Car-lita Lives!!!

Well... I have the 'time' thing figured out, and I am 'right on time' with my blog posts. Just the world and events have sped up around me, which explains losing 2 months here.

So... I have the '91 Dodge Shadow, not a bad little car but not a great little car. It had its own issues, like idling high when the engine was hot. I paid $80 to the shop to diagnose it, then had my mechanic (Shane) install a new 'intake manifold gasket'. This was after 3 new belts, thermostat, and some sensor by the thermostat. It still has a mind of its own on this, so may need to investigate the air-hose thing.

Right. One person recommended I squirt something like Carburetor Cleaner while it was running under the hood - which is flammable. Talking with Shane, he'd just had an engine fire in one vehicle while he was working on it, so I decided it would NOT be wise for me to randomly squirt flammable products under the hood unless, of course, I was to the point of maniacal permanent mechanical repair (i.e. 'toast').

Considering the Dodge came into my life around March 10, I have 4000 miles on it - and I've been driving the Acura again for the last week (about 400 'new' miles on it now). It's easy to see why MPG factors into my life; I could get between 26 - 28 mpg with the Dodge, but I'm averaging 32 with the Acura without even trying. Thanks to the handy-dandy invention called Calculator, I can even give a ball-park estimate on gallons and dollars for 4000 miles ... 148 gallons (at 27 mpg) at $3.85 is $570. At 32 mpg, it's 125 gallons or $481.

It made sense to try and fix Car-lita's timing belt. I couldn't find anyone interested in doing it and the general opinion (95 - 98%) was 'catastrophic engine damage'. The only saving grace was it snapped just as I idled through a stop sign to park. One person said "50-50 chance it might work" and that was the only glimmer of hope - and optimism.

So I bought a book.

Like the Hayne's manual on 1990's Acuras. Bought it on Sunday, May 15, and decided Terry wouldn't have given me a socket set for my birthday if he didn't expect me to take things apart. It seemed a good omen when the first socket actually fit the first bolt I tried! (I needed encouragement.) Joe's a friend I haven't seen in 3 years, but he called this spring; then he said he was looking for some work $...

Joe has had so many surgeries and spent 2 years in hospitals and assisted living, I didn't want him doing the work as much as being part of the brains and 'tool man'. He's never worked on an Acura before or did a timing belt, but he has torn engines out and such over the years - and has a massive amount of tools! (Sans 3/4 air gun thing that was needed to remove the crankshaft pulley belt - I snagged one temporarily.)

My intent was to video-tape each step, so that I could keep track if I needed to on the 'putting it back together again' part. However, Joe had stuff flying out from under the hood faster than I could register it on my brain. Between working under the driver's wheel, jacking up the engine, taking off all kinds of parts, etc. ...

Had to pick the brains of others, in that the book wasn't totally clear, but from Monday afternoon starting to Wednesday evening, we got her done. AND IT RAN!!!!!

I was quite nervous trying to start it, expecting anything including shooting flames and exploding parts. But Car-lita just needed a little coaxing to pop right over. Now how lucky is that??

Sure, it was parked in March when we had had so much salt and ice and snow on the roads, so the brakes were rusted up and jagged. I called 1) my insurance company and 2) Shane on Thursday morning; Shane had an opening in his schedule "if I got it out there", which I immediately did. Four new rotors and front brake pads, and 400 miles on it to date.

I still need to change the oil and can only leave it to the Universe as to Life Expectancy, since I am not that confident in my own repairs. I never took off a valve cover before, so this was a pretty intense experience. I tackled it because it was already broke - figured I couldn't break it then - and proving it sooner than later would be just as well. Either I had a $150 salvage vehicle (actually two, in that the other Acura is a parts car parked at Tom's) or a repairable one.

There is a sense of Home-coming for me to be back in my Acura, especially since it's the twin of the one I ran the last 6 years. It's beat up and doesn't look like much, but "it feels right". This is pretty much what I flew on for this challenge - intuition and stubbornness. I might be wrong, I might be right, but I was following my own instincts, however crazy it seemed.

The rest of life just fit in kind of around this, which means I am behind on everything. I have plants to get outside, the grass is a foot tall, I can no longer get into my tool shed because of trashing it and a door waiting to be cut in... But the sun is shining and I'm feeling pretty grateful to the Universe.

Now all I really need to do is wish Jim the best. I haven't written his way, but I've been sending thoughts of rapid-healing and hugs. This is also true for a couple other friends that have been having some challenges - you know who you are! Sending a hug to all who can use one.

I don't expect things will slown down anytime soon, but I wouldn't mind if it did a little bit!