New NH member and 2010 TC owner

[RDinNHandAZ]

I just bought a silver 2010 Connect XLT passenger van with 59,000 miles here in NH for $4,700. I bought it from the first owner and he drove it about 3,000 miles a year for a one-man service business for a few years then as his back-up car to do errands to the transfer station, lumber hauling, and errand running. He had seat covers from day one so the seats look and feel brand new. It was serviced at a Ford dealer for most of that time but for the past few years he had oil changes and service done at an independent garage once a year despite the low miles. The tires are good and not outdated. There was lots of rust on the back bumper which I am replacing today and about half way along the pinch clamps of the rocker panels. No rust through. After a complete under body wash which I have done, I plan to treat the rust with an impregnating oil and wax based undercoat as well as some underneath areas that surface rust has affected. I do not plan to drive it in winter any more. It will help me transport my wife who has Alzheimer’s since she find’s it hard to get up into my 2001 Tacoma 4X4 which I need here in the snowy hills and dirt roads.

The long term plan is to build it into a one person travel van. I’ve built out a succession of campers and will make the bed and cabinets modular and removable. I’m willing to put up with a bit of rust to get a very low mileage vehicle which has a stellar service record. I’m solving lots of little issues that a 14 yo car will have. The spare wheel is being changed out for one on the right rear once that one is repainted, the hood’s prop rod clip has been replaced, I’ve touched up a few chips in the paint, cleaned it well which it badly needed and straightened the antenna.It’s getting a wax job for the first time in many years too. I bought TPMS sensors to get the dash light to turn off as proper pressure didn’t fix it. I expect the batteries to have died.

I welcome your input about service now that it is approaching 60K miles, about the rust treatment, the future conversion, and using it for transporting a person with limited mobility. Thank you.

[Fifty150]

 

 

 

Download the maintenance schedule for your VIN.  That will give you an idea of what is recommended.

 

 

 

 

[Humphrey's Van]

i know you from the diesel promaster forum. i was charitys van over there. i have a 2011 xlt that has 553k and going well. thank you for the basic power set up diagram, i have copied that on 2 promaster and 2 sprinters. this year i do plan to install a heater on this van. im thinking under driver seat as i still haul cargo and will not have a real camper build. ive put about 220k of the miles on this one. looking forward to exchanging ideas with you

[RDinNHandAZ]

I’m glad my posts proved useful to you. I’m surprised and pleased that a TC can do those miles. I’ve used two of the China parking heaters and had good luck. I’m considering an all-in-one diesel box heater from Vevo or someone else for this van. Realistically it would be next summer for a build out.

I’m struggling with water entering the passenger footwell when it rains. I’ve fixed the weather seal at the bottom of the windshield and the metal deflection tray slid under the bottom edge of the glass. Then I started looking inside as water kept coming. I sprayed a seam high up by the right of the glovebox on the firewall where I could see it enter. After that stopped the obvious leak the leak source moved up and more to the right so I plan to use the FlexSeal on that too.  It’s like there is a pool of trapped water outside the firewall somewhere.  Really I need to get to the other side and examine the face of the firewall behind the passenger tire I guess. How do I do that? I guess remove the wheel well liner?

Interestingly there is no evidence of past water under the carpet and no rust. What could have changed? I’m going underneath with some ramps to lookk for what might be holding the water back. This has been a bear of an issue!

With 60K on this van should I service the transmission? I’m thinking of buying a tranny pan with a drain plug $40 and replacing the filter and getting  ford’s fluid and doing a drain and fill a few times. What’s been your experience?

[Humphrey's Van]

my van has not had any water leaks up front. as for transmission maintenance. i bought the dorman pan for a mazda with drain plug. i use atf mercon LV. i drain every 25k miles and refill with 4 quarts. at 50k miles i drain and change filter. i use these cool 3rd hand gaskets and squirt a tube of shudderfix, . i bought this one used, it had about 300k on it and motor and transmission had been replaced about 3 years before i got it. that guy was a city delivery and im a long distance delivery. my heater is the smaller one with remote. i use the bigger ones in my promaster and after getting one with remote wont do it any other way. i travel with a dog so i can just turn on the heater if i go inside to do a delivery. that keeps van warm enough. i have a maxxair fan but really thinking i want an ac.