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Fishin' Expedition Repairs and Mods
It has just gotten to the point leaving the dock with the time change it's dark. My Expedition (Boat Puller) was bought and repaired just so I had something reliable to pull to the local boat ramps around here. Since its not new I hope the bad guys walk by it to something nicer. It is a 2006 model that was parked under a tree for 2 years, needless to say I had to resurrect it.
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To pull the headlight fixtures it is only 3 bolts, 2 in the front high and only extended vertical bolt in the back. All 10mm. After just unplug the 2 plugs and the fixture is free.
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Spraying a bit of Kroil on the bolts helped them be removed. You do need extensions especially for the one in the back.
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Although the new fixtures come with new Phillips bulbs I have been upgrading all our vehicles with these LED bulbs and what a difference it makes. Driving at night is way easier when you can see to drive. The Silverado trucks both got the LEDs with a small Ballast. The original fixtures were burned up by the Sun.
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These TYC fixtures are CERPA certified for less than $70ea. They come with a cling wrap coating over the lens. Still amazes me the difference new Headlight fixtures make. I just need to adjust the Beams now.
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Very Tight Replacement of Blend Door Motor in AC System
So owning 4 out of 5 older vehicles and all 4 had something to fix. The other day heading out to the river the heater wouldn't blow hot air, I could hear a clicking sound coming from near the blower area. After researching the problem I found out there are small plastic gears in the HVAC door motors that strip the teeth. This is the video I watched before attempting the repair. I will tell you this the Ford Mechanic (Very Good Mechanic, my Guru on Ford Repairs!) must have much smaller hands than mine. My hands are cut up from shoving them between all the metal and plastic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Bh4pN27zI&t=584
You start out by stripping the Instrument Cluster trim off. Numerous switches are mounted within so you must unplug everything before removing. I had to remove the stereo too.
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After clearing out the big stuff I had to remove the glove box too. I could not fit where I needed to to get my hands shoved up in the hole made by it's removal.
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So the Blend Door Motor is way back under the dash. Under the radio the clearance was so tight I couldn't get a single finger to fit far enough back to hold the Gear Wrench on the back screw. I used my Cat Claw (Red Handle Trim Tool) to hold the wrench down while moving the handle between the tips of two fingers on my right hand working thru the Glove Box opening. I will say it now, that back screw was Never going back in from the start. Well I stuck to the plan, if I ever take the dash off I will install it then, until then though I will have cold AC and Hot Heat.
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The back screw is the screw behind the Blend Door Motor Plug. The plug I had to slip a very long handle flat screwdriver in between the lower tap and the HVAC housing. Once I lifted the tap on the plug I had to rotate the screwdriver blade walking the plug out of the hole. The last picture is a shot of the space the Motor came out of, the screw laying on its side fell out from the back screw hole and rolled under the motor. BTW the angled pictures are because the space is so tight only the corner of my phone would fit to get a shot of what I was working on.
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The Motor Drive Shaft only fits in one way so while walking it back into the hole it came out of I had to keep the air seal on the shaft while rotating the Motor till the shaft fit. Once the shaft started down the Motor still had to be rotated into its resting place before installing the screws I could get back installed. The replacement motor shaft position is not the position of the one you remove.
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I could not have done this Blend Door Motor replacement without the 2 Gear Wrenches both 8mm, the Cat Claw, and a Telescoping Magnet.
