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Dodge Intrepid

1585961636467

Comments

  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Andre,

    My front brake pads lasted about 65000 miles (of course it is not miles that count, it is stops that count in brakes). The rears lasted about 90000 miles. That is some strange wear on your passenger side, it sounds like the pad was on crooked to get that kind of wear pattern.

    I have a rattle in the driver's door and am thinking of taking the door apart to see if I can stop that rattle.

    Have you ever changed the fluid in the power steering reservoir. Mine is looking pretty black and I was am thinking about changing some of it by sucking out what is in the reservoir and replacing with new fluid. I know that won't replace all of it, but a few exchanges should allow it all to be changed.

    Keep that Intrepid going! :shades:
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    That is some strange wear on your passenger side, it sounds like the pad was on crooked to get that kind of wear pattern.

    The last time I had my Intrepid in the shop, they had the replace the bearing hub on the passenger side, up front. So I wonder if there might have been something wrong with the bearing hub, from the get-go, that made the brakes on that side wear funny? Or maybe it was just coincidence?

    My front brake pads lasted about 65000 miles (of course it is not miles that count, it is stops that count in brakes). The rears lasted about 90000 miles.

    For about the first year that I owned my 'Trep, I still had an evening job delivering pizzas. No doubt that contributed to the rapid wearing out of the brakes. I actually bought front pads for it around 15,000 miles, figuring that it would be time to change them soon. My old '68 Dart would usually go through the front shoes every 10-15,000 miles, and I had no idea how long the pads on the Intrepid would last, so I bought them just to be ready, and kept them in the trunk. I kept checking them, and was shocked to see the OEM front pads make it to 39,000 miles!

    Have you ever changed the fluid in the power steering reservoir. Mine is looking pretty black and I was am thinking about changing some of it by sucking out what is in the reservoir and replacing with new fluid. I know that won't replace all of it, but a few exchanges should allow it all to be changed.


    Actually, that's one thing I've never checked myself. I've had the car in a few times and had my mechanic check over it for stuff in general, but power steering fluid was never anything he caught. I'll bring it up to him the next time it's in. Or, maybe I'll just try that trick myself...sucking out what's in the reservoir and putting new fluid in. Should get most of the old stuff, eventually.

    I do hope the car holds out for awhile longer, because there's really not anything out there that really turns me on. I do kinda like the new Altima, but not enough to ditch a fully-functional Intrepid for. I dunno if my next purchase will be another Chrysler product, because the 300/Charger just aren't doing it for me, and the Sebring and Avenger almost make me wince.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Andre,

    I pulled about 16 ounces of brownish clear fluid out of the reservoir with a cooking baster I bought at Walmart. I replaced it with colorless clear Prestone brand fluid. The capacity of the steering system is listed at 1.17 Liters, so if I do this again after the system has mixed it together, I should have replaced 3/4 of the fluid. I don't know if this is worth it, but I did it. :shades:
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    The power steering fluid in the Intrepid was brown, but the Cherokee's (117,000 miles) was black.

    Websites say that power steering fluid is good for the life of the vehicle, but I feel better for changing some if it. It takes less than 5 minutes. :D
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    maybe I'll go ahead and try the cooking baster method, and change my power steering fluid. I'm always leery when they say "life of vehicle". I have one car that's 40 years old and another that's 50, so my concept of "life of vehicle" might be different from the manufacturer's! :P

    I noticed yesterday that the tread on the Intrepid's front tires is getting pretty bad, so I'll probaby have to bite the bullet soon. These tires are Yokohama Avids that I put on the car at 76,000 miles. It's now around the 133,000 mile mark, so I'd say they've served their purpose! The tires on the back of the car still have plenty of life in them. I replaced one of them in October when someone stole the wheel, tire, everything off the car in a parking garage. And then the other one got replaced back in December. I let my roommate borrow the car, and he had to hop up over a curb to keep from hitting someone head-on, who came into his lane. I half-jokingly told him he should've let them hit him, because the car's worth more as a total than a trade-in! :surprise: But, if it got totaled, I'd have to replace it with something, which would end up costing me money. I'd rather just keep the thing until it's all used up.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    56,000 miles on those front tires is very good. Don't run around on tires with little tread hydroplaning is no fun.
  • debra4debra4 Member Posts: 4
    I have a problem with my vehicle and would like some help.How do I go about doing this?
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Welcome to CarSpace!

    You've figured out how to post, so that's a good start. ;) The next thing would be to ask your questions with as much details as possible. :)
  • debra4debra4 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks!
    My car stutters up util aroud 25 mph but after that it runs great. Any ideas?
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    "Stutters?": more description would be helpful.

    Tell a little more about your car. Year and engine? How many miles on it? It sounds like a "miss", which is often more pronounced on acceleration than when cruising.

    If it were mine and it has a few miles on it, I would start by adding a fuel system cleaner to a full tank of gas (try Walmart, Autozone, Pep Boys etc.) Drive it for awhile and see if that clears things up.

    Another thing is to have the computer scanned for codes. I know Autozone will do this for you usually free of charge. Other auto parts places may do the same.

    Let me know how things are going.

    Intrepids are great cars, by the way. 117,000 miles on my '99. :shades:
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    My son is about to take our Intrepid to college 250 miles away. It looks and runs like new (fingers crossed :) ). All the maintenance is up to date and we'll wash and wax it before he goes. I bought jumper cables, a good 4 way speed wrench, a tire sealer and plug into the lighter plug air compressor, and a flashlight for him to keep in the trunk for safety purposes. Can you think of anything else I should do?
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    That sounds like a pretty comprehensive list to me. Only thing I can think of extra is maybe a tire pressure gauge? And I always carry around a gallon of antifreeze and a couple quarts of oil, just in case. Hopefully the car works out for him. Keep us posted!

    I took my Intrepid up to PA weekend before last. Probably put around 400-500 miles on it, and there were no issues to report for the most part. The a/c is getting a bit weak. It was hotter than hades that Friday/Saturday, and the a/c was marginal. Sunday was much more mild though, and it blew nice and cold. So I'm hoping that it just needs a charge, and nothing more major. I averaged around 28-29 mpg on that trip, too, so I'm not complaining. When the time comes, I'll probably get something more fuel efficient, but I'm not to the point that I'm ready to trade a good running car in just for slightly better fuel economy!

    I think I'm up to around 135,000 miles now.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    have a problem with the headlight clusters clouding up? Mine had gotten pretty hazy, to the point it was affecting nighttime vision. I'd heard that old wive's tale about toothpaste clearing the lenses up, but never bothered to give it a try. I think part of it was that I remembered the headlights on a 1995 Grand Marquis a friend of mine had. One of his lenses deteriorated so badly that it actually cracked along the bottom and little slivers started to fall off.

    Well, yesterday I was feeling adventurous, so I got out the toothpaste and took an old toothbrush and scrubbed the lenses. They don't exactly look brand-new, but they do look considerably better than what they did!
  • jeromebjeromeb Member Posts: 31
    Are you describing etching of the outer surface of the headlamp lens cover? If so, then indeed a buffing with a fine grit abrasive such as toothpaste would restore shine.

    It is in the nature of glass that cracks propagate and propagate much better in the presence of water. I'm not sure if these Intrepid headlamp lenses are actually glass or some kind of plastic. If they are plastic, then they don't have the characteristic of propagating cracks that glass does.

    I rarely visit these boards. My 2004 Intrepid SE is running well and looking good.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I'm not sure if these Intrepid headlamp lenses are actually glass or some kind of plastic. If they are plastic, then they don't have the characteristic of propagating cracks that glass does.

    They're plastic, not glass. My buddy's '95 Grand Marquis also had plastic lenses, and they cracked along the bottom. One thing I did notice about the Intrepid, when I was rubbing the lenses, is that the plastic seems thicker than it did on that Grand Marquis.

    I don't know if you could really describe it as an etching or not. The lenses just got kind of a cloudy haze on them, and made it look like the car had cataracts! I've seen some lenses get a yellowish hue to them, but mine were just turning white.
  • bobe4bobe4 Member Posts: 12
    Have someone look very closely at the coils. I had a similar experience with my 99 Intrepid and after a lot of diagnosing a sharp eyed mechanic noticed a spot on a coil where it had arced. This has happened 3 separate times times: on cyl #1, #6 & #2. I even bought a coil to have a spare on a road trip. Turned out we had to r/r it before we left town. No trouble with coils since(12,000 miles ago). Current mileage 147k.
  • bobe4bobe4 Member Posts: 12
    I bought our 99 Intrepid ES new in June 2000. Now have 147K miles. Love this car and can find no replacement that I like in the $25k range. This one has everything I want/need. Engine is currently running well and gets ~23 city and ~28 hiway. So I intend to get some front end components replaced to eliminate occasional suspension noise. the dealer recommended a long list of repairs. A 2nd opinion from an independent didn't agree. Although both agreed there is some looseness in the steering. After a test drive the mech. and I decided that part of the problem was warped rotars. Fixed those and that helped. Still get a clunky sound on some rough surfaces. Replacing the parts is a lot less $$ than a new vehicle. I plan to have the independent fix it in stages if possible. 1st, front sway bar bushings and end links; 2nd, front struts, mount plates, 3rd upper and lower spring ISOs; 4th, Rack and pinion; last, the right axel and trans X shaft.
    Anyone have any comments or suggestions?
    My objective is to have a reliable car for freeway speeds on long trips, like Denver to West Coast. Thanks for reading all of this. (new to this board and 1st message)
  • hayneldanhayneldan Member Posts: 657
    try front end sway bar bushings first.
  • tkfitztkfitz Member Posts: 95
    I usually use fine buffing/polishing compound. It works better than toothpaste. Then a "cleaner" wax. Zymol.
    The old girl just turned 70,000.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I was reading in another discussion that there are two larger-capacity oil filters that will fit on the Intrepid 2.7. The filter that the 2.7 calls for, in Fram numbers, is a PH16. Short, stubby thing. There's also a longer PH43 and a PH8A that will supposedly fit. The PH8A is used in engines as big as the Chrysler 440.

    Would there be any downside to putting a bigger filter on the Intrepid? Seems to me that increasing oil capacity and filtering capacity are definite bonuses, but could there be any downsides to the larger filter?

    Right offhand, the only thing I can think of is that if the filter is TOO long, it'll hang down and be more prone to scraping or puncturing. But I dunno if the PH43 or PH8A would be long enough to really stick out.
  • msautomsauto Member Posts: 3
    I have installed a 2.7L engine into a 1999 Dodge Intrepid,the company I purchased the engine from said this engine was out of a 1999 Intrepid, couldn't get the car to start, pull the cam sensor out that came with the engine an had the dealership search out the part #, turns out the engine came out of a 2003-2004 Dodge Stratus same size engine 2.7L, Question is can I still make this engine work in this car and what do I have to change out to do so.
  • moshe3moshe3 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Chrysler Intrepid (ON, Canada). Recently my engine was replaced by a Chrysler recondition engine by dealer due to bad pistons that the garage was not able to replace due to the unavailability of spares .

    1) Could somebody advise if the reconditioned came with a new timing belt?
    2) Where can I find the S/N number on the engine( It is a 3.2)? Who could tell me about the history of the engine (mileage, age etc..). Garage say they don't know.
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    I have always referred to it as hazing or crayzing. If you go to the local boat store they sell a Plexiglass/plastic cleaner. Depending on how bad yours is you may want to apply it with a buffer. Be careful though a high speed buffer can generate enough heat to melt the plastic if you leave it in one place long enough. If that isn't strong enough try wet sanding it with 2000 grit sandpaper. Then apply the plexiglass cleaner. Somebody told me thats how they polish the windshields on aircraft. It worked well on my headlights.
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    I dont have enough experience with the 2.7 to say for sure, but 1998-2003 I dont believe there were any major changes to the 2.7. As far as Stratus vs Intrepid I would guess there might be some differences but they should be external... motor mounts, a/c, power steering pump
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    I have pulled the heads and replaced the valve seals but now its time to reinstall the harmonic ballancer. I cant find an installer that has the correct bolt size and thread pattern. Any and all help is appreciated.
  • msautomsauto Member Posts: 3
    My concern is the calibration of the Cam position sensor and the Crank position sensor,and if it is compatible with the ecm that is in the Intrepid or am I wasting my time trying to make this engine work, the engine is installed already and all external components fit right in place just like from the factory no modifications were required,if you or anyone has a good contact person I could talk to would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    It does not make sense from an engenering stand point to change the ECM from model to model. It also does not make sense to change the Crank or Cam sensor from model to model. Again I am not an expert but functionally a 2.7 is a 2.7 regardless of the model.
  • msautomsauto Member Posts: 3
    I found out after some phone calls yesterday that Dodge did increase size of the cam shaft and the heads 2002 or later year models for better lubrication which they say was for performance and not for the engine problems so many people have reported having, if they did change the size of the cam they had to change the sensor and contact I am now following up on this, any info you might have on this aspect of it would help, Thanks.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    but I heard they had to do something to the 2.7 to make it fit transversely into the Stratus/Sebring. I think it had something to do with cutting part of the block or head to make it fit, and in doing so it messed with the oil passages, or perhaps the coolant passages, and made the engine more prone to running hot and sludging.

    Hopefully this is just hearsay, although I have heard that Stratus/Sebring 2.7's were more prone to sludging than 2.7 Concordes and Intrepids.
  • psr_5psr_5 Member Posts: 2
    I was told today that I had a problem with My Oxygen Sensor 1 and I can't seem to find anyone that can tell me where the darn thing is located on my car. I was also told it was Bank one. Can anyone tell me where it is located on my car? Is it located under the hood or is it under the car? Help!!!!!
    a Woman in trouble. :confuse:
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    If its a 2.7 the O2 sensors are just before and just after the catalytic convertors. I have never referred to the cylinders as bank one. My guess is that it is the passenger side of the engine. If you open the hood look at the valve cover look down you will see a large flat surface with a hole in it. That is the heat shield it is over the exhaust manifold. The piece sticking out of the hole with the wires connected to it is the O2 sensor. Look further down you will see a large tube shape going back towards the fire wall. That is the catalytic convertor. As you follow it towards the fire wall you will see another O2 sensor with wires attached. There are two more O2 sensors on the other side.
  • psr_5psr_5 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks Roger924 It is a 2.7 So the one I'm needing to replace is on the passenger side which I just looked at on the car. There is one that is easy to get to and the other is closer to the back which is hard to get to. So is it the first one or the second one that I need to change? :confuse: :D Marcie (psr_5)
  • 911man2911man2 Member Posts: 8
    Hi--I've inherited a 2000 Intrepid with 24K miles.
    Car runs great,but upon taking it home I noticed a lot of steering wheel play . Car tracks perfectly straight, no wobble--smooth as silk even at high speeds,brakes fine, but when the wheel is in the straight position, there is a dead spot in the steering--wheel turns from about the 11 to 1 o'clock position without affecting the steering,
    Kinda scary on the highway..........
    Any ideas?
    Thanks
  • bobe4bobe4 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 1999 Trep with 147,000 mi. It has had a similar play in the steering for some time. I recently had the front struts replaced for other reasons. When I asked about the play in the steering I was told that it is not uncommon for Chrysler's cars and that to correct it would require replacing the steering gear box. The service manager's opinion was it was not dangerous and it need not be repaired. I didn't ask the cost, but assume it is considerable.
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    I would guess its the one in the front. You could call the dealership and ask or try disconecting it. If you disconnect the wrong one you should get an additional code.
  • ronald3451ronald3451 Member Posts: 1
    I had a backyard mechanic do a water pump job for me and he didnt set the timing back. I have very extensive knowlegde in repairs but I was wondering does anyone know how to set the timing back on a 2.7 engine for the Dodge Intrepid?
  • intrepid98intrepid98 Member Posts: 1
    help, my in car hood release has broken. How do I get in to the hood?
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Here's a link with some info on this.

    Good luck :)

    http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1271931.html:)
  • tetech48tetech48 Member Posts: 1
    sounds like bad inner tie rod bushings and its alot cheaper than a steering gear.
  • carachasecarachase Member Posts: 3
    :confuse:

    i am new to this forum. i was given a 2000 intrepid by my father-in-law last year. he told us it had a problem with the o2 sensor. we replaced it. but a couple months after we had it, the timing belt tensioner went bad and it jumped time and bent a few valves. well, since the car had not actually been changed over in our names, we didn't want to put the $ into having it repaired. we just parked it. earlier this year, we found another one (same year, same engine) from a used car lot for $500. it had only 80k miles on it. it appeared to have been sitting for a while. (turns out for 3 years) the car was about an hour's drive from our home, but all my husband had to do was jump the car off and on the way he replaced a clamp to the transmission line and put more fluid in it. i had been driving it only for about a month and the timing belt tensioner failed on this one too. my husband took the bottom end off the first one and top end off this one and made one. every couple of weeks, the tensioner would start to rattle and then he would take it out and check the o-ring, replacing if needed. we heard that the motor had very small oil ports and not to use anything higher than a 5w-30 oil. with the 1st car, my husband put 20w-50 in it. so that's what we thought went wrong. well, this time, only running the 5w-30 in it, the same thing happened. i really love everything else about this car, but i was wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem, and also, if they have found a solution to this very common problem.

    if so, please email with information:
    carachase2007@yahoo.com
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    I have read many posts about bad timing chains. I have not experienced it though. You wrote timing belt tensioner is it a 3.5L?
  • fradelvafradelva Member Posts: 2
    My 1999 2.7L Dodge Intrepid engine died last year, It developed a serious knocking, so on good advise I purchased a 2002 Dodge Intrepid 2.7L engine and took it to the mechanic to install. The mechanic called me a few days later to say he had installed it and i can have it back in a day or two. When i got there he said that the car apparently developed a electrical problem because it started once and would not start again. He said that he needed a ECU for the 2002 intrepid because the car was 2002. I purchased the 2002 Engine Ecu, when that didn't work he said I needed a new 1999 engine ECU because the 2002 did not work. I purchased that also then he said that he needed a crank sensor which should fix the problem but that failed too. So far he has had my car for over one year. I wanted to take the care to someone else but he refused to release the car saying that when he contacted the manufacturer they told him that the 2002 could not work in the 1999 and that it was my fault because i brought him the engine and i could not get the car back until i pay the 1200.00 price for the install. I am taking this matter to court but just for clarification can someone please tell me if what he is saying is true? Can a 2002 2.7L engine work in a 1999 intrepid that had a 2.7L engine? Please let me know Thanks...I am desperate Desperate.!!!
  • jeromebjeromeb Member Posts: 31
    Makes me think that paying $100+ for a service manual before something goes wrong is a smart thing to do.
  • 911man2911man2 Member Posts: 8
    Well,I got my inherited 2000 2.7 w/25k miles running and cleaned up and it runs fantastic, turning 25/32 mpg.
    Interior looks like new,engine purrs,brakes/tires like new-no leaks anywhere--even a/c works.Passed state inspection.
    Body is a mess --last owner was an older gent that sideswiped parked cars and pushed in both passenger doors--nothing structural--but it looks crappy.
    What should I do--sell it-or fix/keep it. The stories of the 2.7 failing have me spooked. But with a little body work the car is virtually new with many years of life left.
    If I sell as is--will I get much--or should I repair doors and sell???
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    What should I do--sell it-or fix/keep it. The stories of the 2.7 failing have me spooked. But with a little body work the car is virtually new with many years of life left.

    If it's any consolation, every mechanic I've talked to has told me that to get the 2.7 to sludge up, basically you have to go something like 10,000 miles between oil changes, let it run low, let it overheat, stuff like that. Basically, neglect the car.

    With only 25,000 miles on it, I'd imagine that it should run a good long time as long as you keep the oil changes to around 3-5,000 miles. Do you know when the coolant was last changed? It should have the orangish-pink long life coolant in it, which is supposed to be good for 5 years/100,000 miles. If you don't know when it was last changed, you might want to do so, just to be safe. Also, you might want to get the transmission fluid changed, if it hasn't been done yet. The owner's manual calls for changes every 50,000 miles under the "severe" schedule, and 100,000 miles under "normal". But just to be safe, I always had mine done every 30,000 miles.

    My '00 2.7 is currently at around 137,000 miles, and still running fine. I did have to have some freon put in this past week though, and some suspension work done.

    Unfortunately, the Intrepid doesn't have very good resale value, so you probably won't get much for it. And depending on how bad the damage is, you might not get your money's worth fixing it up.
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    I just had the heads off mine its a 99 with 125,000 miles. no sludge timing chain is fine. Problem was the valve stem seals and several electrical problems. It ended up costing me close to $2,500 over the last 6 months. That is pretty extreme but hopefully I will get another 3-5 years out of the car without these types of major repairs. I had a door skin replaced an repainted in 2003 and it cost a little over $800 full paint jobs of any quality are going to run $2,000 to $3,000. After that you could get 5 years of good driving out of that car.

    The way I look at it that car is worth whatever it saves you on another car payment. People say the car is not worth putting money into. As long as you enjoy the car, its paid for, and its reliable its fine to invest in repairs.

    Look at the alternative I have a 2006 Uplander. I bought it used for $18,000 its costing me $4,000 a year for 5 years. When all is done I will have $23,000 into this car and it will be worth about $4,000. Using that model spending $2,500 on the Dodge is not such a bad deal, as long as the Dodge is reliable.

    Just my thoughts................
  • roger924roger924 Member Posts: 40
    Here are my electrical woes, new ECU, new crank sensor, new cam sensor, new AIS motor, and had to disconnect the aftermarket alarm system. Finally it seems that the car is running well.

    PS the whole thing ran $1,800
  • 911man2911man2 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the input......it runs really well so I'm thinking of keeping it.
    A few mechanics have told me to use 1 qt of transmission fliud in place of 1 qt oil to clean the engine slowly...when time comes for a change, then use 10W-30 full synthetic oil and it will kill any sludge.
    Interesting.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    No problem...hope the car serves you well for many years! I've heard of putting some tranny fluid in the oil for older cars, but I dunno how well something like that would do in a higher-tech engine like a 2.7. I have heard that synthetic tends to keep the sludge away, though. Supposedly, in older engines, switching to a synthetic can start new leaks and exacerbate existing ones...but if it's too much of a problem, switching back to conventional will stop it.

    One other thing I just thought of with regards to oil. Sometimes these cars can trigger a false reading on the low oil pressure light. Happened with my '00 back in late 2003, around the 85-90K mark. Supposedly, the sensor that triggers the warning light can get hot and make the light come on, mainly in situations such as sitting at a traffic light, idling, where there's no airflow. There is a TSB that covers it, but I dunno how far back a dealer will honor a TSB.
  • trichiktrichik Member Posts: 3
    I have a '99 2.7l. Replaced the relay switch to get the fan selection switch working. Then,one nite the car wouldnt start but the panic alarm and the wipers keep going. Finally the car started and everything eventually stopped. However, that same day, the headlights didnt work. Took to shop, read code and then fixed the headlights. Now, the tempurature control panel (heat/ac) doesnt work (blows cold air, vent selector doesnt move, rear defroster/ac wont turn on. the only thing working is the fan selector.) Dealer thought that the a/c control head switch was bad. Replaced that but it blew again. thought there was a short somewhere. Now its the BCM ($600 repair). Found a used one and everything worked for about 4 starts. Now the airbag light is on, windows, turn signals, and temp control panel dont work (only the vent switch). Any other ideas before i go back to the shop? Thanks
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