Living For The Moment At Least

Some great news, and some not so great news. Well finally I think our car finally got fixed, without me trading it in or junking it. If anyone knows anything about Ford's the title says it all ( Found On Road Dead ) or this one ( Fix Or Repair Daily ). Least I can say it has been a struggle with me, adding a few more grey hairs to my scalp. It all started with the temperture gauge shooting up to the orange mark, all the way to the right before bursting over into unknown territory, such as the speedometer area in which I would have two neddles in that huge space. Needless to say the heater was only blowing luke warm air, and at an idle you felt like you just stepped into a freezer, so you had to keep the car on the move my wife said. Being retired from fixing all sorts of equipment such as graders and loaders, pavers,dump trucks,and all the big heavy equipment down to cars. Well lets say your heart is not into fixing or repairing after doing it for 32 years, and trying to keep this scrap of metal on the road doing business. But the training you did receive while repairing this, you feel and accept maybe you are just educated enough to conquer such a small problem. How wrong the human mind can betray you. I usually start off with the small items first on a cooling problem. The thermostat. Its and intricate little thing that when heated up lets your water flow  throughout the system and usually will put you back $5.oo to $10.00 and can be changed in a matter of an hour. Wrong. In today's vehicles the manufacturers like for some reason to pile all sorts of hoses and plastic shrouds and electrical wiring and then place it way in back of the engine into what is known as no mans land. Well after pulling all this stuff off, to get a chance to get a glimpse of this culprit ,you look at all this stuff that you just removed, and pray that someone can figure out what you just done! Course you look around and no one is there, yep by myself in this journey. After skinning your knuckles down to the bone, removing bypass hoses hooked on to the thermostat housing with factory clamps, and you know the type I mean, the ones that you can never quite get the pliers on to get the hose off while squeezing and pulling to get the hose to loosen. After about 45 minutes the sweat breaks out on your face and you scream out Praise Jesus as more of your skin stays on some unknown chunk of metal. Course Praise Jesus was mentioned alot that day, and I still wonder why some would praise him, over some piece of monstrosity made by man, that eventually rusts, and is seen in the many junk yards dotting America. Finally got the hoses removed and saw two bolts that hold the thermostat housing against the block. The third bolt they hide and you have to run your finger around the housing until you find it. That is if you can get your finger in this small space. The two bolts out in the open was semi difficult, but that nasty third bolt required extensions, swivel sockets, mirrors, lights, and did I mention patience? Finally got the bolt out and tapped the housing and removed it. Called the local auto parts store and of course there is no listing for a thermostat in their book and they say it must be a dealer item. Called the local Ford palace, and $64.00 and a day later had the whole unit in my hand, you see the thermostat is not separate, and you also buy the plastic housing with it. Oh, for the good old days of $5.00 to $10.00 gone are they not? Got the thing in and added new anti-freeze at $8.00 a gallon. Took the car for a test drive and that did not fix the problem. Next small item please. The water pump. I do not know about you, but I hate the new manuals that come with a vehicle that state nothing on rerouting the serpentine belt on these vehicles. There are mountless possibilities that you can figure on which these snakes of disaster can go. You guessed it someone took the belt configuration label, that is suppose to be attached under the hood off, and left the shredded paper that is held with glue, that they could not get off even with a scraper. Estimated time to replace water pump about a 1 hour to a 1 1/2. Wrong. After taking pictures of belt configuration, and trying to think on how to get to the belt tensioner bolt that seems to be close to the cars frame, the tire had to come off, and it had to be jacked up off the ground, and tensioner had to be worked underneath the vehicle. Ahhh wrench slipped, and more skin as I wiped the wound off, and saw it was just the scab from the old wounds that came off, and now bleeding. You are probably thinking by now take the thing to the garage right? Nope man's bull headishness seem to utterly supersede any logic. Called the local parts store after removing water pump and they asked if I wanted a remanufactured one or a new water pump? Remanufactured cost $37.00 New Water Pump $55.00 oh by the way I 'am so sorry I can not get you a remanufactured one for two days but I can get you the new one by tommorrow. Got the new water pump the next day, and had to add another gallon and a half of $8.00 a gallon anti-freeze back into the system. Took it for a ride and it still had the same problem overheating. The car would go pass the orange mark, and then just as fast as it climbed, the fan would kick in and go back down to the half way mark. Bled the air out of the system, and I also checked for anti-freeze leaks in the oil, and no rough idling of the vehicle, or no sweet smells coming from the exhaust and that ruled out the head and gasket. I then called the local garage in which they said to bring it right over. The mechanic asked me what I did and I told him. The car was gone for over a week at the garage as they tested everything. They wanted to change the head gasket and send the head away to get it tested. I asked them how much and the price on this was around $1800.00. Of course I refused because I did not think it was the head. They ended up flushing the system twice goodbye $8.00 a gallon anti-freeze. Pulled radiator and put a new one in and they also was confused on why it was still doing the same thing. They also ruled out the head also and they thought it was just the sensor on the gauge. Cost $400.00. Got the car and still only luke warm air emitting from the heater. Did not like it, so I called my local Ford Palace and took it there. They called me back the same day, and told me that the water pump was no good and asked me if I wanted it changed? Got the car back finally today after my wife buried my truck in her mother's driveway. I do not think that you would want to see me after that excursion getting the truck out that was buried. Can you say the thing from Mud Bog! Anyway that is another story I got the car finally and it is running great with good heat. Cost $411.87 Thank-You Mr. Ford palace. Moral of the story New and pretty water pumps that come in a great looking box does not mean they will work. And all things that have to be done will not get done unless you take the intiative. And I ,am still living for the moment at least. And God Is Still Master Of All.