JUST PEEKING IN

[KB2SFH]

Forgive my absence, mom has been having more serious health issues and hospitalizations since August, and again it's all been dumped on my head to take care of her when the aides aren't here and I have been confined to house most of time when not in work, I have resigned from the VE teams I was on along with radio activities and hamfests. Social life? what's that? and I am lucky to be able to get to church even. It's been nothing but stress piled on stress on top of fibromyalgia and constant fighting with my greedy selfish sibling and her spouse over all this. Even when the aides are here it's stress on me and my cat, this house is like living in a fishbowl with them around, bringing their family members and kids and eating moms food all the time. I think I will blow my own head up with an rf burst now. :irked::angry::(:rant::wall:

[kb2vxa]

Peking Inn, a Chinese hotel. Hey, good to see you found time in all that mess to say you're still alive!

"I think I will blow my own head up with an rf burst now."
I've got just the thing, but it would benefit you to use it on greedy sibling and those pesky aides.

"...this house is like living in a fishbowl..."
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Yeah, if you were here you wouldn't be going through all that mess but the point is (and there's a song for it) always look on the bright side of life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Wx230gYJw
Now cheer up, for every silver lining there's a cloud, the light at the end of the tunnel is a train. Take this song to heart and remember it whenever you feel down, it helps me and I know it'll help you too. You're a good old friend, (insert old/friend joke here) and your pain is my pain, I really hate to see you down. So remember when you're down, everything's looking up.

[N2NH]

Good ta see ya in these parts. Don't be a stranger. The bartender oughta be around soon.

[PA5COR]

Sorry to hear about the problems you face.
Stay sane, and we all hope the problems may turn around and go away.

[NQ6U]

To put it briefly so as not to take away anything from the gravity of your situation: "I can totally relate to this."

[KG4CGC]

Drink these and tell your selfish relatives to cough up some coin.


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/drinks/DIYDrPepper_6937-1024x10241_zpsd8a2630d.jpg



He (or she) who has the lawyers always get the money. Let's no one argue the point. It's a saying.

[WØTKX]

Well, hellooooo 'dere.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/18/6a/cd/186acda8a7ed9436d2dbb93023153107.jpg

[K7SGJ]

It's good to see you posting again. Hope you can find a little joy and sanity during the holidays. Hang in there.

[KB2SFH]

As if my life wasn't already perfect enough, my car totally died when I was driving and I had to get towed late today. Can't wait to see my repair bill when they look at it and fix it tomorrow:help:

[WØTKX]

That sucks. I have spent about $4000 on my three car stable this year.

I miss my Dodge Dart slant 6 or even the 'ol '71 Maverick. Simple shit.

[N8YX]

I miss my Dodge Dart slant 6 or even the 'ol '71 Maverick. Simple shit.
Don't we all? Unfortunately, rust never sleeps...

Sue, I hope this finds you doing better. It's been no picnic for my family, either.

[NQ6U]

As if my life wasn't already perfect enough, my car totally died when I was driving and I had to get towed late today. Can't wait to see my repair bill when they look at it and fix it tomorrow:help:

Car trouble must be going around. I had to go rescue my wife last night after her car died right in the middle of G Street in downtown San Diego. Turned out to be $375 worth of bad alternator, only a small portion of which was labor.

[KG4CGC]

If the water pump held out one more week, I would have been able to do it myself. Found the proper tutorial which included removing the A/C condenser, alternator and bracket before removing the water pump. That's the correct way to do it if you want to make life easier and inspect the hoses that are covered by those parts as well as inspect the thermostat.

Last Tuesday I did replace the starter. That old bitch was dragging from time to time and I figured it would be better to be proactive and get to it before she blew and I was on my back in a parking lot somewhere unable to raise the front end.

Next I want to get at the fan clutch, remove it and go all electric.

On edit: The water pump was damn near $500 which included replacing the belt tensioner which it needed.
I saved $250 replacing the starter myself.
The fan clutch and mechanical fan contribute to premature water pump failure and removal will add 8 to 10 hp while improving gas mileage by about the same.

[W3WN]

As if my life wasn't already perfect enough, my car totally died when I was driving and I had to get towed late today. Can't wait to see my repair bill when they look at it and fix it tomorrow:help:Ouch. Hope it's something simple, like a cracked distributor (or functional equivalent)

Had the master cylinder fail on the Olds a few months back. I was able to keep the car limping along to get to the LRT and back, so I could go to work... but I was looking at an easy $500 & up repair bill, and it had other issues (rear door rusting, some other brake issues... ) adding up.

Which is why I'm now driving a 2008 Trailblazer, and making monthly car payments for the next 4 years.

[PA5COR]

Just had the Hyundai Atoz M.O.T. inspected, € 48.52 bill, nothing wrong for a car from july 2000.
Galvanised body, no rust car just rounded the 78000 km mark or 49000 miles for you jerks.
;)
Already put new tyres on it last year, new brakes, new battery so looks like some trouble free years.
Cost me € 90 euro to run every month bar the fuel, depreciation, road tax, insurance, repairs included.
Since it was tuned i got from 13 Km/liter to 15 Km/liter ( automatic gearbox)
Don't need a larger car too.

[VE7DCW]

Well.....i'll add my own little car story...I lost my battery in my 26 year old truck due to our recent cold snap.....I had to go to the auto wreckers outfit to buy another used battery for 35 bucks.....the old battery was 11 years old, so I guess I got my dollars worth out of it.... oh well :mrgreen:

[KG4CGC]

Well.....i'll add my own little car story...I lost my battery in my 26 year old truck due to our recent cold snap.....I had to go to the auto wreckers outfit to buy another used battery for 35 bucks.....the old battery was 11 years old, so I guess I got my dollars worth out of it.... oh well :mrgreen:

Auto Wreckers Outfit. I like that. It reminds me of the English, Haberdashery.

[kb2vxa]

Since the above post was last e-mail from Sue after my poking and prodding to get her to say something, pretty sure you guys were concerned, my comment same as my reply is when it rains it pours. Now she starts a flurry about everybody else's car troubles, what next?! And I thought Kelli was a troublemaker? (;->)

[KG4CGC]

I had a feeling that would happen. I guess I should have listened to myself.

I'm afraid to say anything else even anything conveying my deep concern for her situation.

I am sorry.

[KB2SFH]

Ok, verdict is in, the alternator went bad and fried my battery as well. Need all new both, get car back late Friday. About the estimated cost? don't ask.:cry:

[W3WN]

I hope they don't try and nail you on the battery.

Beginning of November, we went down to DC to see the kids (and our new grand daughter for the first time). Monday before the trip, I get a call from the boss. She'd had a doctor's appointment, goes to start the Mazda. Won't start. Ended up coming home, just in time to meet up with AAA. Battery failed.

Well, it is a 2010 Mazda 3, which we've had for about 4 years, so it was about due.

Jump from AAA, followed by a quick trip down the road to Advance Auto Parts for a replacement (they install for free). $120. It wasn't that long ago I paid a little over 1/3 of that in our Saturn SL-1 under similar circumstances.

When I got back to work later that morning, I got gently scolded by my work boss for jumping the gun. He said we should have gotten another year out of the battery. Maybe, but with a 500 mile round trip coming up, it wasn't worth the risk of being stranded somewhere in the middle of nowhere -- or worse, the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

[K7SGJ]

I hope they don't try and nail you on the battery.

Beginning of November, we went down to DC to see the kids (and our new grand daughter for the first time). Monday before the trip, I get a call from the boss. She'd had a doctor's appointment, goes to start the Mazda. Won't start. Ended up coming home, just in time to meet up with AAA. Battery failed.

Well, it is a 2010 Mazda 3, which we've had for about 4 years, so it was about due.

Jump from AAA, followed by a quick trip down the road to Advance Auto Parts for a replacement (they install for free). $120. It wasn't that long ago I paid a little over 1/3 of that in our Saturn SL-1 under similar circumstances.

When I got back to work later that morning, I got gently scolded by my work boss for jumping the gun. He said we should have gotten another year out of the battery. Maybe, but with a 500 mile round trip coming up, it wasn't worth the risk of being stranded somewhere in the middle of nowhere -- or worse, the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Shoulda seen if he would have traded his battery for yours, straight across.

[NA4BH]

AAA, the twelve step program. You first must admit you have a battery problem.

[K7SGJ]

AAA, the twelve step program. You first must admit you have a battery problem.

God, grant me the serenity to check my electrolyte level

[NA4BH]

God, grant me the serenity to check my electrolyte level


I pray your base never becomes acidic and you charge on with extended life.

[kb2vxa]

Well, looks like Sue has an alternator with the regulator built in and the pass transistors shorted supplying the full 24V output to the electrical system. I'm surprised the fusible link didn't melt, so that repair won't come cheap. I'd hate to see her nailed on the battery, electrical crucifixion is NASTY! (And it doesn't do the battery any good with nails in it.)

[n2ize]

Well, looks like Sue has an alternator with the regulator built in and the pass transistors shorted supplying the full 24V output to the electrical system. I'm surprised the fusible link didn't melt, so that repair won't come cheap. I'd hate to see her nailed on the battery, electrical crucifixion is NASTY! (And it doesn't do the battery any good with nails in it.)

Many moons ago we has a Cadillac that was forever blowing the built in regulators inside the alternator. Luckily there was a shop nearby that was in the business of rebuilding alternators. We would just take it to him and trade it in for a rebuilt sold under his own brand name. It came out only a fraction of what it would have cost if I bought it from a gas station or an auto store. The owner of the shop even went to bat for us when some mechanic tred to tell us the alternator was faulty. the owner put it on his machine, tested it, then got on the phone with the mechanic and set him straight.

[KG4NEL]

Just had the Hyundai Atoz M.O.T. inspected, € 48.52 bill, nothing wrong for a car from july 2000.
Galvanised body, no rust car just rounded the 78000 km mark or 49000 miles for you jerks.
;)
Already put new tyres on it last year, new brakes, new battery so looks like some trouble free years.
Cost me € 90 euro to run every month bar the fuel, depreciation, road tax, insurance, repairs included.
Since it was tuned i got from 13 Km/liter to 15 Km/liter ( automatic gearbox)
Don't need a larger car too.

Want to see the holes in a galvanized underbody? :D

Of course, I have about 200K more on that 49K ;)

[KG4CGC]

Well, looks like Sue has an alternator with the regulator built in and the pass transistors shorted supplying the full 24V output to the electrical system. I'm surprised the fusible link didn't melt, so that repair won't come cheap. I'd hate to see her nailed on the battery, electrical crucifixion is NASTY! (And it doesn't do the battery any good with nails in it.)

Or catch fire. Took Ford years to figure that one out. Sometimes they would ignite just sitting park.
Hand to Golden Cheezuz. Seen it happen.

[PA5COR]

After 13 years the Hyundai Atoz undrbody was checked on the bridge by myself with the MOT this time, not one speck of rust, even the subframe which is the weak point on that model is crisp and clear.
Just to be sure i put that subframe in rust protection and be done with it, even checked with the small tv camera in the steel beams, all clear.
Here in the moderate sea climate we still get snow and ice hence road salt...
The number of miles is less important as the years the roadsalt etc had to do it's work...
But then i try to keep the underbody as clean as possible and after the winter to give it a professional clean up.
I had the car just before the winter waxed, with my new machine, 3 coats just to protect the metallic black paint.
That gets me through the winter, and in spring the car is completely done by myself, interior ena exterior.
Every week i check the vitals uunder the hood, tyres etc.



Want to see the holes in a galvanized underbody? :D

Of course, I have about 200K more on that 49K ;)

[kb2vxa]

Most alternators except for the originals are rebuilds. When you go to the auto parts store you have the option of new or rebuilt, in either case return the dud on the spot or swap them out and return it later. In that case the dud value is refunded.