The introductions...

Hello reader! My name is Dale (but not Dale D. Mechanic) and I live with my girlfriend in a nice little house in an ok (usually) borough in Southeast Pennsylvania.  Please forgive my non-specifics on these matters, I do this out of habit.  I'm in my early 40s, am trying to quit smoking, lead a somewhat normal life...

I am a mechanic by trade, something that it could be said I entered later in life. After working in the green industry for almost 15 years, I realized that there was nothing new under the sun, or whatever weather I was stuck working in, usually for 12 hours a day, ten months or better out of the year.  I suppose I would still be working in that green industry if the company I had given ten years of my life to had not decided to outsource my position.  Such is life.

After a short time working for the company my position was outsourced to, I found myself working as a fleet mechanic again in the green industry, mostly tree care, then taking a job with a fleet in Philadelphia, then getting sacked so that they could hire a drug dependent loser that thought he could do the job for half the pay, and who incidentially no longer works there either. 

So these days I work for a small equipment repair shop.  Honestly, it took me some time to shed the fleet maintenance mentality of "just make it work" and adopt the "fix it proper and ship it out" code of ethics.

You probably noticed that the name of the blog is "The Dakota Files".  So I would like to introduce the "angry duck."

The "duck" is a 1996 Dodge Dakota Sport.  It sports a 2.5 liter inline four cylinder engine, five speed manual transmission, standard cab, short bed, Chrysler corporate 8.25 rear end with a 3.55 gear ratio.  It started life as a red truck but since it was part of a fleet they decided to paint it yellow.  It currently has 225,000 miles on it, but runs reliably.

Besides the non factory paint, about the only enhancements that have been done are an aftermarket cd player (that refuses to play cds) and a hurst "T" handle shift lever.  I have also painted the wheels a graphite color and clear coated them, had a set of new tires installed (pro tip: paint wheels AFTER tire installation).  Maintenance items that have been done are oil changes, repairing a burnt wire that while in two pieces refused to let the truck start, installing a new starter and replacing the battery terminals because the old ones were crap.  I also have replaced the battery.

This brings us to the list of maintenance items that I need to do, preferably before the inspection runs out. (Yes, we have yearly vehicle inspections, safety and emissions, that pack a hefty fine if you are caught driving without a valid one.)  They are:

1.) Full tune up (cap, rotor, wires, plugs)
2.) Find and fix reason the check engine light comes on intermittently.
3.) Repair the parking brake cable and anchor/pivot point.
4.) Replace the serpentine belt.
5.) Change transmission fluid. (probably has never been done)
6.) Change differential fluid (also has probably never been done)

And some modifications, which are:
1.) Replace right inner door panel to match left inner door panel.
2.) Replace right mirror.
3.) Repaint rear bumper (and maybe get rid of plastic step cover?)
4.) Repair rust on rocker panels under door.
5.) Install bucket seats.
6.) Install radio that plays Cds.
7.) Clean up interior, especially the carpet.
8.) Find where the water leak is coming into the cabin.