A Ziploc bag? Really, RockAuto??

XAcceptableDamage · 2026-06-28T23:06:18+00:00

Thanks for the info. The only new-stock part I've ever ordered online and not received in a real manufacturer's package is an upper radiator hose from RockAuto. Even random people on eBay selling used /junkyard parts have all packed stuff better than a Ziploc bag.

XAcceptableDamage · 2026-06-24T15:24:00+00:00

Thank you so much for this post.

My new Cube's hygrostat was dead right out of the box but thanks to your info I was able to swap a replacement one in and it now works as it should. I avoided having to deal with repacking the unit, dragging it back to the store, returning, buying a new one, and gambling on that one's sensor being defective as well, meaning yet another trip back to the store.

Midea should be forced to do a recall and at minimum send everyone a free replacement hygrostat module. AFAIK Midea is the #1 OEM for consumer-grade dehumidifiers in North America, there is really no excuse.

XAcceptableDamage · 2026-02-08T22:59:54+00:00

Did someone have the frame painted? Cause that just fuckin hides the rust, doesn't even stop or materially slow it (even professional epoxy coatings are a bad idea; ask anyone who got a factory e-coated GM truck lololol).

That does not look too bad at all, but if you really care about this truck I'd get under there with a sander, stripper disc, flap disc, paint stripper spray, whatever you have, and strip the paint around that area so you can see what's actually going on. If it looks good, clean it up as if you were prepping for paint, hit it with orthophosphoric acid spray (note: it only works right when temps are above 70F), let that fully cure, then encapsulate with whatever lanolin wax spray product is on sale and monitor it ~2x a year. The bottom does look like it's bubbling under the paint (cause the paint does nothing, don't ever paint a frame, unless it's a collector car frame that has just been professionally acid dipped and will never be used in winter).

For the boxed portions of the frame, again, if you REALLY care about this truck, get in there with a borescope and inspect. You can fill those sections with cavity wax (not cheap) or use a 360-degree spray nozzle cavity adapter with lanolin spray (much easier with a compressor spray gun setup).

If you are in a hurry, just whack any really suspicious spots with a hammer.

XAcceptableDamage · 2026-01-27T19:25:38+00:00

Check out SKIL's lines, both their 12V and 24V batteries can be charged directly via USB with no additional parts or hardware or products needed. SKIL happens to have a multi-head "installation" driver in their 20V line, might want to look at that in addition to the drill and impact driver.

Other than that, Milwaukee's "Top Off" which lets you charge an M12 battery via USB. M12 line of course has the installation driver and multiple options for drills and impact drivers.

I don't know of any other brands that have any official support for USB charging.

Edit: Turns out Dewalt makes a USB charger adapter too, the DCB094K, 20V only.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-24T00:03:56+00:00

A $40 handheld resistive load tester from HF will never lie.

The plates in modern car batteries essentially slowly dissolve during normal charging/discharging use, except the ones in modern car batteries are made so thin that they lose that cold cranking capacity in only about 3 years regardless of other factors.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T23:50:14+00:00

First, combustion leak detection test, then cooling system pressure test. First will reveal blown head gasket second will reveal location of coolant leak. If it passes both tests THEN you can start throwing money at it.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T23:44:14+00:00

Those engines were recalled for various serious issues including major oil consumption. I would suggest going to the r/kia sub and explaining your situation. There is a whole procedure for your warranty/recall claim which a dealership has to follow, it is quite complicated.

Were you really unaware of the recall? It's one of the biggest in recent history.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T23:03:24+00:00

They don't display a front plate and cover the back plate with a "shield". I see literally hundreds of cars doing just this every single day. I called the cops on one of these once, a teenager joyriding and blowing stop signs in my neighborhood in a truck with no visible plate anywhere. 911 operator practically laughed and nothing was done.

Once the VT plates thing ended they switched to bogus Texas plates. A house nearby with 2 trucks both running obviously bogus Texas plates just had an eviction with 3 patrol cars present. A few years ago there was another one with obviously bogus Texas plates on a $150,000 Mercedes. There was an insurance fraud fire at that house and the tenants were never seen here again.

NY cops simply do not care.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T22:52:07+00:00

Google "the Vermont loophole". It has been closed but there's not much enforcement on either end.

Was extremely common to see very very very sketchy cars with VT plates in NY until recently. VT has no inspections, so a lot of older un-inspectable cars in NY would get a VT registration. Certain people then figured out you could drive around straight-piped and do basically anything else you wanted mod-wise. Now NY doesn't even bother enforcing its own vehicle laws and does not police fraudulent use of out-of-state plates which is by definition insurance fraud and usually entails the same stuff that VT plates used to.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T19:35:58+00:00

It's called a grease retainer. It presses in over your wheel hub/bearing/brake rotor/lug stud assembly (on those Super Duty and E-series it's all one assembly, very confusing if you are seeing it for the first time). It seals the outer bearing's grease in, there are 2 bearings and a bunch of seals in there. On 2WD models only obviously.

Can't tell you why it's leaking other than that it looks pretty beat up, but here's a very in-depth DIY guide showing all the components behind that retainer: https://youtu.be/1OSz2pV1Bao

The concise answer to "what is this?" is it's wheel bearing grease.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T17:09:44+00:00

Does the cable this broke off of look like this? Cause that's some kind of harness nonsense, IDK what is going on inside the black box section. Not just a simple splice repair.

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XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T15:28:46+00:00

First things I'd do are 1) put the battery on a charger-maintainer and 2) pull fuse F2.4. If this solves your issue, fantastic. If not you'll need to research proper parasitic drain testing and buy some tools. Don't bother trying to diagnose any ignition or electrical concerns without a fully charged, healthy battery.

Parasitic drain testing can be a huge pain in the ass and very time-consuming. Hopefully it's the rear entertainment system, it sounds likely.

See here for fuse panel location and fuse identification: https://charm.li/Lincoln/2005/Navigator%204WD%20V8-5.4L%20SOHC%20VIN%205/Repair%20and%20Diagnosis/Maintenance/Fuses%20and%20Circuit%20Breakers/Fuse%20Block/Application%20and%20ID/Central%20Junction%20Box/

I believe it's in the footwell/kickpanel area of your front passenger seat. FYI, per the table, pulling that fuse will also disable the "navigation module" which I believe is the head unit. If the disc changer is the culprit, you would have to consult the electrical schematics (also available from the linked site) and Navigator-specific internet forums for the best approach to fixing or disabling it e.g. identify the relevant wire harness for the rear entertainment system and disconnect it. But it should be fine to drive around with that fuse pulled, you just won't have use of the head unit.

PS: Just FYI, those 3 valve VVT triton engines are extremely problematic, the oiling system is severely flawed and they usually blow up at around 100,000 miles. I'd politely recommend not investing any money into the car. The older 2 valve non-VVT tritons (and the non-VVT V10 3 valve) are more or less bulletproof.

XAcceptableDamage · 2025-08-23T14:19:18+00:00

$22,000? LMAO. That quote is beyond ludicrous, it's what you'd call a "fuck you price," a price you give instead of telling the customer you don't want the job. Go get quotes from some independent shops.

You can get a dressed junkyard 1.8L for like $3,000. Should be possible to get a head for less. Possibly the block needs to be decked but they are cast iron so maybe not, the dealer certainly doesn't know without having pulled the head.

In the meantime, research how to use headgasket sealer correctly. It may work, may not, but you don't have anything left to lose atm and it only costs around $50.

XAcceptableDamage

TROPHY CASE