New fuel pumps, and other machined parts, full of shavings!

In December, 2008, I bought a 1993 Ford F150 XL, 6 cylinder, with the five speed on the floor transmission. It has the 8 foot long bed. $900, and I found it just by asking around.

A bit of scratches and dents on the sides, and when the previous owner had U-Haul install a frame welded hitch, they had grounded the brake lights, so the wiring is a bit strange, and there are two separate switches on the dash, for tail lights, and rear turn lights (most folks in Florida think every one can read minds, so turn signals are rarely used...).

After about four months of happy motoring, the experience was one of fun and powerful elation... That truck can pull down a house, cruise at 70 mph, and the radio plays great tunes!

OH, yeah, all the filters, oil, plugs, distributor cap, plug wires, and accessory belt have been changed, by me, due to normal wear or mileage points of preventive maintenance scheduling.

Miles? The odometer read 92,897... but, the title shows "Re-built". Old owner explained that the first owner was in his 90's and had Alzheimers, so forgot to check fluids, and the engine is a replacement.

Found an aluminum topper for the 8 foot bed, that was $50 on Craigslist. It even has a ladder/canoe rack!

The bed has a slip-in liner.

In May of 2009 the center tank fuel pump quit. I dropped the tank, and grabbed a print out of the pump and prices off vendor websites on the Internet, and took that with me when I went to Autozone... Internet price is $119. Autozone price is $149.

Price matching is a "Good Thing"! Sales taxes or shipping are somewhat equal. Saving $30 is a good reward for price watching...

Also, I ALWAYS change the fuel filter with a new pump.

That pump quit about 5 months later. I dropped the tank and gently opened up the plastic casing of the pump assembly, to find it packed with drill press shavings, some of which were in the impeller!

Cleaned it out, and re-installed it, with a new filter.

A year into this great beast of a vehicle, the clutch slave cylinder started leaking... so, I pulled the transmission, and changed that, and while I was in there, cleaned up the shifter bushings, and also put in a new clutch master cylinder.

The Vendor pricing from the Internet saved me about $40. Another great day! But, inspecting the parts off the shelf at Advance Discount Auto Parts, there was rust in the parts, so, went to Autozone, where the new, sealed in plastic baggies, parts looked cleaner, rust free.

Here it is, about 8 months later, and the clutch shaft has dis-integrated while driving in traffic! The original shaft from the clutch pedal to the Master Cylinder, was all metal.

Can't find anyone selling the clutch shaft, so, $56 later, I have discovered that the NAPA cylinder is all metal, not plastic, and the shaft is all metal, not plastic that cracks and shatters!

I found no shavings in the NAPA auto parts I have bought. The parts are usually of good construction, of good materials. I have seen parts from lots of different countries, and find them all to appear to have been made in the fastest time frames possible, which I can't fault.

It is the quality control inspections that appear to have been shorted, that causes most of the failures of all the technological wonders and the appliances, that I see, as a consumer, HAM, assembly line assembler and welder, at FMC Airline equipment, and, as an electronic engineer in the alarm design industry, (after I retired from the military).

When we acquire anything new, or used, it is wise to do a thorough inspection of that thing, before we use it, or else, suffer the consequences, and let our lawyers get rich from the lawsuits...

Happy trucking! Be glad if you can!

Wanted to get myself a target rifle, as I am a retired veteran, with all the sharpshooter ribbons, and like guns, so went and grabbed a Marlin Model 60 rifle in Wal Mart, for target shooting and plinking.

Shavings from drill presses were actually in the action!

Bought some heavy duty plastic mortar tubs, and some muck buckets, and, there, in the rims under the rope holes, were plastic drill shavings, and plastic residue from punches!

Ya'll might need to be aware that the gremlins must be everywhere, dumping drill press shavings into machined goods, to try our patience!

Reply to
Big Red Truck
Loading thread data ...

Uh, stop buying crap from china?

BTW, was that a 4x4 or a 4x2, and was it that monster six?

Reply to
PeterD

That's harder than it sounds :(

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Yea, I know. Bought a new radiator cap for a Honda today. Guess what... Yep, made in China. Oh, and it didn't fit properly either!

Reply to
PeterD

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.