor and got the second out, but it left the threads off the old sensor, so I need to take it in and have the bung threads chased out. In the meantime my gramp-mobile sounds like it has headers. BrrrrrrrrOOOOM-Veh. BrrrrrrrOOOOM-Veh. Wife hates it.

Used the monster slidehammer, changed the diff fluid rear bearings brake pads and rotors. Didn't hammer the axle right out of the car

Now I have ceramic pads on all corners and boy do they work! It stops fast, way better than semi metallics. I highly rec them.

And ahhh new top quality pads and rotors on all four, what a nice feeling. Got a another pair of the Michelin Primacy MXV4s too so now 4 good tires. Being cheap it's hard to believe I have easily over $700 in tires alone. Not that long ago I'd have about $250-300. Strange days.

New ujoints on the S-10. Spicer 'Life' nongreaseables, just the best feeling prettiest little bits you ever saw. Scream quality.

On the quick list I still have to finish the stereo in the S-10, do the ujoints on the big Mercury and, it's got a small tranny leak I've got to track down. It BETTER be a line, you hear me car?

Pete

[piece-itpete]

The SO wanting a brand new car has me scheming again. She likes the Soul (bleecch!) but it's cheap to lease. I could sell my truck AND the big Mercury and buy something really interesting. Like this:

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/4501253815.html

Minor frame damage though. Hmm.

Though I think my SO is crazy. Imagine, wanting a car that starts every time. Crazy. She should be driving something like this:

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/4520966015.html

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Still loving my new toolbox.

Swapped driveshafts on the S-10 and - same exact vibration, starts around 57-58 mph and gets worse. I've got some investigating to do but have this sinking feeling that tranny'll be coming back out.

On the plus side the tranny leak on the big Mercury was a line.

Went to get it echecked after replacing the 02 sensors and it wasn't ready. Apparently this 03 Grand Marquis has 8!! modules that need to reset through use before it's 'echeckable'.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Oil?? We don't need no steekin' oil!



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-S-...E:B:SS:US:1123

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Pays to have high friends in low places, getting an 8' pallet rack to use as a shelf in the 'shed' (my storage space) - woo hoo! What a difference it'll make in a 10 x 10 room, all the long term stuff'll go 'upstairs'. And a nice regular stainless shelf is coming for the fluids paints etc. It's going to be a much more user friendly work area.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Just want to mention I love the pallet rack. Even if I bought it off craigslist (around $200) it would be a bargain, it's big (this one is 30"x 8'x 8'), it's simple, it's very very strong, much more so than a wood one and given the cost of lumber nowadays it might even be cheaper than building your own too.

However, assembling is (should be) a two person job. Oof!

Pete

[d-ray657]

My son tells me the transmission is out on the Mercedes. They have been doing without reverse for a few months, and now they are doing without forward as well. The cost to rebuild the tranny exceeds the value of the car, so the boys are going to have to go shopping. The younger one is doing a 70 mile round trip commute three days a week (and telecommuting two days) so he is looking for an old escort or something with decent mileage. The other one walks two blocks to work.

Regards,

D-Ray

[piece-itpete]

Dang that's too bad. They might be able to find a used tranny at car-part.com

I hate to mention foreign cars but an old Geo Prism is actually a Corolla and might be a good choice for a very tight budget.

Believe it or not the old Ford Tempos with the 4 cyl are supposed to be bulletproof too.

Pete

[donquixote99]

Had one of those Tempos once. Drive train was great but the floor was rusting out out....

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Dang that's too bad. They might be able to find a used tranny at car-part.com

I hate to mention foreign cars but an old Geo Prism is actually a Corolla and might be a good choice for a very tight budget.

Believe it or not the old Ford Tempos with the 4 cyl are supposed to be bulletproof too.

Pete

I had one of those. Threw a rod, I figured "What the heck!" and drove it seven more miles to get home. Had the engines swapped for less than $600.00 and drove it another 6/7 years.