Hot, humid, but less of both if we are lucky. Got some rain late in the day yesterday and it did clear the air and cool off a bit. Not much mind you, but a bit.
And it was hot during the day. I know because I cut the grass in it. Yes I am that dumb. Or motivated. Or guilty. But in any case the yard hadn’t been cut in a couple of weeks and it looked like it. In furtherance of that, I also did a bit of work on the gas string trimmer. I replaced the bump head, and tried it out. The string I have on hand is too thin. The thing still starves for gas and dies. I have thicker string at the BOL and some will come home with me, and I think the issue with fuel is related to the filter stone I replaced to get the thing running in the first place. Specifically, I think it is too small. Looking at the package, it has a picture of a chainsaw and a hand held blower. I’m thinking the trimmer engine needs a higher flow rate. I’ll pick up a new kit at the store today.
I’m going to the store for more plumbing fittings. I will be at the lake doing plumbing this weekend, and I’ve got a list. Since it’s so hot, I think I’ll just get new ends on the pipes for the hall bath sink and wait to do the pex lines until it either leaks again, or gets cooler out. With the hall bath working again, I can strip the master bath, and then that job can get started.
Or maybe I’ll do something completely different. I might be using the camp toilet, but I’m staying all weekend, just me and the dog. Everyone else is sailing.
Then I’m home for a day or two, then back out to meet with the engineer, and also the septic guy to see what we can move forward on. Suddenly stuff might be breaking loose. I hope so, because stuff is breaking loose out there in the world too. I need to keep working on the house as a BOL.
And I still need to build up stacks.
At the grocery today, some empty shelves. Pork was up about 10%. Chicken was the same as last week. Beef was either nasty or too high. I did buy two pot roasts that were onsale and looked ok. The bread I like was in stock. Limes are 32c each. They used to be 10/$1. Avocados were slightly cheaper but still $1 each for small. Makes me wish I’d planted the tree 10 years ago. (Thinking about it, I believe I did plant an avocado tree but it died.) The best time to have done a lot of things was 5 years ago (or 10), so do them NOW and be glad you did in 5 or 10 years.
Add to your stacks while you can. Don’t be kicking yourself in a couple of years that you didn’t.
nick
Based on my experience with electric tools the chainsaw and blower consume more power than a string trimmer. The battery lasts longer with the string trimmer. Or maybe my perception of time is warped due to effort in using the tool.
Well it is a bit cooler today, to start anyway.
77F and saturated this morning as the sun starts to shine…
I think that’s the coolest start in weeks.
n
FA and FO,
—it’s still a federal crime HERE.
n
I finally gave up on string trimmers. The original electric ones were great, but the ones made in the past 30 years or so have been improved and safetyfied to death. Got tired of spending more effort and money getting one running only to have it not work again the next time.
I’ve not had to mow all summer, as nothing is growing. Our water is too expensive to water with, so only my few new plantings get watered. Everything established has to get by on its own. We will probably lose a few perennials if it doesn’t rain soon.
That will change the moment they decide to blow up the fillibuster.
I’m sure a list of priorities exist to take advantage of the situation.
I have a 10 year old plug-in trimmer and a long extension cord. I don’t mess with the battery units.
My gripe is the cost of the spools of twine, but I learned to wind them myself using a bulk reel from a company in … Phoenix ? … which makes the right thickness and density to replace Black & Decker’s line.
Anytime I need more, I get the company name from the spool and search for a reseller.
Downstairs AC unit stopped cooling last night. After a little investigating, the outside blower fan isn’t running. The top of the motor was too hot to touch – not good. I turned the system off for the night and setup the portable AC unit in the bedroom. We have a separate unit for the upstairs bonus room, so I put a camping cot up there for the boy, err young man, to sleep on.
This morning I was able to get the unit running by helping the fan blade start turning. That would lead you to believe its a capacitor issue, but the motor has been noisy for a while, and it didn’t keep running. I have a new fan motor ordered and it should arrive Tuesday. I went ahead and ordered a new capacitor as well. $300 all in, which is around what a service call would cost anyways. At least the temps through early next week are supposed to be in the mid to upper 80’s instead of the mid 90’s. Little gifts…
Re: string trimmers. I have an Echo trimmer and edger – both gas powered. I bought them in 2010 for around $250 each. They have been flawless until recently. I rebuilt the carb in the edger this winter, and it’s back to working great. The string trimmer needs it done too, and I’ll do that real soon now. It’s only $30 or so for the rebuild kit. When it comes time for replacement, I’m going with Ego products.
ITguy, I have decided to always buy a new fan when I buy a motor, as I have always ruined the old fan trying to get it off. AC guy told me that there is a specific fan that the unit was designed for, to create the correct neg pressure and let the motor run free, so you need to order the right one, or take the old one to the store with you. YMMV but I’ve yet to get the old fan off despite gear pullers, pry bars, and swearing.
n
@greg, the new bump head I put on the trimmer is one you stick the bulk string thru, then turn the head to wind it in. It’s a lot of messing around and less convenient than just swapping spools so far. If the string isn’t straight, it doesn’t want to load, and the string REALLY doesn’t want to be straight.
I will say that after years of plug in electric here, I like the power of the gas one. The battery one is good for grass (the new batteries and new motors on the B+D trimmer I have at the lake are great, much improved over the old ones) but weeds will quickly exhaust the battery. It lasts far longer than I expect it too, but uses thin line, and a shorter radius for the string. The plug in is stronger and uses both thicker line, and a bigger radius. But the gas one, it uses crazy thick string and almost double the radius of the battery trimmer.
I guess it’s a matter of picking the right tool for the job at hand.
n
I have a Black and Decker lion-powered for light work, and a Stihl gas-powered for heavy or extended use.
I’d recommend the Stihl, It’s almost 20-years-old and has worked flawlessly since outfitting with solid blades.The current model is FS 70R or 91R (not sure which without diving into specs). My only gripe is the throttle control is not easy to master. The tendency is to squeeze it too hard when you’re maneuvering it around, and with ear protection it’s harder to notice that it’s roaring.
At my most recent teeth cleaning, I was told I needed a deep cleaning and they scheduled me for one with a Periodontics Office. I never heard of a deep cleaning procedure. I have routinely had my teeth cleaned so I this is a surprise.
Is anyone here have any experience related to this? What should a deep cleaning cost?
Thanks
About 10 years ago I got rid of the gas powered Sears trimmer. Mostly a good unit with plenty of power but not always easy to start. The worst was after two or three pulls the engine kickback threw the head off. After about the hundredth time I had it and no matter what I did I couldn’t stop that. I bought a BD battery unit with extra battery and lots of string cartridges. I was tired of rewinding string, mixing oil and gas and stupid starts. I also eventually got a corded BD for those jobs that need more power.
80F when I woke at 4:30 am. 105F predicted next two days. Pool time.
Next up on the Exploder – water pump. $2000 with labor.
2016 Exploders had leak problems with the water pump but no recall. Dealers were advised check the pumps. Yeah, right.
Gotta think about that one. Six years old. The leak isn’t terrible for now.
Only 94F at the moment.
Juggling which pickups to do, vs hardware store and packing…
n
The hypocrisy is stunning. And I’m pretty jaded.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11059809/White-House-claims-Republicans-sending-migrants-D-C-political-pawns.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11058505/True-cost-inflation-revealed-pay-5-915-year-everyday-basics.html
Anyone’s salary or SS payments go up that much?
n
I’m up from what I made back when I was fired, but I consider the current number to reflect the market.
The talent pool in this area isn’t as deep as the media makes it out to be, and specific skills like C++ or low level systems programming are pricey.
When the layoffs really start rolling, this area will be smacked hard. Too many companies have outposts or even HQs here for the wrong reasons.
I am heading southwest to Victoria to see “Jurassic World: Dominion” with Dad, and then I am spending the weekend with Mom and Dad in Port Lavaca. It is really nice to be able to hang with my parents at age 62, I get the feeling that these are the good old days. We don’t do much, just talk, watch baseball and movies. They are 83 and 81 and get out a fair amount. Oh, and we eat too much.
Next up on the Exploder – water pump. $2000 with labor.
2016 Exploders had leak problems with the water pump but no recall. Dealers were advised check the pumps. Yeah, right.
Gotta think about that one. Six years old. The leak isn’t terrible for now.
Wow, I thought paying $1,200 to get my 2008 Highlander water pump replaced last year was too much.
Do the water pump bearings tend to fail if the water pump is leaking ?
I would get it replaced since it is your wife’s primary driver. You just don’t want her stranded on the side of the road in these times in Austin. Too many crazies running around there.
Then I’m home for a day or two, then back out to meet with the engineer, and also the septic guy to see what we can move forward on. Suddenly stuff might be breaking loose. I hope so, because stuff is breaking loose out there in the world too. I need to keep working on the house as a BOL.
You need to get a port-a-potty at the BOL until you get the septic under control. The cost is around $400/month depending on how many times a month they service it. Once a month may be good enough if you can stand the stench. You will be surprised how quickly it fills up. And if you have workers out there, they need a place to go also.
And D1 and D2 need to experience the joy of using a port-a-potty. It is so much better than the woods.
The “deep cleaning” used to involve using very high pressure water to descale the teeth below the gums. In advance they tell that the process may cause teeth to loosen but they wave away the risk as “rare”. I don’t remember what it cost.
About 18 years ago, I let one talk me into having that done. As a result, one of my front top teeth moved violently out of place the following day. The dentist denied that the procedure had caused it. That tooth has been crooked ever since.
So since then, I’ve never allowed a dentist to do that procedure on me. Most don’t mind. I did have one that got horsey about it so I changed dentists. The one I changed to is not only a better dentist, he’s fun and personable, and doesn’t charge as much. And I’ve never lost a tooth due to plaque.
I’m guessing this one won’t make the national wires, but if The Times, known at our house as Pravda West, runs a story on a warrant being served at Uhuru House, something big is happening.
St. Petersburg cops are told that Uhuru House should always be approached as if it were a foreign government’s embassy.
And, last time I checked, the Uhuru’s weren’t big fans of Republicans or Trump.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/breaking-news/2022/07/29/federal-agents-serve-warrant-at-uhuru-house-in-st-pete/
V6 Highlander? Yeah, everything is expensive with the V6 version of the Camry/Highlander platform. Simply changing spark plugs is an ordeal.
I’ll talk to the repair shop guy when I pick the car up today. We still have travel planned for the remainder of the Summer.
My wife’s daily commute is to a parking lot a couple of miles away, where she catches a carpool paid for by the VA. Your tax dollars at work.
The throttle body on the Exploder failed at almost exactly 5000 miles, leaving her stranded in a bad part of Austin. We agreed that the first major repairs on the vehicle would be where we’d start to consider replacement, but I had hoped to get 10 years or more out of it like we did with the 4Runner, which ran for 14 before the rack went.
I can verify. Lost an alternator. In the process took out the battery. No power. Getting into the back of the vehicle for the tow hook was an adventure as the rear hatch would no longer unlock. $1400.00 later, new alternator, battery and labor.
Yes, as the water tends to leak out the front of the water pump. Only other part to fail is the gasket so most failures are the seals and bearings.
Depends on the dentist. I had the procedure. Entire mouth was deadened. Took about an hour. Dentist used tools t scrap far below the gumline. When the anesthesia wore off my mouth was very sore and I at soft food for a couple of days.
I had to go to another dentist due to an abscess as my regular dentist was out. The guest dentist wanted to pull all my teeth because I had “deep pockets” and replace them with implants. About $10K worth of work. I declined. I did have the tooth pulled as it was a molar.
Went back to my regular dentist and told him was I was offered. He said it was not necessary. I may lose another tooth or two but there was no need to pull all the teeth and go through a long procedure of implants.
I have one implant in the front tooth. Broken during racquetball. Attempts were made multiple times to cap, and otherwise repair. All did not last so I had the implant. That is not a fun procedure. Cut the gum, pull the tooth, let it heal. Cut the gum, drill the bone, put in the implant base, close the gum, let it heal. Puncture the gum, put in the implant post, let the gum heal. Finally install the temporary implant tooth, torqued to a specification. That really hurt as it was twisting the gum and felt like it would rip loose. Finally remove the temporary tooth and install the final tooth. Process took about 18 months start to finish.
During parts of that process finely sanded hard wood painted white seemed like a good option.
Final loading up…
n
The really bad news about the water pump is that it is inside the engine.
The repair shop guys have done the job on other 2016 Explorers and labor is 10 hours.
My wife hasn’t really paid attention to the maintenance suggestions, but I noticed coolant came up at about 30,000 miles, much shorter life than Toyota Red so she waived replacement thinking that Motorcraft was similar and the dealer was padding the visit like they did with spark plugs on another service.
I’ll see what Ford will do in the next couple of weeks.
The water pump is inside the engine? Never mind, I don’t really want to know how that works. Drop the oil pan to replace it?
The stupid van has another check engine light. Seems to run fine.
The last time it set a code was something about high pressure on the fuel rail. Could be a sensor, likely to be a short said the web page. If it’s a short caused by mice, why am I feeding so many cats? Where is the sensor? Not much of a idea beyond along the fuel lines. I have the shop manual, I suppose I could look it up. Nah. Too hot and the van runs fine.
I’ll get the OBDI gizmo from wherever I have it stashed and see what it says. Tomorrow morning. Maybe on Sunday. No rush.
As for the van, if it’s two grand to replace the water pump, it’s getting a dose of Bar’s and it’s going away. I don’t think it’s worth dropping a couple of grand on a 2004.
I should Google or something but I’m wondering about my egg cooker.
It’s a West Bend. Real expensive at $15 and free shipping from New Egg about 10 or so years ago. I can’t find the receipt in my e-mail today.
It has a shot glass thing with a spike to pierce the shell. What baffles me is it takes about half a shot glass of water for 6 or 7 eggs. But almost a full shot glass for a couple of eggs. Uh? What? It boils the water off, I get that, but a couple of eggs take longer to cook than six eggs?
It does a good job. The end of cycle buzzer is sketchy but that’s ok.
My truck is throwing a code, CEL. Had it scanned at Advance Auto. O2 sensor. Earliest I can get it fixed in next Friday. About $300.00 including parts and labor. I am having it down at a private shop. Reputable chap, cheaper than dealer. I can still drive the truck, drives OK. Fuel economy is down. There are two sensors, one for each bank. I suspect the turbo and towing are hard on the sensors. I may have both replaced.
Dental deep cleaning; I’ve had that done a couple of times. It was painful and I ended up with infected gums each time. Never again. Your dentist might better than mine, but if you go for it, ask for a script for antibiotics at the time of the procedure.
Much more fun. The water pump requires removing the valve covers and going through the top of the engine. Lots of parts which are “torque once only”.
The shop gave me a 40 page (!) printout from the mechanics reference site showing the complete job, step by step.
The cop Explorers with the bigger V6 which many cities bought to replace the Crown Vics have the same problem.
Even if we fix it, the new pump won’t last any longer than the one installed so the vehicle will need the same repair at about 12 years.
Next time Toyota, preferably another Hecho en Japan model.
OK, here is my take on water pumps. Spoiler: pump seals often fail due to old coolant. Sorry.
Cooling system seals and hoses can fail from a phenomenon called electrolytic erosion, which can be caused by coolant that has lost its buffering ability. Some cooling systems, especially those that contain aluminum components, are more prone to this. That includes almost all newer vehicles that have aluminum radiator cores. This is partly why there are newer antifreeze formulations. There are test strips available to test the pH of coolant. An unsatisfactory test means that the coolant should be changed immediately.
It should go without saying that newer cars should only use what the manufacturer specifies, but many shops, including some dealers, use “universal” antifreeze. Sometimes they mistakenly use the wrong type. Some shops also use flushing machines that recycle used coolant. I don’t know what the auto manufacturers say about this, but I wouldn’t trust my car to a machine full of recycled stuff, no matter how well-maintained that machine might be.
Simply changing the coolant at the suggested intervals might not be often enough. That’s why test strips can be useful. Sometimes tiny leaks due to casting porosity can let exhaust gas into the cooling system. Even though this might not be enough to cause bigger symptoms, the coolant can quickly go acidic. Some fleets have used additives to refresh the antifreeze buffers, but this is risky without a good lab to monitor the coolant. Besides pH balance, antifreeze contains lubricants for the static and dynamic seals. In my opinion, it is best to drain and refill with new antifreeze mixed with distilled water. Flushing is unnecessary unless the system is visibly dirty.
Water pumps usually fail at the shaft seal. There is a weep hole between the shaft seal and the bearings, and this will protect the bearings from the leakage until the pump can be replaced. Watch the weep hole for drops or signs of previous leakage. A good FLASHLIGHT and mirror are useful tools. Bearings do fail, usually by getting loose. They can also seize, which would mean a tow.
Some cars have water pumps that are recommended for replacement when a cam timing belt is replaced, simply because it is easy while things are apart. I have no experience with these. All my cars have pumps that are external and easy to replace. Some engines have pumps that are internal, and are difficult to replace. A small subset of these can leak coolant into the crankcase. This is an abominable design, as the engine can be ruined if the leak is not caught quickly. Don’t buy cars with such a design. I don’t remember which one, but the “I Do Cars” YouTube channel has shown at least one teardown of an engine ruined by coolant in the oil.
Ok, am I the only person who, if there are carnivorous dinosaurs running around the neighborhood, would be down at my local Armory getting a few crew served weapons ?
Even if we fix it, the new pump won’t last any longer than the one installed so the vehicle will need the same repair at about 12 years.
Next time Toyota, preferably another Hecho en Japan model.
Fords other than the F-150 are suspect. And, I do not like the 2.7L V6 in the F-150. I have the 3.5L V6 biturbo which is considered to be bulletproof.
The Highlander V6 is an awesome vehicle. I own a 2008 with 158K miles and a 2019 with 30K miles. I would not purchase the 4 cylinder.
Made it here.
Had a small adventure. Couple days ago I noticed the front right tire was low, so I filled it. No visible damage or cause. It looked fine before today’s drive. After an hour of driving, pulling into Conroe, I noticed the steering was pulling to the right. So I got gas and checked and the tire was pretty low, almost to the point the bead would break loose. The gas station air pump was broken so I went into Conroe.
Paid $2 for the machine to pump in some air, about a block from the first station. Got to pressure, and I pulled the hose off, and BANG WHOOSH. The whole valve core flew out and the tire quickly deflated. The valve stem was EMPTY and so was the tire . A guy walks up and suggests I limp it the block to Discount Tire where his boss will probably fix it for free.
I limped about 40ft, thought better of it, and pulled into the shade to change for the spare.
Jack and spare worked fine, although the spare was alittle low. Got to the shop about 5 minutes after close, but the manager came out, took the tire, put a new valve stem on it and checked for leaks. All for free.
I’ve got a needle like nail in the tire. So tomorrow I’ll be headed to Trctor Supply for a plug kit. I’ve got my compressor up here, so I’ll try plugging it and refilling it myself. I’ll ride on the spare to home, and get a new set ASAP, keeping my repair as a new spare.
Good thing I stopped for gas and noticed the handling issue. Good thing Kroger’s air pump was out of order. FWIW, I think, to something like 85% certainty, that I have a plug kit in the truck, but unlike the expedition I don’t know exactly where and I don’t want to tear everything out to find it. It could have been very bad to have the valve stem fail suddenly on a two lane country road with no shoulder at 70mph.
I hope my tire guy can get me 4 new tires….
n
I get all my tires at Discount Tire. Free air pressure checks and rotations. Decent prices. They usually have a 6-month-no-interest thing.
Recommended.
Discount Tire (or one of their regional other names, like America’s Tire) is the only place I go for tires. Excellent prices, excellent service.
Nick, rubber snap-in valve stems fail regularly, now that the Chinese ones are not EPDM synthetic. I replaced all mine with metal stems over 20 years ago.
Rumor has it that the new TPMS sensors with rubber stems are OK, but I am not sure. I like the older ones that were metal.
Minimal corrosion here, but lots of plastic rot. And, yes, rubber is plastic in the broad sense.
Highlander is Hecho en Kentucky.
4Runner is definitely Hecho en Japan. Various other models too.
“China Warns: Pelosi Trip Marks ‘Invasion’ and Military Has Right to Fire on Her Plane”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/freebeacon.com/national-security/china-warns-pelosi-trip-marks-invasion-and-military-has-right-to-fire-on-her-plane/amp/
You know, just about any other president would be sending three carrier fleets to the China Sea. Slow Joe is taking a nap.
@Lynn
“Ok, am I the only person who, if there are carnivorous dinosaurs running around the neighborhood, would be down at my local Armory getting a few crew served weapons ?”
Wouldn’t it be faster to break out the flame thrower?
Flammenworfen!
And big guns.
n
“REVIEW: 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro i-FORCE MAX Hybrid”
https://www.carpro.com/vehicle-reviews/review-2022-toyota-tundra-trd-pro-i-force-max-hybrid
“I had a misconception about this new hybrid. Usually with Toyota, the hybrid engines produce much improved fuel economy, but that is not the case with Tundra. The fuel economy is slightly better, but the point is horsepower. The i-FORCE MAX hybrid puts out 437-horses and a stunning 583-pound feet of torque.”
Weird.
“Marching to War”
https://areaocho.com/marching-to-war/#comment-13325
Looks like we are going to war somewhere.
Imitating the Porsche hybrids. Hey, when cost is no object, what’s a few thousand extra gallons over the life of the car?
Yes, let us eat cake!
Nah, it’s not a recession, it’s just a “transition”… oh look, COWS!
https://www.newsweek.com/wikipedia-editing-recession-joe-biden-rejects-claims-economy-1729065