What are you doing today? [Part II]

[Mooseman]

Picked up the powder coated parts on Thur, which cost $350, $400 incl. tax. Spent the past two days putting my sled back together. Was mostly uneventful but just time consuming.

Using threaded rod, pressed in the new Oilite bronze bushings. These will be much more durable than the original plastic ones.



Got one side done in about 2 hours.


Then did the other side, put on the plastics. Then, looking at the rear, the tail piece was rusty so painted that with some black Tremclad rust paint, along with the hitch and bolts so I had to wait overnight to dry.

Today, finished the rear bumper install and hitch. The black contrasts it nicely. Polished up the plastics and cleaned up the parts. And when I fired it up to pull it out of the garage, I went to test the high beams and one of the LED bulbs didn't light. Shut her down, close the garage door again and start chasing this problem. A bit of a tight squeeze under the dashboard to get to them. Checked the connections, all good. Then pull the bulb, which is an aftermarket LED that doesn't go in conventionally. Only after I pulled it I had the idea to swap connections between the two bulbs and they both worked. Then fought with the clip and mount to get it back in. Another 1.5 hours doing just that.

Anyway, here she is in all her glory. The front end lighting doesn't do it justice. It looks fantastic. Helluva lot better than the original silver. Filled it with gas, parked it under the canopy and she's ready to go as soon as the trails open.



Helped my son with his GF's '99 Ski Doo 2 smoke that's having plug fouling issues. I don't have that problem with my 4 stroke fuel injected 1050cc Yamaha

 

[Sparky]

Too much to do, too little time, I'm losing my marbles.

 

[TollKeeper]

Losing?

 

[Blckshdw]

If you're old enough to know what this is for, you know what I'm doing today, and tomorrow as well. If you're not, just wait your turn...

 

[flyboy2610]

Bobby Bare in the song "The Winner" could have been talking about my marbles!

"He said now you see these bright white smilin' teeth. you know they ain't my own
Mine rolled away like Chicklets down the street in San Antone"

 

[flyboy2610]

If you're old enough to know what this is for, you know what I'm doing today, and tomorrow as well. If you're not, just wait your turn...

View attachment 106069

My doctor used to recommend that I have that done. After enough refusals, he doesn't suggest it anymore.
Some things I just ain't a'gonna do!

 

[azswiss]

If you're old enough to know what this is for, you know what I'm doing today, and tomorrow as well. If you're not, just wait your turn...

. . like a friggin' freight train with no brakes!

 

[BrianF]

We are just getting into another cold snap in these parts but it will subside to normal temps on Christmas eve. In the mean time we got several inches of fresh powder! So, in saying this, I got a line on another Johnson Golden Ghost and a complete Quiet Flite parts sled. Seller was going to restore it but has a pile of other projects. The Evinrude has a ripped seat and dirty but is all there. It is is as good as he says, I could have 5 OMC sleds running this Christmas. I will be the slum lord of the trails!!

 

[aaserv]

Its about to be below 30degs here for several days in a row. I know to most of you thats a big "so what" ....But that only happens here rarely and since homes are unprepared for it it will mean pipes bursting like crazy. Happened a few years ago and plumbers were coming in from several states away and ripping people off left and right. The biggest scam was doing a quick temporary fix and then promising to return to complete the job once the rush was over....and of course never being seen again. Price gouging like you would never believe. People will pay a fortune to get their water cut back on as you could imagine.
Then there will also be several places around Baton Rouge where this running water will end up in the street believe me you dont want to be anywhere near a Louisiana driver on an icy road!! Im sure for a few days the driving fatalities will outnumber the shootings around here........well ok thats stretching it a bit but it will probably come close....

 

[Sparky]

We rarely lose power around here but twice this year we lost it for a couple hours totally unexplained. I made sure we have some gas for the generator, no way I'm headed into a few days of single digits without being able to run the furnace. Not a huge potential for snow (so far they're saying maybe 2-4 inches) but it is supposed to start off with a fair bit of rain first, then switch to a mix, then snow, plunge the temperature and get windy. I can see quite a mess arising from that.

 

[Matt]

If you're old enough to know what this is for, you know what I'm doing today, and tomorrow as well. If you're not, just wait your turn...

View attachment 106069

That's why I do the poop in a box instead.

 

[Matt]

We rarely lose power around here but twice this year we lost it for a couple hours totally unexplained. I made sure we have some gas for the generator, no way I'm headed into a few days of single digits without being able to run the furnace. Not a huge potential for snow (so far they're saying maybe 2-4 inches) but it is supposed to start off with a fair bit of rain first, then switch to a mix, then snow, plunge the temperature and get windy. I can see quite a mess arising from that.

They're saying the quick freeze is going to be nasty, and of course I have running around to do Friday.

 

[Blckshdw]

That's why I do the poop in a box instead.

All done, the expectation was 100x worse in my head than what it actually was for the prep, and was knocked out for the procedure. It was similar to when I had to get my impacted wisdom teeth cut out. I need to stop asking people I know about their experiences, cuz they exaggerate too damn much! Also, the cute nurses were a nice bonus.

Now I'm planning what to have for lunch. Leaning towards making bacon cheeseburgers and fries, with pizza as a close second. Decisions, decisions...

 

[TollKeeper]

Should be interesting over the next couple. They are calling for -12 to -14 with windchills -50 to -55 temps here!

Saab will be in the garage, except for me going to work. Envoy is going to have to suck it up on the street.. sorry! I might be driving the Envoy, they still arent sure about snow. I rather drive it in the snow. Saab has summer only tires on it!

 

[Mooseman]

Been watching the temps out west and it's nasty. Even Vancouver is getting hit with snow. Although for us here 25cm (~10") of snow is an OK snowfall and we can deal with that, out west, they hardly ever get that and even a light skiff will send them into a panic. Hardly anybody has winter tires there so we watch cars on the news to the tune of "slip sliding away".

 

[Sparky]

Glad we don't have to go anywhere. If we did, I'd be really missing the truck again. No remote start and no 4x4 with chunky tires makes me sad in frigid bad weather. The van is better overall in many ways for this stage of life right this moment, but I'm definitely dreaming of another truck sometime in the future. Maybe when the Civic is due to be replaced.... Heh, at our rate of usage, that won't be for a decade!

 

[BrianF]

We got a few more days of the cold. She hit -34c ambient today but no wind. Its not bad actually. Friday morning is going to be cold but then she warms up. I'm quite lucky now as my diesel and daily driver are parked in a heated building.

Tomorrow I will probably bring a sled or two inside to thaw and do some more maintenance. My old Ghost developed another vibration. It runs strong but the handle bars make your hands numb. I'm thinking the clutch could use another cleaning.

 

[northcreek]

 

[Mooseman]

Woke up this this morning to 15c inside the house. Furnace not working. Turn on the gas fireplace to get some heat going. Open up the furnace and immediately suspect the condensate trap as that was the issue the last time it failed and cost me a service call. Take it out, clean it out with water, some gunk came out and seems to flow OK. Unfortunately I turned the power off before I could read the trouble code on the control panel. Also vacuumed some debris around the burners and even took out what looked like a dead spider in one of them. Power it back on and works as it should. It's over 20 years old and the company (Clare Brothers) doesn't exist anymore so parts are hard to come by. Did check that the heat exchanger wasn't cracked as flames aren't blowing back.

 

[TollKeeper]

Sounds like a chilly morning. Could have been worse.. Could have been 4c!

 

[BrianF]

Seeing as its fcking cold here, -34 this morning, so I drug out the sleds and put them in the shop to thaw. Batteries topped up and then began swapping some parts. The new Ghost i bought will lose its good parts and become the frankensled.

Moving some bales, I found a small leak at a t junction on the hydraulics. Nice to work in a heated shop as I raised the boom, locked it out and found a loose fitting. Easy enough. Then for fun, popped two 18mm nuts and raised the cab. She be dirty but I will have to wash it out in the spring.

Now just waiting on a 5 pound cross rib roast in the crock pot.

 

[TJBaker57]

Woke up this this morning to 15c inside the house.

That is every morning here! Actually just below that. We heat with a woodstove with electric baseboards set to about that temperature. My morning routine is starting the fire and making the coffee for me and espresso for her.

 

[Mooseman]

Yeah but my wife doesn't tolerate the cold that well.

Was fighting with the furnace all evening. Worked all day after my first repair but while I was out early evening, it stopped again. My son tried to reset it, nada. I get home, check for a code (none), reset it and it would start, fire and immediately shut down. I'm thinking it's the flame sensor but if I take the cover off the burners, it works so it could be the air supply affecting the pressure sensor. Put the cover back on and it still works.

I'd like to just get a new furnace but funds are lacking. I could install it myself however the ducting would be a major challenge. I'll see if it survives the night

 

[Sparky]

It still could be airflow. My friend's furnace would do something similar years ago, popping the cover would make it work, put the cover on, still work, then a few minutes later quit. Worked as long as the cover was off. There was a leaf sitting in the air intake pipe that we didn't know was there until we disconnected it right at the furnace as a test. Popped the pipe off and the leaf fell out.

 

[TollKeeper]

-20 pulling out of the house. Left the Saab sulking in the street. It was fun driving her last night when the roads were clear, and no where to go. But had to get to work this morn, and those summer tires would have likely killed me. Those Mich Defender tires didnt even blink at the 7 inchs of snow, and snow packed roads. Just another day for the old girl.

 

[TollKeeper]

Its going to warm up sooner or later!!!

 

[Sparky]

It is a balmy 42 degrees here, and raining. But after midnight it is supposed to drop from about 40 to 0 in about 6 hrs and hit -4 by noon tomorrow, with -30 or lower wind chills. That's COLD. Reminds me a bit of winter 2012. At least my current place won't have ice on the interior walls!

 

[Matt]

Currently 1° and feels like -25°. Fark this place.

 

[TollKeeper]

Was a balmy -16 when I left the house an hour ago. Its now a warm -7! Woohoo!

 

[Mooseman]

We're getting a weather bomb here that started last night. Rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, flash freeze, Christmas shoppers, zombies, Armageddon!

Finally figured out the problem with the furnace. Cleaned the flame sensor, nope. The inducer motor would stop and then stop the burners. So I had a chicken and the egg problem. Is it the pressure switch or the inducer blower? Tried jumping the pressure switch and it starts but then the inducer blower would stop and the flames would shoot back. Check the voltage coming out of the controller board for the inducer motor when heat is called, nada. Start hitting the board with my screwdriver and I could see the inducer motor trying to start and eventually start but wouldn't keep running. To prove that it's the controller and not anything else, I setup the inducer with a plug so I can connect it to external power. Follow the sequence, plug in the inducer and voilà, it ran and kept running until the house got up to temp. Repeated multiple times and ran perfect. So the controller board, or at least the relay for the inducer, is bad. I'd open it up and see if I can resolder or replace the relay but I don't want to risk killing it completely.

Now the fun begins. Call a local HVAC supply house and we were able to find a current replacement board part number, which is a universal one that can be retrofitted. He asks "Do you have an account with us?", no. "Do you have your gas license?", uh, no. "Sorry, store policy, I can't sell it to you". Uh what? I'm not even touching the gas portion, just replacing an electronic controller. "If you know somebody with their gas license, I can sell it to them. Closest one I know is my nephew and he's an hour away driving a Sierra 2500 6.6L Duramax. That's at least about $100 both ways. However, I can get it from good 'ol Amazon, no license required, but it will arrive on Wednesday. Just $153, probably cheaper too (the guy wouldn't even give me a price). Online parts sellers have it at about $300!

So until it arrives, I'll have space heaters, a gas fireplace and the furnace on fan mode most of the time and if it gets cold, I can start up the furnace manually.

I will look at getting this furnace replaced regardless after this heating season. This one is about 90% efficient, age notwithstanding, newer ones are 95-97% and with the price of gas, I might get that or go with a heat pump as electricity is now cheap compared to gas.

 

[TollKeeper]

I wonder if your electric prices will follow suit to whats happening here..

Gas prices and Electric prices have both jumped about 60%.. freaking insane!

 

[Mooseman]

Here, we're getting slapped with carbon taxes. At one time, electricity was way more expensive than gas so the majority went to gas. However with these taxes and the war, it's now flipped. Will see how it goes but definitely need to replace and upgrade.

Now I gotta go out and blow the mound of wet heavy crap left by the plow in the rain before it freezes. Should be fun

 

[Redbeard]

Here in north Alabama it's a balmy 13 degrees (fahrenheit) . Woke up this morning to 3 degrees above zero with a scattering of snow. I got to play santa's helper this week. The folks I deliver meals-on-wheels to got Christmas presents from members of my church. Most of these folks don't have any connection with the outside world so often we are "it". One elderly lady asked if I had been given a hug yet today and I replied no. Then she asked if she could give me a hug and I said of course because I always get one back that way. Today the mrs. made three cheese balls and cookies for some neighbors and I delivered them. Happy neighbors make good neighbors.

 

[northcreek]

Here, we're getting slapped with carbon taxes.

NY has taken a different approach by proposing to ban Nat. gas/oil heat in new construction. I guess it's okay if the generating stations burn oil and gas to make the electricity that we will have to use instead...

 

[Eric04]

We're on the backside of the low pressure bomb in West Michigan. Now on day two of blizzard conditions. Interstates have had portions closed. County roads are drifted messes. We're on the low end of snowfall predictions but winds have been constant at predicted 30 mph with gusts in the 50s and single digit temperatures. The local casino even called it quits until tomorrow. No one is going anywhere today. The trailblazer has been through this before but fortunately I can leave her in the garage for now. Merry Christmas to y'all.

 

[northcreek]

Feel like we are in a Twilight Zone episode, all roads shut down, relentless wind and cold. Poor people with waterfront homes have a mandatory evacuation because the high winds have pushed the Lake Erie levels up (at the east end) 20' with 12'waves .
We are good here with all of the essentials: high elevation, electricity, firewood, food, beer and Football....for now....

 

[Mooseman]

We're on the backside of the low pressure bomb in West Michigan.

Ditto here. Light snow but the wind is just whipping it up something fierce. After snowblowing it all this morning and clearing the vehicles, went to pick up my son across the border. Whiteout in some sections but the TB handled it all well. Also had a bit of the siding on the house ripped off. Temps holding well in the house, only having to run the furnace manually once this morning.

Now for Christmas eve dinner with guests coming.

 

[BrianF]

We got the wind shifting here. All the cold air blowing back over from the south east. -18c with some nasty windchill. Lots of snow apparently on the way and one more night of cold.

We got some family over and lots of food in the fridge. Have a turkey brining for the Traeger tomorrow. Should be good. Hope all of you are holding out in the sht weather and have a great Christmas!

 

[BrianF]

Well boys, I spent 7 hours on Christmas and another 3 hours today trying to clear snow. Our driveway is blown in again and I gave up tonight. I'll have to sled out in an emergency. The wind is supposed to shift by morning so it should give us a reprieve and allow us to dig out. All in time for more snow in the evening.

 

[northcreek]

I spent 7 hours on Christmas and another 3 hours today trying to clear snow.

I hear ya brother, pretty much the same here. Plow vehicle fuel pump issues continue so using the tractor with fel, which is better for this much snow anyway but, a lot colder..