Well, its been awhile.....
Been busy with a new motorcycle & tossing money at that without hesitation vs 4 wheels... not so much! hahaha
Which is a 99 Suzuki Bandit 1200S.
Bought for $2300 with only 8150 miles on it & 100% original & garage kept.
The 01 transmission problems.... still untouched!
Its just been too hot to work on Anything!
I was hardly even touching the bike when I had it in my cellar to work on (upgrading parts)
Right now I am thinking it was me that possibly caused the problem.
Read that the transmission fluid level is VERY important with these piece of $h!t 5r55e's.
& soon after buying the truck, I checked the trans fluid level & it looked like it needed a little bit.
So I added some & actually went a Little bit above the full mark on the stick.
Between that & the valve body gasket Possibly being damaged & not being damaged from removing the valve body....
I am just going to replace the gaskets, filter, etc
reinstall the valve body & refill it with fresh fluid & not over fill it by even a hair!
Which I have had the gasket & filter kit for a week now
Just been too hot 90*+
& I DO NOT work well in the heat, as I WILL break something! haha
So if that doesnt work.....
I will probably swap the rims over to the 05, the center console, anything else I could possibly use & just junk it.
As I am also unsure of the front end from the parts that shoddy @$$ installed.
Either needs an alignment (VERY BADLY!) or more new parts vs the used ones I had them install.
The 05............
2 trucks & 1 car......
Fix vehicle, another breaks.
Fix one part.... another breaks!!!!
Got the gauges fixed
& I gotta say... this truck does NOT like it when the gauges are funky!
Missing? DONT EVEN DRIVE IT!
Had my wife run to the store while the gauges were being fixed (GPS speedo app)
The truck would NOT charge the battery & started running like GARBAGE!
Gauges came back fixed & reinstalled.
Truck ran better then it ever did~!!!
So much so, that sometimes I couldnt even tell if the truck was still running while sitting at a stop light!
until a week later just a couple days prior to a 3.5 hour drive to the beach.........
Measured & went to EVERY autozone, pepboys, & advance auto in the area...
No adapters like I needed...
grabbed it on amazon tho.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015KUCA2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also grabbed a Recip saw for cutting the stock pipe.
Which I also need to replace the Same section of pipe on my 02 grand am!
Got a flex pipe to replace that clamp area on that car.
Just hope I can clamp it & it doesnt HAVE to be welded......
& with so many problems with the 05 because of the gauges.
It wasnt driven that much since Feb after buying it.
Week prior to the beach trip, I go & change the oil....
Only been 2500 miles but I would prefer fresh oil in a 3.5 hr trip.
Remove the drain plug & I see THIS!
LUCKILY the threads in the pan are longer then the bolt.
So I just bought a longer bolt & cut it down to be a little longer then the stock one... & Success!
& the gauges I got fixed here
https://circuitboardmedics.com/2004-2005-ford-explorer-sport-trac-instrument-cluster-repair/
Zero problems until the other day.
Had them replace the gauge lights with LEDs & one or two started flickering.
Might not be the gauges themselves & forgot about it for now.
Not too worried about lights atm.
& after FIVE MONTHS I finally got the title for the 05
all this virus BS & then they got my phone number mixed up by a digit!
Tax, Tag, Registration, & Transfer....... $430... (from NJ to PA)
So now I have to....
01: toss in new gaskets in the valve body & reinstall that & refill.
05: repair the exhaust.
Inspect the front end thoroughly as it just feels... "loose" when the road isnt smooth or bumpy
Already checked the passenger side & nothing is loose & wheel bearing is Ok.
& then inspect everything else as the truck wasnt even inspected when I bought it (didnt realize)
Grand am: exhaust repair
& check a whole SLEW of other BS that Shoddy ass shop told me is wrong with it & why they couldnt inspect it.
Like the whole rear end being rotten........
When its actually only the bumper (its a HUGE piece of metal that is below the bump body & the foam below that)
& check the brake & fuel lines.
Luckily I can still buy the whole assembly of those preassembled & ready to just be installed.
Finally down to 80*, so once the wife gets home.
I will go out & fix the 05 exhaust IF I can get the bolts out without problems.
Already got them to spin, but the rear nut is also spinning.