What did you do to your other vehicle today?

Where are the OEM stats built and are they available, price may be an issue but who knows.
I have used Stant products for years with success BUT the "hecho en China" would make me question that now.
Robert Shaw makes some high flow T-stats for domestic V-8 hot rods but who knows for MB.
 
ColoJeep said:
Where are the OEM stats built and are they available, price may be an issue but who knows.
I have used Stant products for years with success BUT the "hecho en China" would make me question that now.
Robert Shaw makes some high flow T-stats for domestic V-8 hot rods but who knows for MB.
Click to expand...
I've used Stants without hesitation for decades, but as it literally takes longer to drain the coolant down enough to change the T-stat without spillage than it does to actually swap the thing, that's what I'm gonna do.
 
Does this little turd qualify as one of my other vehicles?
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1972 Kitty Kat. One year behind the DeSoto in family seniority. My dad bought this in 1979 for my oldest when she was about five minutes old. It's been through both my kids and my brothers' four. It was last at my oldest's place in Maine for her kids. It started having running issues a few years ago, so it was parked in my kids' shed. For a long time.

I had them bring it back to Illannoy last summer so I could get it running for Eli and Owen this winter, then I'd haul it to my brother's place in northern Wisconsin next year. I have four grand kids. I think he has enough to field his own baseball team.

I started to tear into it last August. The fuel system was completely plugged up. While going through the carb, I learned that most fuel and ignition system parts for the nearly 50 year old Kawasaki T5B engine are made of Unobtainium. They can be worked around. To a point.

I got it running, poorly, a day after I started on it. It would run, then just quit. I figured it couldn't hurt to reseal the engine and give it a tune up. Now I'm where I can't get points or a condenser, but I can get an electronic ignition conversion kit. Cool beans. I get new gaskets and seals in the engine this week, along with the conversion kit. Rings and bore look great. Get the engine mounted back in the sled so I can check for spark. Wow! You know the spark is good when you hear, as well as see it. Hooked up fuel, set the choke, pulled the rope. Nothing. Shot some 'Start, Ya Bastard' down the carb and pulled the rope. Ran for a few seconds and quit. Tried the ether again. Nothing. Not good. I already suspect carb problems but I thought I had my sparky issues fixed. Pull the plug and check for spark. Shit.

I end up checking the entire ignition system for bad grounds, broken switches, broken wires. I even checked the coil for resistance. Coil is supposed to be 5100 Ohms, + or - 20%. I got 4200, so it's within spec. Everything else is good, so I have to assume I have a bad ignition module. Double shit. I remember that I had that same module on an old mower, so I pull it and plug it into the Kawa. Great spark. Pull the rope with the carb on choke. Nothing. Try some ether again. Fires up and quits. Try ether again, nothing. Pull the plug. No spark again. Arrrgh! I do a quick check on the on the coil. Way out of spec. And, I can watch the resistance change as the coil cools.

Well, found the cause of all the problems and arrived at that point where I give the engine the last rights and make it a door stop. No coil available and no work around for it. Soooo....this...
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...is going to go here.
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in another attempt again to get the jeep off the winter roads I tried to continue work on the winter/beater pickup tonight with no luck.

Problem with the truck is that the transmission pan leaks oil & repair attempts cost me around $70 in ATF each time.... so far im at $200 in oil
all started with my preventative maintenance changing the trans oil at the beginning of 2021, dropped the pan and changed the filter and used the flimsy rubber gasket and I believe the culprit was that I over cranked the bolts back in place and bent the pan at the bolt holes. leaked when done.

second time around a few months later I picked up a better and oem gasket, hard plastic with silicone bead on each side (reusable). leaked when done too.

third time I dropped the pan again and attempted flattening the obviously warped bolt hole areas with light hammering and a pneumatic sanding wheel... surprise surprise leaked again. pissed about the situation at this point and mid summer who cares. left it parked and never touched it. figured its new pan time.

before winter hit I intermittently started searching for replacement aftermarket trans pans and kept coming up with nothing. other than a different stamping but same bolt holes pan. figured it wasn't right and never ordered it.... until last week.

well the replacement pan arrived today, drove a hour and a half to my dads place where the truck is. laid on the ground outside in 11F temps dropped the old pan and wouldn't you know the new pan bottoms out on something and doesn't fit, won't seat flush to the underside of the transmission.

ended up slapping a tow strap on the truck with the jeep and pulled it back away from the garage back into the yard.

shitty thing is that I dont want to spend $300+ on a billet or whatever fancy aftermarket pans I know will work and are available or a salvage yard pan. I just want the oe aftermarket pan at a fair low price. remember, this truck is a beater and unfortunately ive got around $4k in new control arms, coil and leaf springs, steering links, tires.... its basically a new truck (minus the 284k miles) mechanically but this transmission bullshit... guess moral of the story is here, if it aint broke.. dont fix it.

I believe I have a lead on a aftermarket pan thats half fancy and somewhat fairly priced, seen something on my phone earlier when I realized what I had didnt fit. might end up with a flashy chrome pan for about $100.
 
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Replaced the T-stat in the old MBZ for the 2nd time. The original was apparently opening too soon, it took forever for the car to warm up in the winter. The one I replaced it with seemed to open at the right time, but perhaps didn't open up enough? Temperature would gradually rise from 82c to almost 100c (80c rating). Thus the new one today. "Seems to be" better, its still running a bit warmer than I think it should be, about 90c, but I can tell its servoing at that temperature - something that didn't seem to be happening before. Anyway, I'll see how it does driving down to a couple of dance classes.
 
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Cold day in NY. Working on the F150. I was able to get the transmission cooler lines on. All power steering lines on. Rack and pinion lines on. Serpentine belt. Radiator. Steering shaft. Salt is a MF’er.
nothing like working on a dirt driveway in sub freezing weather. It really wasn’t too bad. I’d head inside when my hands got cold but brought my tools in so they weren’t freezing. We’ve been driving the LJ which I want off the road for salty winter. I’ll wash it well and tuck her away now. I hope everyone is doing well.

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Blend120 said:
nothing like working on a dirt driveway in sub freezing weather. It really wasn’t too bad. I’d head inside when my hands got cold but brought my tools in so they weren’t freezing.
Click to expand...
I put gas in my car today I thought I was going to freeze to death. No way would I be outside working on anything.
 
New brakes on the R

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340mm stoptech with ebc red. Just a basic oem-esque replacement.

Also flashed the ecu the other day, so should be around 360hp now. It's fun!
 
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03coloradowrangler said:
in another attempt again to get the jeep off the winter roads I tried to continue work on the winter/beater pickup tonight with no luck.

Problem with the truck is that the transmission pan leaks oil & repair attempts cost me around $70 in ATF each time.... so far im at $200 in oil
all started with my preventative maintenance changing the trans oil at the beginning of 2021, dropped the pan and changed the filter and used the flimsy rubber gasket and I believe the culprit was that I over cranked the bolts back in place and bent the pan at the bolt holes. leaked when done.

second time around a few months later I picked up a better and oem gasket, hard plastic with silicone bead on each side (reusable). leaked when done too.

third time I dropped the pan again and attempted flattening the obviously warped bolt hole areas with light hammering and a pneumatic sanding wheel... surprise surprise leaked again. pissed about the situation at this point and mid summer who cares. left it parked and never touched it. figured its new pan time.

before winter hit I intermittently started searching for replacement aftermarket trans pans and kept coming up with nothing. other than a different stamping but same bolt holes pan. figured it wasn't right and never ordered it.... until last week.

well the replacement pan arrived today, drove a hour and a half to my dads place where the truck is. laid on the ground outside in 11F temps dropped the old pan and wouldn't you know the new pan bottoms out on something and doesn't fit, won't seat flush to the underside of the transmission.

ended up slapping a tow strap on the truck with the jeep and pulled it back away from the garage back into the yard.

shitty thing is that I dont want to spend $300+ on a billet or whatever fancy aftermarket pans I know will work and are available or a salvage yard pan. I just want the oe aftermarket pan at a fair low price. remember, this truck is a beater and unfortunately ive got around $4k in new control arms, coil and leaf springs, steering links, tires.... its basically a new truck (minus the 284k miles) mechanically but this transmission bullshit... guess moral of the story is here, if it aint broke.. dont fix it.

I believe I have a lead on a aftermarket pan thats half fancy and somewhat fairly priced, seen something on my phone earlier when I realized what I had didnt fit. might end up with a flashy chrome pan for about $100.
Click to expand...
Oh, and to top it all off, another slap in the face.. the battery was completely dead. arrived and opened the truck door and just hear relay slightly clicking under the dash. gave my NOCO GB40 the first ever attempt at jumping a battery and it blew me away how successful it was.

brought the battery home with me last night.
optima is dated 2015 so im crossing my fingers, I know its nearing the end of its accepted life expectancy. measured 10.5 volts this morning after letting it sit indoors overnight prior to charging. been on the charger now for about a hour taking charge. I despise side mount battery post, came up with some random fasteners that fit so I can get the charger clamps on it.
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We’ve had 4 cars since I bought my LJ and fiancé got an insane deal on a 2020 Honda Pilot. Somehow both of these deals popped up within a week of each other.

We intended to have 3 so the LJ wasn’t a daily for me. But 4 is a bit much. Now we’ve got a buyer for her old accord and I need to go through it and make sure it works. It’s been driven about 300 miles in 6 months.

All the Jeep projects have taken my attention away from selling her old accord
 
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Changed oil in the wife’s Grand Cherokee. I like working on the 3.6. I use an oil vac through the dipstick and it gets out more than then recommended full quantity. Filter is up top and easy to service. Hardly get my hands dirty.
 
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My wifes KL got new shoes. Initially had ordered a set of Toyo Open Country ATIIIs but Discount Tire told me they are on national backorder with no ETA. The only other AT tire in stock were the KO2s, which I haven't ran in years. Quick research on here though and it seems like they have progressed quite a bit. They should be more than enough for her. CO has a traction law in the winter that if you cause an accident and are found with bald tires, or tires that do not have a snow rating, you get fined some crazy amount, I think $600.
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For me--Diode Dynamic SS3 Pro fogs in amber:)

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tworley said:
My wifes KL got new shoes. Initially had ordered a set of Toyo Open Country ATIIIs but Discount Tire told me they are on national backorder with no ETA. The only other AT tire in stock were the KO2s, which I haven't ran in years. Quick research on here though and it seems like they have progressed quite a bit. They should be more than enough for her. CO has a traction law in the winter that if you cause an accident and are found with bald tires, or tires that do not have a snow rating, you get fined some crazy amount, I think $600.
View attachment 303237


For me--Diode Dynamic SS3 Pro fogs in amber:)

View attachment 303238
Click to expand...
I was going to order a set of Toyo A/T III for my newly acquired 4Runner, as I have a set on my wife's Cherokee, and they did fantastic in the snow (much improved over the Toyo A/T II, which I've run for years). Disappointed to hear that they're on national backorder. Those KO2s sure are meaty. Interesting about that traction law. Makes sense.
 
Squatch said:
I was going to order a set of Toyo A/T III for my newly acquired 4Runner, as I have a set on my wife's Cherokee, and they did fantastic in the snow (much improved over the Toyo A/T II, which I've run for years). Disappointed to hear that they're on national backorder. Those KO2s sure are meaty. Interesting about that traction law. Makes sense.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was bummed when they told me about the backorder. Not sure if it was that specific tire size (225/65R17) or the model of tire itself. I was a little hesitant with the KO2s as I wasnt too impressed with them back in the day, but that was probably 12 years ago that I last had a set. I do see quite a bit of additional siping though and a much more aggressive sidewall tread compared to what I had.
 
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