Yes, I can fix cars. And when I have the time, which is rare, I actually enjoy it. But the “cost of doing business” would kill me.

I decide that today is the day I’m going to flush the radiator and put in fresh anti-freeze into both vehicles—by myself, stupidly. (Believe me, they needed it. The fluid looked like diet Folgers®.)

Not to difficult of a process. Just a mess. And then what do you do with the discarded antifreeze—without the neighbors finding out?

I did LaSchell’s SUV first. Again no major issues. Just a few knuckle-busting scrapes from the “frozen” drain plug on the block.

Then I did my truck. All goes well until the very end.

Ford® in it’s infinite, cost-efficient wisdom, decided to make the radiator drain cocks (I said cocks) out of plastic. So as I’m hand tightening the plastic drain cock (don’t giggle) the head (I said don’t giggle) snaps off in my hand.

Now I have no clue what I’m supposed to do until I can get a new part. I don’t even know how to remove the rest of it without damaging my radiator.

So far it’s still holding a seal, but who knows? I might ruin my engine all because of a five-dollar plastic part. I’ll keep you posted.