At one time this blog was going to be Tales of the Old Monkey, which was a play on ABCβs Tales of the Gold Monkey from back in the 80s (a short lived tv show).
The monkey in question was a toy flashlight my daughter had when she was younger that stood watch over my tool bench. Occasionally the old battery would give just enough juice to make it chatter. I loved it.
One day it fell and busted and I haven’t found another.
Maybe some day.
That’s it. That’s the post.
Seegars
I woke up at 5:15 this morning.
Not because of an alarm.
Not because I was excited about today.
Nope. It was back pain. Sciatica. Intense horrible pain.
Anyway, I got up and made the coffee, stretched a little and got ready for work. Not much to do for except suffer through it and wait for whatever Iβve tweaked to get better.
Getting old ainβt comfortable. But it beats the alternative.
On the way to work Iβm keeping an eye out for the right junked Ranger. Iβm driving past a car lot thatβs going out of business and he has seats, consoles, dashboards and all kinds of other stuff piled outside for different cars. I stopped to take a look because you never know.
No one is there so I decided Iβll stop back by on the way home.
Work was uneventful, one of those days I like so much. Low drama, everyone working. Knocking it out.
I got to hang with Kevin and Riv a bit which is always a treat. We work and cut up and it makes for good days.
I stopped by the place I mentioned and the owner was there. I asked about the possibility of any Ranger parts but that was a negative. He waited around to see if I could possibly use any of the other parts he had. Sadly, no. I didnβt see anything I could mod for the applications I want.
And then he told me about Kenny. βIf you go down 102 and cross the three bridges and take the road at the top ofβ¦β.
Well, you canβt beat country directions. And I found Mr. Kenny easily.
Unfortunately, Mr. Kenny had only square bodies. Older than what I need. But he started talking junkyards and car guys with me and gave me a lead on another spot. A friend of his.
So off I go on another country direction adventure after filling up my tank (you never know).
As luck would have it this is sorta on my way home with a minor detour.
And then I meet Tim.
And Tim has a goldmine in his back yard.
I walked in an introduced myself and we talked and shortly he gave me the run of the yard.
This is my kind of place. You go out, find what you need, and pay the man after the haggle. If thereβs a haggle. Kenny says Tim is a fair price kinda guy.
Iβll find out next week. I didnβt have the cash with me today and he was getting ready to leave in the morning with his family for a vacation weekend. And thatβs cool. I wish Iβd known or I wouldnβt have held him up at all.
I probably spent an hour out in the yard and I was lucky. I found several pieces that I can use. Iβll be back next Wednesday.
The time out in the heat with the sun on my back seems to have had a therapeutic effect, that and the stretching in and out of junked cars probably helped as well.
Iβm a little stoked about my new gold mine. I love a good junkyard. Thereβs nothing like it if you love cars or trucks and working on them.
Today was long. Today was good. I profited.
I made three new contacts that may become friends but at the least are friendly.
Thatβs always a good thing.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
I wrote about fixing my truck Sunday. As a part of this ongoing project (and yes, thereβs a lot to do) Iβm going to be posting here and there about it. This blog is my daily outlet. This is why Iβm here.
πΌSome days are better than others…
Today was great!
Iβve been using OBDLink (Apple) with my OBD scanner. Itβs a nifty little tool that can drop all kinds of info on ya while youβre on the move. My primary concerns this week are engine coolant temp and the voltage on the battery. I replaced the thermostat several months ago. The battery was dead Sunday. So worth watching over. The MPG was a plus today.
I drove home with the A/C on this afternoon. I also fueled up at a station that may have had okay fuel. But as far as gas mileage Iβm pretty happy with either number.
Before I figured out the problem with the plugs it was getting 22/23 mpg. This is a huge improvement.
For a twenty two year old truck this is pretty phenomenal I think.
I have a little bit more mechanical to work on. I have some plans for the exterior and a few more improvements to the interior look and functionality.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
This is how it starts…
8:00 AM: Iβm starting off the day trying to figure the problem out with the truck and these spark plugs. And I may have found the problem. I think itβs the wrong set of plugs. Youβd think the guy at the counter would have some knowledge as to what heβs selling you but Iβve trusted too much in that. It would seem heβs wrong.
(Further on Iβll be talking about OβReillyβs. I didnβt get the bad plugs from there. – Credit where credit is due.)
Iβll be taking off to the parts place with a little more knowledge this time and the manual and truck info to back me up.
But first, church.
12:19 PM
Iβm at OβReilly Auto Parts and my man Chuck here confirmed part of a problem. I was sold single platinum plugs instead of double platinum plugs at the other parts place. The plug in five split and is causing misfire. These plugs couldnβt handle the workload.
We may be onto something…
1:00 PM: I got back home, stepped out of the car and directly to the truck. I went to work on replacing the plugs.
I started at one and went to six. I didnβt pull a wire until I had the previous one gap checked, greased and seated. That fifth cylinder misfire was because of these old plugs. That would be number five in the lineup pictured above. Absolutely the wrong equipment for the application.
2:14 PM: After about an hour I was back on the road but it wasnβt all rainbows and roses, no. The battery had died and a cell had went bad so I was off to another OβReillyβs to see about a new battery.
The truck isnβt cutting back like it was and no check engine light. No misfire. This, for me, is huge! I love my truck but it has to be usable to stick around.
At this point I was only into this little adventure for blood, sweat, and $32.00 USD. I was dreading having to shell out for a new battery. They arenβt outrageous but they arenβt cheap either. And this battery was only a year old.
But then I guess there was a bit of βwhiskers on kittensβ. Turns out the battery I bought a year ago was under a two year warranty at OβReillyβs. Those fellas helped me out big time to day.
A BIG SHOUT OUT to OβReillyβs and to their employees. Gene and Jim in Camden, SC and Chuck in Lancaster, SC. They were super helpful and knowledgeable today.
And also, Iβm thanking God. Itβs getting hot and thereβs no air in the Escape. The Ranger has super cold air. I prayed over the truck last night hoping that this was the problem. I needed it and it was granted. So thank you Lord for the hands and mind to work the problem and the grace to let this happen.
5:50 PM: I havenβt eaten all day. I was all about getting this done. And now itβs almost supper time.
Time to shower, eat, and relax. Tomorrowβs Monday.
And itβs gonna be a great day!
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
Iβve been wandering a bit after work. I forgot what me and Skipper used to say.
βA little #wander is good for the soul.β
And so it is. I have to get back into this again. I have the time and eyes to see. I gotta start stopping for this again along the way.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
If I remember correctly I took this on on Main Street in Mayesville, SC before they refurbished that area.
Itβs kind of a ghost town that isnβt really abandoned. Interesting place.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
I just stopped to have a look around today.
I need to slow down and take a look around more often.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
Shopping. I took the kids shopping today.
Mom has to get her CEUs in and needed a quiet house.
So we went out in search of Christmas presents for mom and to pick up the elder childβs glasses that came in yesterday.
Fun day. Tiring day. I almost forgot to post tonight.
If youβve never watched Two Sentence Horror Stories, itβs on Netflix and fairly entertaining.
Iβm probably a late adopter again.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
Ross Bernards and his friends ended up with the monolith all to themselves for about an hour and took nighttime photos until some other visitors came walking up.
β Read on www.wistv.com/2020/12/01/photographer-says-he-witnessed-removal-utahs-mysterious-monolith/
I was hoping for more but here ya go.
That’s it. That’s the post.
Seegars
Or will be for another couple of hours.
The daughter got straight Aβs on her report card. Thatβs the good.
She also needed to go to the doctor today so the wife took her to our family pediatrician who will see our children well into their teen years.
The doc ainβt about making extra money due to the discomfort of children. He truly cares for them. They arenβt just a sickness making their way through his office.
Translate this as no Covid test without reason.
She has a double ear infection. Thatβs the bad.
Meds prescribed. Problem will be taken care of. All sorted.
And me? I went to work. I worked. And for my trouble I broke my glasses.
My troubles are minuscule compared to what some of my friends are going through.
One dealing with a major illness.
One dealing with Covid.
Others dealing with deaths in the family.
No. I have no problems compared to them.
So Iβm not complaining. Iβm praying for them.
-ββββ
I received a thing in the mail today. A morale patch for my everyday bag.
People on both sides might assign me this title after something I posted today. I donβt care. I canβt.
These are rough times politically in the United States. Everyone wants power. The people seem to have none. Iβm worried. But life does have to go on. So Iβm doing my thing. Making the best of it.
And watching.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
The Musings of a Writer / Freelance Editor in Training
Blog Fiction
The goal is to help make peopleβs lives easier
Understanding why I allowed this
