My first DIY job, success

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tfandango - 15 Mar 2005 23:08 GMT

Hey!

A very big "thank you" to everyone here for answering all of my newbie
questions for the last few weeks. Last night, I went out into the
garage and nervously got to working on the Explorer.

I changed the drive belt. The old one was in really bad shape, cracks
everywhere. It was a bugger yanking on that tensioner pully with my
left hand and trying to wrench the new belt onto another pully at the
same time.

Air filter, easy.

Drained the coolent, easy.

Replaced my bum thermostat. That housing was really in there. I
scraped the skin off my hand trying to get it out from under that pipy
looking thing on top because I was too nervous to try to take that
complicated thing off (see, newbie, don't even know what it is, looks
like a carborator?). I finally got the stat out and replaced it with a
Stant and a new O-ring.

Backflushed the heater core. This went pretty smoothly except that I
ended up spraying water all over the place on accident. No rust or
sediment in either the heater core or the radiator.

Refilled everything, put everything back together, and the truck runs!
(At least I was surprised) Not only that, the temp is nice and steady
now and the transmission problems I thought I was having went away!
Thanks again to everyone here for your help.

-troy

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Jonah - 15 Mar 2005 23:26 GMT

You're in big trouble now. A success in your first endeavor will only
encourage you to try more difficult undertakings. This will inevitably
lead to relatively minor problems becoming major (expensive) projects.
You'll have to buy special tools and repair manuals. Make friends with
the guy at your local parts store. Get some good hand cleaner. Learn
how to deal with broken bolts and skinned knuckles. Figure out what
you're going to do with all the money you save by doing it yourself.
Know when to ask for professional help.
Congratulations, and God help you!

> Hey!
>
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> -troy

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Ulysses - 16 Mar 2005 05:15 GMT

> You're in big trouble now. A success in your first endeavor will only
> encourage you to try more difficult undertakings. This will inevitably
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Know when to ask for professional help.
> Congratulations, and God help you!

Well put.

> > Replaced my bum thermostat. That housing was really in there. I
> > scraped the skin off my hand trying to get it out from under that pipy
> > looking thing on top because I was too nervous to try to take that
> > complicated thing off (see, newbie, don't even know what it is, looks
> > like a carborator?).

If I recall correctly it's easier to remove the thermostat housing when the
belt is removed. You might also need to unplug the wiring going to the
timing sensor. Bottom line is that it's generally easier to remove
something like an alternator and put it back on than to try to work around
it. I use a length of pipe over my rachet wrench when removing/installing
the belt. The extra leverage makes it easy.

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tfandango - 16 Mar 2005 15:58 GMT

thanks! I thought about a length of pipe when I was changing the belt,
but alas, no pipe was to be found.

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Ulysses - 16 Mar 2005 18:44 GMT

Well, you are probably going to have to buy more tools anyway so a 1/2"
drive socket set with a long breaker bar might do the trick. And let's not
forget that you will need the big socket set when you get around to changing
your radius arm bushings. After you do that changing the belt will seem
real easy ;-)

> thanks! I thought about a length of pipe when I was changing the belt,
> but alas, no pipe was to be found.

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Stephen Read - 21 Mar 2005 19:20 GMT

Make a note - Never start taking things apart when the parts store is
closed. This will save you a great deal of frustration!

Steve R

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