The mini van needs a transmission rebuild. I was going to fix the LUV first and use it to haul my transmission to the wrecking yard to exchange for another one for $300 and avoid the additional $300 core charge. Then I found a shop to do the job for $300, so it's would be $600. I've gone around three times that much already on the LUV, and my wife and son are pretty disgusted with me. I agree with them. Tuesday morning when I was waiting for Larry to come over, I took the battery out of my LUV and put it in the minivan, which hadn't been touched in a long time, and it started right up. I was moving it out of the way for the engine's arrival from Tazman. It runs fine, the automatic transmission won't go into high gear. We stopped using it two years ago. Been walking ever since. My son Fred will be nine in April, and I want to take him fishing. I guess if I have to use a city bus we could make the local lake at least. I grew up on a 275-acre dairy farm in Monroe, WA so it's a big contrast in the way we're being raised. Well, I could talk to Larry and see if he'd consider such a long trip.
Yes I think there's a more cost effective way to get this done. Nascar44 might consider the drive as he just got back from Florida, and he loves the road. I would love to drive myself in a borrowed or rented pickup. I would go any day. Oh, I just saw the post by Ctmandu about bringing it up himself. Oh man. Roll out the red carpet and bring in the band. Fire up the barbeque pit and let's roast a pig. There's royalty on the way! I don't know what to say.
I'm gonna start trying to make some more room in the shop today. There's some great weather forecast for the next few days, so it should be a time of progress. I thank each of you for your positive inspiration and I won't deny it's keeping my hope alive.
Tazman, the engine I got from you looks real good, but the only real way to know the block leaks is to get it running, or have it checked by a machine shop. Both of these are costly, so it looks like I better hope for another solution. You are a great person, and I don't fault you for a thing.
Eric Q, I agree with you to throw it in and give it a shot, but if it leaked after all the work of installation, it would turn my wife into a tornado and I would be a dry leaf in wind. I saw a block leaking last week when I went over to Des Moines to look at a truck for parts. It isn't pretty. The engine starts to steam almost immediately, and you know that's not gonna fly. I didn't get that truck, although there were other parts on it that would be usable. I could get it for someone else if they want it, but there's no title.
_________________ '78 1.8L 4-speed Fleetside The only thing more beautiful than a sunset is a sunrise.
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