Phil Junior?

Yesterday, I was all set to help out my welder buddy and then spend the rest of the day replacing the fuel injection spider on the 99 Sub.

I had just popped awake after 10 glorious hours of sleep, when I looked at my phone.

My sister's truck had sprung a leak at her farthest work spot and she was in a small town 50 miles south.  I slapped a quick tool kit together and headed out expecting a radiator hose, or those heater hoses again....

It was bleeding a bit on the parking lot, but when I popped the "radiator" cap (why did they move that to the fender on the overflow tank?) it started to hemorrhage.  Lots of digging to find the water pump blew.  (Leak was invisible under the pulley, the waterfall was pretty obvious.)

Didn't have enough of the right tools (note to self:  GET THAT STOOPID TOOL BOX SORTED NOW!!)  So had to purchase some, and did the swap in the parking lot.  THAT has been a while.  Last time I did that, it was a winter job, power steering pump on the 99 Yukon in sleet.  I didn't like that job atoll.

'04 Avalanche.  I did like the design of the water pump.  Tstat housing is integral, no goop needed, everything was o-ring.  I used some silicone spray to lube the front of the engine and the back of the pump to make the o-rings happy.  Some anti-seize on the bolts and it went back together easier than it came apart.  Last guy that was in it used all kinds of crap to seal it up.  I spent 45 minutes with my Old Timer scrapping off the front of the engine to remove the stuck stuff.  He even put goop and a gasket under the Tstat housing neck, it uses an o-ring.  I learned gaskets when that was normal, but times, they be a-changing...

 

We've been together since about 1985.

It's really not that bad of a swap if everything goes easy.

The worst water pump I've done was a '73 Olds 98 with a 455.  Those 2 short hoses on top of the pump, with the open back and Permatex and gasket..... That was difficult for young me to do.  Old me wouldn't do it alone.

Thank God the nut on the fan popped loose on the first smack.  And that the heat broke down here a few weeks back.  It was only 90 degrees, and mostly shady for the job.  Also, I got some sweet sleep and was ready for a challenge.

My sister has a deadbeat ex.  He's gone under the table to keep from paying his child support. She has built a business from the ground up and is doing fair.  Times like this we need to pull together.  She had too many big outlays to absorb this one.  

 Something I learned along the way was to accept responsibilities.  So, I regard her family part of mine.  She is a lady and she is quality, a real treasure.  That makes lending help real easy.

That truck gets her to her work.  She and two kids being homeless isn't an option as far as I concerned.  It ain't much in the overall scheme of things, but it makes a difference for three people that I know.  And I have an antique soul.  It's just not the average one folks have now.  It won't let me neglect my tribe.

I draw the line at diaper rash.  I don't want to follow ole Mobile Mechanic Phil down that path...

Thanks for stopping by the shop.  Come back anytime...

Wait.... 4 October?

 Where are the weeks going??

my calendar

 

Last post almost a month ago, and it seemed like just last week.  What a ride this year has been so far.

Wheee! AAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

 

Projects:

1999 Suburban: 5.7 Vortec, 100K miles, base unit, factory options: no carpet, crank windows, dual a/c.  Simple and rugged.  Right after I paid for it and got it home, it quit starting.  It would try, then quit.  Original owner could start it right up.  I figured it was in love with him.

busted ear on cap let in moisture

rotor didn't like the atmosphere either

Every plug had the same gap,  0.125"!!

It started and ran for a bit, but the next morning it was back to it's tricks.  After replacing the coil, it ran good... Next morning, it was acting up.  Couldn't find my fuel pressure gauge, so now I have a missing one and a new one.  Pressure is good.  New spider is going in soon, as is a new ignition controller.

The real McCoy

So I'm still using the 94 Toyota pickup with the 22RE.  Crank windows, 5 speed standard, no a/c, Armstrong steering.  It's been a Godsend this summer.  And I don't even need a sweat lodge for purification!!

Kenmore 253.22042410: Freezer started moaning the other day.  It's too new to do that, and too old to be in warranty.  Only one fan in it, so "one day" a new fan motor.  Found the bottom of the partition in the back frozen solid, so no air could get in.  The fan was moving the rotor around in the near vacuum, and I guess rubbing on the bearing.  Clean, deice, and reinstall / reload the freezer and it's quiet like it should be.  New fan motor in the box for when it fails for the reals.

I've been a house mouse for a while now, getting the honey do's did.  No honey though, just chores.  

Oh, and spent some quality time on the wire wheel with the die wrench!  The knurling is still sharp enough to grab back, like a good handshake.

 

looks like a browned black powder rifle

I just managed to get the handle off, still need to brush the threads down, and do inside the ring where the die goes.  But man, that is pretty isn't it?  Still have a ways to go.  Phil, this rust just goes so far... Then it works like a cocoon.  It protects the part rather than just eating it up like salt spray rust does.

Tomorrow is a doctor appointment to see the MRI, EEG, CAT, EIEIO shows any issues with the pudding in my head.  It seems it's never ending.  I hope his kids don't ruin all that dental work I'm helping with.

It's looking like I may NEED to have a second job.  And I may have a line on one.  I will know more this week.  I'm afraid November 2020 through 2021 is gonna be uglier than the first 10 months of 2020.  I hope I'm wrong....

Happy New Year, 3 months early!

Life Comes At You Fast

Remember this commercial?

That has been this year.  If I could find out who is running that switch, there would be sweet..... justice!  ha.

Update:

 Made friends with a welder here in town.  And I have spent some therapy time over there helping him getting underfoot.  He's patient, and hasn't thrown anything at me yet.  I'm hoping to trade some help for some TIG instruction. 

And I'd rather work till I sweat through my jeans and shirt helping someone than spend a 100 bucks to lay on a couch and talk to a stranger.  Hard work therapy seems to help my mood and outlook.  I don't have the head weirdness as much now as before.  Pressure waves still come when I have a conversation about 'that'.  And so far, the coming front has not caused my brain to go foggy all at once.

Decades ago, driving from Longview to Houston on 59, I passed through a cold front into warm moist air.  The windshield turned opaque gray in an instant.  It took wipers to clean it off until the defroster could bring the window temp up where it quit condensing water.  When the weather has changed in the last few months, my noggin has done similar things.  But it hasn't so far this week.  fingers crossed.

I hope to have more for you soon.  I started working on the Mr. Pete drill press vise...  Pics to follow.

Quality Assurance

 I'd thought about that plate and collar for a few days and nights...  Made sense to me.

Dropped the bundle off to the friend, and he said, "What is this stuff."

So, I drew a picture...  

"um.... you need to stop by, bud."

So, I essplained meself, and he liked what he saw.

 

Finished product.  

I love it when a plan comes together.  And most especially when the customer is happy.

Thanks for stopping by the shop.

Yeah!

Wednesday, 19 Aug - Nice thunderboomer is rolling past, good cool outflow.  Friend needed some work done, and it's not too hot to do it!!  WOW.  It's still August, and I didn't drown in sweat out in the shop!  Win.

An old tractor needs a new plate for water temp guage.

Friend got the plate made, and wondered if I could help with the threaded part.  Oh boy.

Drilled a scrap to 9/16, next is bore to .588, then try and thread it to 5/8x18...  Only need 3/8 of an inch of threads....  Fingers crossed...  First try was toast.  Not gonna work.  I couldn't be sure if I was using leaded steel or not, and that don't weld so good.

I can still hear the music and the announcer...

 

I remembered watching a "How It's Made", manufacturing air tanks for truck brake systems.  They had this little part, with pipe threads in it...  Hmmmm....  Found out it's name is thread-o-let. 

I was down in the oil patch, so I stopped by a valve supply house, and they had some.  Manger GAVE me one that is a 1/4 NPT and caked with dust.  So, I'm a customer for life.... 

Okay, let's go.

Saturday 22 Aug - Outside is tapered, can't grip that. It took 90 minutes to make the mandrel to hold this thing.  No tooling I needed was close to the lathe, and I'm rusty as a neglected tap wrench.  Finally got this thing done, threaded 10-32  on the end, and starting turning the bevel-o-let into a cylinder.  Missed my size by 2 thou, and that came back to haunt me.

Howie Man-drel

 

I have some 5C collets (not a complete set) and a collet block because of a gracious benefactor and mentor.  I missed sizing this for the one collet I had that was close, so it would be a booger to thread, but not a major problem.  

Temp sensor has a 5/8-18 thread, and, amazingly, I have a tap that size from the same benefactor / mentor.  Blew a 9/16 hole-o-let, cleaning out the old threads, and the proper size for where I'm going is 37/64"  Now, really....  What are the odds of having that....

I shoulda bought a lottery ticket too...

Thanks again to Mr. S.  I owe that man a lot.  He has invested a lot in me and in my shop.  Thank you.  I wouldn't be near where I am today without you.

Got the threaded collar done, and was thinking about it last night as I'm drifting off...  There is a bevel seal on the sending unit, and the collar needs to be centered over it.  Hmmmmm.....  Ordering up a centering plug.  

Got that turned down today, and ready.  Just need to grind the screws to length, and it's done.

Plug dimensions follow.  And I did get pretty close to hitting them all.  The plug needed a bit of polish to slide into the hole and collar.  

Went with a 10-24 screw instead of the 8-32...  Spec change in the field, no change order needed...  heh.

Man, is it ever good to be in the shop.  And with a cool front moving south and bringing rain twice in a week lowering the temps into the mid 90's....  Feels like Christmas in August. 

What a pain in the .... shoulder

 So, somehow, my old right should took it on the chin.  From Mike Tyson.  For a few weeks it's been hurting like a sum!@#%^&*....  Started radiating down my arm past my elbow.  So I thought, what is the worst I can do, make it hurt more?

Ask YT for senior stretching, and this vision of loveliness popped up and said, I'm here to help.

Gentlemen...

My arm feels so much better, I can sleep at night after just the second time. Yes, I am standing up and following along with what she is doing. I'm telling you, it made all the difference.  And she's easy on the eyes, too when I'm not hanging upside down and swaying like a "pendulum".   You are most welcome.

2nd Shift work

The Rusty Wrench Depot is actually a young man that started up a welding shop.  I've been getting under foot after hours.  He's got a lot of cutting to do, and I got to help him with his second hand band saw.  It cuts a lot straighter now, and I have a friend.  A friend who has a ton of rusty crap to paw through at some point.  Gotta help Phil out doncha know.

So, not much time to blog.  But I'm sleeping better.  Working basically IT from 0800 to 1700 and welder's irritant from 1730 to 2000...  I'll post more as I can. 

I have a new project.  Learned a new word, too.  Thread-o-let.  More to follow.

 And I got my scissor lift certification renewed for another three years.  yay me.

 Even small victories are sweet.  I'll take what I can get.

Thanks for stopping by the shop.  

Thanks Phil, and Irish for all the traffic.  You may not know how much I appreciate it this side of heaven.  But someday you will.

The Year of Reversals

To Do List:

Current projects on the languish:   The Three Tumico Terrors

    It's been blazing hot in the shop, and I don't have the heat tolerance I used to.

Future projects on the to do list:   

free for the asking.  mmmmmm, iron oxide....

I have seen those tap handles go for pretty nice coin.  Plan is to clean these up and put them up for sale.  I gotta get some cash flow in the positive direction.  I have everything I need to do it.  Just need to break the cheek weld with the chair, and get to it.

Status Update

This year has been nothing but a  good news / bad news joke.  And I'm the punchline.

Lots of sand in the air at work, and I finally decided to check again on the how and when of the pension at work.  I ran the numbers a while back and it showed about 2500 per month at the normal age of retirement.

Well, the numbers that I ran this week show it's closer to 25% of that number...  I'm at a loss.  So calls will be made next week to see if I'm mistaken or I spent 20 plus years in a gilded cage.

I was lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut last night.  I woke up at 0400 with this crushing weight of lost youth and wage potential.... 

It hit me like a brick, that this is like a betrayal.  And that is the worst.  In my mind, betrayal means the present relationship is undefined because you didn't understand the other party even though you thought you did.  The past is wasted, it was not what it seemed.  The planned future is gone, and what kind of boob am I that I didn't see this for what it is.  It is the destruction of reality as I understand it.  I guess there wasn't as much virgin ground to rip up as I have gone through this once already this year after the head injury.  That took about three months to come to terms with.  I'm sure there is more un-tilled soil in my field, but, God spare me that, please.

Then, I remembered that other men have been zeroed out later in life than this and done well for themselves.... 

"What Are You Prepared To Do?"

It takes industriousness and mental change to get over this.  I'm not wired to mope, or sit in the dark...  My mind started working out how do I turn this around?  What is holding me here?  Why is staying a good idea?  What is the best solution to what I see here?  What about me needs to change to harness this and sling shot off it?  What short term, medium term and long term goals need to happen?  What do I need to prune to do what needs doing?  Basically, a reordering of my entire life.  Overwhelming?   Yes, but necessary.

The plan is, throughout this weekend, to brainstorm what is positive about this position I find myself in.  What options do I see?  I've got to quit limiting the view, get on top of this, stand on my toes and look out to the horizon.

I ordered a couple books off my goto book site.  They'll be here in a couple weeks.  Nice cheap used books, from the Rich Dad series.  I need a fresh view from that perspective.  It's been on my list for quite a while, but I just never did it.  My previous forays into entrepreneurship foundered on the rocks...  And caused a crop of grief.  But I should have different issues now.  I learned some good lessons from the past.  I hope.  My goal is to leverage the info in the book to make smaller mistakes by aiming better. "Aim small, miss small."

I don't believe "the way is shut".  I think it's I'm not used to seeing this kind of situation as a positive place.  But I am seeing glimmers of that now.  I don't know if the head injury was a reboot into a new way of life, but things have gotten very different after that happened.  The world seems to look brighter and quite different than at anytime before.  The previous post was a glimmer of the change I'm seeing.

Postlude

I don't know if you even care to read about the status updates.  If not, I don't blame you.  There is enough heart ache out there to overload everyone.  Consider the status update title an exit ramp if you aren't interested. But I feel a bit of responsibility to keep you apprised of why I haven't posted like I had planned and where my head is at.  You have invested some time reading what I post, and I appreciate it.  

If you can take a warning from this, Great!  If you can take encouragement, Excellent!  If it kicks you off high center into a change, it was worth the time to write it up.  If you just laugh and point, then it was good entertainment.

I got work to do, thanks for stopping by.