Just replaced my AOS today. One day before I went on vacation in the beginning of August it malfunctioned. Not too much warning. A had a bit of smoke when starting in the week before, nothing too alarming. Then suddenly CROP DUSTER! Lots of smoke and a lousy running engine.
The new AOS was $121 at Pelican Parts, including $3 for 3 day shipping. Great service, thanks!
Putting the damn thing in was a ********************, though. It's not extremely difficult, but the access really, really sucks. I did the whole operation from the top. Supposedly you should be able to get to the AOS from the bottom by reaching through the linkage. However, I think you need chimp arms, my arms were just not long enough. You can do the whole thing from the top but you need to tie some stuff aside to be able to reach in. The main thing in the way is a big black tube. Luckily you can take it apart and tie it away. IMPORTANT, and said by other people before, you need cable operated hose clamp pliers. I got mine from Sears. Forget about doing this operation without these pliers. You need it to release the clamps on the bottom tube of the AOS. Even with these pliers it's very difficult to access these clamps, there is just too much stuff in the way. A little mirror to look underneath the AOS is indispensable, especially to make sure that the bottom tube is hooked up properly.
The whole operation took me about 6 hours, but that's including jacking up the car and deciding not to go that way. I think 4 hours is realistic. Saved myself a couple of hundred of bucks probably. $850 sounds like a ripoff.
Hey, no more smoke! And still a lot of nice, top-down days ahead.
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