Cars are Cars

Went to KC to visit the Groves last weekend. It was Q's birthday, but that's not really what prompted the trip. Unfortunately, Vicki's car broke down on the way. We got a ride back from Ken, loaded our stuff in my car and went anyway.

I was convinced that was the end, and we looked for cars in Kansas City on Saturday, but didn't get one.

Got home, and Ryan talked me in to trying to replace the short block ... it'd only be about $1,000 or so if we did it ourselves. So monday I took off work early and went and got a catalytic heater for the garage (hooks to a propane tank), some goop to clean hands, and went home and cleared out the garage. Paid Troy $81 to tow the car to our house.

Monday evening we figured out that would be a lot harder than originally thought because the engine on that car comes out the bottom, it can't be lifted out from the top. And we don't have the facilities to get the car up that high.

The theories varied from throwing a rod to a busted piston or piston rod. I was once again ready to resign and not even try, just go get a new one.

But Ryan talked to one of his buddies at work yesterday, who said he thought it sounded like a worn bearing on one of the piston rods, and you should be able to replace the bearings from underneath the car by taking off the oil pan.

So we took the oil pan off last night (had to take part of the exhaust off, too) and took off two of the piston rod caps. The second one appeared to be the bad one. I ordered some new bearings which will be in today, and an oil-pan gasket for putting the oil pan back on. I need to get some oil today, too. So that's about $50 worth of stuff and our labor. I also have a couple of oxygen sensors I bought a while back I need to put on the exhaust system while it's out.

Tonight, we replace the bearings and hopefully get it all put back together. If it runs without making any unusual noises, I guess it's fixed and we can continue to drive it for ... maybe a couple of years. If it doesn't run well, we're back to buying a new (used) car and we've only spent $130 trying to salvage what we have.

Stay tuned!

In other news, I got an old 1930's H&R 922 revolver for practice. 1.7 cents a shot sure beats 26 cents a shot. It shoots 9 rounds. Has a nice walnut handle, and it was pretty inexpensive. But... haven't fired it yet due to visiting people and working on cars and whatnot.

I have everything I need to reload my spent .38 S&W rounds. A reloader, dies, primers, gunpowder, scales, & lead. I'm good to go.