Stress Testing

We are moving into a new house, so there is inevitably going to be less time to work on the van in the near-term. Given these two facts, it seems like this is a good opportunity to put some miles on the car and really get the fluids moving and see how it holds up.

Stress Test #1

We started this process by picking up a couch from our friends in Manhattan and moving it to our new house. Aerostar goes to NYC!

My husband giving the international sign of success.

Result: Successful!

But for some reason the rear brakes kept locking up when I stopped at stoplights. Hmm… noted.

Stress Test #2

Next we used the van as a supplement to our moving van and decided to load it up with as much stuff as we could.

This one was especially special because the original green Aerostar had moved me to and from so many different apartments throughout college.

Result: Success!

The car was packed with a lot of weight and it neither fell apart or died while hauling it all. Stress Test #3

We ordered a bunch of kitchen cabinets from a store in Philadelphia, and I needed to pick them up. So, the van was headed to Philly! This was by far the longest distance run with it so far, 2 hours there, 2 hours back, highway and city, high speeds and low, hauling nothing and hauling everything…

Result: Houston, we have a problem

So I didn’t break down, and I actually drove the whole way without any noticeable issues. Initially I thought it did great. But once I arrived near home, I noticed that the car was vibrating a lot coming to stop signs, a feeling I’ve felt before: warped rotors.

Additionally, when I parked the car it was…smoking from the engine 😞. It wasn’t a lot of smoke, but certainly enough to not feel good turning a blind eye to it.

Off we go back to the mechanic.