What have you done to your wagon lately? (Let's keep the thread going!)

Get rid of those plugs. They're evil! The package even bears Halloween colors

 

Installed a newly rebuilt carb because I was getting a bad bog/hesitation when getting on it hard. Original Carb was supposed to be rebuilt. New carb took care of all the issues.
https://imgur.com/a/bf7b79r
https://imgur.com/a/VLndQSl

 

Well. This is a timely thread. Today I am having complete brakes and rear wheel cylinders replaced on my 1977 Colony Park. I guess I can’t beef after 41 years.

 

I'm still driving the Grand Marquis while road salt isn't around.

We also picked up an 05 Explorer (4.0 SOHC, 153k miles) and I fixed some paint bubbling on the hood.

 

Nice. The Exploader going to be your winter rig?

 

Glad the Grand Marquis will be out of the weather. I remember those days in Chicago where you had a “salt sled” I had a ratty Tempo that filled that void. RIP Tempo, and I’m sure glad I’m where I can drive an old car 99% of the year.

 

Yes, because the Suburban's still sitting for at-home rust repair. Between everything else, it's most likely to sit all winter; I was hoping to get to it in July this year but that didn't happen.

I couldn't ever drive the Mercury in winter, the original owner didn't (a rarity here) and I don't intend to either.

Ah, rust belt car; some memories I don't intend to repeat such as the day I tried jacking the car up while I had a flat and the jack went through the body, bending the jack (the gas station's air pump was next to a very slight slope.) I was at the tender mercy of a passing by mechanic who happened to have a jack in his trunk; he asked for no money but Dad insisted on $10 and a soda anyway so he got a Blue Bubblegum soda (yes, they make those and the taste is just like you'd think.)

Even in Winter, I prefer to at least spray Fluid Film on the car(s) and this Explorer's no different. I'm sure there are more thorough ways of preventing rust from starting but this at least helps.

 

After a HWY drive with Overdrive off and passing a truck around 3-4k RPM (I wanted to make sure I cleaned the intake valves and injectors great with the Amsoil injector cleaner,) the Explorer started spraying coolant out the thermostat housing and I limped it home the last 9 or so miles (2/3rds of that off the highway) after pouring in the very last of the engine coolant and water I had left in the back of the car. Doesn't seem to be a big deal, I was wondering what was happening at first but I should be able to fix it within a few days' time. Here I thought I might need to replace a head gasket but the oil smells fine.

Oh and I drove the Wagon to AutoZone to pick up the parts (gaskets, gasket adhesive and a new thermostat because I might as well.) There, I made this post Wagon relevant.

 

Oh, you're talking about Jones Soda, right? Their blue bubblegum tastes very close to Bazooka Joe bubblegum. My favorite flavor, though, is green apple. I live for that flavor!

 

Jones Soda, yes. I never thought I'd hear of such a company when I was a little kid, I started picking their sodas up probably around 2007. Green Apple's just how I'd expect it too, a nice soda and I like how they make their sodas with actual sugar. I don't often drink sodas anymore (some sort of itchy skin issue that's triggered if I have Probiotic and/or Vitamin B1 and/or Ginger deficiency; if I've taken care of those I'm OK) but I also liked Crushed Melon and Berry Lemonade. I like how they sometimes have seasonal packs like "Thanksgiving Dinner" I guess for the fun of it. Turkey Gravy Soda? Pea Soda? Sure, why not.

 

Yeah, they started here in Seattle, and for their first flavors, nobody could keep them stocked once they became popular, so they sold out, but the current owners keep to the original formula.

 

Last time Amway knocked on my door, they didn't even have carburetor cleaner for me. Now that they've come a long way, I might start doing business with them again. Trouble is, they seem to get on peoples' nerves, with their aggressive sales tactics

 

I'm glad for that. I think they had a Chocolate Coin flavor too, I haven't seen that available anywhere recently though.

They do have "Power Foam" but I'm not sure that can be used as a carburetor cleaner; they say this about it:

"AMSOIL Power Foam® (APF) improves engine performance by removing gum, varnish and carbon deposits that affect power, operation, idle and fuel economy. Power Foam cleans intake valves, intake manifolds and throttle plates to keep the combustion intake system running at peak efficiency. Effective in both two- and four-stroke gasoline engines, Power Foam helps reduce engine ping and keeps carburetors and injector systems operating like new."

It's not marketed as carburetor cleaner. I have been using their oil, oil filters, ATF, power steering fluid and injector cleaner in a low mileage 2001 Impala we got 2 years ago; I haven't sent oil samples in for testing and the car's only had 16,000 miles put on since I switched it to Amsoil over 3 different oil changes (got the car around 33,300 and changed oil at 33.4xx, 41,1xx and 47,5xx) so I can't say much for whether their products live up to their word or not. Maybe if I put another 300,000 on the car I can say something (especially if the transmission lasts past 250k) but it's pretty far from that at this point.

 

(To get the Wagon back in the garage project: )

Yesterday I broke one of the long screws for the Explorer's thermostat housing while I tried torquing it to what the book said. Dealer price: $7.xx per screw. I don't really have a choice outside the internet, I looked. Since I have to wait for 3 days I sprayed Fluid Film on the Explorer's underside to prevent rust and I have one very strong recommendation for you if you use Fluid Film; ***NEVER*** SPRAY IT WITHOUT A RESPIRATOR. I'm nutty after breathing that in for an hour and a half.

 

I took the Fury for her last ride of the year on Saturday. Filled er up with Gas, added the fuel stabilizer and then tucked her into the garage nice and snug for a long winters nap.