Slam Dunk DIY

I've never had the money to pay for mechanics. They are expensive and a lot are not trustworthy. As a result, I have either had to rely on my dad, my brother, or my own wits. In a turn of life's ironic sense of humor, I recently married a mechanic. So when my van's air conditioner stopping working suddenly, I called my husband (who is in Albuquerque, NM) and explained the situation. He decided that I was capable of fixing it myself with some instruction from him. 

After two YouTube videos, I set to work replacing the a/c relay, checking and replacing the fuses and then, replacing the vacuum tubing. Here is a picture of the owner's manual of where the fuse box is located: 

I looked and looked, searching for that fuse box to no avail! I had a professional look for it, he said it didn't exist. I gave up for a few days until I could get my dad there to see if he could find it. When my dad got under there, it took him thirty seconds to find it. It wasn't anywhere close to where the picture was pointing. It was next to and behind the brake pedal!!  Someone just shoot me. I saw the thing and didn't even register it could have been the fuse box. 

Having replaced that blown fuse, I took apart the center console. It was a trial of strength and treachery. Could I figure out how to get to the bolts in the back without breaking anything or doing more work than necessary? Did I have the right tools for the job and if not, could I finagle  something to work? 

I did. I got the console off, and replaced the vacuum tubing with a little help from my dad to run the tube from the front of the engine to the back. We tested the fix, and my a/c is back to perfect running order. I put it all back together and voila!! It's done. 

This is why I have been and will continue to be a student of the Slam Dunk school of everything: because I WIN.