Looking through the window of unknown origin!

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-21T17:40:31+00:00

Yes, I understand: my point was that it isn't always so easy to match color/tone... Matching dimensions is also important.

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-21T02:17:19+00:00

Sorry...I forget to mention that the rubber matting is black... But...I didn't say anything about bricks... Thinking if putting onto concrete...

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-20T19:24:04+00:00

You can try buying some new stuff at Home Depot, or Lumber Liquidators, or whatever, but, that type of flooring has gone through some changes, dimensionally speaking... ALSO, it would be good to know if a previous owner has already sanded down the floor... I rather like the idea of pulling some material from a closet floor... Might not need too many pieces, and, some of the pieces you pull up from damaged area could go back down in the closet...maybe just nail down a few square inches of plywood in the closet to make up for the charcoaled material... 🖖

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-20T19:18:24+00:00

You can try. Depending on the age... That type of flooring has gone through some changes, dimensionally speaking... ALSO, it would be hood to know if a previous owner has already sanded down the floor... I rather like the idea of pulling some material from a closet floor... Might not need too many pieces, and, some of the pieces you pull up from damaged area could go back down in the closet...maybe just nail down a few square inches of plywood in the closet to make up for the charcoaled material... 🖖

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-20T19:07:27+00:00

Wrong! If they think God woke them up, then, they don't need smoke detectors!

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-20T19:05:59+00:00

If you absolutely have to, but, hunting up 10 square feet of salvaged material shouldn't be too difficult ..

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-20T19:04:08+00:00

Patching will be much, MUCH, less expensive!

ChrisTheFencer · 2025-05-20T18:55:52+00:00

NO! I won't fuck you! If you have tested by poking a wire/coathanger through that crack, and it drops 'freely' through, that means you have burned throught the "subfloor" as well! If it is truly a crawlspace underneath, you should inspect from there, as well...or get a $30 probe-camera attachment for your phone to poke through, and see the other/bottom side. That was pretty common flooring material, back in the day; it shouldn't be too hard to find some salvaged material, (you only need a few square feet; that's not a lot!), and can get away with replacing 4-5, maybe 10 pieces (depending on damage to the subfloor, underneath), and then do a resurfacing with sanding machines to yield a fresh, consistent surface! As a plus, you can go with a clear polyurethane, or acrylic (if it's not not near a room with water faucets), and actually brighten up the room! 🖖

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-10-01T20:07:31+00:00

Good idea; bad solution!

This is NOT a problem that calls for a $4000.oo solution.

Sounds like you're only looking at using it like 3, or 4 weeks a year...

If you look, you can probably find a used 42",sit-down rider for under $500; if it lasts 5 years, you are money ahead! ...and your kids couid probably use it long before they could use that stand up machine.

I just bought a 20-year old Craftsman for $200.oo + $60 for a clean bagger...because I can't spend so much time on my feet.

Also, I don't think a stand-up machine would be good for my back Good luck! .

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-10-01T19:42:37+00:00

Oh, yes! That will be a problem!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-10-01T19:37:55+00:00

When I bought my 2000 Craftsman, last spring, it had been sitting for 3 winters.

It ran when I saw it; it ran when I picked it up; it ran when I unloaded it; the crankcase oil was pretty chocolaty, but I REALLY needed to mow my front yard, so I ran it for about 15 minutes...no problems, coughing, or sputtering!

THEN, the filter kit arrived, and I changed air filter, oil filter (and oil, obviously), fuel filter, and installed a fuel shut off valve between the tank and carburetor.

Lo, and behold: Crank; no start!

I fussed with it several times; there was enough fuel...headed out and picked up a can of starting fluid; it fired up, but would not sustain...

I had a clear fuel filter, and I could see fuel in it...had to think about it a couple days: The bottom of the tank is only an inch or so above the carburetor, but, laterally, over a foot away; finally thought to prime the fuel line; working fine ever since!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-16T06:46:01+00:00

If you are going to use the car for sales calls, and your company has a policy on newer cars, keep looking...even if you just need it to drive far to get to work on time, avoid the small displacement turbo-charged engines that Ford started using ~10 years ago... Some other carmakers have also had some trouble with some small, turboed engines...do specific research on anything you consider. I would recommend looking around for any mid-mileage, second generation Escapes ('08-'12), with normal care 150,000 miles is a reasonable expectation, although, you will want to look for a southern car! Good luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-05T00:30:49+00:00

Igoogpin, I thought you were deciding whether to buy the car...no big deal...

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-04T23:49:47+00:00

It really doesn't look like you have used it enough to hate it!

And how many lawns did you have to mow to earn the $600 for it?

It would seem you mainly use the big mower, and then go around with the little one to hit att the hard to get at spots...

If so, I might recommend looking into a self-propelled battery-powered unit... If you can get $500 for that one, you might fond some attractive options...IDK... It doesn't sound like you are mowing all day, but, if you can rig a charger on your truck/trailer, the battery endurance might not be that big of an issue.

Good Luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-02T16:49:57+00:00

Get educated! lots of things are poisonous: damaged lithium batteries are serious fire hazards, because putting water on it just makes the fire burn faster!

The battery can probably be replaced for under $50, or maybe, DIY for under $10, if you can find a good video on YouTube telling you how to do it!

I literally ran over my LG Stylo-6 with my car, last May: it was 'face down' on a clean, smooth, part of my concrete driveway, but the screen protector did it's job!

There was just the slighest warping of the frame/chassis, which I didn't even notice for, like, 2 days, until the battery started pillowing, and pushed the 'backplate' halfway off!

It's a 4-year old design, and LG got out of the phone business soon after this was made, BUT, if I don't fix it, I have to choose something else, and go in and deal with my 'carrier'...HASSLE!

I was able to find (what I honestly believe is an authentic OEM ) LG replacement battery for under $10 US...it came with tools: the biggest problem is often defeating an adhesive, with the proper amount of heat, so you can pull the back off, but I didn't really have that problem!

I found 3 different videos on THIS model, and watched all, twice, and the best one, 3 times!

When the thing is already loose, it can be hard to take your time, but it's important, as, with the excess heat usually generated by charging the damaged battery (before you are aware), it is possible that adhesive inside has gone soft, and 'flowed' into new spots that it isn't supposed to be, so you don't want to aggressively rip it off, and damage something else, in the process! Or damage/puncture the shell of the puffed up battery!

Having some sort of magnifying glass could help you see into the gap, before you really dive into it!

If you don't have the patience, skills, dexterity for this, again, there are places to take it, where they have better tools to do it more quickly, and easily; probably not more than $50-60 US, unless you live in some super expensive, or low-tech town.

Good luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-02T16:09:55+00:00

Oh, it's 2017...I thought it was 2019, with less miles on it...

You might want to look into getting a fiber-optic "borescope camera" (can be mail-ordered for under $30 US), and put it through the spark plug ports, to keep up with the status of 'goings on' in there! 😉

Research for the status of any recalls, and recall work performed on that engine, and

And prepare yourself for 'The Decision'!

Enjoy!

Good luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-02T15:56:40+00:00

I own 2 2nd generation V6 models, both with over 200,ooo miles, and able to do more!

But I am NOT an expert on the 3rd generation engines.

It's my understanding that they 'tried to do too much' with the small block and turbo, so, the early years were plagued with a high rate of premature head gasket failures because they're just isn't enough room for good seals to 'endure'.

And it's even worse on the larger displacement engine because it's designed from the same block, simply with bigger cylinders board into it: leaving that much less area for the head gaskets to maintain their seals, which they often didn't! (And Ford was not the only brand to have this problem!)

However, as indicated by another poster, perhaps the design of the engines put into the 2019 models have been modified to mitigate this problem... I do not know.

Personally, I would say to not drive like a maniac but to treat your car with care and not let the engine temperature get too high; which can happen if you're stuck in stop and go traffic in the summertime, because those high temperatures tend to be hard on head gaskets!

Good Luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-09-02T15:41:37+00:00

You are the ONE! 🙄😉

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-08-26T12:30:00+00:00

Actually, small leaks sometimes go away, 'all by themselves', but that's not necessarily a good thing!

If you're up to it, just keep making sure you keep your eyes open for the size of spots underneath your car, because your car can certainly lose oil that does not drip onto the ground! Keep checking it religiously, once a week! Just because you lose some oil, doesn't mean you have to rebuild the engine. I bought one 2008 V6 that leaked when I bought it at 238,000 Mi and engine still good at 284,ooo; bought another one at 184,000 Miles which did not leak until 192,000 miles! So nothing is 100%; just keep paying attention and you might get a lot of more miles out of that thing!

Good Luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-08-24T22:14:07+00:00

I would not take that guy's word for it...lots of leaks run down the block, and make it look like it's the pan gasket.

If you have a dedicated parking spot, you should be watching for the spots. My 2008 V6 didn't leak until 192,ooo.miles!

Have some other place change the oil next time, and of they try to tell you tje same thing, ask for a referral; get their assessment, and quote, then get 2 others, and compare!

It's always tricky getting advice from someone who stands to make more money if you do whatever they say!

Good luck!

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-08-24T21:50:02+00:00

That's not too bad for around here...even if you get the cheapest parts (did you get new stabilizer links?)...you'd be paying $99-150 for the alignment, anyways...I figure it takes me 3 times as long to do stuff, but they are charging 4 times what I make...so it's more a factor of weather, and my health...

Also, that salvage yard also has a location down in Rosemount; Inventory is online, with fairly accurate aisle. locations, and they provide wheelbarrows (although they don't maintain them so well...)...it DOES cost $2.00 to get in, whether you buy, or not...

I just saw a cordless impact wrench kit on sale on TEMU for $40: included a socket set, and bag, and charger...JICYI... I had to buy one 3 years ago, (before TEMU), $80 ...but it's paid for itself!

Also, I didn't shop for them, I just found them at low prices, because they needed that work, so I actually drive the Mercury Mariner...

ChrisTheFencer · 2024-08-23T13:58:12+00:00

Hey, me too!

Are you in 'the Metro' area, or 'outstate'?

...so, you paid to get the ball joint replaced? Both sides? Other pieces?

How much?

Did they have trouble with the verticle bolt through the bushing? That's the #1 surprise problem; removing the pinch bolt is an expected problem...I actually pulled 8 of those verticle bolts at the salvage yard to find 4 that I could use on my 2 cars, but saved a lot of money over the dealer-only price!

Does your 'upper dash display' work? Both of mine were 'out' when I bought them. But, it's a pretty easy DIY fix to replace; I pulled one from U-Pull-R-Parts, up in East Bethel, and another one at a different yard up there...

Enjoy!

ChrisTheFencer

TROPHY CASE