Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT Made By Miller Studios
- Thread starter MadeByMiller
- Start date
Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
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MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Got more work done today on the '72. I started by finishing the bumper mounting. After mulling it over most of last night, I decided to weld the forward mounting point of the rear bumper rather than bolt it on. This is not something I'm really proud of, but the alternative would have been to drill a .5" hole through not only the frame, but also through the rear leaf spring mount which is even thicker than the frame. I was not excited to have to do this twice with my little 18V Makita hand drill, so I decided to weld it. In my defense, the weld is only about 1.25" long and is very accessible with a cutoff wheel. Anyways, the bumper is solidly mounted now and looks fantastic! I also went to the hardware store and picked up the carriage bolts I needed to install the new license plate bracket, which also features a shiny new license plate light!
This past weekend I scored a really neat bicentennial South Dakota license plate at the threshing bee flea market. It looks right at home on the truck.
I also took care of a couple of items I noticed while under the truck mounting the bumper - some loosely hanging wiring and a failed passenger side exhaust hanger. Feels good to keep chipping away at the to-do list.
This past weekend I scored a really neat bicentennial South Dakota license plate at the threshing bee flea market. It looks right at home on the truck.
I also took care of a couple of items I noticed while under the truck mounting the bumper - some loosely hanging wiring and a failed passenger side exhaust hanger. Feels good to keep chipping away at the to-do list.
83VillageRepair
Well-known member
If you come up with a 72 plates you can actually register it with the plates. Did you go to the threshing bee in Sturgis? That is always a fun time. If you decide to fix it I have a much better cab in my junkyard in Edgemont.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Thanks for the heads up and the cab offer! These plates are just a neat touch for listing photos really. I'll take the plates off when it sells. Yep, the threshing bee in Sturgis. We've gone every year for 4 years now I think, the kids really enjoy it (and me too). Have an idea of what you'd want for that cab? I'm not interested in doing a cab swap, but it might be useful to pass on to potential buyers of the truck.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
I was able to get a couple more items checked off the to do list on the '72 over the weekend. First I made a slight adjustment to the hood alignment and now the gaps are more even and the hood pops open much nicer. Then I scraped off all of the loose undercoating under the hood, sanded it lightly, and gave it a few coats of satin black paint. This was a huge transformation as you can see, and I'm really glad I took the time to do this.
Before:
After:
I also polished the front bumper which was quite a transformation as well, even if it doesn't really translate to photos. Finally, I cleaned up and installed the neat older Wyoming license plate which originally belonged to my wife's late grandfather.
Before:
After:
I also polished the front bumper which was quite a transformation as well, even if it doesn't really translate to photos. Finally, I cleaned up and installed the neat older Wyoming license plate which originally belonged to my wife's late grandfather.
It certainly made a big difference!
OutlawDrifter
Well-known member
It's the little things that make the biggest difference. Throw some wax on the painted dash and watch it come to life as well!
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MadeByMiller
Well-known member
The little things indeed @OutlawDrifter
Today I did a few little things. I took off the bowtie that was looking quite sad, and I stripped off the black spray paint I had applied back in highschool. Unfortunately, my paint stripper was a bit too aggressive and ended up eating into the plastic of the badge. To bring it back I had to sand the face and polish it back out. It's not perfect, but nothing on this truck is so I'd say it fits in just fine.
Before:
After:
Afterwards I went around and quickly polished the remaining bright work on the truck, including the grille surround, rear bumper, mirrors, hubs, and door handles. The little things.
More little things left to conquer before the sale, but the list is dwindling.
Today I did a few little things. I took off the bowtie that was looking quite sad, and I stripped off the black spray paint I had applied back in highschool. Unfortunately, my paint stripper was a bit too aggressive and ended up eating into the plastic of the badge. To bring it back I had to sand the face and polish it back out. It's not perfect, but nothing on this truck is so I'd say it fits in just fine.
Before:
After:
Afterwards I went around and quickly polished the remaining bright work on the truck, including the grille surround, rear bumper, mirrors, hubs, and door handles. The little things.
More little things left to conquer before the sale, but the list is dwindling.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
To try to stay organized with the '72 project, I'm going to do something I rarely ever do - make a to-do list.
- Tie up fuel lines under cab (get further from exhaust)
- LOF service
- Finish removing tree sap (bed)
- Sand/paint air filter housing
- Paint front hubs
- Detail engine compartment
- Wash wheels/tires and strip tires with Tarminator
- Wash exterior (perhaps a Cascade wash to help remove paint oxidation?)
- Apply Zep High Traffic floor polish to exterior (at least where clear coat is missing)
- Interior detail
- Clean glass and polish if needed
- Install rear window gun rack (if I still have it)
- Tire shine
- Fill gas tank
- Take listing photos and create sale listing
- Paint wheel wells
- Ceramic coat wheels/hubcaps with leftover coating from Expedition
madison069
Well-known member
Why is it that we finish projects when we need to sell them and not while we have the projects?
I'm guilty of doing this myself with some of my projects.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Haha, in the case of my '72 Chevy I think I would just blame it on apathy during the last 5 or so years of my ownership coupled with a strong desire to maximize the sale price. I have so many projects as is, if it weren't for wanting to sell the truck it would be getting zero attention right now and would still be rotting away underneath the spruce trees in my driveway.
555
Well-known member
Pretty soon that truck is going to be a keeper!
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Yesterday I went to town and purchased what I hope is all the supplies necessary to knock out that to-do list from a few posts back. So close, but so much to go still...
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slim_grim
Well-known member
Whew! That rusty old truck is looking mighty fine! It'll make somebody very happy, I'm sure.
LeonardY
Well-known member
I found a list from 10 years ago. There were three things checked off out of twenty.
I have an excel sheet that I set up with to do lists. There was a column for category. ie. House, car, sprinklers etc.. I had a column for the task. A column for estimated time it would take me. Finally a column for anything I needed to buy.
I would sort by by category and time. Add in the time it would take. then go and buy everything I needed. Usually on the way home from work. I was amazed how fast I actually finished those lists. It gave me back time to relax.
Then my girlfriend figured out I had time on my hands and would make me go shopping with her.
I deleted the file...
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Personally, I'm all about lists Austin. It seems to be the only way I get things done.
I have my main list divided into sub-categories. Things like immediate tasks, which would be items like go to bank, or pick up certain items at the parts store, etc.
I then have other categories such as the House/shop, Side Jobs, Personal Projects, Coach, Jeep, Camaro and daily drivers.
Within each of those categories I have them listed by priority highest to lowest, except the Side Job list which is by order the person and job that was added. Unfortunately, the Side Job list is the one that hasn't been active lately as I have so many personal projects on the list, I haven't been able to get to the side jobs for other people.
When I knock an item off the list, I decide whether I have a high priority item on the list or not and if I can take on a side job. If I decide I cannot get a side job done before either a planned trip or some other planned event, I look at my list and decide if there is a lesser priority item that doesn't require much time that I can quickly complete and knock off the list. Point is, I refer to my lists a LOT and I feel that is the only way I can get things accomplished on a day-to-day basis.
I see nothing wrong with making a list Austin.
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MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Thank you! I hope the buyer and myself are both happy with the sale.
That spreadsheet sounds interesting, I love nerdy details like that and if you still had the file I would love to check it out and see if that would mesh with my goofy brain. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your comment, Mike! For the record, I am not anti lists. I would certainly benefit from a system of lists as you describe. I'll try to sort out my thoughts on lists here and maybe that will help me approach them from a new perspective.
I have made lists in the past. To-do lists, idea lists, shopping lists, a list of goals. The only version I use repeatedly are shopping lists because I pretty easily get sidetracked in the hardware store and forget an item or two and I really hate having to make a bunch of trips to the store to complete a project. In fact, I made a list before I went to town to pick up the items in my last post. The other list types I listed (pun intended) have bothered me to create and stick to. The following are my current thoughts and the roadblocks I face with lists (in order of severity).
A big reason is that I know what I need to get done. Forgetting what needs to be done really isn't an issue for me. A large source of stress for me is constantly thinking of all of the things I need to get done. Writing down and looking at a long list of projects just seems to add to that stress. Add to that the fact that most of my projects are quite large and time consuming (and I work very slowly) which means that I'm very infrequently checking things off of the list - it's not helping to cut the mental load.
Scope creep is another big problem of mine. Writing things down could help and hurt this I think. On one hand, sticking to a list could ensure that I don't get into the weeds on a project, but it could also lead me to writing down every little thing and not allowing myself to call a project complete until everything is crossed off. Creating a long list for a project at the onset could contribute to the analysis paralysis problem that I'm often inflicted with.
Overarching lists such as goal lists or your main list make me anxious because I alter or add projects/ideas before I can get to them. What was important or attractive to me at one point is not always linear. Having things written on a list and not achieving them or moving new items to a higher priority before finishing what I had already planned makes me feel guilty or like I'm not accomplishing things.
There's my list of excuses for not making lists...Maybe not great reasons, and definitely not very well articulated but hopefully I've said something that other's can relate to. Writing that all out made me feel a bit pathetic, and maybe that will inspire me to overcome the reasons I listed and start to get more organized with lists.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Yeah, I really don't know what scope creep is Austin.
As for knowing what needs to be done, I completely understand. I am too often reminded by others or what's staring at me when I walk into the shop each day so I'm not as fearful of forgetting something. I do however, fear that I can lose or waste time by either tackling jobs that are of a lesser priority OR worse, starting something that I simply don't have the time for at the moment and then having it sit incomplete.
Back in my early days I would get squirreled by a project that I knew I didn't have either the time nor the money for, but it was a "cool" project. It would then sit incomplete for years before I got around to it. It wasn't until I got into my early 30's before I began to be more honest with myself as to the real priority, real time involved and real cost that I started weighing various projects more stringently. There are still a lot of cars or things I want to build while I'm still vertical, but not so important at this time that I'm willing to sacrifice other things such as peace of mind.
As for larger projects, I like to create smaller lists rather than just say "Jeep build" or "Camaro project". Those are large projects as a whole when starting from the beginning, but like the old saying goes "how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time". I liken that to smaller tasks all feeding the larger project. That way I can prioritize those smaller, yet just as important tasks and they feed into the larger project's scope of work. But yes, scope creep is alive and well in my world and I deal with it the best I can but always keeping the end goal of such projects in the forefront of my thinking and reasoning.
In the past 25+ year's I've been of that thinking I have checked off many more lists than I can count and actually have been able to feel like I've accomplished things.
83VillageRepair
Well-known member
I guess it would depend on how nice of cab you chose
Prices are much higher than when dad was pricing things but still cheaper than Rapid City or internet pricing. You should probably come down and walk around. There is 20 acres of rusty goodnessLeonardY
Well-known member
Strangely, my ex still uses it. Only it's her husband that has gets the organized "Honey do list." Even more surprising he is ok with it.
If I can't either find it or recreate it. I'll ask her for it.
nicholam77
Well-known member
I use lists extensively (just popped open my Reminders app and I have 34 lists and 761 entries). I also think about my projects all the time, but I think a big part of that stress is trying to remember what I need to do, so writing them down does help me. I wish I had a memory like yours!!
I think all your reasons for not liking lists are valid, and I will admit I feel the same way on a lot of those points.
Three things that make it worth it for me:
1/ the aforementioned peace in knowing I wrote it down and don't have to keep it circling in my head
2/ often times I'll have limited 'free time' available to do something, and I get hit with analysis paralysis where I don't know what to do or where to start, and then I get anxiety that I am wasting my hour or whatever it is. With everything written down and organized, it gives me a starting point to pick something I could accomplish somewhat at random, but within a given time frame.
3/ I use it as a crutch to store and organize details, not just tasks. An example: let's say I want to model something in Sketchup based on real world dimensions, but don't have the time at the moment, but I do have the time to take the tape measure out. I'll write the measurements down under the appropriate project list and then when I'm ready to work on the modeling, I don't have to remember the numbers and I'll know where to access the info. And most importantly I won't have to go measure again because I thought I'd remember but didn't. Stuff like that comes up a lot for me, where I am piecemealing steps to a project.
The truck is looking good, and nice photos!
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Thank you for your added insight Mike. I think subconsciously another large reason I didn't list is the accountability aspect. Your mention of being honest with yourself is something I'm learning as I mature and my responsibilities grow and transition. The priority feature of a list is something I need to focus on so I can feel more accomplished I think.Yeah, I really don't know what scope creep is Austin.
As for knowing what needs to be done, I completely understand. I am too often reminded by others or what's staring at me when I walk into the shop each day so I'm not as fearful of forgetting something. I do however, fear that I can lose or waste time by either tackling jobs that are of a lesser priority OR worse, starting something that I simply don't have the time for at the moment and then having it sit incomplete.
Back in my early days I would get squirreled by a project that I knew I didn't have either the time nor the money for, but it was a "cool" project. It would then sit incomplete for years before I got around to it. It wasn't until I got into my early 30's before I began to be more honest with myself as to the real priority, real time involved and real cost that I started weighing various projects more stringently. There are still a lot of cars or things I want to build while I'm still vertical, but not so important at this time that I'm willing to sacrifice other things such as peace of mind.
As for larger projects, I like to create smaller lists rather than just say "Jeep build" or "Camaro project". Those are large projects as a whole when starting from the beginning, but like the old saying goes "how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time". I liken that to smaller tasks all feeding the larger project. That way I can prioritize those smaller, yet just as important tasks and they feed into the larger project's scope of work. But yes, scope creep is alive and well in my world and I deal with it the best I can but always keeping the end goal of such projects in the forefront of my thinking and reasoning.
In the past 25+ year's I've been of that thinking I have checked off many more lists than I can count and actually have been able to feel like I've accomplished things.
That would be fun! I'll keep this in mind, thank you.I guess it would depend on how nice of cab you chose
Haha strange is right! Thanks Leonard!
Thank you for your comments, Nick. I decided to make an effort to apply lists to my life, starting with a very simple to-do list for my current CAD project using Google Tasks. So far I've checked off one item, so that's positive! I'm going to expand on this because I know an organized system of accomplishing tasks will help me.
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MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Today I managed to check off 3 items from my to-do list for the '72. I ******* the fuel lines, sanded and painted the air filter housing, and painted the hubs. I've been using Google Tasks for my lists and I really like the convenience so far of having it on my phone and computer.
Fuel lines (and brake line):
Air filter housing sanded and hanging in the paint booth:
Muuuuch better with some semi gloss black:
Hubs looking much better too, even if you can only barely see them with the hubcaps on:
Lastly for today, I dug out the gun racks from my shed and gave them a wipe down. I just mocked them up for the picture, but I think they will look great in there with a BB gun hanging for the listing photos:
Hopefully I'll get a few more items checked off tomorrow. Thanks for looking!
Fuel lines (and brake line):
Air filter housing sanded and hanging in the paint booth:
Muuuuch better with some semi gloss black:
Hubs looking much better too, even if you can only barely see them with the hubcaps on:
Lastly for today, I dug out the gun racks from my shed and gave them a wipe down. I just mocked them up for the picture, but I think they will look great in there with a BB gun hanging for the listing photos:
Hopefully I'll get a few more items checked off tomorrow. Thanks for looking!
ODIS
Well-known member
Nice!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Looks great Austin.
I use the same list app. I liked the one on my iPhone a little better, but I do like the Google one because it allows various categories and then lists under each category.
You're going to fix up the truck so nice that you won't want to sell it.
I use the same list app. I liked the one on my iPhone a little better, but I do like the Google one because it allows various categories and then lists under each category.
You're going to fix up the truck so nice that you won't want to sell it.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Thank you very much!
Thank you, Mike! I'm a bit surprised to hear that you use a digital app for your lists. I assumed you were more of an analog notepad list guy. I'm learning to enjoy the list, but I've already veered off a bit by accomplishing tasks as they arise and then adding them to the list to check off.Looks great Austin.
I use the same list app. I liked the one on my iPhone a little better, but I do like the Google one because it allows various categories and then lists under each category.
You're going to fix up the truck so nice that you won't want to sell it.
Speaking of, yesterday I was able to check off 5 items from my to-do list for the '72, 3 of which weren't even on the list until I had already accomplished them. The first item was the LOF service, which was pretty straightforward - oil/filter change, chassis greased, and fluids topped off. Following this, I decided to see if I could get the oil pressure dummy light in the cluster to turn off.
Back in 2016 I installed an Autometer gauge set for oil pressure, coolant temp, and voltage. When doing this, I eliminated the factory oil pressure sending unit that ran to the dummy light in the cluster. For some reason I utilized that pin in the firewall bulkhead to connect the electric choke, which if I'm understanding caused two problems: 1, the oil pressure warning light was constantly on when the key was on and 2, gave me no functional choke since I'm pretty sure there's no voltage going to that side of the circuit. Someone please correct me if that's wrong. Anyways, I fixed it now by removing the electric choke from the oil pressure light circuit and instead moving it to one of the spare key-on 12V spaces in the fuse box. Now the light is off and the choke should actually work for once!
Another item I tackled was getting the reverse lights functioning. This ended up being pretty easy and just required adjusting the switch at the base of the column so the contacts were lined up when the column was shifted to reverse. My younger son helped me by letting me know when the lights turned on while adjusting the switch.
The last item I check off was installing new wiper blades. This was easy, but I made an improvement by removing the wiper arms and clocking them slightly so the wiper blades would no longer interfere with the trim/gasket at the bottom of the windshield as they were before.
This weekend's progress left me with nothing left except detailing!
I do have a question for the mechanics that may be reading this. The truck has a th350 transmission, and for as long as I can remember (maybe my entire ownership) it has skipped 2nd gear and shifts straight from 1st to 3rd when in Drive. While out for a test drive yesterday, I decided to pay closer attention to this. I learned that if I put the column into L2 instead of D, it will shift (albeit softly) from 1st to 2nd no problem at 10-15 mph. If you then shift back to D, it will downshift to 1st again until you hit about 35 mph and it shifts from 1st to 3rd. So, having verified that 2nd gear exists and shifts just fine when in L2, what could this point to? Kickdown cable? Vacuum modulator? I appreciate any insight here. Thanks guys!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I may be dating myself, but for many, many years for general tasks and work related tasks, I used the old Daytimer's pocket Daytimer. It was a wallet and daily calendar all in one that had monthly refills. I would track many "to do" tasks in that and at the end of the month, I would transfer tasks that didn't get done over to the next month's calendar and continue on. For shop specific tasks and vehicle tasks, I used my white board in the shop. I then got to where I was having a harder and harder time justifying the refill costs each year. Then a friend told me about an app for tasks and I started using that. Although I'm a bit more old-school than the electronic tracking, I do like the ability to keep it readily available and not having to carryover to another monthly calendar is a nice feature.
I am not what I would call a high techie techie person. I'm more of a low techie techie person.
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OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
I like the simplicity of the Tasks app. It's pretty intuitive and just does what I need it to. I'm sure there are some cool capabilities of it that I haven't looked into yet. Do you have any ways that you use the app beyond just a basic list like I've shown in my screenshots? If so, I'd love to see how you utilize it.I may be dating myself, but for many, many years for general tasks and work related tasks, I used the old Daytimer's pocket Daytimer. It was a wallet and daily calendar all in one that had monthly refills. I would track many "to do" tasks in that and at the end of the month, I would transfer tasks that didn't get done over to the next month's calendar and continue on. For shop specific tasks and vehicle tasks, I used my white board in the shop. I then got to where I was having a harder and harder time justifying the refill costs each year. Then a friend told me about an app for tasks and I started using that. Although I'm a bit more old-school than the electronic tracking, I do like the ability to keep it readily available and not having to carryover to another monthly calendar is a nice feature.
I am not what I would call a high techy techy person. I'm more of a low techy techy person.
Also, any thoughts on the transmission issue I described in my last post?
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Austin, I just use the app the same way you do. I don't vary or use any advanced features. Just keep it simple.
As for your TH350 skipping directly to 3rd gear. It could be something as simple as maybe a vacuum modulator not allowing the valve to shift and upshift automatically, or it could be something a bit more serious such as a sprag that has failed.
madison069
Well-known member
Damn yall, I’ve now resorted to filling out Google Tasks with lists of stuff I need to do. Keeping up with everything has gotten hard to do.
I’m with Mike, check the vacuum line to the modulator as it could be hard and leaking. Then if it isn’t shifting right, I would try a new modulator. Then if those two didn’t fix the issue, it might be time to drop the pan and see what’s up. Could be gummed up valve body, weak spring, or something more serious.
I’m with Mike, check the vacuum line to the modulator as it could be hard and leaking. Then if it isn’t shifting right, I would try a new modulator. Then if those two didn’t fix the issue, it might be time to drop the pan and see what’s up. Could be gummed up valve body, weak spring, or something more serious.
madison069
Well-known member
I just remember, check your kick-down cable also, if it’s not adjusted properly then it can cause similar issues.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Okay, so I just went out quickly and checked out the vacuum modulator. With the engine running, I pulled the vacuum line off the modulator and while I don't have a vacuum gauge to check actual, putting my finger on the end of the line I confirmed that I have good vacuum to the modulator and I do not seem to have any leaks in the vacuum line. There was also no atf or residue leaking from the modulator, so I don't believe that the diaphragm has failed. There is a possibility that the valve behind the modulator is sticking, but I didn't pull off the modulator to confirm.
I checked the kickdown cable, and while it may not be in perfect adjustment, it also doesn't appear to be the culprit for the transmission skipping 2nd. A test drive confirmed that it will kickdown to 1st at WOT, but there is plenty of slack in the cable that there's no way it's engaging at the amount of throttle I would be normally driving at.
I tried adjusting the screw in the vacuum modulator by turning it approximately two rotations clockwise. The test drive did not reveal any changes with this adjustment.
I'm not sure if it's worth changing the modulator with the information provided above. I haven't read of anyone fixing the issue I have by changing the modulator or making any governor adjustments, etc., so I assume that what I have is something more serious and likely would require a rebuild or at least dropping the pan to check for a stuck valve (which I really don't want to do). I do think it's interesting that it shifts into second perfectly if I have the selector in L2, but I think I read that the engaging the manual gears changes the shift circuit and may bypass the problem causing it to skip 2nd in D.
Here is a thread I found that unfortunately like many forum posts, doesn't have a solid conclusion. It otherwise matches my symptoms.
Th350 skips 2nd gear, help! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network
Th350 skips 2nd gear, help! Engine & Drivetrain
67-72chevytrucks.com
*edit to add, the transmission doesn't make any weird noises, there's no slipping, etc. It all seems totally normal aside from reaching fairly high rpm's between shifting due to skipping past 2nd entirely...
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MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Well, yesterday did not go to plan. I couldn't get over not knowing if replacing the vacuum modulator and verifying that the valve was not sticking would fix my shifting issue, so I decided to replace the modulator and pull the valve. I wanted to take the old modulator off first and bring it with me to the parts store to make sure I got the right part. This is where things started to unravel. There isn't a lot of space in my truck to access the modulator hold down bracket bolt, so I had to try various wrench lengths and ratchet setups to get on the fastener. When I finally got a good setup, I was shocked at how tight the bolt was. Then disaster struck when the bolt finally "broke loose" which was really just the head of the bolt shearing off. Great...
I wouldn't say I was happy to have broken that bolt, but it doesn't do any good to get mad in that situation, so I just kept working. I pulled the modulator off and with the help of a small pair of needle nosed pliers and a magnet, I got the valve out from behind the modulator as well. A visual inspection showed no burrs or nicks that would cause the valve to stick. The fluid passages were not clogged either. At this point I realized that I had done nothing but waste time and rule out the sticking valve (which I didn't really think was the problem anyway). Feeling a bit defeated, I moved on with fixing my screw up.
There was zero chance that I could drill out the broken bolt in the transmission due to lack of access. My mind went through the possible fixes and none of them were easy or viable. It was then that I turned to the internet for a potential solution. That's when I found this bracket which is designed to relocate the mounting point of the bracket elsewhere on the transmission. This is what I would have to do!
Using a piece of an exhaust hanger I had in my drawer, I created the mount you see here that ties to one of the transmission mount holes on the bottom. I ended up getting pretty lucky and nailed the alignment of the bracket with only a couple of test fits. Time will tell if it works as good as factory, but my test drive revealed no leaks around the modulator, so I'm calling it a success for now.
In the end, I didn't even replace the modulator and I don't think I will at this point. I'm assuming that the shifting problem is in the valve body and I am not interested in dropping the pan to investigate. All in all, not a good day yesterday, but at least it's all back together and no worse than it was before.
I wouldn't say I was happy to have broken that bolt, but it doesn't do any good to get mad in that situation, so I just kept working. I pulled the modulator off and with the help of a small pair of needle nosed pliers and a magnet, I got the valve out from behind the modulator as well. A visual inspection showed no burrs or nicks that would cause the valve to stick. The fluid passages were not clogged either. At this point I realized that I had done nothing but waste time and rule out the sticking valve (which I didn't really think was the problem anyway). Feeling a bit defeated, I moved on with fixing my screw up.
There was zero chance that I could drill out the broken bolt in the transmission due to lack of access. My mind went through the possible fixes and none of them were easy or viable. It was then that I turned to the internet for a potential solution. That's when I found this bracket which is designed to relocate the mounting point of the bracket elsewhere on the transmission. This is what I would have to do!
Using a piece of an exhaust hanger I had in my drawer, I created the mount you see here that ties to one of the transmission mount holes on the bottom. I ended up getting pretty lucky and nailed the alignment of the bracket with only a couple of test fits. Time will tell if it works as good as factory, but my test drive revealed no leaks around the modulator, so I'm calling it a success for now.
In the end, I didn't even replace the modulator and I don't think I will at this point. I'm assuming that the shifting problem is in the valve body and I am not interested in dropping the pan to investigate. All in all, not a good day yesterday, but at least it's all back together and no worse than it was before.
OutlawDrifter
Well-known member
I feel your pain, nothing like a 30min job turning into a whole day. Glad you got it sorted out, however!
SilverJimmy
Well-known member
On dissimilar metals I’ve found the the great philosopher Beevis is right…
”Fire!!! Fire!!! Fire‘s Cool!!!” A little bit of road salt mixed with steel in aluminum is just a very bad combination! Some heat and a squirt of Kroil or other penetrant saves many hours. And it doesn’t have to be a lot of heat, just enough to expand the aluminum more than the steel usually does the trick. YMMV!
”Fire!!! Fire!!! Fire‘s Cool!!!” A little bit of road salt mixed with steel in aluminum is just a very bad combination! Some heat and a squirt of Kroil or other penetrant saves many hours. And it doesn’t have to be a lot of heat, just enough to expand the aluminum more than the steel usually does the trick. YMMV!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That *****. Been there too many times to count, but you know the saying......
Duker
Well-known member
I am about 6 days older than Moses and (definitely older than Mike!) and I used a Daytimer for more years than I care to remember! I switched to TickTick a few years ago as I needed something cross platform with Web, Windows, IOS, MAC OS etc. and I needed to sync to my calendars. It's subscription based but it has come in handy too many times as I can make Note Lists (so they don't disappear accidentally if checked completed) , Todo Lists etc with tags, images and links. I can see the tasks on my google calendar which is shared with my wife and now upon opening I see my wife added a task of changing my daughters oil on Friday.... so on the other hand maybe sharing is not such a great thing but at least she gave me a hour to get it done....! Better than those "it will only take you 5 minutes" jobs that usually end up all day!I may be dating myself, but for many, many years for general tasks and work related tasks, I used the old Daytimer's pocket Daytimer. It was a wallet and daily calendar all in one that had monthly refills. I would track many "to do" tasks in that and at the end of the month, I would transfer tasks that didn't get done over to the next month's calendar and continue on. For shop specific tasks and vehicle tasks, I used my white board in the shop. I then got to where I was having a harder and harder time justifying the refill costs each year. Then a friend told me about an app for tasks and I started using that. Although I'm a bit more old-school than the electronic tracking, I do like the ability to keep it readily available and not having to carryover to another monthly calendar is a nice feature.
I am not what I would call a high techie techie person. I'm more of a low techie techie person.
madison069
Well-known member
could be worst.... atleast that's what I tell myself.
OP
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Fortunately I was able to rectify the problem in a couple of hours and was only a little late for dinner. Fingers crossed that it is truly sorted!
Yes, after I broke the bolt I felt stupid for not applying heat when realizing how tight it was. Live and learn.
Please God don't let this turn into a 3 day job haha. I'm cautiously optimistic that my solution will work.That *****. Been there too many times to count, but you know the saying......
Wow, that seems handy! Being able to share the schedule would be nice as well. Thank you for your comment and screenshot, you've got me thinking of ways I can add my list items to a schedule/planner.I am about 6 days older than Moses and (definitely older than Mike!) and I used a Daytimer for more years than I care to remember! I switched to TickTick a few years ago as I needed something cross platform with Web, Windows, IOS, MAC OS etc. and I needed to sync to my calendars. It's subscription based but it has come in handy too many times as I can make Note Lists (so they don't disappear accidentally if checked completed) , Todo Lists etc with tags, images and links. I can see the tasks on my google calendar which is shared with my wife and now upon opening I see my wife added a task of changing my daughters oil on Friday.... so on the other hand maybe sharing is not such a great thing but at least she gave me a hour to get it done....! Better than those "it will only take you 5 minutes" jobs that usually end up all day!
Absolutely, I feel lucky that I was able to get out relatively unscathed with this snafu.