The Black Hole

Whats In A Name?

It was hot humid august night. The winds have all but vanished. I was doing my best to keep the sweat out of my eyes. The A/C was dying in my 94 Explorer, lovingly named "Pugly", and there was no relief in sight. I decided it was time to stop throwing good money into bad. I was gonna do the unthinkable,.......I was going to commit the most heinous crime of them all! I was going to trade Pugly in for a newer model! Oh the heart break! The insanity of it all! I couldn't believe the thoughts were even going through my head.

I managed to get the old girl back home, to her resting place. She seemed at ease in her familiar surroundings. I had to come up with an explanation to let her know of my evil plan. So i just gave her that old wink and grin that she likes to see from me as we made it back home from another day of adventure in the treacherous Midwestern terrain. I did my best in hiding my cynical thoughts, as I walked around to her rear flank and gave her that little pat on her bumper, as I always have when we part for the night.

The next morning I gave her a real good bath, cleaned behind her mirrors, and brushed her grill. She still looked pretty good for her age. Oh sure she had the tell tale signs, gravity has got its firm grip on her, and I am not the best cosmetics guy in the world. she didn't seem to mind too much, she still kept her nose up and drove with pride.

After looking at many vehicles I just could not find anything that had the same feel as my old girl. Then it happened! Was I seeing a mirage? Was I so desperate to find another rig that I was blinded by insanity? I found my replacement! I quickly made a sale with the owner, and brought it home.

When I pulled in the driveway, my heart sunk as I looked into the yard to see my 94 looking at me in disbelief. She was sunning herself in the grass looking all shiny and then, she just looked away from me. My heart was tearing in two. I parked the new rig, and walked up to her and gave her a soft spoken "Hello". No reply. I tried to tickle her mirrors, no response. The tension was so great, you could have cut it with a 32 count fine tooth hacksaw. I had to explain to her that she gave me great satisfaction for many years, and we made a terrific team together, but the time has come for her to just relax and enjoy her final days. She finally revved up, and understood, her days as my work horse has ended (so we thought).

I introduced her to her daily driver replacement. The shiny new(er) next generation of her kind. The 95 Explorer XLT. She warmed right up to it. Before you know it they were swapping stories. Now I had to ask her for help. I needed a name for the new ride,
so I went to find her, and what did I see? Those two were grill to grill in the driveway. rubbing chrome! I had to get the water hose out and break them up! Sheesh, she was acting like a girl at the prom dance! I let the name thing drop for awhile.

The new(er) Ex needed to get its shots, and a physical. When I got the word on it's health, I about had a coronary. "What do you mean Doc"! I yelled. "Your kidding right"? I asked. The Doc just shook his head and gathered his tools. As he walked away, He said it had a 50/50 chance of survival. My stomach knotted up, my teeth ground, my heart raced, and I could feel the energy build up as I let it all out, "Why! Why! Why did this have to happen"! I screamed.

The prognostic exam from the doc was as such. It had a blown steering rack, the shocks were gone, the brakes were non existent, front sway bar was cracked in half, the 3rd brake light was out, none of the windows or the moon roof would work, the door locks were broke, the rear end LS clutch pack was burned up, the tires were all in need of replacement, the spare was a Firestone recall and flat, the engine had a nasty tick to it, the TPS was shot, the MAF was corroded, the battery had a dead cell in it, the hood shocks were not working, the rear hatch lock was jammed up and you couldn't open it with out a key in the lock, The carpet was stained to no repair, the rear window wiper didn't want to work, and we could not tell what year its engine swap came from. it was a mess, to say the least.

I went in the house to get my gun. I was gonna just put it out of its misery right there and then. I suddenly realized I was out of ammo, from shooting at the jeep that was in my field. I went to the computer to find a place to buy some cheap ammo, and I stumbled across this website, explorerforum.com that said it could heal any ford Explorer no matter what the problems were! I jumped for joy, I could not believe the things I was reading! I wore out the search button, asked a bunch of questions. I quickly broke out my pen and paper, feverishly writing down things as I was learning! I had found a cure for everything that was wrong with my new transport. It was a Godsend, an angel from the SUV heavens!

I sprung into action. I worked day and night, Pugly was right by my side the entire time, helping me in any way she could. I never seen this side of her, and was really amazed at how well she handled the pressure. She gently squeegeed the sweat out off my fore head with her soft wiper blades as I worked away. After an entire weekend of work, I collapsed. I needed some rest, and so did the 95. The sun crested over the hills, and awoke me to a new day. I shuffled my feet to the window facing the driveway, peeled the drapes gently back, and peered out at the 95. WOW!
It had a its color back, and was looking great! Now as the time went on, (and most of my paychecks), and the selling of almost everything I own, for funds to get the 95 to its former glory.

After some time to reflect on this name thing, I strolled up and whispered into Pugly's passenger side mirror, and she giggled with delight.

I climbed up onto the front bumper in my pajamas and robe half opened, with a cup of coffee in one hand and the daily newspaper in the other, I raised my arms with out stretched hands and proclaimed the new name of the 95.

BEHOLD...........THE BLACK HOLE!!!!!!!! (Then the neighbor yelled at me to close my robe)



The End................(or is it just the beginning?)


Actually, only some of this really happened.




View attachment 324381

 

[gmanpaint]

Tim, It took a couple months to get the case after I ordered it. I didn't think it would take so long as I was told 3 weeks to begin with. The hush hush, was only supposed to be for a short time. lol
They told me they are seasonal for some items, and the Atlas is one of them. Apparently, this is Atlas season. They lost one of the case builders, and have others picking up the slack, as they haven't trained a replacement yet. So combine those two, and you get a long back order.

Boomin, Luk is whats in it now. I was going with Sachs, and almost hit the order button. I got wind of a NAPA racing clutch as good as Centerforce, but for less. I went with it already. Since I was ordering from them, I got the matching components, at the same time.

Advanced Adapters recommends a good clutch that is better than stock, and they do suggest Centerforce (or equivalent), for a replacement. This changed my mind, on going with the stock grade clutch from Sachs. It wasn't a lot more, so it was doable.

To me the clutch work is like doing prep work for the Atlas. Those that know, know that prep work is always the key, to just about everything. With that said, there is one more thing to do, to wrap up the Atlas mod. Once I figure that out, I will....... Well you guys know the drill by now.

 

[gmanpaint]

Atlas step 1:
With the vehicle on the ground (or Lift), measure the stock drivelines and write it down.
To measure for the new drivelines, measure from the face of both cases & +/- the difference of each case. Then +/- that number to the stock drive shaft measures, you wrote down.

In this rig, these are the measure changes needed to figure out the new thick wall 1350 rear & 1310/1330 front. ( Order these now! )

Atlas face to rear flange-12.250"
1354M face to rear flange-12.750"
Atlas face to front yolk end-3.00"
1354M face to front yolk-0.00"

Which translates to:
Drive shaft changes:
Front- 3.00" shorter
Rear-0.50" Longer

Step 2: Rip that old case out, clean it, & put up for sale, for new driveline funds.
Step 3: Rip out the drivers seat, pull back carpet, and remove the shifter. Inspect hole, and decide on how your going to hack it up some more for the new shifters.
Step 4: Decide to drop trans for a new clutch system. Order parts, Crack a cold one, and relax.
Step 5: Research more parts, shop for the best price, order said parts, crack another cold one, check account balance, and panic.
Step 6: Find out new drivelines will take 3+ weeks to arrive, cancel the wheeling meet in 2 weeks, and crack a bunch of cold ones.
Step 7: .... Still waiting on clutch parts.......to be continued.....Burp!!

Step 8: Begin the trans R&R, misplace the slave line disconnect tool.
Step 9: Stop, drop, and roll to the parts stores for a new disco tool.
Step 10: Fix the front brake rotor on the DD that just blew up on the tool run.

 

[gmanpaint]

OK, so the little detour fixing the other rig is done, and I resumed pulling this trans. I have 99% of all that is needed to drop it. It's resting on the trans jack, and separated from the block.

The 1% that remains is stopping me from getting it out. Of all things, it's the wedged cam stud for the shifter. I have tightened the nut on both sides of the cam stud, and nothing. it won't budge in either direction. I hit it with a 16 oz hammer, nothing. I am going to try the 5 lb mini sledge and a brass drift, and if I mangle the stud, I hope I can find a new one.

If the BFH doesn't work, I'm not sure what to do, other than cut the shifter off with a grinder. Can't use a torch on it, as I will burn down the rig in the process. I already have 3 bandages holding the bloody side of my hand together, from a wrench slip, and don't feel like adding flesh burns to the mix. lol

Edit: The bigger hammer did the trick. So for the future..... To remove, the short side of the stud is the side to crank on, then hit with a BFH on the other side. Only one side of the shifter has an opening large enough for the cam/shoulder on the stud to pass threw. To tighten the shifter, use the same nut on the longer side of the stud, and it draws the cam in tight.

Trans is out. Now to attack the clutch, flywheel, & slave.

 

[RockRanger]

Maybe when you put it back together put some anti seize on it.

 

[gmanpaint]

Anti-seize, That's a good idea. lol

That little debacle set me back, and I only got the clutch installed this weekend. I will get the trans back in, a little at a time after work, if it's not 100* out.

Carnage is only to myself. 1 chunk of hand sliced off. A dozen or so cuts. 1 spider bite, a few chiggers, and some Poison Ivy. Must have brought some of that crap home with me, from KY.

Next weekend hopefully I can start the Atlas install.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm glad you did get the clutch done, it sounds like the wildlife was the biggest problem. I have to work in my driveway for most things, but I try to use a big fan a lot to run off the worst bugs. I hate mosquitoes, but they like me.

Get those cuts cleaned up well, some metals or dirty parts can cause infections, especially in small punctures instead of open wounds. BTDT.

 

[gmanpaint]

I sprayed down the driveway early this morning. I set up the large shop fan in front of the rig too. I cleaned after every cut, and went thru a half box of band aids already. Haha!

The bugs that got me must have been living under the rig. I am amazed that no matter how good I think I washed the trail mud off, there is still tons of it clinging underneath. Powerwasher is being used before the trans goes back in!! lol

 

[gmanpaint]

So I tried to stab the trans back in yesterday. I am having a hard time getting it back on.

More then likely, I am not getting it lined up straight and can't tell as I am on my back, pushing from the tail housing. I have a big bottle jack under the engine to help line it up, and the trans on a trans jack. It stops well before I can get a bolt to even touch the engine. There is nothing obstructing the trans from going further forward, that I can see.

So.. If alignment is the issue, I just need a helper to get it back on.

If not, I am wondering if I installed the pilot bearing backwards in the new flywheel. Then I'm wondering if that would even matter, as the end of the splined input shaft would still have to pass thru it all the way, and it shouldn't stop it. I used the alignment tool when I bolted on the disc, and pressure plate, so I dunno.

I am going to take the old flywheel, and test it on the input shaft, just to see how it passes thru. I will try both directions and see what happens. If it stops on one direction, then I know.

 

[CDW6212R]

Go at it slow and try to find a helper. That initial lining up and starting the bolts is the hardest part. Double check what you can until you get a little help.

 

[gmanpaint]

It's me. The pilot bearing is fine, and not the issue. I'm just getting too old, to do some of this stuff alone, I guess.

Been having some health issues, and my ribs feel like they are breaking when I roll over them on the concrete. Paralyzes me with pain, when it happens. This doesn't help me at all, doing stuff like this.

Day 3 of Wiggle wiggle wiggle, shake, shake, push, push, for another couple hours. Still no luck getting it on.

I went as far as to check the new flywheel O.D. measure. Thought maybe it was too large and hitting the clutch housing. Nope, specs are about the same as the old one.

Going to remove the clutch & flywheel, and start over. Must be something I am missing, as it shouldn't be this hard. Ugh.....

 

[gmanpaint]

I might be grasping at straws here, but I might have found the issue?

I tore it all down today, and had a look at everything. Clutch seems fine, pilot bearing is good. I turned my attention to the trans and the new slave.

I pushed on the release bearing to discover that thing locks itself at the top of the stroke. I mean, I have to really really push down on it to get it to move. Once it does, it moves easier. When I let it go, it snaps back and locks again.This has to be what is stopping the trans from mating to the block. I checked the old one, and it has a nice smooth stroke, and no locking. Hmm....

The new performance clutch kit comes with a $78 release bearing that claims to be for the M5R1. Well, there is no way it will fit either of the slaves I have, as the tube I.D. is way bigger then those are. What a waste of $$ !!

I am going to take all the slave parts to a shop and talk to a tech, and see what they think. I already called NAPA, and they found a replacement. It is being shipped in from another location. I will swap it out... IF... it acts differently. I really want a newer slave with a metal base and a dust boot on it tho. I might tell them to refund my $$ and move on. Dunno.

Old slave on top- New slave on bottom - New fancy high dollar paper weight release bearing on left.
Close up of the fancy paperweight.

 

[gmanpaint]

So on my lunch hour today, I went to a Napa service center, and showed a tech the old slave, and the new Napa slave. He said it was bad, and shouldn't lock like it is, and the stroke should be a smooth operation.

I went back to Napa, and had them get me another. That one worked the same way, and I got a refund.

I tried Orielly and then AutoZone as they was close by. The AutoZone unit had the nice Aluminum base, and a nice dust boot, the newer style bearing, plus it came with the Ford line tool. (I just bought a new one at Napa for $8 too. smh)

The AZ unit has a lifetime warranty, and cost a few bucks less then the plastic locking Napa slave. This was a no brainer, and I bought it. Hopefully this allows the trans to mate up, and I'm back to wrenching.

Part # in the pic.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good leg work, it looks like you found the better part, for less, and hopefully the rest will go smoothly. I'm doing my front brakes today, next. I had an inner pad wear out on my route, that's a not fun feeling to drive with.

 

[gmanpaint]

Yes sir, that isn't fun. Just had to do the brakes and rotors on the 1st gen a few days ago myself. At least 2nd gens are easy.

I decided since I already bought 80% of the clutch system, to go ahead and do it all. I ordered the master slave w/ line, & pre-filled for no bleed install. Well, the slave cylinder is dry, so I have to gravity bleed it with new fluids, but at least, I won't have to fight the bubbles in the lines. Pretty sure that was the entire reason this was hard to shift into 1st & Reverse to begin with.

I also ordered the shifter rebuild kit for the top of the trans. This was replaced when the trans went in back in 2010, but the seal never held, and has leaked a bit. Plus doesn't hurt to change the bushings for it. This will slow down the install, as most of us know how slow RockAuto is (& how slow I am too!). But it should be worth it. Clutch Bleed job book time, is 7/10ths of 1 hour , and a shop cost of $85. Not a lot, but if I can get a new part, and skip that ordeal, it just makes sense to me.

Heck, all I need now, is a new shifter handle & a pedal, and it will all be new. (not gonna happen)

 

[boominXplorer]

This is all you need to bleed the clutch, you don't even have to touch the bleeder on the trans. Get you a spare cap and install a fitting into it. I used an O-Ring under the cap to seal it. Put it under vacuum for about a minute and it's done.

 

[gmanpaint]

I have a Air compressor power bleeder, but it's the kind with a resi tank under the gun. I got it for brakes. I didn't know you could reverse bleed a clutch system tho.

 

[boominXplorer]

That would probably work too. I was able to get my mighty vac up to -25 on it.

There is no bleeder on the new mustangs and this is how you have to bleed it.

 

[rpenner54]

I used my engine hoist in the hole of the body to lift the trans up and then used the rolling jack to push it around on my old truck.

 

[gmanpaint]

That would probably work too. I was able to get my mighty vac up to -25 on it.

There is no bleeder on the new mustangs and this is how you have to bleed it.

Mine has the bleeder connector on it. I could use it on the slave I guess. Same thing right?

I used my engine hoist in the hole of the body to lift the trans up and then used the rolling jack to push it around on my old truck.

Now that would be interesting to see. Did you have doors on it or go thru the windows?

 

[rpenner54]

Doors on but open. It made it so much easier to get everything up. I think I may have even used my jack to lift up the trans and then just hooked the hoist to it and was able to move it up and down and all that easier that way.