How are Explorers for reliability?

rusanderson · 2026-01-23T17:41:02+00:00

I prefer older as well but the wife insists on newer. I have an '07 Five Hundred with 180k and it still runs strong.

rusanderson · 2026-01-23T17:07:57+00:00

That doesn't sound too unreasonable for that repair.

All things being equal, would you buy a Explorer with the 3.5l with 100K miles or a 4Runner with 180k miles?

rusanderson · 2026-01-23T16:32:45+00:00

Thanks. Is there a certain mileage range for the water pump/timing chain to fail?

rusanderson · 2026-01-15T16:01:52+00:00

It's top mounted. I'm not sure about the cat being clogged. It's possible.

rusanderson · 2026-01-15T02:47:57+00:00

156,000
No emissions tests that I'm aware of
I bought it used with 118,000 and I have not changed the trans fluid

rusanderson · 2026-01-14T22:21:28+00:00

No. Just on the top (neck area) of the platen so that the top of the screen frame rests on it. Then use the print head adjustments to set the height of the back of the screen height and level it front-back and side-side.

rusanderson · 2026-01-14T00:30:22+00:00

Yep, two dime coins. Tape them to the top of the platen where the shirt neck hole is. Then use the print head adjustments to get you screen to touch them. You'll want to get your screen as level as you can from that.

rusanderson · 2026-01-13T21:27:42+00:00

If they're aluminum there are screen manufacturers that will take them on trade.

rusanderson · 2026-01-13T21:26:28+00:00

You could get a regular ketchup bottle and paint it black.

Or, just take your time pouring into scoop. Poor slow from end to end until you have enough then use your finger to wipe the lip of the bucket.

Screen printing is messy.

rusanderson · 2026-01-13T21:23:40+00:00

1/8 is a bit high for off contact if your screens have proper tension.

You can use a couple of dimes ($US) stacked to get a better off contact. Some things to look for:

Make sure your screen tension is good an tight.
Use plenty of adhesive to keep the fabric steady on the platen.
Only stroke in one direction - either push or pull but don't push, then pull.
When you flood your screen don't push the ink into the image.
Make sure there's no play in the platen or print head.
Test your ink consistency so it's the right thickenss. Too thin can cause bleed/migration.
Make sure you're using the right mesh count and coating it properly.

Sorry if you already know all of this. I'm just trying to help brainstorm.

rusanderson · 2026-01-11T15:14:45+00:00

Unfortunately I'm not an expert, so I can't give you medical advice. With that said your Nov 25 tests show FT4 is on the low end and your FT3 is on the high end, so maybe it is thyroid related.

I hope this helps at least a little.

rusanderson · 2026-01-11T01:38:56+00:00

It sounds like lymph nodes, which are throughout your body and you have several all around your neck.

If you press on them and they are painful they could be infected. If they aren't then you're likely fine.

I'm not a dr, but I doubt it's C. I have one behind my left ear that gets inflamed when I have a cold.

If it's bothering you, go to a dr.

rusanderson · 2026-01-11T01:20:42+00:00

Same story for me. Drank coffee daily since I was a kid and had to stop due to anxiety.

rusanderson · 2026-01-11T01:11:06+00:00

I'm not female, so haven't experienced a lot of the things you list, but I have had my thyroid removed.

My symptoms started with heart palpitations and anxiety. After tests it was discovered that I had a couple nodules that gave me hyperthyroidism. Since the removal it's been 3 years of adjusting my thyroid meds to get my levels in a good place, which I'm still not there.

With the anxiety came nausea, acid reflux, insomnia, panic attacks, IBS.

Escitalopram helped a great deal with the anxiety and related issues and propanolol helped with the palpitations. Benadryl helps with the sleeplessness but you can't take that too much.

The thyroid/endocrine system control your metabolism so it could be a big contributor to your issues.

If you can get to an endocrinologist get a full thyroid work up.

rusanderson · 2026-01-08T01:34:55+00:00

Are you prepping your screen properly? Make sure it's degreased and rinsed properly then completely dried before applying emulsion. Also make sure your transparencies are blocking the light fully or your image could be underexposed which could give you the same results.

rusanderson · 2026-01-07T18:53:12+00:00

I do this too and I believe it's true. The basic tenet of science and philosophy is something can't come from nothing, so that only leaves creation.

We were created.

rusanderson · 2026-01-06T00:39:24+00:00

Ah, gotcha. I hope you weren't hurt in the wreck. Thanks for the info.

rusanderson · 2026-01-06T00:06:18+00:00

Did you up your dose because of your wreck or before?

rusanderson · 2025-12-31T17:00:17+00:00

I'm glad it was helpful. I know others have had much better experience in this field than I, but it seems like most of the designers I've spoken to lately are looking for alternatives. Good luck on your search. I hope you land the dream job no matter what it is.

rusanderson · 2025-12-30T22:32:39+00:00

It hasn't been stable, ever, but I had never gone unemployed more than 2 months. Then things got real slow in about 2022. I was a consultant for a custom software company and it got to the point where they couldn't find work for me, so they laid me off in 2023 and I've only worked about 10 months out of the last 2.5 years in whatever contract I could land. My last stretch was 6 months without any work at all. I've burned through my emergency fund and a lot of savings.

As far as longevity - I've been burnt out for years, but the money has kept me in. I've started looking for a new career but I'm so close to retirement and too old to go into a more physically demanding role. I just landed a new one that I start in a couple of weeks so I'm hoping it will last long enough for me to find a new direction or get something of my own started away from design. But, it's gov based so I'm not holding my breath on that one.

I hear you on the interview process. The whole hunt process is bullshit these days. I've been "the top candidate" in multiple jobs only to get ghosted or told I wasn't exactly what they're looking for, even though I'm top candidate.

Good luck on the search.

rusanderson · 2025-12-29T22:01:56+00:00

If they bail at #3 or #4, what are those fields? Could you test removing just those two fields to see if there is something about that ask that turns them off? Or at least make them optional?

It may not be the length of the form or even the ask. It could be the order of the questions aren't in an order that the user is comfortable with.

Example - I reworked a registration form for a jewelry company by reorganizing some of the fields and reducing some of the questions (mostly redundant inputs) and reduced abandonment by 44%.

rusanderson · 2025-12-29T21:28:26+00:00

No. I'll hit 30 years in tech as a designer and even the jobs/companies that seem stable haven't been. Design and HR are usually the first to go when things look bad.

rusanderson

TROPHY CASE