 |
|
|
|
|
|
Please do not repost, forward or otherwise publish messages contained in these archives without consent from the respective author(s). These archives may not, in whole or part, be stored on any public retrieval system (FTP, web, gopher, newsgroup, etc.) by individuals or companies, without consent of the respective authors. Received: with LISTAR (v0.128a; list small-list); Wed, 19 Apr 2000 08:06:20 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 08:06:20 -0400 (EDT) From: Ford Truck Enthusiasts List Server To: small-list digest users Reply-to: small-list  ford-trucks.com Subject: small-list Digest V2000 #53 Precedence: bulk ========================================================== Ford Truck Enthusiasts Small Chassis Truck Mailing List Visit our web site: http://www.ford-trucks.com To unsubscribe, send email to: listar ford-trucks.com with the words "unsubscribe small-list" in the subject of the message. ========================================================== ------------------------------------ small-list Digest Tue, 18 Apr 2000 Volume: 2000 Issue: 053 In This Issue: Re: Explorer Transmission - When do you change the fluid? Re: EEC-IV Codes Re: No Subject So Long (for now) Calling All Cooper Tires Re: Calling All Cooper Tires Re: [Re: Tires for Aerostar: Tims piece] Re: [Fixing that Aerostar] Re: [Re: Resetting the Aerostar speedometer] Re: [AW: Re: Tires for Aerostar/Repairs] Re: Calling All Cooper Tires Re: [Explorer Transmission - When do you change the fluid Re: [AW: Re: Tires for Aerostar/Repairs] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Robert Eberhardt" Subject: Re: Explorer Transmission - When do you change the fluid? Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 08:22:55 -0700 The service manual supplement that came with my '97 SOHC / 5-speed Auto has it listed as 51,000 miles under severe duty for the 5-speed. The 4-speed Auto interval is much shorter. I think the 4-speed is listed at 21K under severe duty and 30K-36K under normal duty. Since I have the 5-speed, I never paid that close of attention to the 4-speed interval. I think after the first change on the 5-speed the interval drops to around 30-36K. Under normal duty, the 5-speed is not listed as needing a fluid change (at least in the 120K that it lists to). I wouldn't attempt to go that long and would follow the severe duty schedule as a minimum. I changed mine between 50K and 51K. My fluid was very close in color to the new fluid and when I compared it to new fluid on our viscometer at work, the difference was negligble (about 1 1/2% difference). It is not going to hurt to do it earlier than recommended so if it makes you feel better, you could do it at any time now. Robert ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Edward C. Miller" > Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 08:15:20 -0400 > Subject: Explorer Transmission - When do you change the fluid? > > > > I've got a 4LSOHC explorer (1998) with an auto transmission. The service > manual says when to replace fluid for the 5L but I haven't found any mention of > the 4L tranny. When should I change it? (I've got 41K on it now). Also > what;'s the best way to find a shop that'll flush the tranny to get the new > fluid into the torque converter. I keep hearing horror stories about the quick > lube places. Thanks in advance for any advice ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 10:54:14 -0700 From: Richard Subject: Re: EEC-IV Codes I'd like to recommend to those of you with EEC-IV computers that you consider buying the more expensive of the two Equus code readers. I have been pleased with mine. The thing has a digital display and code retrieval is semi-automated. Dynamic tests may also be performed with it. I feel that it is a civilized product, and very reasonably-priced. I bought mine at (gag!) JC Whitney for about $60, plus $20 for the extension cable that lets you do the dynamic tests from the driver's seat. In one version of their current catalog, it is discounted from this price. Note that I have a hunch that this product will soon be discontinued, since EEC-IV is now history, so it might be wise to buy it while it lasts. Richard From: "Ron,Marge,Ted" Subject: Ford EEC-IV diagnostics testing Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 18:25:51 -0400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Tom, Check out this website for the EEC-IV codes and how to retrieve = them. Hope this helps. = Ron ------------------------------ From: Blest25913 aol.com Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 14:56:30 EDT Subject: Re: No Subject ------------------------------ From: Blest25913 aol.com Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 14:59:28 EDT Subject: So Long (for now) This list has been very useful to me over the last few years. I want to thank Dave for all the work that he has put into it. I'm moving, and I'm going to leave my Mac and AOL behind. I'll be back later this year with a PC and a new ISP. Ron Trampe ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 12:18:37 -0700 From: Richard Subject: Calling All Cooper Tires Since we've been having a lively discussion about Aerostar tires, I'm still very curious about peoples' experiences with Cooper tires. Although it may seem that I'm in love with Michelins, it is just that it is a brand that I feel I understand. In fact, I once had a car that was incompatible with Michelins and was only tamed by a set of Rikens. I'm always interested in great products that aren't well-known: my theory is that the small guys have to try harder (this was my mostly my experience with stereo components). And since our Tom Ucen is so fond of his Cooper snow tires in Germany, I'm very interested in knowing how people with access to more Cooper models here have fared with them. Have any of you used Coopers? How have they been? Richard ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 15:53:34 -0400 From: David Cooley Subject: Re: Calling All Cooper Tires At 03:18 PM 4/18/2000, you wrote: >Since we've been having a lively discussion about Aerostar tires, I'm >still very curious about peoples' experiences with Cooper tires. >Although it may seem that I'm in love with Michelins, it is just that it >is a brand that I feel I understand. In fact, I once had a car that was >incompatible with Michelins and was only tamed by a set of Rikens. > >I'm always interested in great products that aren't well-known: my >theory is that the small guys have to try harder (this was my mostly my >experience with stereo components). And since our Tom Ucen is so fond of >his Cooper snow tires in Germany, I'm very interested in knowing how >people with access to more Cooper models here have fared with them. > >Have any of you used Coopers? How have they been? I had a set of Cooper GT's on a 69 mustang. Couldn't tear them up like all the other tires I had gone thru!. =========================================================== David Cooley N5XMT Internet: N5XMT bellsouth.net Packet: N5XMT KQ4LO.#INT.NC.USA.NA T.A.P.R. Member #7068 We are Borg... Prepare to be assimilated! =========================================================== ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 00 20:41:55 EDT From: Tim Turner Subject: Re: [Re: Tires for Aerostar: Tims piece] Richard > Tim, > is really something: it appears that all eighteen variations boil down > to just two almost-identical > tire and wheel sizes! And what in the world is a "5-passenger" Aerostar? Yep.. makes inventory simple though. I'd assume the 5 passenger was two front buckets and one three seat bench with the 7 being 2x2x3 > > Further, what about those Aerostar commercial vehicles I've seen around > Berkeley fitted > with undersized tires? In '85-87 185, 195 and 205/75/14s were the norm with the 215s debuting in '88. > As an aside, I really do see a lot of Aerostars > in commercial service, including fleets (AT&T, Univ. of Cal., etc.) and > wonder if the owners know something I > don't. I mean, don't they have the same maintenance nightmares that I > do? Yes. Of course their fleet mechanics (if they can keep 'em!) probably know all the little tricks and exactly what contortion and combination of swivels and extensions are needed for the various jobs. > I had one of > those really sour experiences at Wards. There, the salesman swore to me > that his "Turesna" > was a standard Bridgestone model (note the spelling: the standard > product is "Turanza."). Hmm Similar to some of Sears' tires; I've often wondered what (if any) differences there are in the rebranded for merchants versions. > > When I call Michelin on the phone, the people there really seem to know > the characteristics > of their products. I was able to discuss qualities such as ride, > cornering, wet traction, etc., and get intelligent comparisons with > which to home-in on what I needed. I may rethink my position somewhat on Michelins... amazingly enough I still have somewhat of an open mind. :-) > > But here's the nagging question in my mind based on Tom Ucen's > experience: What about > Cooper tires? He really likes his. I really have zero experience with the Coopers so I can't comment. Tim ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://webmail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 00 21:29:19 EDT From: Tim Turner Subject: Re: [Fixing that Aerostar] Richard > I wrote > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > I can get really fond of the Aerostar. > > Until it comes time to fix it, which is too often. Then the cursing > > begins and continues and continues. > > Tim Turner replied > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > For you AND the technician involved. > > Me again > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Yeah. I have an emotional conflict here. > Having been in the repair business myself (it was stereo equipment), I > have > a twinge of sympathy and dread whenever I bring my A'star to a mechanic > for repair. You've got to, let's say, replace a junky motor in a Sony Just out of curiosity what brand(s) of stereo equipment would you consider to be of at least decent quality? > to truly know how manufacturers design their products to be > virtually > unfixable. Even so, it's been hard for me to accept that an auto company > would > design a car, or especially a truck, this way. It's not just the Aerostar or Ford; admittedly the A'star has more than it's fair share of obstructed pieces though. Another example would be the Chevy Lumina Z-34 DOHC; One of the local dealers' techs had one and when it came due for the timing belt he traded it rather than do the belt himself, the alternator is so buried it has it's own cooling fan! > > As I've said here, I like driving it Agreed and I do know technicians that own them for that reason and accept the extra work involved. > (as opposed to parking it -- you > can't see your clearances at all), I much prefer it to the Lumina APV/TranSport mini-vans as the extended dash makes the nose hard to judge; the only thing I can compare it to would be my younger days of flying lessons other than the guages being different. > The dread is my fear that the mechanic will become so achy, scraped, and > burned > that he will be frustrated and angry, and maul a few things while doing > the fix. HOPEfully unintentionally... > Believe > me, I've experienced many times in my life mechanics damaging my car. I > wish this > weren't true, I've certainly seen it along with making good parts bad to make a buck. :-( The big thing is how it's handled and circumstances. Today one of my bay mates completely shattered a Grand Marquis window while replacing the regulator.. The shop purchased new glass and will foot the bill to have the aftermarket tint applied. OTOH I've seen a timing belt installed wrong on a previously running car that resulted in the customer being billed for a reman cylinder head as a result of ineptitude. (NOT at the shop I'm at now obviously!) > because I have a lot of respect for good mechanics, As do I on the rare times I meet one. (not that I get out a lot so it's a small sampling rather than a condemnation across the industry.) I have seen some improvement over the years though as the ever increasing compexity and electronics drives people out of the profession. Online resources are becoming invaluable also; iATN is a group of over 15,000 tech's helping each other via e-mail with 'problem child' vehicles for one example. > and > certainly for Tim. And I you Richard; I know we butted heads when I first joined the lists on the stereo volume thread (how long ago was that?) but beyond that it's been an enjoyable discourse on various subjects. :-) Tim ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://webmail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 00 21:48:09 EDT From: Tim Turner Subject: Re: [Re: Resetting the Aerostar speedometer] Richard > Mike wrote > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ... the biggest tire listed for any type (cargo, passenger, AWD, etc.) > of Aerostar is P215/75/14. ...Remember, if you increase tire size, your > speedometer and odometer will read low. Your dealer should be able to > set you up with the right speedometer drive gear to correct the odometer > and speedometer. > > This might be a good way to go. > My owner's manual ('92) actually says that the speedometer adjustment is > electronic, and > that there's a limit of three times that it may be performed. > Correct and you need to know the 'constant' for the tire size involved (Rev per mile?) On yours I believe you need to jump two pins in a coneector than operate buttons in the proper sequence while later ones are done entirely by proper manipulation of the set & select buttons. Newer models give you seven changes rather than three but it still seems wasteful to throw away a perfectly good cluster just because it reads off. (But I have to mention that if the speedo is off so is the odometer and you run afoul of mileage disclosure statements when it comes time to sell the vehicle.) Tim ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://webmail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 00 22:08:50 EDT From: Tim Turner Subject: Re: [AW: Re: Tires for Aerostar/Repairs] ThomasUcen premiereworld.de wrote: > As for the repairs, the engine comparment IS small, but have you ever popped > up the hood of a Chevy Astro? I've seen that once and since then, I think > the Aerostar is not so bad. Except the Astro has a proper engine cover in the passenger compartment rather than the tiny placemat offered in the A'star. While neither is 'fun' to work on the Astro is easier for most services by working from the passenger compartment. > I rather have a van with huge interior space > than one with a long hood like the windstar, which to me is not a van or > minivan, but a station wagon with a higher body structure. Recently, I > transported a carpet that was 12ft wide. Fitted exactly between the > windshield and the hatch. Try do that with a Chrysler minivan....... The Windstar (A Nissan BTW.. go look at the labels underhood) is like the Caravan in that it's essentially a car with a big cabin as you say. I'm glad the mini-van craze tapered off but I wish it hadn't been replaced with the so called 'SUV' craze as it's upped the price considerably for those of us that want a plain jane manual everything 4WD to motor around in where we please. > P.S.: Richard, I am still happy with the Coopers, didn't have to use the > chains this winter I wonder if they're the same as the Coopers in the mainland US. I've certainly seen tires marked "for sale only in the US & Canada" but never investigated why. Anyone able to shed some light on that? Tim ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://webmail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 21:28:59 -0500 From: Buck Shoff Subject: Re: Calling All Cooper Tires I have liked my Cooper tires alot better than any Michelin's I have owned. I would certainly buy Coopers again, can't say that about Michelin. Buck Shoff Richard wrote: > > Since we've been having a lively discussion about Aerostar tires, I'm > still very curious about peoples' experiences with Cooper tires. ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 00 22:33:48 EDT From: Tim Turner Subject: Re: [Explorer Transmission - When do you change the fluid "Edward C. Miller" > I've got a 4LSOHC explorer (1998) with an auto transmission. The service > manual says when to replace fluid for the 5L but I haven't found any mention of > the 4L tranny. When should I change it? (I've got 41K on it now). A lot depends on your usage; I've seen clean fluid at 75K on babied vehicles and dark brown fluid with TCC problems at 30K in conversion vans.. To me 30K isn't unreasonable but 50-60K would be alright if your usage is light duty only. > Also > what;'s the best way to find a shop that'll flush the tranny to get the new > fluid into the torque converter. I'm familliar with BG products and they have a 'locator' on their website (bgprod.com I think) for distributors (who could refer you based on the 'feel' they have for the shops in the area); Wynn's or other equipment suppliers might offer this as well. Another avenue would be to stop if you see a tool truck (Snap-On, Mac, Matco, etc.) parked somewhere and ask his opinion of what shops/technicians know what's what. You'ld be amazed at what you can tell about a technician by the tools they buy (and actually use). > I keep hearing horror stories about the quick > lube places. Thanks in advance for any advice Again I'm only familliar with one brand of equipment but with that one it'd be pretty hard to screw anything up short of using the wrong type of fluid. Had an instance a week or so ago a couple hours up the road (unknown if it was a quickie) where the guy dropped the filter on a new Cherokee because it was hot.. shorted the starter terminals and caught fire.. extinquisher had already been used and was empty. Scratch one Jeep. Tim > > > ========================================================== > To unsubscribe, send email to: listar ford-trucks.com with > the words "unsubscribe small-list" in the subject of the > message. ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://webmail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 08:09:37 -0600 From: Karl Hock Subject: Re: [AW: Re: Tires for Aerostar/Repairs] Hope I didn't edit this too much. Isn't a Windstar basically a Ford Taurus with a tall roof? A Mercury Villager is a Nissan Quest though. Karl >The Windstar (A Nissan BTW.. go look at the labels underhood) is like the >Caravan in that it's essentially a car with a big cabin as you say. I'm glad >the mini-van craze tapered off but I wish it hadn't been replaced with the so.... To access the rest of this feature you must be a logged in Registered User Of Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Registration is free, easy and gives you access to more features.
If you are already logged in and are seeing this message, your web browser is blocking session
cookies. Change your browser cookie settings to allow session cookies.
Advertising -
Terms of Use - Privacy Policy -
Jobs
This forum is owned and operated by Internet Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation. It is not authorized or endorsed by the Ford Motor Company and is not affiliated with the Ford Motor Company or its related companies in any way. Ford is a registered trademark of the Ford Motor Company. 
|