Juanita the '93 Club Wagon

[RepublicOfTXPatriot]

My 2 cents....Last year I had the automatic transmission in my F350 rebuilt. $1500 with them removing and replacing. That in a medium size town west of Houston, TX. Came with a 1 yr warranty. Just to give you an idea. If someone could drop your trans and you were able to take it to trans shop and put it back in ..then you could get away for less than a grand. But the $5-600 extra was worth it to me at the time.
That was a great deal on the purchase price of the van. I admire your progress through the challenges you have and are facing with it. Keep on truckin' . Better to do it while there instead of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. So there are many positive ways to look at it. And before you know it you'll know so much about that van it will continue to be a part of you.

[Snikwahjm]

We have more $$$ than that in our van and it is older. It needs work, they always do... Yup better to do it now than on the road. We made a trip to Florida with a storm about an hour behind us. Mr. Snik replaced the distributor etc a few miles down the road. Then it was still running rough. Well, a LOT rough... Some of you have permission to begin giggling... then he replaced the air filter... then a few miles down the road he replaced the spark plugs and wires... some are rolling on the floor... then Mr. Snik replaced the fuel filter... THEN Mr. Snik listened to me and checked to make sure the wires he was positive SURE he marked were on the correct place... runs real nice with 3 and 5 in their rightful places and we did beat the storm... mumble mumble... so far the transmission is ok.

[rlmarshjr]

Amazing the difference two plug wires backwards can make in how a motor runs LOL!!!!

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[Snikwahjm]

Been there have you???

[RepublicOfTXPatriot]

<--Been there. Except mine was replacing only the two "needed" diesel fuel injectors. Well within the next 1000 miles I had to replace the other 6. Therefore costing me more time and more money to remove all the stuff where I could pull the valve covers. Ohh...and the valve cover gaskets were $158 Each side. I should have just bit the bullet and done them all at one time.
I had a car that had 300K miles on it and It started running really bad like it was missing 2 of 6 cylinders. I gave the car away free because I thought the motor had finally given up the ghost. Turned out...it was a vacuum leak. SMH !! Car has over 375K on it now and still running.

[RepublicOfTXPatriot]

I just had a blessing put upon me today. There is another nomad here in this RV park that also does mechanic work. Everyone said he was really good and cheap. He put new orings and gaskets on my diesel engine oil cooler for $150 !! The last shop I got estimate from in Baton Rouge told me $850 !! Well, after he was done I gave him $200. Both of us happy. It only took him about 2 hours tops to do all the work. If I'm here another two weeks he is going to replace my A/C compressor and belt etc dirt cheap. $400 less than a regular shop would. He is only going to charge me $250...that's parts and labor! Shop was going to charge me $600. I'll need to return the blessing to someone else now. That will be $1000 +/- he saved me in repairs. #BeABlessing

[AbuelaLoca]

The shop I'm going to always does good by me! I asked them to do something when I first got it and they said it wasn't necessary unless I just really wanted it done... I don't remember what it was, maybe a tune up but the plugs and wires looked new... My only complaint is that they won't take out the rear AC unit. They told me it wasn't possible but I know it is. I'll need to get that done soon too!!

[RepublicOfTXPatriot]

That's probably due to the EPA restrictions on the freon. Most all states require the shop to recover the freon and not let it escape to the air. (More B.S. regs). If you got a good shop...stick with them. Wonder if there is a thread or somewhere that people can leave reviews of shops on here for other nomads. Would come in handy I think. IDK...I'm still kinda new here.

[GotSmart]

There is a shop in Centralia that does work on the older vehicles.  He might be able to do it. 

David O Brian
689 w hwy 22
573-682-5997

Just don’t park in front of the bays.

[Ballenxj]

 Wonder if there is a thread or somewhere that people can leave reviews of shops on here for other nomads. Would come in handy I think. IDK...I'm still kinda new here.

 Glad you asked.   https://vandwellerforum.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=57