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I want to learn how to fix older trucks. I realize this is a huge endeavor, and I do not for a moment think it is easy. But, what I'd like to do is get a Ford Ranger, older. Could also be another maker of trucks fro the 90's and before. I simply saw videos of the Ranger and it appeared to have a larger area to work in, as opposed to a crowded, modern car under the hood.

Parts for the Ranger seem plentiful, but it doesn't have to be Ford, just not a lot of electronics and whatnot. I'm not trying to become a professional mechanic. I want it to be a truck, however, buy a broken one off Craigslist, fix it up.

I mean things like the transmission, the engine, etc. as for the depth of work. Smaller things of course. I figure if it is roomy enough for an engine or transmission repair (as in remove old part, buy a new part, put it on), other, lesser repairs would also be easy.

Thanks.

Before a symphony starts to play the main music, they always have their practice "noise." Are they playing scales? What are they playing to practice just before the main piece?

Lots of dealers are advertising their Prius as Touring. It is not. But, what am I missing functionality-wise with the base version? What does Touring have that they base does not? All I know about is the spoiler and bigger tires. But I don't know what that matters. Thanks.

Suppose I qualify, a Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae loan. What does the lender get paid? How much do I pay out of pocket? How does the lender make money in the HARP loan process? Thanks.

It's not supposed to be driven "special" is it? Can you drive in the mountains, up and down hills, in the rain, freeway, back roads, etc.? You know, like any car. Thanks.

Aren't these all hybrid and have the HV battery?

Do they all get 40-50mpg?

Are they too old to get the good gas mileage?

What's the earliest year you'd buy?

What the difference between the years? Better technology? MPG???? Thanks.

I was going to buy a used one and didn't know what to look for since it is a hybrid. Anything I can look for? I'd be getting it off the lot. Under 50k miles. Like from carmax or a dealership.

Thanks.

I have a 2004 Honda Odyssey and it has been "chugging" shaking a little, rough idling. Finally, it started overheating. I had to wait for it to cool to get it close enough to home. It finally died. I can barely crank it and when I do it has no power even if I push the gas to the floor. It is not leaking water that I know of, though it did have a very small stain on the pavement when I left it overnight before it got towed, not big, just a little. It has oil. It does not smell burnt. I do not see a leak. There is coolant in the reservoir. It has recently had a brand new transmission, so it is not that. The exhaust does not smoke, but the pipe on the inside is black.

A guy that has some mechanical experience said it has no compression (he could hear is "sucking air.") I have not put a compression tester on it yet.

Does this mean I need a new engine?

How much does that cost?

If I don't need a new engine, how much do you think it would cost to fix it?

Thanks.

I was driving down the road and saw a billboard that said Dunkin' Donuts has "countless caramel flavors." Is that true? Don't they really have a finite set of flavors? I don't think this is hyperbole either, so I was stumped trying to comprehend an infinite set of flavors. I regularly dine out, but I'm afraid I'll die before I can consume all the flavor D&D has. I know I'll die first if it is infinite because I'm not infinite, unless you can get donuts in heaven, but even then I'd only be keeping up with the flavors, not exhausting them (because there is an infinite amount).

Oh yeah, How did they know figure out there was an infinite amount of flavors?

Thanks (No, I don't work for Krispy Kreme.)

I don't want to eat farm raised fish. I'm sure there are varying degrees of quality, but I think farm raised fish is not safe or good to eat. I'd rather have wild caught. Not going to argue that part. No offense. But, if I go out in the "wild," and catch a fish the state got from a hatchery, isn't that the same thing? Like a trout. The state puts them in the river from a hatchery. I catch it. I eat it. Why not just eat the farm raised? Are they the same? Thanks.

Is modern Arabic the same as Arabic from the time the Quran and the Hadith? I don't want to spend time learning modern day Arabic if it is so different from the "old" Arabic that it is useless. That would be like learning modern Greek to understand the New Testament. Maybe you get the basic alphabet, some words, but that's it. "as intended" in my question means to learn Arabic that will actually help me learn the Quran, so I can discuss it intelligently with my Muslim friends. If so, what is a good grammar to learn. I learn from the alphabet up, not some phrase book for travel or Rosetta Stone. Thanks.

I've looked at lots of sites, landandfarm, landwatch, others. Land seems super cheap. tens of acres for very little money (imho). Why is that? It looks like a nice place, trees and all, not a wasteland like the low priced land in Wyoming.

I have a chance to buy a Raleigh Mojave 2.0 for about $115 on Craigslist. The bike is in good shape. What I want to know is if I can upgrade it and have a "great" bike. As I understand it, the 2.0 is an entry level. It didn't cost much new and in that class no bike is that great. But I didn't know if it wasn't great because of the components, the frame, tires, all of the above. Can I upgrade the Raleigh Mojave 2.0 and turn it into something that might have cost $500 new? I hope that makes sense.

For example, I have a device that says it takes 12 volts and 2 amps. Does that mean I can use a power supply that has 12 volts and 100 amps? I know that is far fetched, maybe impossible. Say 12 V 6 amps. Will that blow up the device? Or does that 2 amp rating on the device just mean the most it will pull on load is 2 amps. Does this mean I can use a power supply that accommodates two amps or above, thus allowing me to use a 12v 6a power supply? Thanks.

I have an audio amplifier (a Lepai LP-2020A). I want to power it with batteries. The power supply that plugs into the wall is 12V 2 Amp. If I have a bunch of 1.5v batteries from the store, how can I know I have enough amps to make it work? When it says 2 amp, does that mean the most it can take is 2 amp? Or does that mean that 2 amp has to be flowing all the time? In other words the load can be less than 2 amp but not more, or does it have to have a constant 2 amps. Thanks.

I understand what voltage is, potential energy, and the pressure along a wire and that current is the flow. But if I have AA, AAA, C, D batteries, and they are all 1.5v, how can they have different amps? Why doesn't 1.5v always produce the same amount of amps?

I have seen them on the rack in the store, but they are always sold out. I have no sku number. The website doesn't have them that I can find, and the 1800bestbuy number people cannot find it. I KNOW they sell them. They have it in the store. They're out so I want to buy them online. Anyone?

I am looking for the best home theater speakers for $150 or less. Strictly Home Theater. My den is smaller, maybe medium, not large. Not a dorm room though. A "normal" sized family room / den. I sit about eight to ten feet away from the tv screen, center, and speakers. Please don't ask me to "bump up my budget" or "save up some more." I'm hoping for answers in this context. I do not expect B&W speakers for $150 but I don't know that I want Sony or KLH speakers either. Hoping for clarity like when a glass breaks, you can hear the shards. Sub will provide the bass at 80Hz crossover.

Used or new is fine. I also figure I can get speakers that cost more than $150 initially on the showroom floor but may now be gotten for $150 or less on Craigslist or somewhere like that.

Thank you.

I don't know how else to ask it. When you pull up to the stop light and the car next to you is thumping. I want to play Hans Zimmer and good movie soundtracks, but I'd like to do it in style with the giant speakers in "boxes" that I've seen. I just don't know what to search for to get started on my diy. I wouldn't mind obnoxiously loud cars near as bad in traffic, if something good was playing on them.Thanks.

No rap, just Hans. Maybe John Williams but no wrap.

I am aware of kits from part-express, tutorials online, books, and diy forums. I have tools and understand (somewhat) the basic principles of how sound and drivers work.

But, I lack experience. Is it possible for a regular person to build a speaker as good as a Polk speaker, say the Tsi100 or even a higher level Rti series speaker and do it cheaper? Are the parts-express drivers good enough to do that assuming I build a good enclosure? Where would I get a driver(s) good enough?

Also, I've seen many crossover circuits online. The components do not appear expensive. Is there anything different about crossover circuits found online with "big capacitors" and the ones the pros make?

I'd like to make a speaker of the quality of a Tsi100 or an older Rti85. Thanks for help.