Re: [DML] new owner!

["Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxx>]

> the fuel gauge never reads full, even after a
> fillup. Is this something tankzilla would fix?

Yes, I'm sure it would. And this is the best way to go, albeit the most
expensive. The OEM sender can be repaired, but time will tell if the
current repaired ones are going to be reliable. I assume they will be. If
you are budgeting your repairs, use your trip odometer as an indication of
how far you have traveled on a full tank. But be gentle with the odometer
reset arm because they break easily.

> the electric windows go up and down fine, except
> that the motor does not stop turning when the window closes, so if I
> don't take my finger off the button, the gears will grate off each
> other. Is there a fix for this??

Check to see if you have the original window motor or the heavy duty
replacement. If the original one is making this noise, then the most
sensible thing to do is to replace it (unless you are on a budget and like
to re-engineer things.) If you already have the heavy duty one installed,
then it is not installed properly. It is easy to mount the elbow of the
tube too far forward (which is the same place the OEM one hooks up, but the
heavy duty one mounts to the hole further back according to PJ Grady's
instructions). Too far forward puts the tube at the wrong angle and also
puts the end too low where it can run out of leader spring. Then the
ratcheting sound you hear is the sound of the gear slipping past the last
coil of the leader spring. Good luck getting a heavy-duty window regulator
to fit perfectly according to the instructions. I've typed up a long post
about his before, so check the archives.

I am almost certain you are dealing with an improperly installed heavy-duty
window regulator because if the OEM one had these symptoms on the way up,
then it wouldn't bring the window back down again because it would be junk
by then.

How to tell which one you have before opening the door: Remove the forward
most light from your door. To do this, roll the rubber away from the lens
and pop the lens out. Then squeeze the rubber boot to pull it out. Look in
through this hole with a flashlight and look at the regulator. If it is
made of gray metal and white plastic, then it is OEM. If it is made of
yellow zinc-plated metal and has a red plastic tube in front of your peep
hole, then it is a heavy duty regulator. This can help you decide if you
want to order a new regulator BEFORE you take your door apart the first
time.

> Jobs to be done over the next few
> weeks include getting PJ Gradys lowering kit with the nitrogen
> shocks, and eventually all the zilla products

PJ Grady shocks rule! But consider finding an upgrade for your OEM front
lower control arms. When you swap the springs you have done all of the hard
work to removing/replacing the arms. Either have them boxed and the ends
reinforced, replace them with reproductions, or inspect them periodically
for stress fractures. I have never seen anyone post to the DML the make &
model of a decent internal spring compressor that works for the front
suspension. If you find one out, let us know! I need one.

Walt Tampa, FL