The Great Bronco Engine Transplant- Post Shakedown Availability

When I worked, I usually worked on designing systems for ships that had been in service for many years. But during a few years, I actually was lead on a class of new ships.  After these ships were completed, tested, turned over to the crew and operated for about a year, they went into a shipyard for a period called a Post Shakedown Availability(PSA). During this time, maintenance, warranty and upgrade work was performed. This is similar to what went on with the Bronco over the last month.


After almost 3000 miles of operation after installing the V8 engine in the Bronco, several items needed attention. The most pressing item was a leaky radiator. I contacted the manufacturer and they said that they would warranty the radiator, but they needed it sent to them for evaluation. So following the last Cruise at Sharis Restaurant a month ago, I removed the radiator and shipped it to Advance Adapters in California. This seemed like a good time to accomplish some maintenance and some upgrades. A partial list is as follows:

Replace oil filter hoses with stainless steel braided hoses.

Install new hose clamps on the braided hoses.

Install a thermal sleeve around the fuel line where it passes close to the drivers side header.

Find the source of a small transmission leak.

Replace engine oil pan drain plug gaskets with ones that don't leak.

Change oil.

Touch up engine paint.

While waiting for the new radiator, most of the list of work went pretty fast. Finally the radiator arrive last night and I installed it along with a new mounting design. Once again, the Bronco is operational. The PSA has been completed.

Prior to the PSA, I also bought some different wheels for the Bronco. These are aluminum wheels that were the optional wheels when the Bronco was new. I purchased five, four on the ground and one for the spare tire.