Automotive Mechanical Thread

Bobby Cole said:
Is this the thread where I can bi***ch about being forced to be a contortionist and apparently, a complete idiot when it comes to changing the trans filter on a 2001 Sonoma?
Whether it is or not, I have to vent.

I’ve done a dozen or so transmission filter changes on different vehicles so thinking that changing another one would only take me 2 or maybe 3 hours max wasn’t bad thinking. Wrong.
Noting again how wrong I can be now that I’m getting older and more senile, like a fight with a grizzly bear, a much closer look at the project told me that “this is gonna hurt”.

First, the shifter linkage. I’ve never seen this kind of configuration before so I consulted YouTube. Yup, I see the key and nope, I don’t see any tab that would allow me to take the linkage off the bracket so I can get to the two bolts hidden by it.
So…had to do it the hard way way and sneak an open end wrench between this and that just so I could remove one of ‘em about a quarter turn at a time. A half hour later, I got it out.
At just about the time when I was maxed out with high levels of frustration and thinking about using my universal metric tool (hammer), I found the tabs and released the linkage so I could get to the other bolt with a socket.
Total time between actual work and YouTubing: 2 hours.

Anyway, after loosening the other 16 bolts I tilted the pan in order to pour some of the fluid out into a container I had so inconveniently moved with my elbow hence heavily coating the surface I was laying on and my arm up to my shoulder with trans fluid.

* Note: At this point I had to ask the Lord for His forgiving grace because of my highly vocal utterances which included some words I doubt will ever be found in any dictionary of any kind.

Lest I digress, after moving the catch container to the right spot, I did manage to pour the most of the fluid out successfully and then proceeded to remove the bolts just to find out that the pan had very little wiggle room and wasn’t going to drop down entirely until I moved the crossbar.
Another 5 bolts says I and I’m already going to have to see my chiropractor to get my arms untied from around my neck which also will need tending to since now I could only look to the right because my head couldn’t turn anymore due to the neck cramping and out of joint neck and spine vertebrae.

Leaning to the likelihood that I might find procrastination more desirable, Yvonne suggested that I just put it back together and wait to finish the job when it wasn’t 32 degrees outside and I had the rig up on jack stands which, did appeal to me.
Granted, the rig needs a new filter but with the new $12 siphon I have coming from Amazon, I can finish getting the bad fluid out and put some fresh stuff in.

End of story……for now.
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"Man Bobby", it sounds like that has done a number on you. This is the right place for "venting" the mechanical stuff. I can definitely relate to being underneath the vehicle, and feeling like a contortionist too. After pulling the engine and tranny out this truck, when I put them back in with a new engine, aligning the trany on its mounts wore me out, and I was sore for about a week afterwards. It's a shame, we didn't have a lift, like we did at work, so that you can stand up and do it. :)
 
Jake Smith said:
Our 1995 Ford van e350, was the first part I had to replace on it; was the "steering gear box", and last year the 1986 Nissan I had to replace it, due to "lost motion" in it. Common in all of them it seems, no more problems with either truck or the van, the van has been fine now since 2005.
Click to expand...
The Dodge trucks have a known design defect in them in the way the steering shaft is supported in the engine compartment. Dodge has known about it for years; I don't know why they haven't fixed it. There are after-market devices to fix the issue though. I don't know of any such defect in the Fords, but everything wears out...even us.
 
Jake Smith said:
"Alrighty", got the new carb on the truck, and it runs like a "million bucks", "perfect". Now waiting on rear brake shoes and wheel cylinders, and drive shafts. That's all I'm going to do to my new truck.
Click to expand...
I think that is what you said about the engine @Jake Smith :) You WILL have a new truck before long. Just remember, that whatever you replace, the rest of the truck is still old.
 
Jake Smith said:
Your mechanic you spoke of, is the "type" I seem to get when I need mechanical work done, which made me do the work myself I got tired of going behind them and fixing their mistakes. We had one Dodge van too. This one ton van, is an E350, and has been a good one for us. Marie is the one making me get her a van, I had never wanted one , though they're great for lots of things in rain or camping and such things.

View attachment 171

But this bus we made into a camper, was the only possession she ever loved.

View attachment 172
Click to expand...

This bus was my first time ever being under a bus , holding the bench seat bolt head under the bus while Jake took the bolts out inside.
Also helped with the inside roof which holding up the plyboard while Jake popped it in a real strain.
The ceiling inside ,we totally rebuild this bus inside and I loved,loved loved it, but sold it soon after, knowing I was selfish seeing Jake with all that metal in his back working on the axel bearings.
 
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Don Alaska said:
I think that is what you said about the engine @Jake Smith :) You WILL have a new truck before long. Just remember, that whatever you replace, the rest of the truck is still old.
Click to expand...



"Yeah", I got a notification on the drive shaft today, to "track", it's in Va., will be here Dec 22-between 11:30 and 1:30. I remember the rest of the truck is old. Still nice making it a "dependable", vehicle. :)

1766160497490.png
 
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Mary Stetler said:
I don't really belong in this thread. But My '96 Dodge 3/4 ton truck doesn't seem to have rack and pinion steering at the moment ;) . There is a lot of play. But since I don't plan to use it till spring, I guess it is fine.
I don't intend to do any mechanical stuff. I can't even lift the battery out of the thing. But I was thinking back to my mom's '64 Plymouth Valiant. It had push button transmission controls and I guess that was impressive back then. But one day she came in fretting that the car would not shift. I did not know anything about cars but she was so upset. So I went out with a screw driver (as usual it was either that or a butter knife) and took off the face plate (few screws) and saw how the buttons were not sitting exactly as they should, moved things around and then replaced the face plate.
I fix stuff. Sometimes it works, Sometimes it doesn't.
Click to expand...

Mary I can't do any mechanical work either, but I 'used; to be able to help some, not anymore.
 
Bobby Cole said:
Is this the thread where I can bi***ch about being forced to be a contortionist and apparently, a complete idiot when it comes to changing the trans filter on a 2001 Sonoma?
Whether it is or not, I have to vent.

I’ve done a dozen or so transmission filter changes on different vehicles so thinking that changing another one would only take me 2 or maybe 3 hours max wasn’t bad thinking. Wrong.
Noting again how wrong I can be now that I’m getting older and more senile, like a fight with a grizzly bear, a much closer look at the project told me that “this is gonna hurt”.

First, the shifter linkage. I’ve never seen this kind of configuration before so I consulted YouTube. Yup, I see the key and nope, I don’t see any tab that would allow me to take the linkage off the bracket so I can get to the two bolts hidden by it.
So…had to do it the hard way way and sneak an open end wrench between this and that just so I could remove one of ‘em about a quarter turn at a time. A half hour later, I got it out.
At just about the time when I was maxed out with high levels of frustration and thinking about using my universal metric tool (hammer), I found the tabs and released the linkage so I could get to the other bolt with a socket.
Total time between actual work and YouTubing: 2 hours.

Anyway, after loosening the other 16 bolts I tilted the pan in order to pour some of the fluid out into a container I had so inconveniently moved with my elbow hence heavily coating the surface I was laying on and my arm up to my shoulder with trans fluid.

* Note: At this point I had to ask the Lord for His forgiving grace because of my highly vocal utterances which included some words I doubt will ever be found in any dictionary of any kind.

Lest I digress, after moving the catch container to the right spot, I did manage to pour the most of the fluid out successfully and then proceeded to remove the bolts just to find out that the pan had very little wiggle room and wasn’t going to drop down entirely until I moved the crossbar.
Another 5 bolts says I and I’m already going to have to see my chiropractor to get my arms untied from around my neck which also will need tending to since now I could only look to the right because my head couldn’t turn anymore due to the neck cramping and out of joint neck and spine vertebrae.

Leaning to the likelihood that I might find procrastination more desirable, Yvonne suggested that I just put it back together and wait to finish the job when it wasn’t 32 degrees outside and I had the rig up on jack stands which, did appeal to me.
Granted, the rig needs a new filter but with the new $12 siphon I have coming from Amazon, I can finish getting the bad fluid out and put some fresh stuff in.

End of story……for now.
Click to expand...

Bobby, even Jakes throat was sore ,he pulled a muscle in his neck, laying on back looking up so much.
Hope your feeling better soon, you guys are always doing things that are risky.
 
Don Alaska said:
The Dodge trucks have a known design defect in them in the way the steering shaft is supported in the engine compartment. Dodge has known about it for years; I don't know why they haven't fixed it. There are after-market devices to fix the issue though. I don't know of any such defect in the Fords, but everything wears out...even us.
Click to expand...


I "think", that I remember "hearing", about their "defect", they should have had a recall on it and fixed it, I guess no one sued them about it, and they apparently "didn't care". :unsure:
 
Marie Mallory said:
This bus was my first time ever being under a bus , holding the bench seat bolt head under the bus while Kake took the bolts out inside.
Also helped with the inside roof which holding up the plyboard while Jake popped it in a real strain.
The ceiling inside ,we totally rebuil this bus inside and I loved,loved loved it, but sold it soon after, knowing I was selfish seeing Kake with all that metal in his back working on the axel bearings.
Click to expand...


"Jake", not "Kake", Marie, lol. Typo :)
Interior photo.

FrzwMPx - Imgur.jpg
 
Don Alaska said:
The Dodge trucks have a known design defect in them in the way the steering shaft is supported in the engine compartment. Dodge has known about it for years; I don't know why they haven't fixed it. There are after-market devices to fix the issue though. I don't know of any such defect in the Fords, but everything wears out...even us.
Click to expand...
Don this is true, I keep realizing this the hard way, like some old fool on Y.T. suggesting doing squats, that laid me up for past few weeks! o_O
 
Jake Smith said:
"Man Bobby", it sounds like that has done a number on you. This is the right place for "venting" the mechanical stuff. I can definitely relate to being underneath the vehicle, and feeling like a contortionist too. After pulling the engine and tranny out this truck, when I put them back in with a new engine, aligning the trany on its mounts wore me out, and I was sore for about a week afterwards. It's a shame, we didn't have a lift, like we did at work, so that you can stand up and do it. :)
Click to expand...
Can't you just set things up on their hind legs? ;)
 
Received the wrong drive shafts today; called them and they are working on getting the right one for me. :rolleyes:

DSCN2570.JPG

DSCN2576.JPG

Mine is shorter, and the yoke for tranny is larger; they asked for a vin number now, so I provided it to them; I think they should ask in the beginning for it. :unsure: Oh well.
 
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