Just another day in paradise...NOT

Off Topic Automotive News and Motorsports too:
#1

Geez, after it taking me 1 1/2 years to replace my '94 Ford E-150 van’s engine (5.8 instead of a 5.0) and I now have put 700 miles on it and guess what…

…the dang AC in the dash catches on fire and it nearly burns the van to the ground!:eek::mad:

I was lucky as I still had a fire extinguser in there from my racing days and a gallon of water…which had to be refilled a number of times from a near by home hose.

I save it but it stinks and it is going to be costly to replace the AC unit. Oh well, it is winter here and rarely need it at this time of the year.

Oh well, that’s life living in the so called paradise…

#2

search online for the AC parts Werks. I once found a place online that could save me a ton of money by installing the new ( inexpensive ) A/C parts myself. Thank God your van didn’t burn down. The thing that cost bucks to replace would of cost me a lot was the compressor itself.

#3

Well Werks, if it was me, I’d of forgot about the fire extinguisher, called my insurance agent to make sure my premiums were paid and let her burn up! :wink:

Sorry couldn’t resist. I too am hanging onto the ole’ family truckster, a 99 Jimmy, that I’ve put over $10K into over the last two years, rebuilt engine, tranny, etc. Still too much life in her to let go and besides you’d get nuttin’ for it on a trade in and I can’t justify spending $50K on a new truck. sigh

#4

www.car-parts.com

Nationwide junkyard search. I use it quite often.

#5

KB, I hear ya. I rented a new Ford van and it was so gutless compared to my 5.8 ci van plus the wife has never been in a vehicle that she has to tell me to turn down the AC (she is never cold enough) less than 10 minutes into a drive together until I got this van. Plus with the amount of race car towing that I do…

It now has a new engine ($3,000 in parts and my labor), a new trans ($1,000 just in parts and my race engine did the labor for free), brakes and …

Thanks MMD, I’ll look them up soon.

On fordtrucks.com a guy stated to check for leaves in the AC register (box that covers the AC coils) but I’m thinking it was pine tree needles as it is parked under a Big Pine tree (was a live Christmas tree when I was kid…) and they get everywhere! There’s a resister in there that heats up but I didn’t have the AC on as I didn’t get around to recharging it yet…