# Ask me anything about vehicle repair



## SaltyCrew

Hello everyone, I have been lurking here awhile finally made an account. Thanks for the great forum, Matt. Glad to see the podcast is kicking off nicely. My girlfriend and I are looking forward to our first jamboree this year, super stoked can't wait.


Thought I would offer my car/mechanic guru knowledge to fellow rubber tramps or anyone I guess, car/auto/truck/motorcycle/things with engines.

I Spent a number of years working the auto industry, so if anyone has any problems they need help diagnosed on the road, car related, drop them here and I'll see if I can help.

SAFE TRAVELS, Fly Low.


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## Matt Derrick

hell yeah man, that's awesome, thanks for sharing that with us? do you think you'd be interested in doing a workshop at the jamboree? even if it was just an AMA i think it would be very useful to folks.

for me personally, i'm curious what you're driving and why you chose it? im saving up to get a van and am curious to learn anything i can that will be useful in choosing one.


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## roughdraft

you're the kinda friend I like to have  vehicle savvy

what all have you owned/ driven?

what's yr favorite jount that you've owned? and driven?

I own a Ford ::bag:: but driving an Audi A4 and beamer wagon have been my favorites


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## JasonnAngel

2011 chevy cruze. Lost gears when warm after donut tire and tire change. Snow tires n all seasons mixed. Would this blow tranny out? Or will diff tires make it shift again?


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## Coywolf

How do you change the blinker fluid on a 1990 Toyota Tacoma?


J/K 

Gotta love the vehicle savvy. Glad to have ya here.


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## Coywolf

@JasonnAngel 
If you have different sized tires, or some snow and some not, that is a great way to screw up your differential, especially if it is an older vehicle. As far as that going down the line and affecting your transmission, I'm not sure about that, but I kinda doubt it.

I'm assuming Automatic?


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## ByronMc

Coywolf said:


> How do you change the blinker fluid on a 1990 Toyota Tacoma?
> 
> 
> J/K
> 
> Gotta love the vehicle savvy. Glad to have ya here.


In a 90, that’s the hardest one to find,....most likely the most difficult job ever, if there ever was one.........


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## Ezra Fyre

Coywolf said:


> How do you change the blinker fluid on a 1990 Toyota Tacoma?
> 
> 
> J/K
> 
> Gotta love the vehicle savvy. Glad to have ya here.


This question (pretty exactly) caused my mother's 3rd divorce! ... Seriously.
Her engineer, model T restorationist, mechanic husband - was insulted when she wouldn't let him take a look at her "there's something wrong with my car" & her insistence on taking it to her rip-off "trusted" garage... So he told her to be sure they checked her blinker fluid... 3hrs of arguing with their mechanic & she came home pissed her husband would "set her up to be made a fool of"...

Moral of the story? Ladies! Always check your own blinker fluid & never ask your mechanic to show you where it's located.


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## Ezra Fyre

what's yr favorite jount that you've owned? and driven?

Owned/driven fav: 1978 Toyota Carona, 4 door, manual.

Driven? 1998 Jetta - that fucker was fun!


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## JasonnAngel

Coywolf said:


> @JasonnAngel
> If you have different sized tires, or some snow and some not, that is a great way to screw up your differential, especially if it is an older vehicle. As far as that going down the line and affecting your transmission, I'm not sure about that, but I kinda doubt it.
> 
> I'm assuming Automatic?




It's a 2011 Chevy Cruze.
Only 120,000 miles, all highway miles.
Zero tranny symptoms prior to tire change.
Lost all gears literally same day.
Walmart said tires would be fine mixed.
Same size but they said nothing that mixing snow tires with all season would wreck car.


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## JasonnAngel

Also, how come the manual gears also don't work on the slapstick? Apparently the manual gears still run on auto tranny?


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## Coywolf

ByronMc said:


> In a 90, that’s the hardest one to find,....most likely the most difficult job ever, if there ever was one.........



Thank GOD someone got that joke....I was getting worried.....



JasonnAngel said:


> Also, how come the manual gears also don't work on the slapstick? Apparently the manual gears still run on auto tranny?



Those dont work because it's basically the same thing as shifting the shifter from D to 3 to 2 ect. It's still running of an auto tranmission, just prevents the car from shifting at high RPM.

Ya, it sound like you have a much larger issue than tires, automatic transmissions are shit, semi-auto are worse. Which is what you have. 

With that amount of miles, it is possible the tyranny just took a shit on you, I know that's not a good thing to hear, but if you buy a vehicle again...dont buy American (POST 1995). Anything but dodge trucks are total garbage.

I dont mean to offend anyone out there, but the truth is in the maintenance logs....


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## JasonnAngel

Been running Chevy/Pontiac vehicles for 26 years.
Not one EVER broke down before this one.
Put 350,000 miles on each of those.
They were still running when I sold them.
2011 chevy cruze.
Total garbage.


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## Coywolf

JasonnAngel said:


> Been running Chevy/Pontiac vehicles for 26 years.
> Not one EVER broke down before this one.
> Put 350,000 miles on each of those.
> They were still running when I sold them.
> 2011 chevy cruze.
> Total garbage.



Pre 1995?


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## Cypress

This is just a general bit of advice to anyone driving a newer vehicle, check with a dealership often with your VIN number, there’s tons of recalls and stuff that they are required to do for free. Especially if your vehicle has an airbag, they fucked up the manufacture of them and they are firing chunks of metal into people’s faces when they deploy. They will also usually update any software that might just save your tranny or engine. Call and see what you can get away with


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## SaltyCrew

JasonnAngel said:


> 2011 chevy cruze. Lost gears when warm after donut tire and tire change. Snow tires n all seasons mixed. Would this blow tranny out? Or will diff tires make it shift again?


I'm not exactly sure what you mean by lost gears when warm, but I'm guessing the car is automatic transmission, and it won't shift when it warms up, or it slips? Does it Rev up a lot RPMs, but doesn't go anywhere?


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## SaltyCrew

Cypress said:


> This is just a general bit of advice to anyone driving a newer vehicle, check with a dealership often with your VIN number, there’s tons of recalls and stuff that they are required to do for free. Especially if your vehicle has an airbag, they fucked up the manufacture of them and they are firing chunks of metal into people’s faces when they deploy. They will also usually update any software that might just save your tranny or engine. Call and see what you can get away with


YES


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## SaltyCrew

Ezra Fyre said:


> what's yr favorite jount that you've owned? and driven?
> 
> Owned/driven fav: 1978 Toyota Carona, 4 door, manual.
> 
> Driven? 1998 Jetta - that fucker was fun!


Love the Toyotas. I've owned at least 50 of the old 4x4s. 22R all the way!


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## SaltyCrew

roughdraft said:


> you're the kinda friend I like to have  vehicle savvy
> 
> what all have you owned/ driven?
> 
> what's yr favorite jount that you've owned? and driven?
> 
> I own a Ford ::bag:: but driving an Audi A4 and beamer wagon have been my favorites


I've owned countless cars. I really like older imports for their reliability. I'm currently driving a Chevy van with a small block 350ci with TBI injection. I chose this bc I can get parts anywhere in stock usually. 350 Chevy is a GREAT engine that's super easy to work on.


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## Matt Derrick

SaltyCrew said:


> I've owned countless cars. I really like older imports for their reliability. I'm currently driving a Chevy van with a small block 350ci with TBI injection. I chose this bc I can get parts anywhere in stock usually. 350 Chevy is a GREAT engine that's super easy to work on.



which chevy van? i'm currently looking to get a chevy express van 2002 or later...


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## SaltyCrew

Matt Derrick said:


> hell yeah man, that's awesome, thanks for sharing that with us? do you think you'd be interested in doing a workshop at the jamboree? even if it was just an AMA i think it would be very useful to folks.
> 
> for me personally, i'm curious what you're driving and why you chose it? im saving up to get a van and am curious to learn anything i can that will be useful in choosing one.


Hell ya Matt, I can talk for days about basic mechanics everyone should learn and can do. Anything I can do to help out I'd love to for the Jambo. 

I'm currently driving a 92 Chevy Beauville, 15 passenger, 1 ton G30, with 350ci small block V8 engine and 4L80e Trans. 

I chose the van for a million reasons I'll have to tell you all about in person. The main reasons I'll try to highlight quick:

-the small block 350 was MASS produced for 3 million years, lol... Nothing rare about it. This means parts are everywhere; new and used. 

-chassis parts are still sitting on parts store shelves that were made in america. This means 2 things; they don't break, and they made a butt load of extras.

- COST...older domestic car parts are 9 times out of 10 cheaper than foreign or import car parts. This dynamic in the market is always changing though. Places like Rock Auto. Com are buying up all the old stock of parts to have the monopoly on the market. It's only a matter of time until the old parts become rare parts. 

-I'll end it with this point; SHIT BREAKS. Get something commonly mass produced that had a 25 year or longer run. Another great example of this would be the Jeep 4.0L straight 6 engine. It's a 40+ year run of a great bulletproof engine that goes and goes.


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## SaltyCrew

Coywolf said:


> Thank GOD someone got that joke....I was getting worried.....
> 
> 
> 
> Those dont work because it's basically the same thing as shifting the shifter from D to 3 to 2 ect. It's still running of an auto tranmission, just prevents the car from shifting at high RPM.
> 
> Ya, it sound like you have a much larger issue than tires, automatic transmissions are shit, semi-auto are worse. Which is what you have.
> 
> With that amount of miles, it is possible the tyranny just took a shit on you, I know that's not a good thing to hear, but if you buy a vehicle again...dont buy American (POST 1995). Anything but dodge trucks are total garbage.
> 
> I dont mean to offend anyone out there, but the truth is in the maintenance logs....


True story!


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## Matt Derrick

SaltyCrew said:


> Hell ya Matt, I can talk for days about basic mechanics everyone should learn and can do. Anything I can do to help out I'd love to for the Jambo.



that would be super useful! i'll definitely be taking notes since im currently saving up for a van to live in.

bob wells on cheaprvliving.com generally recommends chevy vans built after 2002, do you have any opinion on those?

also, i really like the g20/30 vans, just love that style. what should i look for in those? i'm nervous about buying the older vans tho cause i've gotten burned in the past...


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## SaltyCrew

Matt Derrick said:


> which chevy van? i'm currently looking to get a chevy express van 2002 or later...


The chevy express vans seem to hold up good, rust easy though. I think the older vintage vans, 85-95 hold up just as good. Newer 5.3L Chevy vortec engine ( probably whats in a 02 express, or the 6.0L?) will get better milage though compared to older 350ci which is a 5.7L. 

Are you concerned with having a high top van?


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## Matt Derrick

SaltyCrew said:


> Are you concerned with having a high top van?



ideally i want a high top, but i'm willing to get a regular height van and install a high top later on.


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## SaltyCrew

Matt Derrick said:


> ideally i want a high top, but i'm willing to get a regular height van and install a high top later on.


I've never actually looked into the cost of having a high top installed, but I do know it's a thing. We do not have a high top, but some times I wish I did. It's my girlfriend and myself in the van, and we make it work. We are considering a small pull trailer camper in the future also, I just hate/love the idea of a trailer at same time.


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## Matt Derrick

SaltyCrew said:


> I've never actually looked into the cost of having a high top installed, but I do know it's a thing. We do not have a high top, but some times I wish I did. It's my girlfriend and myself in the van, and we make it work. We are considering a small pull trailer camper in the future also, I just hate/love the idea of a trailer at same time.



yeah it seems the high tops cost around 2-3k depending on where you go. here's a good video about it:


_Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn7IKyxBfJc_​


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## CaptainCassius

JasonnAngel said:


> 2011 chevy cruze. Lost gears when warm after donut tire and tire change. Snow tires n all seasons mixed. Would this blow tranny out? Or will diff tires make it shift again?



Not exactly sure what you mean by 'lost gears' but moderate to drastic changes in overall tire/wheel circumference will definitely make a noticeable difference on WHEN the trans will shift gears on both older hydraulic/mechanical auto trans and newer; those electronically controlled with VSS (vehicle speed sensor)


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## Joe Btfsplk

Coywolf:

The blinker fluid joke has been going around for decades. I too was surprised it wasn't commented on immediately.

SaltyCrew:

Your driving preference. Manual transmission or automatic? I am staunch manual, I can even float the gears up and down on my Mazda 5 mini-minivan; manual, gas job. I drove big trucks for a number of years, that's where I found out how.

Stick driving is getting to be obsolete. This automatic transmission hype about paddle-shifting, well, help thyself. I'm not interested. I'm worried that my vehicle choices will be limited in the upcoming years. Wag my head.

Think you'll attend the Jambo? I was at the last one, I have references. I'm harmless. I think you talking at the library bar would entertain and inform the lot. That's how these things usually go down; no amphitheater no formal discourse. No fist-fights, just laid back palaver. Of course there is no dope smoking. Lots of police.

Drinking is heavily frowned upon.


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## CaptainCassius

@JasonnAngel 

If you're experiencing the trans slipping, especially when warm- it could be anything from simply incorrect, dirty, or insufficient TF to a leaky torque converter to worn out clutch discs.

I'm not familiar with that particular transmission but there a few that get real finicky about the temperature of the fluid, it's possible that if your transmission cooler (whether it runs thru the radiator or is a separate heat exchanger) is fairly clogged or not working optimally i.e. Other cooling system problems, then the overheated fluid can cause slipping


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## Jackthereaper

Matt Derrick said:


> yeah it seems the high tops cost around 2-3k depending on where you go. here's a good video about it:
> 
> 
> _Link:
> Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn7IKyxBfJc​_​



You can get a whole high top van for that if you are half decent with a bead roller and mig welder. You’re gonna have to hack out all the rust from the bottom of the body and weld in a simple panel you bead roll. Thats how i got an old farm van thats i sold with the farm. The high top made it so you can stack nearly 40 bales of hay inside with the passenger seat removed  they usually also come with a wheelchair lift which is great, the one i got could lift 1000 lbs if you helped w. The manual pump attached, 700 without help. 

Now i want to buy a van again when im back home..


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## SaltyCrew

CrimCon said:


> Coywolf:
> 
> The blinker fluid joke has been going around for decades. I too was surprised it wasn't commented on immediately.
> 
> SaltyCrew:
> 
> Your driving preference. Manual transmission or automatic? I am staunch manual, I can even float the gears up and down on my Mazda 5 mini-minivan; manual, gas job. I drove big trucks for a number of years, that's where I found out how.
> 
> Stick driving is getting to be obsolete. This automatic transmission hype about paddle-shifting, well, help thyself. I'm not interested. I'm worried that my vehicle choices will be limited in the upcoming years. Wag my head.
> 
> Think you'll attend the Jambo? I was at the last one, I have references. I'm harmless. I think you talking at the library bar would entertain and inform the lot. That's how these things usually go down; no amphitheater no formal discourse. No fist-fights, just laid back palaver. Of course there is no dope smoking. Lots of police.
> 
> Drinking is heavily frowned upon.



Im with you there, manual all the way if you have the choice. Less things to break the better. Im currently caring for a 4L80e automatic in my van, its holding up good, although im scared to drain and fill the fluid, haha. Its shifting great right now, and im carrying a new trans filter kit and fluid with me. Will probably knock that out soon, van has 125K on it. I recomend changing fluid at 100K or before on these transmissions.

Yes ill be at the Jambo this year, cant wait! Will probably go over all the basics of "do this" , "dont do this" type things. Should be a great time! Im going to incorprate some "off road driving techniques" also since most of us find ourselves driving in these situations with vehicles that were not probably meant to drive off road.


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## SaltyCrew

Howdy everyone! Thought I'd bump this thread back up top ! I have regular access to internet for the summer most likely, so my response time should be relatively quick if anyone has any questions! In the mean time here is some random useful vehicle tips! 

***check your *tire pressure* regularly. Tires lose air, period. If you are that lucky person that your tires do not lose air, lucky you, someone installed your tires with care! Low tires will cause a pull in the steering, get worse gas milage, and prematurely wear your tires. 

***_*Don't*_ run straight water in your radiator unless you have to! It works fine on a fine day, but not so much when freezing or 90F+ blazin'! 

****Change your oil! *Every 3,000 miles is best practice, newer engines claim longer on synthetics, read the manual for your specifics! Also, run the correct weight of oil (5w30, 10w40, 5w20 etc.) Because it does make a difference! Check the oil level regularly, as most engines start using oil as they get older, weather it leaks or burns it. Keeping it topped off will drastically extend engine life. 

That's all for now! Have a good day everyone!


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## Jackthereaper

I found an old van for $400 but i needs the 4r75w rebuilt. Im thinking of just slotting a zf5 bolt action from a f250 and hanging a wilwood clutch system. Do you have any experience doing manual swaps to old shitty ferd vans? Anything i should look out for or be aware of?


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## SaltyCrew

Jackthereaper said:


> I found an old van for $400 but i needs the 4r75w rebuilt. Im thinking of just slotting a zf5 bolt action from a f250 and hanging a wilwood clutch system. Do you have any experience doing manual swaps to old shitty ferd vans? Anything i should look out for or be aware of?



Hey, sounds like you've got it all figured out there! No experience with Ford van, but if the vehicle never came as a manual option it will be alot harder to install most likely, but I'm sure it's possible. The first problem I see is installing a clutch pedal? Is that the Wildwood product you're buying? That sounds expensive. 

Why do you want the particular van? Do you have time and money and space and tools to repair yourself?


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## Jackthereaper

Its a hightop van. Wilwood makes a hydro clutch kit thats a super easy install. The van is high top and extended with a chair lift which ive found super useful. I miss having a van, but i am always worried the auto trans is going to take a shit. My old one was a beast, used it on my farm for years, i just ragged on her daily. Cant kill the old ferds though, besides the trans. Thankfully the old one never broke, i sold the van with the farm.

This van is clapped out, two broken leaf springs in the back, but i figure ill rob the scrap yard f250 for its leafs too. I might offer the guy $200 cuz its basically junk. I am too cheap to justify spending more than a grand on a van. I figure i can finish this project for under a grand said and done or close to(so long as im not fucking with the rear end). Especially if the van is $200.

The zf5 bolts right up, i would need to cut a channel for the shifter to sit in and hang the clutch. Theres a fella on youtube who had it done in his bus so its def possible. 
Why they didnt offer these vans with a manual i have no idea. Everyone in the states hates manuals though, they dont sell barely any car with a stick these days sadly.


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## ByronMc

Jackthereaper said:


> I found an old van for $400 but i needs the 4r75w rebuilt. Im thinking of just slotting a zf5 bolt action from a f250 and hanging a wilwood clutch system. Do you have any experience doing manual swaps to old shitty ferd vans? Anything i should look out for or be aware of?


Get the original transmission rebuilt! Putting in a manual, will not be easy, !


Jackthereaper said:


> Its a hightop van. Wilwood makes a hydro clutch kit thats a super easy install. The van is high top and extended with a chair lift which ive found super useful. I miss having a van, but i am always worried the auto trans is going to take a shit. My old one was a beast, used it on my farm for years, i just ragged on her daily. Cant kill the old ferds though, besides the trans. Thankfully the old one never broke, i sold the van with the farm.
> 
> This van is clapped out, two broken leaf springs in the back, but i figure ill rob the scrap yard f250 for its leafs too. I might offer the guy $200 cuz its basically junk. I am too cheap to justify spending more than a grand on a van. I figure i can finish this project for under a grand said and done or close to(so long as im not fucking with the rear end). Especially if the van is $200.
> 
> The zf5 bolts right up, i would need to cut a channel for the shifter to sit in and hang the clutch. Theres a fella on youtube who had it done in his bus so its def possible.
> Why they didnt offer these vans with a manual i have no idea. Everyone in the states hates manuals though, they dont sell barely any car with a stick these days sadly.


I’ve driven manual transmission, for my job & after awhile, it wears you out, shifting all day, for 12 hours! Now the company vehicle is an automatic & love it!
While you’re at the junkyard, pull a 4r75, and throw it in, junkyard has a 30 day warranty!


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## SaltyCrew

Jackthereaper said:


> This van is clapped out, two broken leaf springs in the back, but i figure ill rob the scrap yard f250 for its leafs too. I might offer the guy $200 cuz its basically junk. I am too cheap to justify spending more than a grand on a van. I figure i can finish this project for under a grand said and done or close to(so long as im not fucking with the rear end). Especially if the van is $200.



Sounds like a project! I would inspect all the chassis parts and see what else needs replaced. That stuff will nickel and dime you. It cost about $100 just to put pads and rotors on most anything anymore. If you're trying to stay under $1,000 total, id look for something running/driving. I just bought a Jeep Cherokee for $350 and drove it away.


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## ByronMc

SaltyCrew said:


> Sounds like a project! I would inspect all the chassis parts and see what else needs replaced. That stuff will nickel and dime you. It cost about $100 just to put pads and rotors on most anything anymore. If you're trying to stay under $1,000 total, id look for something running/driving. I just bought a Jeep Cherokee for $350 and drove it away.


Agree on the nickel & dime, unless it’s something you want bad! Then those nickels & dimes go into your dream vehicle! 
Just picked up a GMC Vandura 3500 short bus, for $600, and it needs a ton of work. It does have the 4l80e & a gasser 350 !


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## SaltyCrew

Cool short bus @ByronMc ! Someday I'll tackle a school bus build. Bed, comfy seating, wood stove. All you need in a bus.


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## Deleted member 24782

SaltyCrew said:


> ****Change your oil! *Every 3,000 miles is best practice, newer engines claim longer on synthetics, read the manual for your specifics! Also, run the correct weight of oil (5w30, 10w40, 5w20 etc.) Because it does make a difference! Check the oil level regularly, as most engines start using oil as they get older, weather it leaks or burns it. Keeping it topped off will drastically extend engine life.
> 
> That's all for now! Have a good day everyone!



I would not be telling people to change their oil EVERY 3,000 miles!!! Even if your using some conventional oil, this is some old school myth/Jiffy Lube false advertising shit, 6K-10K mile oil change intervals baby.


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## SaltyCrew

Brodiesel710 said:


> I would not be telling people to change their oil EVERY 3,000 miles!!! Even if your using some conventional oil, this is some old school myth/Jiffy Lube false advertising shit, 6K-10K mile oil change intervals baby.



No dude, alot of cars with over 150K use some oil in 3K. Not all, but alot. They leak, they burn, they consume. Not to mention, if you observe, feel and taste oil after 3K miles in a used engine, it is pretty gnarly compared to brand new oil. I highly recommend checking it regularly to see for yourself. A bad PCV can cause this and it's easy fix. Please don't tell people to run oil for 10k miles on my thread. Start your own. Some newer engines are claiming 10k mile intervals on costly synthetics, but I think majority of us are still driving pre 2010 cars, running conventional oil? It's really just a good preventative maintenance practice, why prematurely wear your engine out? 



Brodiesel710 said:


> While your in there checkin' blinker fluid level, I'd look at you muffler bearing runout as well.


This should be deleted for being pointless and false.


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## Matt Derrick

SaltyCrew said:


> This should be deleted for being pointless and false.


 Done.


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## Deleted member 24782

I agree that a lot of cars (or anything with an internal combustion engine for that matter) consume oil. I was not saying you shouldn't top off your oil, or check it. I'm just saying in my opinion changing your oil every 3,000 miles seems like a waste of time and $$, and the advice makes me question your experience as any sort of automotive repair professional who's qualified to give vehicle repair advice on an online forum.


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## Matt Derrick

You can disagree with each other, but please keep it civil.


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## Deleted member 24782

And I cant believe my blinker fluid joke just got deleted, it was not pointless- I was referencing the blinker fluid jokes that were posted at the VERY beginning of this thread. It's a classic automotive repair joke, which is why I also added "checking muffler bearing runout" this is tasteful humor. 

What the heck people, come on now!


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## SaltyCrew

Brodiesel710 said:


> I agree that a lot of cars (or anything with an internal combustion engine for that matter) consume oil. I was not saying you shouldn't top off your oil, or check it. I'm just saying in my opinion changing your oil every 3,000 miles seems like a waste of time and $$, and the advice makes me question your experience as any sort of automotive repair professional who's qualified to give vehicle repair advice on an online forum.





Brodiesel710 said:


> And I cant believe my blinker fluid joke just got deleted, it was not pointless- I was referencing the blinker fluid jokes that were posted at the VERY beginning of this thread. It's a classic automotive repair joke, which is why I also added "checking muffler bearing runout" this is tasteful humor.
> 
> What the heck people, come on now!


And the joke was already said. It's just a waste of space dude. I hate sifting through clutter on forums for info. Trying to keep this one info friendly, not an argument.


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## SaltyCrew

*Tech Tip of the day!*
-Jump Starting
*Red=positive - Black=negative 
*Red to red Black to black

***When jump starting a car, always remember to connect your positives first, and negatives last, and once started remove the negative first and positive last. The idea is the "sparks" created by this go to ground/negative/black terminal of battery and avoid damage to computers and fuses. 

***Have jump vehicle running, key off dead car, connect cables, accelerate jump vehicle to 2,000rpm, start dead car.


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## ByronMc

SaltyCrew said:


> Cool short bus @ByronMc ! Someday I'll tackle a school bus build. Bed, comfy seating, wood stove. All you need in a bus.


I’ve been getting my rv stuff together, so I can get the title changed at DMV. Doing it as cheap as possible for the moment. Fridge,$35, Generator,$65, found an inverter, deep cell battery & nice Coleman three burner cook stove, have two Mr Buddy propane heaters, and the toilet seat for my five gal bucket! Need the sink, and have two five gal water containers! Bed & frame are what I used in the Chevy van. Throw it all together, take photos & send to DMV & insurance!
That will work till I can go through it mechanically & then I’ll go with solar, and a nice rebuild of the inside!


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## Jackthereaper

ByronMc said:


> I’ve been getting my rv stuff together, so I can get the title changed at DMV. Doing it as cheap as possible for the moment. Fridge,$35, Generator,$65, found an inverter, deep cell battery & nice Coleman three burner cook stove, have two Mr Buddy propane heaters, and the toilet seat for my five gal bucket! Need the sink, and have two five gal water containers! Bed & frame are what I used in the Chevy van. Throw it all together, take photos & send to DMV & insurance!
> That will work till I can go through it mechanically & then I’ll go with solar, and a nice rebuild of the inside!


When you do go solar have a look into used tesla batteries. My uncles off grid cabin even runs an a/c at night (6000 btu, 410 watt) off if his 3 battery pack 13kwh storage setup. I believe he runs 4kw of panels though, its his whole roof plus a clearing next to the house with 12 panels (250w i believe).


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## marmar

@SaltyCrew hey thanks for the offer, of it's still valid I got a question. What to look at if heat won't stop blowing even when at off? I took the fuse out already, still blowing. The summer is coming, so I gotta fix tht fucker till it kills me. I'm thinking of changing coolant but besides that have no idea what else to look at. It's Mitsubishi 1994 truck


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## SaltyCrew

marmar said:


> @SaltyCrew hey thanks for the offer, of it's still valid I got a question. What to look at if heat won't stop blowing even when at off? I took the fuse out already, still blowing. The summer is coming, so I gotta fix tht fucker till it kills me. I'm thinking of changing coolant but besides that have no idea what else to look at. It's Mitsubishi 1994 truck



Hello, so a few questions; it's the blower motor itself that will not shut off? Did it shut off before, or was it broken when you got the truck? If you pulled the "blower fan/blower motor/heater fan" fuse, and you're sure it's the right one, and it still turns on on it's own, there is a short to power, meaning a wiring issue. Could be the blower fan resistor also melted down causing short, usually the fan will only work on high if resistor went bad. The blower fan and resistor should be located under the passenger side behind glove box. 

Also, the switch to turn it off could be bad, but if you pulled the correct fuse it should have cut all power to blower fan. 

Coolant level will not affect the blower motor functioning, but low coolant will cause a bubble in the system, possibly preventing coolant from entering heater core, thus having no hot air coming out, only cold air.


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## marmar

SaltyCrew said:


> Hello, so a few questions; it's the blower motor itself that will not shut off? Did it shut off before, or was it broken when you got the truck? If you pulled the "blower fan/blower motor/heater fan" fuse, and you're sure it's the right one, and it still turns on on it's own, there is a short to power, meaning a wiring issue. Could be the blower fan resistor also melted down causing short, usually the fan will only work on high if resistor went bad. The blower fan and resistor should be located under the passenger side behind glove box.
> 
> Also, the switch to turn it off could be bad, but if you pulled the correct fuse it should have cut all power to blower fan.
> 
> Coolant level will not affect the blower motor functioning, but low coolant will cause a bubble in the system, possibly preventing coolant from entering heater core, thus having no hot air coming out, only cold air.


Thanks so much for this man. I'm not sure if blower was broken when I bought the truck, it sometimes does this, some other time it did shut off. It's not blowing full speed, but it does blow hot air when the switch is off and as I mentioned even after I took the fuse out, pretty sure it was the right one. Not cold air unfortunatly. I didn't mind the heat in winter at all, now I wish I could turn it off lol. It could be wiring issue I think that's right, cuz there are other issues that could be connected to wiring like the sigarete outlet that recently burnt my speaker through USB when I was charging it, so I can't charge stuff safely anymore. IDK, it's 800 dollar truck with 191 k miles and still drives like a champ with 25mpg so I'm happy with it even tho there are these issues and it's slow on uphill. I don't know how to work with/ fix wiring, I know sometimes a little wiggling can fix the issue, but any other advice ?


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## SaltyCrew

marmar said:


> Thanks so much for this man. I'm not sure if blower was broken when I bought the truck, it sometimes does this, some other time it did shut off. It's not blowing full speed, but it does blow hot air when the switch is off and as I mentioned even after I took the fuse out, pretty sure it was the right one. Not cold air unfortunatly. I didn't mind the heat in winter at all, now I wish I could turn it off lol. It could be wiring issue I think that's right, cuz there are other issues that could be connected to wiring like the sigarete outlet that recently burnt my speaker through USB when I was charging it, so I can't charge stuff safely anymore. IDK, it's 800 dollar truck with 191 k miles and still drives like a champ with 25mpg so I'm happy with it even tho there are these issues and it's slow on uphill. I don't know how to work with/ fix wiring, I know sometimes a little wiggling can fix the issue, but any other advice ?



Sounds like you have some electrical "Gremlin's". I would start by checking all of the fuses, hopefully the fuse diagram is still there to tell you which size fuse should be where. 

Inspect near the battery for looses/corroded/broken cables coming off battery. Also, while you're under the hood, there will be multiple ground wires screwed to firewall, fenderwells, also bolted to engine. Usually going to be single black wires for grounds. Visually inspect to see if any are broken in plain sight. Mice will also chew through wires and sometimes cause them to make a connection where you don't want one. This should also be abvious if a mouse has been there, they make a mess. 

Does the blower shut off when you turn the truck off? Does the battery hold a charge for 2 days without starting?


----------



## SaltyCrew

Also, if you can access the electrical switch from back side via removing some plastic panels, you can unplug the switch, and see if that shuts off blower fan.


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## marmar

SaltyCrew said:


> Sounds like you have some electrical "Gremlin's". I would start by checking all of the fuses, hopefully the fuse diagram is still there to tell you which size fuse should be where.
> 
> Inspect near the battery for looses/corroded/broken cables coming off battery. Also, while you're under the hood, there will be multiple ground wires screwed to firewall, fenderwells, also bolted to engine. Usually going to be single black wires for grounds. Visually inspect to see if any are broken in plain sight. Mice will also chew through wires and sometimes cause them to make a connection where you don't want one. This should also be abvious if a mouse has been there, they make a mess.
> 
> Does the blower shut off when you turn the truck off? Does the battery hold a charge for 2 days without starting?


Yeah it definitely shuts off when the car is off. And battery is new also. I have a red wire that goes to negative battery post for some stupid reason. So I connected it once the wrong way, drove it, burnt the battery and I'm sure it messed up something else there wire-wise too.


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## SaltyCrew

marmar said:


> Yeah it definitely shuts off when the car is off. And battery is new also. I have a red wire that goes to negative battery post for some stupid reason. So I connected it once the wrong way, drove it, burnt the battery and I'm sure it messed up something else there wire-wise too.



Ahh i see. Did the blower fan work normally before you had replaced the battery, and wired it incorrectly? 

Try getting to the electrical plug in back of switch and unplug it. See if that shuts off blower.


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## fimbulvetr

I have a 1999 GMC Savana van, what general purpose tools should I have on the road with me when I travel? What are common points of failure? What kind of stuff should I not attempt to fix myself aside from the transmission? I really appreciate you offering to share your knowledge, it is really helpful to hear stuff from an expert that isn't trying to sell me something.

Oh, one more thing, I have about 100,000 miles. I don't have previous service records, should I change out the timing belt soon?


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## fimbulvetr

Also can you do the answer in the voice of one of the guys from car talk?


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## SaltyCrew

fimbulvetr said:


> I have a 1999 GMC Savana van, what general purpose tools should I have on the road with me when I travel? What are common points of failure? What kind of stuff should I not attempt to fix myself aside from the transmission? I really appreciate you offering to share your knowledge, it is really helpful to hear stuff from an expert that isn't trying to sell me something.
> 
> Oh, one more thing, I have about 100,000 miles. I don't have previous service records, should I change out the timing belt soon?



Howdy! Good question!

First, you'll want to have a way to change out a tire, and have a spare tire for when you need it. You can get a T-handle wrench with 4 different sizes in 1 tool, or since you only need 1 Size for your lug nuts, save weight and get a breaker bar and socket. You'll need a jack to raise vehicle too, but your van should have one of those. If not, get a small scissor jack or bottle jack. I usually carry a piece of 2x4 also, to give myself a "foot print" for if I need to jack up vehicle in sand or gravel or dirt. Being prepared to change your own flat tire is going to save you at least $150 tow bill. A tire plug kit is good item to have in a pinch also.

Next would be jumper cables. A jump pack is ideal, but they are big and costly, not needed. Small jump packs are becoming available, but they are pricey. Nice to have though. Even if you have a jump pack, you'll want cables for when the pack is dead and you didn't know it was dead. I personally also carry around an 80w solar panel to recharge a dead battery.

As far as tools go, I carry full set of wrenches, standard and metric. Not needed for 1 vehicle, but I find myself working on other cars besides my own on the road. A set of 3/8" drive sockets and ratchet will be handy. Get the 6 point kind vs. 12 point. I find the 12 point sockets strip slightly rusty bolt head too easily.
Some brake calipers require Torx or hex drive bits to removed and install new pads.

Other basic hand tools I don't travel without are pliers (2 or 3 styles) a hammer, pry bar, big pair of channel lock pliers also, for pushing caliper pistons back in when installing new brake pads. A few different size screw drivers are good to have.

Solid Metal wire is a good temp fix item to have on board, as well as electrical tape and some wire nuts. Have a couple extra fuses of assorted sizes, make sure you know what fuses your van takes before buying some. There are 3-4 main styles.

*This is all pretty general stuff to have, I encourage everyone to become familiar with their vehicle to know exactly what tools to have to preform basic fixes on the road.

Everyone is different in their ability to repair shit on the road, and the more you feel confident in doing, the more tools you'll want to have.

*Your specific van (99 gmc) does not run a timing belt, so no worries there. I would however do a transmission fluid drain and fill. Do not flush. Can remove the pan and change filter too if you want, good idea. Other areas of common failure are chassis parts; tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. These things can be difficult to change on side of road, but possible. Starters, alternators, batteries, drive belts, brakes, even water pumps can all be fixed on side of road. These are things you'll want tools for. Also, like most of us, we tend to put alot of stuff/weight inside vans, well because they hold alot! New shocks on all 4 Conners are a night and day difference when driving. If you've loaded the van up good, I recommend new shocks. 

Hope this helped! Good luck and safe travels!


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## fimbulvetr

SaltyCrew said:


> Howdy! Good question!
> 
> First, you'll want to have a way to change out a tire, and have a spare tire for when you need it. You can get a T-handle wrench with 4 different sizes in 1 tool, or since you only need 1 Size for your lug nuts, save weight and get a breaker bar and socket. You'll need a jack to raise vehicle too, but your van should have one of those. If not, get a small scissor jack or bottle jack. I usually carry a piece of 2x4 also, to give myself a "foot print" for if I need to jack up vehicle in sand or gravel or dirt. Being prepared to change your own flat tire is going to save you at least $150 tow bill. A tire plug kit is good item to have in a pinch also.
> 
> Next would be jumper cables. A jump pack is ideal, but they are big and costly, not needed. Small jump packs are becoming available, but they are pricey. Nice to have though. Even if you have a jump pack, you'll want cables for when the pack is dead and you didn't know it was dead. I personally also carry around an 80w solar panel to recharge a dead battery.
> 
> As far as tools go, I carry full set of wrenches, standard and metric. Not needed for 1 vehicle, but I find myself working on other cars besides my own on the road. A set of 3/8" drive sockets and ratchet will be handy. Get the 6 point kind vs. 12 point. I find the 12 point sockets strip slightly rusty bolt head too easily.
> Some brake calipers require Torx or hex drive bits to removed and install new pads.
> 
> Other basic hand tools I don't travel without are pliers (2 or 3 styles) a hammer, pry bar, big pair of channel lock pliers also, for pushing caliper pistons back in when installing new brake pads. A few different size screw drivers are good to have.
> 
> Solid Metal wire is a good temp fix item to have on board, as well as electrical tape and some wire nuts. Have a couple extra fuses of assorted sizes, make sure you know what fuses your van takes before buying some. There are 3-4 main styles.
> 
> *This is all pretty general stuff to have, I encourage everyone to become familiar with their vehicle to know exactly what tools to have to preform basic fixes on the road.
> 
> Everyone is different in their ability to repair shit on the road, and the more you feel confident in doing, the more tools you'll want to have.
> 
> *Your specific van (99 gmc) does not run a timing belt, so no worries there. I would however do a transmission fluid drain and fill. Do not flush. Can remove the pan and change filter too if you want, good idea. Other areas of common failure are chassis parts; tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. These things can be difficult to change on side of road, but possible. Starters, alternators, batteries, drive belts, brakes, even water pumps can all be fixed on side of road. These are things you'll want tools for. Also, like most of us, we tend to put alot of stuff/weight inside vans, well because they hold alot! New shocks on all 4 Conners are a night and day difference when driving. If you've loaded the van up good, I recommend new shocks.
> 
> Hope this helped! Good luck and safe travels!




Thank you for the expansive response. I do need to get I jack actually. My van was a Comcast service van in it's previous van and it had a server rack, which I had to sawzall out piece by piece because it was welded in, but to that end it also had two 90AH deep cycle batteries, which are connected to the alternator, with what looks like a buck converter. I have since bolted two 100 watt solar panels(I got from a guy that was liquidating his solar installation company) to the roof and a charge controller and now the battery bank can charge off either the solar panels, or the alternator, which is nice and I got cables that can reach from the battery bank to the starter battery if I ever need to jump myself. 

I have put a lot of weight into the van and probably more to come as I install some sort of water holding tank(It is amazing how much weight water adds). So I probably should do the shocks at some point soon. I just replaced the transmission fluid and was told at my last oil change that I should probably do the rear differential service next(seems easy enough to do myself from what I have seen). Good to hear about the timing belt, I hadn't got that far yet, but thats something I wouldn't feel too comfortable doing without a more experienced comrade to help. My last car had a timing chain, which they said should last the lifetime of the car, so it's been a while since I had to worry about that.

This thing has been a lot of work, but has kept me dry and warm, and I'd like to return the favor by keeping it running as long as I can. Thanks again!


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## Jerrell

Hey bro! 

I have a brakes issue. I've been getting, shuddering for lack of a better word, when going down a steep grade. It's been pretty wet too, so maybe that is playing into it.
Brake fluid level is fine and you know how old my front brakes are (how's the uke playing coming along?). So maybe the back brakes are going? How concerned should I be about this as I start heading back toward Iowa...like should I go around mountainous areas instead of through?


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## SaltyCrew

Jerrell said:


> Hey bro!
> 
> I have a brakes issue. I've been getting, shuddering for lack of a better word, when going down a steep grade. It's been pretty wet too, so maybe that is playing into it.
> Brake fluid level is fine and you know how old my front brakes are (how's the uke playing coming along?). So maybe the back brakes are going? How concerned should I be about this as I start heading back toward Iowa...like should I go around mountainous areas instead of through?



Howdy dude! Does the wheel shake back and forth when you brake, or just shudder/pulse? If you're riding the brakes on grades, it's going to warp the rotors, but your front ones are new, doesn't mean a few good decents won't warp a new set though. If your wheel doesn't shake bad, it's probably the rear rotors starting to warp. It helps save your brakes if you apply and release them while descenting, gives them time to cool off. Uke is great! Hope your travels are going good otherwise!


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## Jerrell

Just the shuddering thing, no motion in the wheel. I try to do the pump thing vs riding them. The shuddering isn't every time/all the time, so I'll just be more mindful and use 3 or L when I can more often as well. This trans is starting to get rough just parking on hills, so I am leary about shifting too much. haha I hate automatics!
The journey has been great...made it to the PNW/Olympic Natl Forest as planned, so now I'm just killing time til it warms up enough to head to IA.


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## SaltyCrew

Jerrell said:


> Just the shuddering thing, no motion in the wheel. I try to do the pump thing vs riding them. The shuddering isn't every time/all the time, so I'll just be more mindful and use 3 or L when I can more often as well. This trans is starting to get rough just parking on hills, so I am leary about shifting too much. haha I hate automatics!
> The journey has been great...made it to the PNW/Olympic Natl Forest as planned, so now I'm just killing time til it warms up enough to head to IA.



Right on I hear you. Sounds like it's probably the rear rotors then. Just try to baby it till you get out of the hills. Use your 2-3 gear on the descents, yes. Check trans oil level make sure it's in operating range. (Check while it's running, the dip stick says procedure and oil type) The mountains are brutal on cars, I'll never buy a car from the mountains! 

Olympic forest Would be sweet I'll make it up there someday! I'm all the way up in the UP of Michigan now and there still over a foot of snow!!


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## Joe Btfsplk

"I'm all the way up in the UP of Michigan now and there still over a foot of snow!!"

I used to drive truckloads of U.S. Mail from Milwaukee to the Upper Peninsula, the Iron Mountain MI post office, pick up their outbound mail, and stopped in Green Bay WI for a load of religious magazines on the way back.

Michigan is now gearing up for medical and rec marijuana; legalized in the state. This will be a boon for us landlocked upper Midwestern stoners. Things are currently being hammered out; it's only a matter of time until said and done. Let's see if Michigan can rival the western states in high-octane smoke.

It would be fun to meet with you, SaltyCrew, if you live up there. Lovely warm weather clime, brutal come winter.


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## ByronMc

Jackthereaper said:


> When you do go solar have a look into used tesla batteries. My uncles off grid cabin even runs an a/c at night (6000 btu, 410 watt) off if his 3 battery pack 13kwh storage setup. I believe he runs 4kw of panels though, its his whole roof plus a clearing next to the house with 12 panels (250w i believe).


At the moment, am only getting it ready to get DMV to transfer title status to RV.
Then I’ll go through the mechanical & then onto solar


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## Seethru2

I just added oil and coolant recently, after an overheat, still getting close to overheating whenever I go to move. When we overheated, I put water straight into the radiator, and 3 quarts of oil. Since then I added coolant (undiluted) thinking that it would be dilute itself in the system because I had filled the system with only water to get me thru. Could this be why I'm now getting close to overheating? What should I do? Drain some coolant? Add some water?


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## Hylyx

If you already overheated you may have killed the thermostat(an easy fix).what vehicle do you have? Usually you'll wait till it's cold, fill up the radiator until it's full, close the radiator, run the engine for like a minute, fill the radiator again, and then fill the reservoir while the engine runs. 

And yeah, if you know your mixture isn't right, adding just coolant won't hurt anything, it will definitely mix up in the engine.


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## SaltyCrew

Hylyx said:


> If you already overheated you may have killed the thermostat(an easy fix).what vehicle do you have? Usually you'll wait till it's cold, fill up the radiator until it's full, close the radiator, run the engine for like a minute, fill the radiator again, and then fill the reservoir while the engine runs.
> 
> And yeah, if you know your mixture isn't right, adding just coolant won't hurt anything, it will definitely mix up in the engine.



This advice is maybe 1/3 true. Yes if a thermostat sticks closed, it will overheat the engine. You feel the upper radiator hose, even squeeze it to see if there is coolant coming through. If upper hose is cold while engine is hot, thermostat is stuck shut.


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## SaltyCrew

Seethru2 said:


> I just added oil and coolant recently, after an overheat, still getting close to overheating whenever I go to move. When we overheated, I put water straight into the radiator, and 3 quarts of oil. Since then I added coolant (undiluted) thinking that it would be dilute itself in the system because I had filled the system with only water to get me thru. Could this be why I'm now getting close to overheating? What should I do? Drain some coolant? Add some water?



How long did you let it stay running when it over heated? If you added coolant, it's losing it somewhere. Fill it up, run it, see where it's coming out. If it's not leaking, it's burning it internally, that's bad. That means you popped a head gasket.

Did you check the level of the oil before you added 3 quarts? That's alot of oil to add, as most engines only take 4-6 quarts total. If you added 3 quarts oil for fun and didn't check it, you'll fuck it up. 

Stuck thermostat can cause overheat. Broken radiator fan can cause overheat. Low coolant level can cause overheat. Bad radiator cap can cause overheat. Any leak in the cooling system can cause over heat.


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## SaltyCrew

If you drove it any distance while the temp was pegged, chances are you made it worse. It over heated for a reason, and until that is fixed it will keep overheating. If it was simply low on coolant, and you filled it up, shouldn't overheat anymore. The fact it still overheats, something is broken, one of things I suggested in previous post. Good luck, overheated engines tend to need major repair (head gasket). If you shut it down before it started bubbling and smoking everywhere, might be able to save it. Have a pro look at it, shouldn't take long to figure out what's wrong.


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## marmar

SaltyCrew said:


> Ahh i see. Did the blower fan work normally before you had replaced the battery, and wired it incorrectly?
> 
> Try getting to the electrical plug in back of switch and unplug it. See if that shuts off blower.


Hey again, so I unplugged that thing and now I noticed it's still blowing hot air while the car is in drive. Doesn't blow when in park and on. Weird huh? Could that be connected to thermostat, no? I still haven't checked all the wires . ..
Now there is another issue , under the truck , they refused to do tire rotation on it and gave me the whole list of what needs to be done before, like a grand of money. Could you please take a look at this list and point which really needs immediate attention and what can wait? Also how real is it to do myself? Thanks 😘


----------



## SaltyCrew

marmar said:


> Hey again, so I unplugged that thing and now I noticed it's still blowing hot air while the car is in drive. Doesn't blow when in park and on. Weird huh? Could that be connected to thermostat, no? I still haven't checked all the wires . ..
> Now there is another issue , under the truck , they refused to do tire rotation on it and gave me the whole list of what needs to be done before, like a grand of money. Could you please take a look at this list and point which really needs immediate attention and what can wait? Also how real is it to do myself? Thanks 😘



Blower motor is not wired to thermostat, no. Sounds like it's been auxillary wired. Air will naturally come through vents while driving if it's set to fresh. Try moving to the "recirculate" position to close the fresh air vent, this will keep the hot engine air out out of the cabin.

As for the suggested repairs by the shop, they do not want to break anything while doing a tire rotation, so they quoted you to fix it. They are saving their own ass by telling you your truck is is poor condition and they don't want to touch it unless you want to fix the problems. All that stuff can be replaced with basic hand tools, yes. Do the tire rotation yourself, that's basic stuff.


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## Jerrell

How about tire sizes. I have 215/65/R16's and need two tires. I can get two 215/60/R16's for $30...if I rotate tires so I have matching sizes up front and matching in back, will that screw things up?


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## SaltyCrew

Jerrell said:


> How about tire sizes. I have 215/65/R16's and need two tires. I can get two 215/60/R16's for $30...if I rotate tires so I have matching sizes up front and matching in back, will that screw things up?



Hey man! You should be fine as long as you keep the same tire sizes on front and same size on back. If you had an AWD vehicle, yes it would potentially cause damage, but if you're still rocking your van, it's only FWD so you'll be fine. Just don't mix and match on one end or the other.


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## WyldLyfe

Bro what's it mean when a automobiles got the air bag sign on, on the dash, an the horn ain't beepin. It beeps when only in park when the sign goes off, Thx.


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## SaltyCrew

WyldLyfe said:


> Bro what's it mean when a automobiles got the air bag sign on, on the dash, an the horn ain't beepin. It beeps when only in park when the sign goes off, Thx.



Howdy! Air bag light can mean a whole lot of things, but in your case, since you gave me the info of horn also not working, it's most deff 99% sure it's your "clock spring" or "sprial cable" that's gone bad. It's located inside the steering wheel behind the air bag. Fairly easy to replace. Make sure to disconnect the battery before you start messing with the air bag system. The whole "squib" will unbolt from the steering wheel, usually 2 bolts behind the 4 and 8 o'clock positions of the wheel. There will be 2 wires connecting the air bag squib to the "clock spring" and steering wheel. 

Basically, the thing that went bad on you, allows the steering wheel to rotate while keeping a constant connection to the air bag. Same goes for the horn. The wires for the horn and airbag run through the clock spring. 

Unfortunately, they are usually a fairly expensive part to replace. Good luck! If you have any more questions, feel free!


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## BradKajukenbo

I have no clue what goes on under the hood. I am the type of person who has left over pieces when I try to fix things. 

I have a 99 Expedition. About 2 months ago, all of the sudden the turn signals and break lights just stopped working. So I googled it. I ended up replacing the little square flasher things under the dashboard. That wasn't it. I replace fuse #13 which is for the break lights. As soon as I turn the key on, the fues goes "Pop". 

What I did find out, the person who sold it to me, before selling it, he removed his Kenwood system by cutting all the wires and shoving them back into the dashboard then slid the stock radio in. I capped all ends of the wires. Now sometimes I have turn signals and if I want break lights, I have to start the fucker then put the fuse into slot #13.


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## SaltyCrew

BradKajukenbo said:


> I have no clue what goes on under the hood. I am the type of person who has left over pieces when I try to fix things.
> 
> I have a 99 Expedition. About 2 months ago, all of the sudden the turn signals and break lights just stopped working. So I googled it. I ended up replacing the little square flasher things under the dashboard. That wasn't it. I replace fuse #13 which is for the break lights. As soon as I turn the key on, the fues goes "Pop".
> 
> What I did find out, the person who sold it to me, before selling it, he removed his Kenwood system by cutting all the wires and shoving them back into the dashboard then slid the stock radio in. I capped all ends of the wires. Now sometimes I have turn signals and if I want break lights, I have to start the fucker then put the fuse into slot #13.



Do you have a question, or just telling a story?


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## BradKajukenbo

I just want to know what could solve the problem. Break lights and turn signals started to some what work when I capped the bare wires to the radio. I realize there this still a short somewhere. Just not sure how to locate it. 

Well here is a question, why would wires from the radio blow out the fuse for the break lights and turn signals and not the fuse for the radio itself?


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## SaltyCrew

BradKajukenbo said:


> I just want to know what could solve the problem. Break lights and turn signals started to some what work when I capped the bare wires to the radio. I realize there this still a short somewhere. Just not sure how to locate it.
> 
> Well here is a question, why would wires from the radio blow out the fuse for the break lights and turn signals and not the fuse for the radio itself?



Are your turns/brake lights integrated then? Same bulb? Does it blow without stepping on the brake pedal? 

If the fuse is the wrong size amperage rating (too small), it has the potential to blow. If it's the correct size and it's blowing, there is a short to power, or high resistance in the circuit somewhere, which acts as a higher load on the fuse/circuit. 

The radio is wired into the body control harness, and so is the lights. Electricity is very sneaky about finding it's way to ground, and will always choose the shortest path of least resistance. 

I would start by making sure the fuse is the correct size, the bulbs are all good and no corrosion in the sockets, and wire harness connectors at the tail lights are free of corrosion and good connections. If all that is good to go, you're going to need a DVOM to start tracing/probing the circuit to find the last place you have power, first place you lost power. The problem is in between those 2 points.


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## BradKajukenbo

SaltyCrew said:


> Are your turns/brake lights integrated then? Same bulb? Does it blow without stepping on the brake pedal?



Yes Turns/Break lights are on the same bulb. When the problem first started, anytime I turned the key on, the fuse for turn/break would pop. Since capping the bare wires from the radio, my turn signals work sometimes. I would start it, then put the fuse in. For a couple of weeks it would be fine. Then at random at times I would turn the key and the fuse pop again. But it has never popped anytime I applied the break. The manual shows 20amp. So thats all I've used. 

So far I've replaced the Flashers, and break light switch. I always figured that there is still a short with the wires cut from the radio. 

I knew the guy who sold it to me. He once had it all decked out as a Zombie Response Team Vehicle. LED Emergency strobes on the grill and the emergency dash strobes. He had a siren and a PA system hooked up. When I bought it, there was no casings on the front turn signals. I stopped driving it a couple months ago when I got my little Ford Ranger. But I miss driving the Expedition. My licenses are suspended and I fear that driving even without turn signals will get me stopped.


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## Barf

I drive a 93 Buick Roadmaster. I am the third owner of the car. I love the car and it's fun to drive. That being said it has it's ,um, quirks like any older car.

I dropped a new battery in it this past summer cause the battery was dead.

Tldr; how do I tell if it's a bad alnernator? I did a google search and I read that a bad alternator can drain a battery. 

What do you think @SaltyCrew ?

If you need anymore info let me know. Just trying to get this all out there before my afternoon nap. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️


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## SaltyCrew

Barf said:


> I drive a 93 Buick Roadmaster. I am the third owner of the car. I love the car and it's fun to drive. That being said it has it's ,um, quirks like any older car.
> 
> I dropped a new battery in it this past summer cause the battery was dead.
> 
> Tldr; how do I tell if it's a bad alnernator? I did a google search and I read that a bad alternator can drain a battery.
> 
> What do you think @SaltyCrew ?
> 
> If you need anymore info let me know. Just trying to get this all out there before my afternoon nap. ❤ ❤ ❤



Do you drive the car everyday? Do you have to jump start it? The best/fastest way to find out if you have a bad alternator is to get a voltage meter and check voltage at the battery while the car is running. If it's charging like it should, you should see 12.8v-14.3v at the battery. If it's below 12.5v while running, likely your alternator is not charging, or there is an open circuit (blown fuse, bad connection, broken wire) in between alternator and battery.


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## Lynora

Wanting to repalace rear side window (it's static, doesn't move) in an old Toyota 4runner. I've got the window from a junkyard...was planning on using window weld to put it in, and duct tape on all 4 corners. Want to do it on a warm day... I've helped a friend repair windshields this way, but I'm worried with it's being a side window that the duct tape won't be enough and it might fall. Any suggestions?


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## SaltyCrew

Lynora said:


> Wanting to repalace rear side window (it's static, doesn't move) in an old Toyota 4runner. I've got the window from a junkyard...was planning on using window weld to put it in, and duct tape on all 4 corners. Want to do it on a warm day... I've helped a friend repair windshields this way, but I'm worried with it's being a side window that the duct tape won't be enough and it might fall. Any suggestions?



What year 4runner? I'd say use some wide 3M painters tape to hold the window in place while the window weld cures. Duct tape leaves a nasty residue that's hard to clean off glass and paint. Can also get creative and prop something against the glass, like a piece of wood. More surface area against the glass the better. I think you'll be fine.


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## EJ1312

I bought a 1980 Dodge b300 in the fall, 
Drove ir over 8000km , 
Gas aint cheap. 

I had a blown heater core the day i took it away from the owner , tires were also done. 
I didn't know this until it got really bad and my thermostat blew
When buying older motorhomes buyer beware. 

But to be honest there are alot of motorhomes that will drive for another 60,000 to 100,000 miles guaranteed. 

Do your routine maintenance and dont floor it. You should be good for a while

Be sure to test drive it and a mechanic with you for the test drive would be ideal


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## lazerskull

I'm good with late 90's Explorers... explorerforums.com this website is amazing: Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations - https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php


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