96EXXLTinCO

[2TimingTom]

Sounds like the story of my Expedition. I've owned it 4 months and it seems like I'm constantly doing something to it. Intake manifold, ignition coils, coolant, brakes, shocks, rear wiper motor...... And there's a list of stuff yet to be done. One project seems to lead right into another.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Sounds like the story of my Expedition. I've owned it 4 months and it seems like I'm constantly doing something to it. Intake manifold, ignition coils, coolant, brakes, shocks, rear wiper motor...... And there's a list of stuff yet to be done. One project seems to lead right into another.

That's exactly it Tom, halfway into one thing and you find 2 more things that need done, halfway into one of those and there's 2 more............

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Well it took a few days, but just got done reading [MENTION=87244]gmanpaint[/MENTION] build thread on the black hole, thanks to some lovely idle time at work today. Lots of good info, pics and links. My one note folder for my truck just got a little thicker. Quite the adventure with that truck. SO glad to see Greg never had to actually sell it.

about an hour and half left of work, and then it's back to trying to get that damn trans out and slave cylinder replaced. I'm really needing to make an appt with my therapist (the mountains) and get in a good therapy session. Looking like I'll have Saturdays and Wednesdays off, wtf? My boss is a jerk, whadda ya do? And of course the only saturday I've worked at this company, and still the only one ever scheduled to work, was the 22nd, the only day I have ever requested off at this place. What an a$$holio.

 

[gmanpaint]

That build thread cracks me up. 80 pages and still on stock axles. LOL!!

All kidding aside, it has been a labor of love....... and hate.... and some more hate.....and more love, with a topping of tears.

Sorry you had to endure reading the entire thread. It's a mess! But if you took something away in a positive manner, and it helps you on your build, then I'm happy.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

That build thread cracks me up. 80 pages and still on stock axles. LOL!!

All kidding aside, it has been a labor of love....... and hate.... and some more hate.....and more love, with a topping of tears.

Sorry you had to endure reading the entire thread. It's a mess! But if you took something away in a positive manner, and it helps you on your build, then I'm happy.

I loved it!! Could not stop reading it. Like a good suspense novel, I just couldn't put it down. There was just no telling what was going to happen next!! Keep after it, I don't want the story to end any time, soon, and hope there's chapter someday that includes gman and 96EXXLT hitting a trail. LOL, right now, (and know for a fact you'very been there), I'm hoping mine includes a chapter with me on a trail at all!!

Now, on to pugly''s thread..........

 

[gmanpaint]

I loved it!! Could not stop reading it. Like a good suspense novel, I just couldn't put it down. There was just no telling what was going to happen next!! Keep after it, I don't want the story to end any time, soon, and hope there's chapter someday that includes gman and 96EXXLT hitting a trail. LOL, right now, (and know for a fact you'very been there), I'm hoping mine includes a chapter with me on a trail at all!!

Now, on to pugly''s thread..........

Oh yeah, I will return to the most beautiful place in the country again. Hopefully one year we will have the CCR event happen again, and we can all go!

If you survive Pugly, don't forget about the "Going full manual" thread. That should make you think twice about these rigs. Hahaha!!

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Hopefully one year we will have the CCR event happen again, and we can all go!

This!!! That would be awesome. Sounds like it used to be a really good time.

That should make you think twice about these rigs. Hahaha!!

I already do, everyday. Many times I've thought "maybe I should sell this, find something little newer with fewer miles, maybe a j**p". Then I realize how much I love this thing and how much I would miss it. And I've been a Ford guy my whole life (I remember santa bringing me a bigfoot monster truck toy in 2nd grade) So the love/hate relationship will continue.............

The plan was to work on her a bit today after work, but the weather had other ideas, so a good long, much needed nap ensued instead. The hope of hitting a trail Saturday has pretty much died at this point, I see anyway I can get this all done after work tomorrow. With some luck, MAYBE a quick close trail saturday afternoon. Weather permitting of course, but this is Colorado.........

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Too late to make any noise in the driveway and wrench on the trans, but there's a welder in my truck, some scrap steel in the garage, and an idea in my head...........tonight may not be a bust yet..........

 

[2TimingTom]

Uh oh.....

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Normally I'd agree with you, but fabrication is what I used to do. I'll have to find the YouTube link to the video with the opening/closing ceremonies Olympic torch I designed and built for the Jewish MaccabI games that Denver hosted in 2010. To this day it's the project I'm the most proud of. So fabrication I can do, but do I have enough of the right materials here? We'll see I guess.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Didn't have the right materials, so that idea is on the shelf for now. Had Saturday off, but needed to get at least another 1/2" drive impact extension, and some universal socket adapters from Harbor Freight. Got a later start than I wanted to heading to Thornton, and of course I cant just run into Harbor Freight and grab what I need and get out. Got a few other things as well, but managed to exercise some self control at least. It's tough for me in that store. While in the parking lot, I decided to check on the portable air compressor I have had my eye on through the Pep Boys website. Turns out, if I just order it online for in-store pick up, (didnt even have to pay for it till I picked it up) then I could get an extra 25% off. Wheat Ridge store has it in stock. Crap. Really need to get home and work on the truck, but I'm already halfway to Pep Boys, and I have no clue when I'd be able to make it down again.

My first time in a Pep Boys...........oh no. This place is big. And they have A LOT of stuff. Found my compressor right away, grabbed a quart of oil for the car, and ended up burning up about an hour looking around. Finally managed get myself out of there with just the compressor and oil. WHEW!! Time to get home to the truck.

Once home, ran inside to change and get goin on the truck. it's now about 6-630pm. Grab by bags of goodies out of the car..............new compressor. Front tire on the car looks like it might be a touch low................better test it out.

so by the time I finally drug out the big compressor, got it filled, got new tools unpackaged and finally to work on the truck, I could barely see what I was doing. Pulled out the work light, got one of the bell housing bolts broke loose. I dont know who had this trans out last time, but I'd sure like slap the piss out of em right now. Seems to me it all went back together with an impact. Every bolt has been way overtorqued, and these bell housing bolts are ridiculous. With the exhaust in the way on the passenger side, I have to use 2 long 1/2" drive impact extensions, a universal adapter, and then the socket. Losing way to much torque out of the impact to break that bolt loose. and If I remember correctly, my impact has 1000 ftlbs of reverse torque. I bought it while I was a diesel mechanic, and wanted the most powerful thing out there at the time. So, now I guess I'm dropping the exhaust to get to that bolt easier and with less extension. First bolt I try on the exhaust..........not budging. By now it's dark, bugs are dive bombing the work light, and subsequently me, I'm pretty pissed off at the how tight, and how much every.........single..........effing bolt is fighting me. Closed up shop for the night.

Got a call late Saturday night from a friend who thinks she ran out of gas on I-25. Great. Run out there, battery almost dead from hazards being on, let me tell you how fun it is turning a car around on the shoulder of I-25 with traffic flying by. Dumped the gas in it, got the jumpers hooked up, charged it up a bit, still wont start. I'm about to try and pile 3 people plus a 75lb pit bull into my little eclipse and get outta there. On a whim, I check the oil. A quart and a half low. Hmmm. Dump in a half quart, it fires right up. Computer shut it down for low oil pressure. Got home early in the morning, took a little nap, worked all day starting at 5am, no way I was doing anything but sleeping after work. Monday after work, raining. Got a run planned to Geneva Creek on Saturday, and I'm starting to wonder if I even have enough time to get this done by then, and I even have Wednesday off. I hope the weather holds up. Looks like chance of rain almost every day, but with other people now joining the run on Saturday, I'm really feeling the pressure. I just may lose it if I miss out on yet another run. By end of the day Wednesday I should have a pretty good feel if I'm going to make it or not. I'm think I'm well overdue for life to cut me a small break just once, so fingers crossed...............

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Alright, getting after it. Chad vs. the trans, round 4.

 

[2TimingTom]

Ding ding.

Let's get ready to rumble!

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Holy crap, how hot is it supposed to get today? Never mind, I don't wanna know..............but only 1030 and it's getting to me. Had to come in and cool down a minute. BUT, got all the #$#$%$@@!@$#%% bell housing bolts out, trans slid back a couple inches. Could have swore I saw that someone had got their trans out without dropping the front part of the exhaust. I don't see how though. Damn starter house wont clear the crossover pipe. Trying to think this through now, if I break an exhaust bolt I'm screwed. There wont be nearly enough time to fix that too before Saturday. I do have my welder here, could just cut out a little section and weld it back in and avoid taking any chances with bolts. Hmmm :scratch:

On a side note, I must be getting old. I feel like a nap already.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

K, thought about it for an hour and times wastin, gonna cut the exhaust and weld it back in later as long as there is a couple good spots to cut where I can weld all the way around.

Round 5........

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

I WIN.......

So couldn't see a good place to cut the exhaust that would work for me. I said eff it, if I break bolts then I break bolts. GOD I love 1000 ft lbs. of reverse torque. Dropped the crossover pipe without a problem. Ok, I lie, on the 3rd bolt, passenger side, had my hand on extension close to the universal adapter and socket, tapped the trigger when the bolt was already close to out. Not sure exactly what happened, but it did feel like my thumb got ripped off. Still aching like a mother too. Just came in to cool down again, headed back out to start getting it back together here shortly. Really getting tired now. Somehow I got on this sleep schedule of going to bed at 4-5 pm and waking up anywhere between 11pm and 2am, then I just stay up and work at 5. taking a toll on me today. I'll update after I'm done for the day and get a shower.

 

[gmanpaint]

Congrats on getting it out, and not breaking everything in the process.

If you have a 3" body lift, you can pull the trans back until it bumps the exhaust, then lift it up and over to remove. Otherwise, you have to remove the exhaust.

I love the body lifts for the extra clearance. Makes everything easier to work on. lol

A little tip for trans install. Use two 1/" extensions in the top left & top right bell housing bolt holes. Use them as guides to get the trans lined up and pushed onto the pins until snug, then stab your bolts in the other holes to secure. Just push it as straight as possible so it don't get ****ed, or it will fight you.

You got this!

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Congrats on getting it out, and not breaking everything in the process.

If you have a 3" body lift, you can pull the trans back until it bumps the exhaust, then lift it up and over to remove. Otherwise, you have to remove the exhaust.

I love the body lifts for the extra clearance. Makes everything easier to work on. lol

A little tip for trans install. Use two 1/" extensions in the top left & top right bell housing bolt holes. Use them as guides to get the trans lined up and pushed onto the pins until snug, then stab your bolts in the other holes to secure. Just push it as straight as possible so it don't get ****ed, or it will fight you.

You got this!

Thanks for the tips. It actually stabbed back in pretty easy. A tranny jack makes a huge difference, but a body lift would have been really nice right about now. Trans is in and all bolted up, rear trans support went next so I could get the tranny jack the hell outta the way. Exhaust is back in and all bolted minus 1 nut on the collector. If the only thing I have to run and get is a nut, I'll do cartwheels. Still got the transfer case, not looking forward to this. Only way I see this happening is to stick that thing on the tranny jack and then jack the rear of the truck way way up so there's enough clearance to roll it under on the tranny jack. I dont have it in me to wrestle it up there by hand anymore, and I'm on my own here. then I got a skid plate, the drive shafts, and the crap I took out of the interior to see if I could get the top bolts through the shifter access hole. (that would be a no). Getting worried now. Everything is soooo slooooowww going. Just having someone here to hand me tools would've put me way further ahead today. the tool I needed was always on the other side of the truck, in the garage, or lost and required searching. But there's still a lot to do with only 2 evenings to do it. Got 4 people planning on joining the run Saturday now. Don't know what I'll do if I have to miss another one...... but I'll 'er hell, hopefully it just falls together the rest of the way cuz I'm ready to

 

[2TimingTom]

It's too bad you live an hour from me.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

It's too bad you live an hour from me.

Being closer would be handy for both of us sometimes I bet. I generally got nothing but time on my hands when not at work.

I'll get it done, just a matter of whether or not it's done in time for Saturday's run up Geneva. Looking like 5 vehicles if I get mine goin. Just hope the rest holds up until I'm ready to rebuild it. Hoping to have a manual transfer case (or two, right [MENTION=87244]gmanpaint[/MENTION] ?) Doubler is on the list, but hand throttle is probably next. Doubler would no doubt let me quit playing the clutch so damn much in some situations. I hate that , but even in low it's just too high, so its either hit an obstacle too fast, or play the clutch a bit. So far I've only stalled out on an obstacle once. (knocking on wood)