Ron , your wife can turn the key knowing she going to get there and back home again! She is a lucky woman to have a GREAT mechanic that finished the job only when the job is done RIGHT! You just don't get that kind of service out there any where else but home these days...
Good Luck Wayne!!
Anyone that knows me- knows I can't really enjoy a pair of seats someone been looking for - for 10 years! So they are coming out this weekend. Close to finishing a shoehorn job of swapping in that Caddy Deville power seat base in , under the stock seats I previously used!! Hope to get it finished tomorrow.....and maybe a picture or 2.
I also discovered coolant seeping out the rear corner of the block near the EGR valve on the 2nd gen a couple of days ago. Saw a tiny puff of steam around the hood when I got to work and saw it when I lifted the hood. I've read this is super common on these engines in this location too. Several hours later I went back to check and everything had dried off , and I'd never know it had I not seen that tiny puff of steam. Been loosing a little coolant ever since I got this car and now I finally solved the mystery. Time to change a head gasket! Planning on replacing the coil packs while I am in there since you just can't get to these things with everything bolted on - it is a major PIA just to connect the coil wires on the packs down in there! This is one of those moments I am sure glad I don't have a V-6 under that hood!!
As you can see it is very deceptive - can't see anything except when the engine is running or just when you cut it off.....
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GOT it!! 8 way power Caddy seat installed and working
As you can see the front bracket at the console was right at the edge - but I loosened the bolts holding the seat and everything massaged into place. the front bracket on the door side fit right in the stock stud!
On the rear it was the exact opposite - the bracket at the console was a perfect fit and I had to fab up a bracket adapter. Curiously - all I used was the lock bars that come on the containers shipped here overseas. They toss them in the trash at work. They are thick metal and have 5 or 6 holes drilled in them on one end. Worked perfectly for my needs.
And a short video of seat adjustment - Cadillac Style.......Hahaa
https://picasaweb.google.com/106523843413447284565/August302014#6061712807089595218
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Just my finale of fixing my wife's 04 accord and I totally had to go youtube so nobody else has to go thru the researching like I did to make well easy!!! Orlen you upgraded seat deal is cool but I think sunny would not liketh the new school touches.Tired I am and keeping short.
I tell you this summer has worn me out with fixing and doing SO many projects.The truly short list doing home projects and a few left,but my gah working some other rides and doing work on my nephews cars,and fixing my WIFE'S car and just the routine of weekly things has worn me thin.On the upside I have accomplished most of my list aside from painting the outdoor buildings and pressure washing my mil's house and a few nit pick things.I am taking two vac days this week to give me the whole week off!!! I have wed-fri off normally and never seem to get everything done.I have yet to touch sunny since the fuel tank resto and the things planned are not too bad to do really.This week is open and I am doing what ever the heck I want work around here and so forth yeah but unplanned and looking forward to my late year VACATION to do what ever and not worry with fix this,do that,just what I want to conquer.Burned out NOPE just needed more time to get the smalls in order I want and some cupcake work I have planned.Btw to those I have parts for I am totally getting those items in order to ship asap to get this off my want to do list.Tired tonight but not wiped out.R
Enjoy your well deserved time off Ron!!
I won't be a bit surprised if you find something to get yourself into though - you just a busy body like a lot of us on here too....Hahaa
Hope you get to hop in Sunny and go for a nice long drive while you are off too!! We need a video of you rolling by in your Coupe!!
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Monday I have a few smalls I am going out for and will turn the key to crank sunny and let it idle up on the jack stands I keep it on.I keep the UP to keep the car clear underneath in the shop and weight off the tires as there dry rotting faster than the engine runs.I had such a long day and just winding down with a few cold one's and then sleep in until I feel like getting up.I plan on fixing my air compressors air valve regulator assembly as it is well toast.No real plans yet as I am gonna do what ever pops on the fun list.Thanks orlen and I know we all have a busy points and this summer now past has def been a major project year on so many levels here.
Ok first vacation off what did I do you wonder? I first defrosted our small stand alone freezer and threw out any out of date food or freezer burned.2nd cleaned out my dual door fridge freezer same deal but checking dates on food,and cleaned,then the fridge side just cleaned and washed the racks and organized.I then hit napa for a relay for the wife's car and then a late dinner and went to buy a cast iron 12inch fry pan as I love cooking on the grill with cast iron! I got a deal too it was 10 bucks off so for 27.00 I have one more pan.I then hit home depot for a new air compressor pressure regulator for my 5 hp 30gallon compressor and yeah I replaced that.I then did some light house work cleaning even though I cleaned Friday I did some touch up's and prepared some tilapia fish for dinner for tues night on the grill in my new cast iron pan.Tue's plans are wash and clean the Tacoma up and fertilze my front yard for the fall to keep that grass minty green.I did sleep very late today like 1pm but heck I went to bed at 3:30 am sunday nite.Trying to catch up my short fall on sleep sat nite as I did not sleep too good and soo tired sunday.I may even crank up sunny tue to let idle and yeah the garage doors up and some other misc stuff.For once I am actually very wide awake on a Monday nite!! I tell you trucking just wears me out after a driving like 540 miles and a 12-13 day just wears you out.It rained here today but no worry as it stopped early but I could care less as I knew the weather and made it a indoor day if need be.
Ok now the details.I took the wheels off and wheel covers and then pressure washed the wheel wells and engine bay and washed the rims.I then painted the rims kyrlon satin black both sides to make new and painted the wheel wells to freshen up the look for a new minty shine.I took the seats out just the fronts and steam cleaned the carpet,seats and got all the gook out and the seats and carpet were stained hard.The bottle pic shows the water that came out of my shop vac after the fact(nasty).I cleaned the door jambs all the vinyl and plastic and removed tons of make up off the anything you touch on the door,steering whl,knobs and so forth(they were almost pink).I then applied blue magic leather conditioner to all the interior pieces to luster them up.I washed the car,waxed,polished the headlights and checked the fluids,battery water level,greased the batt terminals with white lithium grease and checked the tires 32psi and most important spare tire!!! It was like 20psi oh my,suppose to be 60psi.Waxed the back glass and front,polished the side windows for hard water spots and rain x them.Tire shined the wheels and have new wheel covers coming this week and will be installing new front brakes.In short car was majorely out of alignment brakes pulsate and alignment has been done late today after I released the car for use again.Oh forgot replaced the wiper blades with the rain x expert fit blades.This was done per my mil for her daughters birthday and get it checked as the car is going on trip later this month and MY wife and MIL both said they did not want to ride in a PIG PEN as this car WAS now.I did get a 40.00 tip for my 8 freaking hours of labor of clean freak in me.Car is as close to brand new as I can make it,but still not as nice as my wifes car but her's imo has better features and interior and well maintained by me for 10 straight years to the letter OCD style.IF you have not fallen asleep reading this thanks.I did state it was going to be longgggg winded.RRRRRRon
Ron your family is blessed to have such a competent detail and repair man as yourself & I think you enjoy the labor you put into your family rides so it is really a win / win for everyone
Well, I guess this would be adequately described as 1st Gen low back in 2nd Gen phase 2 - take 2. Since I took the 1st pair out to hold for John, I went back and acquired the 2nd set out of the Z24 that is still hanging around waiting for me to pick it apart. The side adjusters were shot on both of them so I swapped in ones I had form a set of Sedan seats and brought them back into service. So far I've grabbed up both sets of wheels, seats, and radios off of those 2 - 1st gens at Pick-N-Save - plus the LCA's, strut assemblies front brakes assemblies and exhaust off the Hatchback. Oh and also the hood off the Z. I guess if they keep the darn things long enough I'll make them rich!! Next trip I am desperately wanting a grill and tailgate off an '83 Ranger they just got in. The party just keeps going on. Not complaining - if I can build up some parts inventory for a fraction of the cost of new and not have to fight with phantom inventory on the internet ....I'm all for it!
Also getting darn good at pulling Caddy Deville power seat bases too. The controllers are built into the doors and are a lot of HooHaa to get out. I simply unbolted the stock seat bases on the 1st gen seats and rebolted these Caddy bases back on and paid the same price
These are 3 of them here - kinda look like some kinda erector set paraphernalia......Tammy has now placed an order for one in her 3rd Gen!
And here are the Z seats - couple of tears in the drivers but they still have some life left in them. I have the low back in all 3 - but hadn't noticed that nor really paid attention till recently. Have to say I prefer this style. Been extremely fortunate to have come across all of these!!
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Thanks orlen for checking the fun I did Thursday.I guess since my in laws are def clueless on car stuff and I however dive right in and do my best to maintain things to the letter.I have not bothered to check online the yards I go to lately either.Just too busy to really dabble in going lately to find those neat items.
Looks good and clean to me.Granted getting it to that level surely took many hours and that I can relate too.Long day sort of and just feeling tired as trucking does.
Looks clean and that Bronco II tire rack is a nice custom touch. Probably the only Ranger in VA with that set up.
ORLEN I found this 89 ranger today at the junkyard.It has chrome bumps and both front and rear are in really good shape.I know the pic is sideways but I DID rotate it on my home pc and it shows it correct however upon uploading to pb it turned sideways? Anyhow I just slipped into going soley to look at the inventory and figured IF your interested I could maybe slip some time to go get it if your wanting some fresh shiny chrome on your blue mule.If not that is cool just sharing since I made a trip today to buy a sthil tree pruner with the 2cycle engine and 7ft pole to keep the trees in line here,and the junkyard is like five minutes away.
Thanks for looking Ron, but I\\\'m going to stick with the black painted steel.
Easy to keep rust free
Plus those bumpers are a real PIA to remove too boot!! Those chrome plated carriage bolts rust underneath and after a turn or 2 they spin on the top and are all but impossible to remove short of cutting off! Wonderful Ford engineering......
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Ok, how does the bucket catch the mouse?
\\\'68 Cutlass?
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Not going to give the answer yet but the trap (bucket) is not \\\\\\\"set\\\\\\\" in the picture.
Yes 68 Cutlass convertible with 442 badges.
No takers on the ACE bucket quiz? How it works 1. Add about 3 inches of used antifreeze to bucket. 2. Place a piece or 2 of scrap 1x3 wood about 36 inches long leaning on the pail. 3. Place a piece of wood floating in bucket with peanut-butter on it. Mice walk up ramp and smell peanut-butter and jump onto wood and fall into antifreeze. Now they cannot get out and they are caught and preserved in the antifreeze. You can also put holes near the top of the bucket and place a dowel through the holes. Add a plastic bottle to the dowel with peanut-butter and some slippery lubricant like cooking oil on it. The mice walk up the ramp and walk out on the dowel or jump onto the plastic bottle and slide off into the antifreeze.
Do NOT use this if children or domestic animals can get into the area were this is used.
Well I did not answer that since we talked Friday and you told me already.Still a good way to keep rodents out of the cars as they chew and tear up stuff.My only real issue is my mazda outside in the CLEAN freshly graveled drive.I am going to buy some two by sixes and use some steel sheeting to make it like a foot high.This will have brackets that hold the wood tight but easy to pull pins to take down and keep the mice out for good.This will be a boxed deal that goes around the truck but close to not be a eye sore and keep the #$% field mice out of my truck.I use like 20 drier sheets and two very sweet tree air freshners as they supposedly hate odors like so.After catching 1 mouse alive in my truck and 1 dead in my blower motor wheel(the dead smell in the summer is brutal) when I found it.It took months to get the odor out.I had to use carpet cleaner,brake cleaner on the fan wheel,and two boxes of baking soda left inside to absorb the bad odor and it is good now.If I had the finances to buy a new outdoor building to place behind my house I so would and be a dual door (roll up doors of course) and store it inside.Now to just win the lottery and get said building with a concrete floor and wired for power and windows and steel door to walk in too.Dreaming as we all do of the things we would LIKE to do if we could.
Ok today the job was do a general check on the wifes car as she is going to the beach for a few days.Easy right(wrong) as I found a suspect issue.I just cleaned the inside and checked the fluids and tires Friday! Upon my things were recheck the tires as I wanted to double take on the psi.I btw did air up the spare Friday it was low by 10psi.To my point I noticed on the left rear rim a boat load of unnormal brake dust and I was like umm?It was charcoal colored and not like this Friday.I remove the tire and rotor is smooth and outside pad is ok on thickness.So Trying to see the dust boots good and caliper I remove the caliper to find THE problem.The lower dust boot for the slide pin had a 1/8 hole in it and the grease got on the pad and had just made it just about toast!!!! Summory pics are coming thurs and I have already cleaned and removed the old brakes both sides and got new rotors,pads and put brake quiet by crc on them as I am waiting till thurs to pick up new dust boots for the slide pins from autozone.Basically I will spend about 20 minutes to install the new pads,and grease the pins and install the dust boots and install the tires and test drive.GOOD thing I pay attention to things as I surely do not want more drama if the pad has just disintegrated and the damaged that may have happen as a result.I will show pics of the busted boot and premature worn inside brake pad and maybe one pic of the new parts once done.Fun idk but at least autozone had all but the boots in stock and picked up just before they close at 9pm.Wooo. Touch tired but yard work day and all went smooth and the equipment is clean,ready for next week as I wait till all the tree leaves stop before I stop mowing for the season late November here .Boring read I guess but pics are coming to show the worn out stuff.
Hard to believe that a bit of grease would eat up a brake pad like that. I'm sure that it didn't help matters any , but it almost looks like some kind of defect going on there.
The daughters '94 Skylark EATS front pads - have to get a set about every 12 months. The car doesn't pull to either side so it isn't sticking calipers. At least 20 bucks a year is a simple bug to have to deal with. I had a coworker tell me he had a couple of Subarus that that ate Pads too, so even the foreign jobs do it too.....
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I had a 97 Grand Am, same as that Skylark.
The factory pads lasted 30,000 miles. After that I bought the NAPA pads for about $35 and they would last about 20,000 miles. I think if you spent more than the $20 on pads, you would see they would last longer.
I don't go for those $60 ceramics, but I do go for more than the $20 version.
I will walk you all thru each of these in the next post since I write books on my work.This is my sister in laws 2010 Honda accord I did a full bring back to life detail job on and it was filthy to say it nicely.(these pics are how my nephews treat there cars too) mostly the older one with the 98 accord his brother is a little more forgiving on his 02 civic.
ORLEN I found this 89 ranger today at the junkyard.It has chrome bumps and both front and rear are in really good shape.I know the pic is sideways but I DID rotate it on my home pc and it shows it correct however upon uploading to pb it turned sideways? Anyhow I just slipped into going soley to look at the inventory and figured IF your interested I could maybe slip some time to go get it if your wanting some fresh shiny chrome on your blue mule.If not that is cool just sharing since I made a trip today to buy a sthil tree pruner with the 2cycle engine and 7ft pole to keep the trees in line here,and the junkyard is like five minutes away.
Ok pictures showing the busted slide pin boot,kind of bigger than I thought,and torn up brake pad top shot and side,and finished reinstalled working brakes.Took me about 30 min to do the rest of the work today and everything is solid so far.For a quick correction from last night to today needing the bushings as they did not have them yesterday.