Sunday, June 29, 2008

Publishers addendum

Please note the following publisher's addendum to Ford Pick-ups & Expedition, 1997 thru 1999, Haynes Repair Manual.

Section 1-25 Cooling system servicing

Warning 1 reads:
Do not allow antifreeze to come in contact with your skin

and should instead read:
We have never changed any fluids of any kind ourselves
Paragraph 4 states:
Move a large container under the radiator for drain to catch the coolant. Attach a 3/8-inch diameter hose to the drain fitting to direct the coolant into the container...

and should instead read:
Do not bother attaching a hose to the drain fitting as only 5 percent of the fluid will travel out the petcock valve stem. The remaining 95% of the coolant will erupt from the base of the petcock valve.
Figure 25.5 caption reads:
The block drain plugs are generally located about one to two inches above the oil pan - there is one on each side of the engine block.

and should instead read:
The block drain plugs are generally located about one to two inches above the oil pan - there is one on each side of the engine block. If your vehicle is equipped with an "electric starter" do not bother looking for the drain plug on the passenger's side.
Also please note that in the specifications we noted the capacity of the cooling system with rear heater to be 26 quarts. We didn't really measure it. It might actually be 26 quarts, but we recommend you do not buy the required 13 quarts (3.25 gallons) to make a 50% mixture. You will be lucky if you can drain 12 quarts total out of the system.

One additional note: If you plan on replacing the radiator hoses, all connections will be a standard hose clamp.... except one. That one will be the lowermost clamp buried deepest within the engine compartment. Instead of a basic hose clamp, it will be a new fangled clamp that is normally removed by simply rotating it 45 degrees in either direction. Of course, this works only with a brand new hose. A hose under normal wear will have to be cut off. The internal hardened metal clamping mechanism will then have to be bent back in four places and manhandled with a large set of pliers to get it to release from the soft plastic radiator tank. This superior clamping mechanism is only used on one location instead of all 6 locations for reasons we are not able to release to the general public because they are of a sensitive nature for national security.

2 comments:

Kari said...

Maybe you should try taking your car to a mechanic. I'll get you the name of mine... ;)

Spork In the Eye said...

I have the strangest sensation... as if recursion is about to occur.