Jump to content
Ford Transit Connect Forum
   

Fifty150

T.C. Member
  • Posts

    3,552
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    177

Reputation Activity

  1. Thanks
    Fifty150 got a reaction from sabasigh in Magnaflow Catalytic Converter TC 2015 XLT 2.5L   
    Is it just dented or bent, and you're worried about decreased performance?  Or is there a hole in it?
     
    Either way, you want to replace it.  It is not cheap.  You can't simply order a piece of pipe, then bolt it on.  The entire exhaust manifold and catalytic converter is a 1 piece unit.  But as you can see, it is a bolt on installation.  Bolts at the exhaust manifold.  Bolts at the midpipe.  You will want new gaskets.  While you're at it, I would also install new O2 sensors.  Which makes it all a little more expensive.  But you don't want to finish the job, then have an exhaust leak.  The O2 sensors have to be slightly fouled already, so why reinstall them, since you will eventually need to replace them?
     
    If you do decide to replace it, please chronicle the journey and take us along.  A few of us would love to see photos, or even a video.
  2. Thanks
    Fifty150 got a reaction from jwkruege in Trade in 2018 Subaru Outback for TC?   
    That would be my concern in a snow area.  I don't have snow where I live.  The Transit Connect is good enough in the rain.  Someone else could weigh in on how they have driven in the snow.
     
     
     
     
    For me, the Transit Connect is not luxury and comfort.  It does not offer luxury.  It's more of a vehicle which does the job.  I have seating for 7.  There's a lot of space.  The seats fold down for the occasional trip to Home Depot or Ikea.  Everyone can get in with their book bags, sports equipment, groceries, etc.  The ride is bumpy.  There is some road noise.  The HVAC system is loud when you're trying to blow more heat or air conditioning.  
  3. Like
    Fifty150 got a reaction from windguy in Prospective new owner in Houston   
    The MSRP is a built in markup, all on it's own.  Huge difference between what the dealer pays for the car, and the MSRP.  There's even a difference in what the dealer pays for the car, and the invoice.  Not even the invoice is the real price the dealer pays for the car.  That's why they used have those sales where they sold cars for thousands under invoice.  That's what gives you room for negotiation.  
     
     
     
    I think the finance department is the real algae slime sucker.  They take advantage of people who can't afford to buy the car.  Rig finance "deals" to where someone can "afford" a certain amount monthly.  Then charge them some usurious interest rate for 120 months.  Then on top of that, sell them the extended warranty, and finance that as well.
     
     
     
     
    Unless they allow someone to drive the car off from the factory, like Tesla, the dealership will be involved.  Those cars will be delivered to a dealership for dealer prep.  There will be a fee for that.  Receiving fee, dock fee, handling fee, top off the electric charge fee........   Someone has to pay for all the coffee and donuts that they give away.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    As you may be able to guess - I do not like car dealers.
     
     
     
     
  4. Cool
    Fifty150 got a reaction from Gtrgrl in 2020 FL Blue Transit   
    It sounds like you have it functional.  Congratulations.  
  5. Thanks
    Fifty150 got a reaction from UrAlly in Kings Mountain, California - Mavericks/Half Moon Bay   
    Welcome aboard. I'm here in The City.  San Francisco.  
     
    I want to be able to guess, that the aftermarket alarm is the source of your problems.  If you can get it "uninstalled", and not just pull out 1 wire under the dash, and return the van to stock.....   Or troubleshoot the security device, plug that wire back in, and get it to work as intended...... Some security systems disable the ignition.  Maybe it's the security device that's not allowing the van to start when it's raining.
  6. Haha
    Fifty150 got a reaction from budo675 in Prospective new owner in Houston   
    I ride my bike as a "city bike".  Running errands.  Going to The Bar.  Commuting.  Especially if my destination is a part of town where parking is difficult.  Downtown.  City Hall.  But I don't identify as a "biker".  I don't live the lifestyle of someone who identifies with the subculture.  It just makes sense for me to own a bike.  I also own a bicycle and a bus pass.  It just makes sense to ride a bicycle to the gym or take the bus sometimes.  Obviously, I can't go to Costco on my motorcycle.  And I don't ride in the rain.
     
    If I am going to Los Angeles or Las Vegas, or any destination where I will want to ride the bike around, then it's a motorcycle road trip.  The luggage is minimal.  Only extra t-shirts, underwear, socks, and toiletry kit.  I'll be wearing my jeans, a Pendleton, leather jacket, and boots.  Not every trip is a bike trip.  Sometimes it's nice to have the luxury of an air conditioned environment, refreshing beverages, an entertainment system, and luggage.  Sometimes I actually want to bring along different changes of clothes.  Not to mention that motorcycle trips are kind of weird, if your traveling companions are following along in a minivan.  Or flying in and they'll just meet you there. 
     
    My last trip to Las Vegas was like that.  We were attending an event.  I rode my motorcycle.  My girl flew in.  She checked in 2 bags full of all kinds of girly things like heels, makeup, cabana wear, her evening gown, and my dinner jacket.  Her helmet was carry on luggage.  I told her to wear the helmet whenever the seat belt light came on.  I sort of felt out of place wearing a tuxedo with my boots.  But nobody noticed.  If they did, they probably just assumed that I was being trendy.  Her Dad kept asking, "so she flew in, and you rode the motorcycle?"
  7. Like
    Fifty150 got a reaction from lowspeedpursuit in Cheapest way to add visibility out the back doors? (2010 Build Thread)   
    Looking Good.  Thumbs up.  High 5.  ?   Can't wait to see your next project. 
     
    By the way, I saw your freeway chase yesterday.
     
     
     
  8. Thanks
    Fifty150 reacted to lowspeedpursuit in Cheapest way to add visibility out the back doors? (2010 Build Thread)   
    After a month of real life and no free time, progress!
     
    The first thing that happened is the junkyard misfiled my order as "local pickup". When I didn't hear anything after 2 weeks, I called them up, and they were super apologetic and charged me $50 for 2-day shipping instead of the originally quoted $102 for ground, so that's ultimately a win.
     
    I immediately turned around and spent the money I saved on these absurdly overpriced things. These are L-shaped blades for an oscillating saw that you use to cut through old urethane. I originally bought them to remove the blank panel in my van's door non-destructively, in case something went wrong with the window and I had to put it back. I don't know if there have always been different sizes of oscillating saw chuck, or if there's a standard for most applications, and a separate standard for the special tool a glass-shop uses, but these blades don't actually fit my saw. The panel is pressed in so tightly that cutting it out was a huge pain, because the saw would vibrate its lock-bolt loose and the blade would try to rotate, so I had to stop and readjust a bunch of times. You're also not going to be able to cut into the corners, so once I had cut around all the straight edges, I basically just kicked the shit out of the panel until it popped out.
     
    Then I unbolted the door from the van, which is 2x T40 torx on each of the 3 hinges. The top bolt on the middle hinge (I've marked the hole) is tight against the hinge and you can't get a ratchet on it, so I used a 3/16" allen key. I also dropped this foam-shaped oval seal on the ground; it covers the electrical contacts on the door. I was ultimately left with this:
     

     
     
    Next I cleaned all the old urethane off the pinch weld. I started with a normal razor blade, but this ended up being pointless. It was too hard to get into the corners, and it turns out the oscillating sawblade absolutely obliterates old urethane on an open surface. Knowing this, I wouldn't do the job without it, even if I didn't care about saving the fiberglass panel. Once most of the urethane was gone, I cleaned up the remainder (and a bit of rust here and there) with a flap disc, then masked and hit it with white spraypaint.
     

     
    While the paint dried over the next few hours, I started prepping the junkyard window. They sent it to me with what looks like 100% of the urethane still attached to it, complete with taxicab-yellow paint. I tested really jamming the oscillating sawblade against a random piece of glass I had lying around; it didn't crack and barely scratched at all. So, I felt comfortable using the blade to clean up the junkyard window. After a couple passes, I cleaned everything up with rubbing alcohol. I found a 3M windshield replacement instructional document that said to remove old urethane to 1-2mm max, and I definitely got below that.
     

     
    Because I was dealing with old urethane, I decided to use primer this time around, which I didn't do on the back doors. It turns out that glass urethane primer is stupid expensive--like several times more expensive than the sealant. The 3M stuff is available in two sizes: enough for a handful of windows, and enough for all the windows, ever--but more importantly, it goes bad in a week after you open it. I decided the most cost-effective solution was this thing, the Betaprime single-use stick. You screw the tip all the way on, and it breaks the seal, then you apply the primer with the foam applicator. It's pretty much guaranteed to fall apart by the end of the job, and from what I've read, the primer is even nastier on skin than the urethane. I primed both the window and the pinch-weld. The 3M document says to let the primer dry for 5-10 minutes.
     
    Finally, I applied urethane from the second tube I bought during the first half of the project, again using the V-notch method. I also ran a second bead diagonally through each of the corners.
     

     
    Six hours to set up, and the door can go back on the van. Still need to clean the outside of the window glass, as well as the window's sliding track, because the window as it arrived won't close quite far enough to latch. May also redo the bumper stops, which are just sheet metal screws right now. I feel like there should be something softer in there to protect the edge of the glass.
     
    I'll also post up some measurements of the glass-in-glass window, in case somebody in the future who really, really wants one ever decides to have one custom-cut. I will note that the visible area of the window is limited strictly to the slider, which I didn't realize before. The fixed-glass windows have narrower black bezels on all sides except maybe the front, and so will offer better visibility.
     
    Final cost for this part of the project: $90 (window) + $50 (shipping) +$48.70 (sawblades) + $11.67 (primer) + miscellaneous shop supplies. Total cost ~=$201.
     
  9. Thanks
    Fifty150 got a reaction from mrtn in TPMS issues with wheel swap   
    And it's working, based on how many people have been installing skateboard wheels in their vans.
     
     
    It makes more sense to drill a hole in a hockey puck, then use it as a lift kit.  Works as a body spacer, and as a coil spring spacer.  
  10. Haha
    Fifty150 reacted to mrtn in TPMS issues with wheel swap   
    You can't rationalize Half Wheeled Skateboard's behavior. As he personally never asks for help, he tells.
  11. Haha
    Fifty150 reacted to mrtn in Farewell   
    Now I am never leaving this forum. Just for this guy harassing other members.
  12. Like
    Fifty150 got a reaction from greg_lanz in Front Wheel Bearings   
    Or aftermarket parts which aren't very well made.  When I was a kid, my dad always went to Grand Auto & Scherba's because they sold parts for less than dealership prices, and offered the lifetime warranty.  A lifetime warranty on a cheap aftermarket auto part.  
     
     
     
       Auto parts stores used to offer "lifetime warranty" on all sorts of parts......water pumps, alternators, universal joints, drive shafts.........Not because O'Reilly's or Auto Zone sells superior auto parts.  Their parts are terrible compared to OEM parts.  Most people don't own old cars long enough for those parts to fail again, and again, to take advantage of the warranty.  If you replace a water pump at 200,000 miles after 20 years, you probably won't own that car for another 5 years or drive it another 50,000 miles.
     
    Does Pep Boys install OEM parts?
     
     
     
     
  13. Like
    Fifty150 got a reaction from windguy in Isn't this the cutest van   
    It looks like a Kei Car.
     
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car#Description
     

  14. Cool
    Fifty150 reacted to windguy in Window Tint   
    Looks like we had yet another meltdown overnight.
    I thought I smelled burnt toast when I woke up but we don't even own a toaster. Confused!
     
    Instead of wiping out every post with "thread deleted" we now have "Bunch of gay shits and giggles".
    Oh, the humanity!
     
    Enjoy the brief moment of calm and peace but stay tuned for the next reincarnation.
    Not a matter of if, but when. Lucky us!
     
  15. Haha
    Fifty150 got a reaction from windguy in Adventure van camper conversion   
    Then I get a bag of frozen peas for my groin. They usually add a swift kick to my testes.  That really hurts.
     
    ???
  16. Haha
    Fifty150 reacted to windguy in Adventure van camper conversion   
    Ha, ha. Same thing you would do. Run away as fast as you can then wash the pepper spray off your face.  ?
  17. Cool
    Fifty150 reacted to BSJBSJ in Window Tint   
    Awww. So sensitive. ?
     
    Hard to keep your stories together eh?
  18. Cool
    Fifty150 reacted to mrtn in Window Tint   
    You're really bad at foruming.
     
    Or everything really.
  19. Haha
    Fifty150 got a reaction from windguy in Adventure van camper conversion   
    I like the bed.  It looks good.  
     
    What do you do when you meet a girl?
  20. Haha
    Fifty150 got a reaction from BSJBSJ in Window Tint   
    Everyone knows that you are suppose to rub acetone liberally, then warm it up with a propane torch.
  21. Thanks
    Fifty150 got a reaction from BSJBSJ in Powering Light-bar with High beams   
    This is the light bar on the front of my Transit Connect
     
     

  22. Like
    Fifty150 got a reaction from windguy in TC heat not working?   
    New cars have a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty.
  23. Cool
    Fifty150 got a reaction from KevinH in Hello from UK   
    I had one.  Worked okay.  Maybe better to look up at the mirror, than looking down at the dash, when reversing.  I still like looking over my shoulder. Mine was a cheap one from Amazon.  It still worked.  You probably have something nicer.  
     
     
    Just a few days ago, I got a better radio with a screen.  Then I removed the backup camera monitor on the mirror, and ran the wire to the new radio.  Something you can think about doing, before you install the mirror monitor.
     
     
     
     
    There are already threads on reprogramming to "dark mode".  Also threads on installing backup cameras, radios, extra power ports, etc.  You may want to read the thread on exchanging automatic transmission fluid.  
     
    If the 2016 van had the original battery, that's probably why it died.  It's old.  That battery was 6 years .  Batteries usually have a 36 month warranty.  There's a thread about upgrading to a better battery.  Questionable about what "better" means.  Maybe more cranking amps.  But the factory battery starts fine.  Will it last longer?  My 2016 still has the original battery.  My F-150 OEM battery lasted 9 years.  An Optima battery which costs twice as much only lasted 5 years.  
     
     
  24. Like
    Fifty150 got a reaction from lowspeedpursuit in Spare Wheel Mount Plate   
    I found this on the side of the road.  Yeah, now I have 2.  I suspect that this particular part is used on other vehicles also.  Not just Transit Connect.  So it's probably easier to find.  People lose things like this all the time.  They change the tire.  Then they threw the flat tire into the trunk, "the boot", the truck bed, the back seat...... and drive off.  I've lost all sorts of bits and pieces.  And those little parts are often very expensive.  In some cases, it is almost impossible to replace.  Most of those things are only important if you are restoring an old vehicle, and you have to have everything original.  Otherwise, you may be able to find something like it in the aftermarket auto parts world.  With this piece, I would try a junkyard.  
     

  25. Cool
    Fifty150 got a reaction from mrtn in 2nd Generation Base AM/FM Radio   
    Thanks for the timely reply.  
     
    I'll note, that for anyone else who bought the cheapest van on the lot, with an AM/FM only radio, that there is a different dash kit.  It comes with different parts.  There is a sub-dash bracket.  And if you are also installing a backup camera, the curved dashboard on the drivers side pops off just like the piece in the center, if you need more access to run the wiring.
     
    Since it is so basic, a stripped down commercial model with AM/FM only, encountered zero problems with changing the radio.  No steering wheel controls, 4.3" display, or Ford Sync not working.  Everything on the new radio worked.
     
    The hard part was trying to line up the new radio with the cutout for the dash kit.  
     
     

     
     
    In case it helps anyone else out, Amazon sells the installation wire harness kit, which also comes with the antenna adapter.  It works.  I used solder seal connectors, and wire loom cloth tape. 
     
     
     

     



     
     
     
    The radio that I bought was from Amazon.  Nothing special.  It offers just a little bit more than the OEM AM/FM.  I really can't expect much when the radio only cost $13.59.  The price of $67.94 is for a 5 pack.  How do they sell something like that, for that price?  I don't care.   I've got new radios in every car.
     
     

     
     
     
×
×
  • Create New...