List Addendum

Looking back at the list I made for the last post, adding the following three items:

- Replace driver's side seat hinge cover plate:
There is a chrome/plastic cover that goes over the seat hinge (as the name implies). It broke off a while ago. I've found the part online for $30. If I order $50 worth of stuff, I get free shipping, so I'm trying to think of specific parts for the car I'll need. I don't know of anything off hand, but I'm sure I'll run into something before too long.

- Drain off excess trans. fluid:
I checked the trans. fluid after the change. I'm about 0.3L high, so I'll need to get that out. I'm not going the plug route like before.

Further proof that the human mind can justify anything, I ordered a fluid extractor and a brake bleeder this week. The extractor is a vacuum pump with a tube designed to take fluid out of a car (or boat, or lawnmower) right out of the dipstick. It prevents you from having to put a car on ramps and crawl around the floor, so it is safer and more convenient. I'll post procedures and pictures when I get them, but suffice to say, they are pretty handy to have.

I spent about $150 for all of it (including 2 reservoir bottles for draining brake fluid). I was organizing my service records for the Bimmer the other night. A brake fluid flush on the BMW was $90-120 at the dealer/independent shop, done once every two years. If the Benz is supposed to be done every year, this will pay for itself very soon between those cars. Plus, I subscribe to the theory that if a task is easy, you'll do it more often. Frequent oil changes are the best thing you can do for car longevity, so it's good news all around. And yes, I need to change the oil in the mower too.

- Tires:
The weather is finally turning sunny, so we're using the car frequently for driving around. I'm going to get new tires next week - the current ones have good tread, but the sidewalls are cracked and have gouges and at least one blister I could see. If you think about it - This is a 3800 lb car, that is in contact with the road with a total of less than 1 square foot of surface area. If you really dig into the physics of cars and tires (I'm a geek about this - I admit), I think it's pretty amazing the stuff works without blowing up more often. So, paranoia reigns and new tires are on the way.

Of course, in true old car fashion, the differential is leaking more than before. Dirty fluid is good at plugging leaks, and clean fluid can release some of that dirt. Differentials usually leak from the seals and that's a bigger job than I want to do myself. Another winter project for the shop. Since I changed the fluid, I do know how to add it, so it will be easy to keep an eye on throughout the summer.

Think Sun!