Radiator replacement.

[don-ohio]

Yeah,I'ma pretty sure the radiator is leaking on my Aerostar 4.0.
GOOD NEWS,though......I FOUND the sales slip for the radiator I bought new at Auto-Zone in 2010! LIFETIME warranty!185 bucks!
I've been working 4 days 12 hrs. each, haven't had time to do anything but watch a lil'TV, sleep,so tomorrow I get the chance to tear into it.
I've got 7 days off in a row now,so no excuses.LOL!
WHILE I'm (1)changing out the radiator, I'll go ahead àn (2)change the water pump (3)drive belt,àn (4)any questionable pulleys,yannow? I might put another (5)thermostat in there,too.
I bought a (6)new ECT also, so now is prolly the time to do that too.
This engine has about 90K on it.......I ran the other one out of antifreeze; ruined it year before last.It had 225K on it but used no oil.
That engine did have a bad freeze plug at 100K so I'll look at those too.
Plus an(7) oil change àn (8)rear end grease check.
BOY! DO I HAVE MY WORK CUT OUT FOR ME! HEeeeeeellllllp!!!!LOL!! don-ohio ^)

 

[BrooklynBay]

Autozone stores the warranty information in their computer so you don't need to save the receipt. Take pictures while you're replacing the radiator, and make a how to thread.

 

[don-ohio]

Brooklyn? I am VERY PC illiterate...SORRY. I'll try to take some pics,but I don't have much hope of being able to help here. It's a real good suggestion & thanks!
As to the Auto-Zone computer,I don't trust èm all the time, so I keep my receipts,besides I'm knowing what I paid , not what they might tell me I paid.I'm wary of company computers. don-ohio ^)

Autozone stores the warranty information in their computer so you don't need to save the receipt. Take pictures while you're replacing the radiator,& make a how to thread.

 

[jlh3rd]

I keep my receipts......walked into my advance auto 3 years ago to replace my lifetime muffler purchased about 10 years before......was told, um sorry Corp. Headquarters had emptied the computers of purchases before a certain date.......I smiled and said, as I pulled out my receipt, that's why I kept this....
I also copy the receipt when I get home as the store receipts fade real easy...and fast...

 

[don-ohio]

Okay.....here's an update! I have changed the ECT,thermostat,àn one idler pulley.AUTO-ZONE can't get me the radiator until tuesday...BUMMER!
The water pump is perfect,& so is the drive belt & tensioner pulley,so I'm leaving them alone. The fan clutch is good also,no fluid leak or play in it.
The lower hose was weak,but it doesn't come in `til tomorrow AM.
One of the power steering/AC bracket bolts stripped out in the aluminum,so I have to try to get a longer bolt tomorrow...metric-10mm X 140mm long approx(5 & a half inches).Sure hope I don't have to rethread an 11mm into it?
BTW,they have a lifetime warranty thermostat(STANT)at Advance,so I got mine there.Auto Zone only had the one year warranty type.
So yes,the radiator was leaking out of its plastic to metal joint at the upper end near the upper hose.
They had a LOT of trouble finding that purchase on their computer,but with the aid of my receipt & the part number,they got it & ordered the replacement radiator.
So that's where it lies.Thanks for listening youáll!! don-ohio ^)

 

[don-ohio]

Yep,JLH! I try to keep at least all the ones that are over say,20.00.I don't worry too much about cheaper items,yannow? don-ohio ^)

I keep my receipts......walked into my advance auto 3 years ago to replace my lifetime muffler purchased about 10 years before......was told, um sorry Corp. Headquarters had emptied the computers of purchases before a certain date.......I smiled and said, as I pulled out my receipt, that's why I kept this....
I also copy the receipt when I get home as the store receipts fade real easy...and fast...

 

[don-ohio]

More update! I have to wait until Tuesday for the radiator,so I was limited today in what I could do.I replaced the bracket bolts with bolts for a starter I got individually wrapped by NAPA & cost 3.69 apiece! OUCH!
I'm thinking I'm gonna go ahead àn replace the tensioner,cause it seems the swing or spring part has some wobble(not the pulley).
I changed the oil today with 10W40 Castrol Full synthetic àn Motorcraft filter.It was looking pretty black after 8000 or more miles.LOL!
I got the new lower radiator hose on the engine waiting for the radiator now.
I purchased a transmission filter àn got the old one off there..............it's just my invention using a gas filter inline on the trans cooling line.I've always run these àn almost never have trans trouble.
Went ahead àn replaced my studded front tires with regular today(still have rear studs on). It's a bummer waiting on parts,yannow? don-ohio ^)

 

[BrooklynBay]

Two good parts sources are WWW.AutoCoolRadiators.Com & WWW.RadiatorBarn.Com. They have a lifetime warranty, no tax, and free shipping on radiators.

 

[puttputt]

Might wanna inspect the fan too while it's apart...

 

[don-ohio]

Thanks,Brooklyn,for the info!
As to the fan,it was in okay shape, has a few little imperfections but seems okay àn the fan clutch is excellent.Thanks,Puttputt! don-ohio ^)

 

[don-ohio]

Yeah,got the tensioner,52.99, on new today(the old one WAS bad alright),put my filter,8.99, in the tranny line,oiled the locks àn latches,straightened the ol' work vehicle up inside a little(needs more,LOL!), àn Ima'waitin'for TUESDAY! Then I get my radiator.YES! don-ohio ^)

 

[don-ohio]

Well,WEDNESDAY,today,was when I got the radiator FINALLY! I can't help think that if I'd ordered it to pay for it instead of it being a warranty replacement,they MIGHT'VE been faster about getting it.
Anyway, the radiator's in and the car is all back together,PLUS I found a bad passenger outer tie-rod and replaced it today too.
I'll drive it to work tomorrow night,I hope.
I'm gonna run the codes to find out why the `check engine' light is on.
Anyway,I sure hope I can get my 20+ MPG back,but I'm suspecting plugged catalytics or something. I dunno.Thanks for listening! don-ohio ^)

 

[BrooklynBay]

How is the alignment since the tie rod was replaced? It might be a good idea to replace them together as a set.

 

[don-ohio]

Alignment is excellent,since I measured the distance from the center of the grease fitting to the start of the spline of the rod which it screws onto.
It was 6 and 9/16ths inches exactly.
I screwed the new tie rod on at exactly that same measurement and it steers a lot better.
The OTHER (driver's side outer) had no detectable play so I will trust it a while.
But,I still have to find out why my gas mileage is so TERRIBLE.I tried to run the OBDI codes,but I can't seem to decipher them.
The throttle position sensor is so old, I think I'll just replace it and maybe the EGR also.
I'm off `til Friday AM, so I have some time to play with it.ALSO,I gotta get my other 2 studded snows off this week. Thanks for listening! don-ohio ^)

How is the alignment since the tie rod was replaced? It might be a good idea to replace them together as a set.

 

[BrooklynBay]

There is a sticky thread on the top of the EEC-IV sub forum with a list of code numbers & explanations. This is located in the under the hood section.

 

[don-ohio]

Thanks,Brooklyn! I'll look at it,although I have a manual and code book.I'm just having trouble deciding if it's saying 1-1-1 twice or code 33, and like that. don-ohio ^)

 

[BrooklynBay]

This is a good code reader that's not too expensive: http://www.explorerforum.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/438/cat/all

 

[don-ohio]

Thanks,Brooklyn! That one is far advanced over mine,which just has light and tone.I'll have to get one! don-ohio ^)

This is a good code reader that's not too expensive: http://www.explorerforum.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/438/cat/all

 

[BrooklynBay]

The last time I checked Amazon, they were around $25 for it. There are more advanced scanners with built in code definitions, but this one works fine.

 

[don-ohio]

That sounds great! I'll take a look! Thanks,again! don-ohio ^)