A tune-up.... and a couple other minor things

[FIND]

Might as well work when the weather is good right? I've gotten some pretty good deals on parts over the last month or so, but no good weather to do anything. Don't mind the vicious guard kitten... He is a happy camper since being rescued from the cold last month.

The list:
Tom Tom XXL 540 -- Decided against the Garmin units because of the insanely large 5" screen on this bugger and the fact that I didn't want bluetooth on my GPS.

Pioneer MVH-P8200BT -- CDs are lame. Digital media player for SD cards and USB with built-in bluetooth, because I did want bluetooth on my stereo.

Pair of Cibie 7" round headlights with 73-77 ford F series headlight buckets and brackets with new trim rings

Pair of truck-lite model 60 turn signals -- still need to pick up side reflectors for doing my custom front.... haven't figured out any of my brackets or the replacement panel to form the headlamp bezel yet.. but on the way

Wix fuel filter -- because maintenance is good.

Fram Automatic transmission filter kit -- I gotta pick up a new modulator too, old one seems to be getting worn out. Might install a shift kit too when I change tranny fluid.

Autolite XP iridium plugs and NGK wires -- because quality parts are good. The truck is due for a tune-up, and these parts should give me another 80-100,000 miles of reliable service.

Intake manifold gasket set -- Rock auto had them on close-out, I had originally forgotten to get a valve cover set, but the parts guy has a set of the rubber ones waiting for me.

Fuel Pressure Regulator -- Why not? I'm pulling the injectors to be cleaned during my tune-up anyways. While I'm down there....

Oil pressure sending unit, Standard Motor Products PS-60 -- Dash is gonna be off for a stereo install and cluster is going to be out for a LED retrofit. What better time to put a real oil pressure gauge in. Best thing I had ever learned from this forum.

PCV -- Meh, it is tune-up time.

Goodyear Serpentine belt -- Almost time to replace the old one.... Might as well do it when I am popping the new fan in.

Screamin Demon coil pack -- OEM coil pack is getting weak, time to replace it. I can't argue with gapping my plugs slightly wider. The point of my truck is increased fuel efficiency after all.

Various Relays wires and plugs -- Headlight retrofit, this will change to the correct plug while also creating a nice little relay harness for my headlamps. I replaced the headlight switch a few months ago, and after this, I won't likely ever have to again. Plus, brighter headlights.... which I will barely need using these Cibies.... WIN ON ALL LEVELS

Chevy HHR e-fan. Because I less than three electric fans. Fuel economy is our goal once again.

Truck already has that worthless, overpriced, KKM intake installed. Differentials are full of Amsoil Synthetic 75w90, engine gets its changes with Amsoil synthetic 5w30 and your standard Motorcraft filter, Transmission is getting a couple gallons of Amsoil synthetic ATF.

Other than that, the truck is sitting on brand new extended load touring tires, got a thermostat, new block heater, pair of new axle shafts, seals, bearings and rear brakes back in the beginning of December, all new shocks, front brakes and exhaust back in October.

What to do next.....

 

[JDraper]

Looks like a good half hour's worth of work!!


Where is the cat being installed?

 

[FIND]

On the bumper.... to scare away tree huggers.... Last thing they will see will be an angry scared cat.

I'll get all this stuff installed tomorrow. Have to drive some friends to nebraska to buy a car today.

 

[92exp4x4]

I guess you are changing out the 'aero' headlights for the sealed beam units or you just using them for some aux lighting? Show some pics of that. I'm real curious to see how it changes the look. European Explorers had sealed beams. Maybe you could score some of those parts.

This is a factory pic.

 

[FIND]

I guess you are changing out the 'aero' headlights for the sealed beam units or you just using them for some aux lighting? Show some pics of that. I'm real curious to see how it changes the look. European Explorers had sealed beams. Maybe you could score some of those parts.

This is a factory pic.

Yeah..... I am changing the front end of mine to use round headlights.... still trying to mock up what I need so I can have some sheet metal cut. I was going to do a fiberglass bezel at first, but I decided I would use sheet metal instead since it will be easier to get each side looking identical. I'm gonna do the headlights sometime in the next couple weeks... taking advantage of the nice weather to mock things up and design/think.... Weather will be cold again after this week, and I won't have any pieces cut for at least a week, so.... you are gonna have to wait a while on pics. It won't be finished either, I am still trying to decide what I am going to do about the grill.

I am thinking about trying to score a set of euro headlight/turn signal/reflector assemblies for my Dad's explorer, since he likes the square headlights, he just wants more light.

Got kinda started today until I started hearing a pretty loud tick from the engine.... Got out the old stethescope and started listening around.... I'll be ordering some new pushrods now. Luckily, I hadn't started on the intake manifold or injectors yet, so, no extra work. Actually all I did get done was some work on my dad's explorer, changing all the dash lights over to LEDs (every light except the ones on the front of the truck are LED now), and installing the stereo..... but I forgot to install the microphone for the stereo, so I will pull that out tomorrow to run a microphone up to my rearview mirror or something. (Stereo has integrated bluetooth)

Next projects are to create an extension for the center console to bring it all the way to the dash so I have a place to mount the GPS inside of, to mount a CB, and to mount whatever else I feel like putting in there.... 12V powerpoint, USB powerpoint, switch panel problably.....

 

[92exp4x4]

Sweet, sounds like you got your work cut out for ya. It will be interesting to see how it changes the look of the front end.