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sonny #4491 01/18/2024 07:51 AM
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649AM EST 22degF
1/18/2024
Hibernating in the shop today, yesterday finished a dirtbike tire upgrade for my nephew
Cleaning out the back tool room,because I can't see the floor anymore and tripped twice yesterday

sonny #4492 01/18/2024 06:28 PM
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Went and hauled home the auction buys from yesterday internet auction. Got a Haulmark single axle box trailer to convert into my chainsaw storage unit. Now I wont have to load/unload the truck/car anymore. Just hook and go! Have a generator to carry in it for 110-v power to run the chain grinder, Dremel, a small heater, a trouble light or 2, and a 4" grinder. And of course the hotplate for coffee! lol!
Got about 50 3" wide straps, a ton of used conduit with the wiring inside and plug-ins on some of them, also working switches.
Several boxes of misc. goodies that I didnt go thru yet.
1/18/24 4:27 pm.


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4493 01/23/2024 09:00 AM
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Still alive here. been cold enough to hide inside all week. Wife has me doing a whole crap load of honey Do stuff. re-upholstered the benches in the sunroom and refinished the table.
[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]
[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]
[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
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sonny #4496 01/23/2024 09:26 AM
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Still alive here in VB. 34 here this morning 1st time in a week above freezing at 6 AM. Sooo much going on here. just haven't had time to get on here. Have issue with my work van consuming coolant and oil. No signs of leaks any where, so I was testing for exhaust gasses in the radiator. didn't have to wait & see if the test fluid changed color. gasses coming out of the radiator at any speed above an idle were extreme enough to bubble the fluid in the tester.
355000 original engine.. Time for a head job.... going to suck pulling the engine out of the Van. I do have another LS 6L to put in it so it's not down for too long. machine shops here are backed up enough ALL the time that it could take up to a month to get the heads back. too long to go with out my van so I'm sticking salvage engine in while I go through the one that's in it now.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
sonny #4497 01/23/2024 12:07 PM
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yeah Jim those vans are a PITA to work on for some things, access to the rear of the engine usually is easier but whole removal in my book always was best out the front after removing the core support. I use a machine shop in Carlisle,PA UCF Machine they have all new Rottler machine equipment and balancing in-house..might be a stretch to drive for you west of Harrisburg.

Trying to get some pieces moved outside today with a forklift tryin to get-er-done before the thaw makes a muddy mess of the ground again..so far so good..but 44degrees F temps are gonna thaw it quick

sonny #4498 01/23/2024 01:58 PM
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Weather has been rough for the last couple of weeks. Got auction stuff home, 3 tractors sold and loaded out and gone, planning the greenhouse construction when ground thaws so I can dig the holes for the posts. All materials are used and came from the greenhouse auction in December. also have the 6,000 concrete blocks stashed at my neighbors lot til we can move them across the river to my yard. Wanting to build a 20 x 40 block shop with them and a 2-story 8 x 12 root cellar.
Big plans but have no idea how far any of them will get! Greenhouse first!
1/23/24 12:00 am


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4499 01/25/2024 08:56 AM
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Still driving the Van as is. waiting on Gaskets so I can set up the engine that I'm putting in. Have to swap intake & exhaust manifolds. Doner engine came out of a pickup so there are a few minor differences. I did get the windows cut & installed on the Leer cap. Pics on the what odd jobs post.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
sonny #4501 01/25/2024 09:07 AM
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Need to get back in the habit of posting. I'm not getting notifications again.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
sonny #4502 01/25/2024 01:20 PM
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Got some of the conduit sorted and unloaded off the truck. Looks like enough of that to wire my new shop PLUS the saw shed. --- saw shed only needs a couple sections and some plug ins.
1/25/24 11:18 am


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4505 01/30/2024 07:08 AM
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Well when it rains it pours. So I got all this crap going on with my van and having to do an engine swap. Getting the truck straight so I can drive it legally while the vans down and now my convertible failed inspection for steering related issues and rear brake calipers that don't look like they've not been working at all. Guess I have my projects One lined up for a while


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
sonny #4506 01/30/2024 12:49 PM
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A LOTTA work ahead of you Jim! -- I hate it when everything goes down at the same time!
Some damn sensor or control valve in the Explorer messes up in this cold wet weather. Starts and runs fine, let it idle for 5 mins and it starts woofin and dies. starts back up o.k. so since I dont drive it that much I ignore it.
Truck started acting up the last time I drove it , probably sensors in it too! Damn electronic shit! lol!
Anyway I got started on the greenhouse yesterday. Made the first truss and it looks good,--has the right pitch and all that good stuff! Now on with tearing up more flats to get more 2 x 4's to to make more. need 8 for the 24' length and 12' wide.
ground is just thawed out enough that I can dig the 3' deep holes for the posts. Still a 4" layer down 8" froze but spade chops thru that now, so I can dig with the post hole digger by hand. Need about 18 or 20 holes for the whole thing if I figured right.
Started making a scale model of the greenhouse a long time ago and some drawings to get a bit of an idea of what it could look like when done.


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4510 02/06/2024 06:33 PM
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Hi, just popping in, still have a pulse last I checked.

sonny #4511 02/06/2024 08:43 PM
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Glad ya checked in!!!!


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4517 02/08/2024 09:35 AM
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Cars done, truck gets inspected next Monday. then I can get started on the Van engine swap. Just when I start getting caught up, the seal blows out on the extension ram on the bucket truck and the scissors lift decides to drop into super slow-mo mode. think I'll just take the cylinder to a shop this time. that 10' cylinder is a pain in the ass to work in My shop. I'm hoping that the issue with the scissor lift is a bad micro switch or something.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
sonny #4520 02/08/2024 01:20 PM
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I never did understand how the lifts work! Never been around them that much but they do look complicated as hell! Hope you only have a bad switch on yours,---makes things a lot easier to fix after you figure out where its at. Also might check the wiring from control to switches. Could be an loose/broke/corroded wire/connection along the line.
Them big cylinders are hard to handle for sure! Did most of the ones in the Case 580ck backhoe many years ago and it was a job and a half to roll that heave shit around, messy too! LOL!!!
I feel for you doing the van motor!! lol! --- Kinda not much room in them to work. Sis had a little 66 e-100 with a 140 in it BUT the motor sat back far enough it came out from inside the van!! Her 73 e-200 you had to take the whole front end off, bumper and all to get it out! These were all inline 6's and a v-8 would be much harder to get out. I looked at gm vans and backed away from ever buying one! lol!


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4526 02/11/2024 11:12 AM
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Well I do have a service manual for the scissors lift it's a skyjack 3220. Older model hell I bought the thing for $100 14 years ago. Got my money's worth for sure. Had to rebuild the cylinder in that couple years ago cuz it was leaking everywhere. I have a nice troubleshooting list to follow out of the service manual so hopefully it'll be an easy fix. Yeah I had a 69 club wagon with a 302 in it and I rebuilt that in the van. Way back in my younger days I deadlifted that engine up into the van so I could close the cowling and sit in the van and rebuild it with a heater going. GM vans are definitely much more difficult but Fords are the same way now. The big push to get the engine out from between the seats.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
sonny #4532 02/12/2024 12:13 PM
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Ya all the newer vans are bad! Dont matter what brand they are. Smaller ones look even harder to work on too!


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
sonny #4546 02/28/2024 08:02 AM
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Whattdya talkin about Sonny all new vehicles are bad, the good engineers that knew what they were doing are retired and out..Simple question, WHY do we need a electronic module,a switch,a vacuum pump with plastic hoses,a solenoid valve and more plastic to engage 4x4 in a pickup truck when a simple lever on the floor did fine for 70yrs?

7.03AM EST East Coast USA
Cloudy,Chilly and Overcast, Oil heat is ON

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sonny #4548 02/29/2024 12:10 PM
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I agree on the complicated shit that only causes trouble! My old 73 F-250 Hi-Boy only has levers on the floor, manual lock-out hubs and a carb on the 300 motor I put in it! --- ALSO a hand choke! lol! This 98 Explorer has switches that dont work! S'POSED to have 4 low , 4 High , but last time I tried to use 4 low I couldnt get it back into 4 High! I finally shifted back on its own while sitting in the drive. Never touched it again! It runs full time 4x4 High so I leave it there. Got a sensor or some valve on top of the motor messed up cause it slobbers when its cold then dies. Usually starts back up and runs fine. Had it to Gearheads garage and they never fixed it so it still slobbers. Got lucky this winter cause I have the new 96 350 and didnt go anywhere anyhow! lol!
Anyway now on to figuring out how to get the damn track back on the mini-hoe!
2/29/2024 at 10:08 AM


"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands."
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