I DESPISE people sometimes.........

[sousa632]

I despise people who that THINK they know how to wrench on cars...........


This is pertaining to the Windstar(Disappointing Felpro....... really disappointing........ for those who didnt see it). I've been chasing down a coolant leak on the van for MONTHS now. Fixed one, got another. I parked it cause I got fed up with it. As in the thread above I replaced the LIMG twice and it was still leaking. The LIMG was dry though. After coming home today I figured I'd give it one last hurrah so I can tell what the deal was for me to sell it. I thought it was leaking at the timing cover...... and it was.

Turns out some ASSHAT put in a new water pump at one time and didnt tighten the god damn bolts on the left side of the pump..... 3 of the bolts on that side(of course the ones going through the timing cover) were maybe hand tight. I torqued them down and immediately after starting it I didnt smell antifreeze anymore. Took it for a ride and still no more smell, were it's within 5-10 seconds of turning it on that I smelled it. I put a peice of cardboard under it and I'll check it in the morning. So tomorrow is going to tell the tale of what's going on with it. Then we will make a decision as to keep it, or sell it. My Tbird's registration is up on 4/1 so I want to figure out this before that time comes...........

[Bull Geek]

Kind of like how on the wagon I found about 1/4 of the trans pan bolts finger tight, and the oil pan was missing 2 bolts. And the finger tight bolts on the valve cover bolts right next to the exhaust manifold leaking oil all over the manifold and the AC compressor.

Hopefully no more leaks. Glad you found what is hopefully the culprit of your leak. Knock on wood.

[downhill]

Glad you found the problem, I just do my own anymore.
The last mechanic I used was 20 years ago when I found 3 broken head bolts on a new head install on my F250 inline 300 Six.
It was running really rough the 2nd day I got it home.
After checking all of my vacuum hoses and obvious checks I pulled the valve cover and checked the head. That is when I found 3 removable bolt heads. I was not a happy camper.
Needless to say I made a phone call to that special person and informed him of the event. He claimed they were fine when they left the shop.
I found that they were not new but the original 15 year old head bolts.
My lawyer recovered my cost.
I ended up buying a long block and redoing the whole job and added new clutch and carb as well.
The only thing I do not do is front end alignments and tires.
I got the long block for just a little more than what the head job cost.
Hope the leak stays away and you can sell it easily. Vehicles can be such a PIA!!!
Be well, downhill~~~

[sousa632]

Originally Posted by downhill

Glad you found the problem, I just do my own anymore.
The last mechanic I used was 20 years ago when I found 3 broken head bolts on a new head install on my F250 inline 300 Six.
It was running really rough the 2nd day I got it home.
After checking all of my vacuum hoses and obvious checks I pulled the valve cover and checked the head. That is when I found 3 removable bolt heads. I was not a happy camper.
Needless to say I made a phone call to that special person and informed him of the event. He claimed they were fine when they left the shop.
I found that they were not new but the original 15 year old head bolts.
My lawyer recovered my cost.
I ended up buying a long block and redoing the whole job and added new clutch and carb as well.
The only thing I do not do is front end alignments and tires.
I got the long block for just a little more than what the head job cost.
Hope the leak stays away and you can sell it easily. Vehicles can be such a PIA!!!
Be well, downhill~~~

That's pretty much how I am as well. Exhaust too.


So I just went out and looked at the cardboard........ NOTHING ON IT! . Now it's making the decision if we are going to keep it and do the other small things, or sell it, and buy another van for my wife. Honestly I'm not interested in buying another car and dealing with another set of problems. I have 2 days before the registration is due in my bird so I have to decide by then. My mother still wants the bird though........ decisions decisions

[sheila]

John, you know what I would do with the winnie........., lol!

[sousa632]

Originally Posted by sheila

John, you know what I would do with the winnie........., lol!

Oh trust me I know! I know of the other small things it needs so it's not that big of a deal. The only real reason I parked it is cause of the coolant leak. It does run and drive nice though. I did a full tuneup, and all the gaskets and shocks/struts/alignment(way too much money) I put in it would almost be a waste to give it to someone, cause I wouldnt make what I have in it back.

I just dont have the cash to buy something else right now and I love the ease of the van with the 3 kids. I wanted to take one of the cars off the insurance and it looks like the Tbird is it being the plates expire tomorrow and I dont intend on giving the State on NJ another $45.

[sousa632]

Welp....... the Tbird's plates are officially expired so no more drivey drivey..........

Today I looked at the van again(in the rain/mist all god damn day!) to verify that there's no leaks, and I didnt see or smell any. Took it for a 25 mile trip and no leaks again. A 2 mile round trip to Wally-world would have made it leak. So..... tomorrow the wagon gets the black rims again, and I'll be driving it again, and the wagon rims go back on the van, and the wife will be driving that for as long as we can. At least now we should be able to drive it and enjoy the money I've spent fixing it instead of looking at it on the side of my house.

[downhill]

Originally Posted by sousa632

Welp....... the Tbird's plates are officially expired so no more drivey drivey..........

Today I looked at the van again(in the rain/mist all god damn day!) to verify that there's no leaks, and I didnt see or smell any. Took it for a 25 mile trip and no leaks again. A 2 mile round trip to Wally-world would have made it leak. So..... tomorrow the wagon gets the black rims again, and I'll be driving it again, and the wagon rims go back on the van, and the wife will be driving that for as long as we can. At least now we should be able to drive it and enjoy the money I've spent fixing it instead of looking at it on the side of my house.

You are breaking my heart, come to Montana and I will set you free in one that is rust free and has high altitude attitude~~There are some great deals on some real clean cars. I fight the tags and insurance game too!!!

[sousa632]

Now see I would think that cars would be more rusted out up by you than over here. Then again they use salt here in the winter, when we get snow, and I live right by the ocean so salt water/salt air is in constant contact with the cars here.

[downhill]

They just use sand on our roads up here. Most vehicles stay rust free with the low humidity and low exposure to salt in Montana. I just bought a 2003 but it was originally built in Atlanta. It came west to Montana but it was not rust free when it got here. My other Taurus was a Chicago built but was sold in Montana in 2000. It is in much better shape than the one from Atlanta as far as rust is concerned.
Have a great weekend, I am going to swap out a DPFE sensor on my F-250 today. Just popped a code yesterday of the P0401 variety!! Always something fun to do!!