It has been in the 50's all week. I'm wearing a jacket.










Google maps in my truck updated. A new screen image. It shows buildings on the map. Weird. I don't know if I like it.

 

Currently 88 degrees but predicted to get to 90. Usually, it is hottest here between 4-6pm so it may make it to 90 eventually.
Truck is back in the shop. Finally. They will recharge the AC and swap bumpers, but also, after taking it out on the freeway for a few miles I decided to bring it back and have them check the steering. At freeway speeds the steering wheel takes too long to actually turn the wheels. It seems to turn 4 to 6 inches before the wheels respond. Not good when you are doing 70-75mph.

Jim

 

I'm praying for your truck to make it home in one piece, and with all of it's parts.

 

I don't know if I'll get to like this view with the 3D buildings.

 

Shop owner is going through tough times apparently. PG&E shut off his electricity, so he is using a Honda generator to keep the power on. The mechanic he let sleep in the garage overnight (free of charge) left when the power was turned off, so now he is down to one mechanic besides himself. He asked me to pray for more customers for oil changes, tune-ups etc. I told him I would make a prayer request at the Bible study I was headed to tonight. He said he would start on my truck tomorrow morning. Might be the rack and pinion, or maybe a steering knuckle, but that is just an educated guess as he has not looked at it yet.

Jim

 

Happy Humpeth Day all. going to be 91 today and 92 tomorrow. Have to wait until Monday of next week for the temps to drop to 80.

Jim

 

Howdy Jim

 

Hello. Looks like I will be buying an O2 sensor for the truck. Then it is "guaranteed" to pass smog. Also needs more refrigerant. Takes 3lbs, and I bought only one. Grr.

Jim

 

At least you can buy it, up here in Washington you can't just go in and buy it. If your a licensed refrigeration tech you can the big canisters of it.

But here is the deal, don't waste your money buying the little cans if the shop doesn't have all the equipment. The system needs to be vacuumed for several hours, down to 500 microns then pressure tested before recharge.

And as long as it has been setting open (no freon) you also need to change the filter dryer.

Anyway, it doesn't like that so shop has the right stuff or probably knowledge.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I hope I'm wrong and they have the knowledge and tools.

You need to take it to someone that has those two things.

 

Jim,

Look on the Sunny Side, at least you are not going through a complete conversion. I’m in the process of taking the Bronco from an R12 system to an R134? Just waiting on parts to arrive while it’s supposed to reach 100* here today.

 

It just makes me mad that the AC worked fine before I dropped it off over five months ago and now there is no freon in the system. He wants me to buy a recharge kit so it comes with the nozzle. Doesn't sound like he has the equipment to do it right. I am glad it isn't R12, I would not want to have to do that switch. The system wasn't sitting open for five months. The owner swears up and down that they never opened the lines because they didn't want to have to go through all the work to get it back up and running. So, there has to be a leak somewhere if what the owner says is true. I am a little surprised it needs an O2 sensor. I bought one back before I dropped it off at this shop and had the two brothers install it. But the scanner is saying one of the two is bad. So, either the one I bought was bad (possible, since I got it from eBay real cheap) or both were bad, and they only replaced one. I am running out of balances on my credit card and can't keep throwing plastic at the problems. I will stop by and ask him if he has the tools needed to do the AC job right, and I'll see if I can get another O2 sensor for it. The number one priority is passing smog, but with the temps here in the low 90's already, getting the AC system working is a close second.

Jim

 

This shop is not the right place to have your air conditioning serviced. I'm not a mechanic, and even I know that there's more to it than just adding a couple of $8 cans from Wal*Mart. My unsolicited opinion is to find a better shop. This guy is hoping and praying for oil change customers so that his shop doesn't go out of business. He doesn't have the right equipment, nor the knowledge. He could do more harm than good. You live in a hot area. There must be plenty of shops that specialize in dealing with air conditioning. Same way you would go to an engine repair or transmission shop, there are AC shops.

 

 

No worries on the AC front. I cannot afford to buy the parts needed to pass smog and do the AC recharge. Smog test is number one priority. I stopped by the shop today and picked up the two cans I bought from O'Reilly's. I will return them and use that money to buy the o2 sensor, fuel filter, and oil pressure switch. When I can afford it, hopefully next month, I will take it to the same place I took my Ranger, and the Dodge Stratus to. He only does AC work, nothing else. And his name is Jim, so I have to go back. LOL. IIRC he charged $95 to recharge the Stratus, and that was all it needed. He couldn't fix the one in the Ranger because of an electrical gremlin he couldn't find. However, he did not charge me for any of the extra work looking for it. So, I have no problems taking the F150 there when I can afford it. If I can get the current shop owner to reimburse me for the battery his mechanics "lost" I can use that to get the AC fixed.

Scotty Kilmer, one of my favorite YouTube mechanics!

Jim

 

I can't be the only one who thinks that guy is drunk.



My theory on that, based on nothing but my own personal prejudice, is that someone stole your battery and sold it for "whatever".