Morning Cup Of Coffee And Weather

Its having to connect to a computer to do a basic hydraulic fluid change service that's the problem....I think JD requires that now?

 

I think your right, but that's what the future probably is. With all the sensors monitoring every aspect of the machines operation to keep it running within a narrow set of parameters, needing a computer to keep track of the maintenance done, and to verify the fluid levels etc. are at the proper levels by meeting the sensors requirements is probably necessary. And after all who doesn't have a computer anymore.
But when you buy the machine, the software required for maintaining it, along with the "how to" info and any parts and tools required for owner maintenance should be made readily available, and not made with a "dealer only" maintenance requirement. There will always be maintenance items that the required tools, lifts, cranes, etc will make it a dealer repair by necessity for most just due to the cost. But having independent shops being able to do those repairs shouldn't be prevented through unavailable proprietary software, tools, or information in order to hold the customers hostage by dealers.

 

It snowed a few more inches last night. Maybe enough that I’ll have to plow my driveway before going anywhere. In the meantime I’m enjoying my first cup of coffee for the day.

 

You've got to be feeling like "is it ever going to end?" at this point....

 

The snow is usually gone by May 1st according to the ol’ timers.

 

Remember when they just said, "snow tomorrow, with accumulations of 6-12 inches with blowing and drifting. Watch out for frost bite its going to be cold, with temperatures around 8 degrees." and didn't have to try to brand, exaggerate, and frighten the children with names that have been through 3 naming committees and focus groups?

What's next? Murder Hornets?

Oh wait...

 

I can't disagree more. We need more dope names for things like BOMB CYCLONE.

 

I always use the final 4 as my benchmark. Here in Indy we always get some weird suprirse....then that's it. At least that has been the pattern since I got here in '98

But then again there were flurries during the 2000 or 2001 Indy 500...yikes!

 

...key word...usually.
A close friend, colleague, and mentor when I was in flight training died on May 8th 2019 in a May snowstorm, when his plane crashed shortly after takeoff from a rural airport about 60 miles north of here. He was an accomplished IFR pilot, but I suspect that the high performance Mooney he flew that day, was less tolerant of icing than the Pipers he flew much more often, though the cause of the crash was not definitely determined by the NTSB. Obituary for Dr. Thomas Stillwell
A very sad snowy day in deed.

 

Always sad. Ice is something not to mess with. My mentor when I was earning my license told me a horror story when he was trying to get over a mountain ridge. He did exactly what he was taught to do (turn around and fly back to where you know icing wasn't an issue) and it just got worse. He came within perhaps as little as 1000 feet from "Cumulus Granite" unable to hold altitude. He was fortunate enough to find a hole and get to warmer temperatures.

He was lucky he just had 1 extra night in a hotel rather than an eternity.

I took some IFR training -- shooting an ILS, and some basic maneuvering just for awareness. But have no intention ever to be anything other than IFR in the sense that "I Follow Roads" navigation...

 

PS: 1000 posts on Morning Coffee!
Good call, Tour!

 

I’m a co-owner on another forum and it has 17,928 posts on 1,793 pages.

EF4A21AC-7D6D-4B02-88E3-E363533F61CE by Tour 931 posted Mar 29, 2023 at 5:46 AM

It really livened the forum up because sometimes people want to post a little tidbit but not start a new thread for fear no one will reply.

 

..indeed!

 

Aren't we talking bout simple designs on the Cherokee thread?

I've got a yami 2800ishc and a honda eu2200 -- and both have the feature to run the carbs dry. I've done that every time without fail, even if I'm going to be running it the same day. I turn off the load and just that as "cool down" and only if the generator sits for months do they ever have any problems, and those clear up on the next tank --- old fuel is just that...old fuel.

I haven't had to resort to dealer service on any of my power equipment. I'm not a mechanic -- I'm just an idiot with a toolbox that thinks he can do more than he can and usually fakes it til he makes it. Only really scary thing I've broken was ripping the treads out of a valve cover gasket on my toro zero turn - Helicoil to the rescue. Carbs fortunately are pretty easy

All that said, you can pick up completely new carbs for about 30 bucks on ebay...not much more than a rebuild kit. I used one of these on my Onan generator in my class A -- it was a snap, just bolt it on, and it worked out of the box....no adjustment (Thank you Nancy Palosi - not sure if that is snark or not...yah, it is)

 

Thanks Sweeney.
And, yes on KISS.

 

Speaking of KISS, and my desire to find a durable and self serviceable vehicle...

I just signed an intent to purchase on a Cherokee -- it's in the restoration shop at the moment, no rust, a little high on milage by low for its year. They are replacing all the motor seals and gaskets, as well as the bushings and rod ends being replaced, and all the fluids replaced with synthetic. The mechanicals should all be sorted out when I get it, and it is already very "drivable" It should be "near new" when I pick it up.

In addition, they will be doing a complete paint correction and interior steam cleaning plus fixing warn upholstery on the drivers seat --- more or less a car show candidate when I get it. But I've got to wait a few weeks...

My only wish is that it still had the factory radio. I'm going to have to look for one of those.

It scares me to open a dash with non-OEM --- who knows what the hack and slash --- I mean installer -- did at best buyn with a $9 installation special. I may be hitting the junk yard for a wire harness to bring it back ... we'll see, and I hope not. With a bit of luck they bought a harness adapter.

 

Two days ago it was -1F. Now it’s 29F with eight inches of snow expected. Add in some 50 mph wind and it should be real fun. Five of us neighbors are getting together to play cards and wait the storm out.

 

The good news is, the car stereo harness is common across a number of vehicles...and apparently a lot of people cut them off --- so you can buy a kit to fix it

I've lived a pretty sheltered life apparently. Here in the midwest good and wide roads are common, 4wd is limited to snow, which I am hoping not to have to contend with in the future Perhaps I'll learn from your campfire stories Reminds me of what the man said about driving in many parts of the world --- if you don't like the way they drive, stay off the sidewalks.

I'm sure mine won't be a hanger queen --- I don't have hangar space....just a driveway with a cover over 'da baby. I'm sure in a few years the new purdy look will disappear, and she'll look like Phyllis Diller with a facelift...just not the goatee. Doing a quick bit of research, the wire harness to replace "Cut off factory connectors" is easy to find --- On amazon, not even junk yards for about $15 bucks.

I'm very much wanting to get down to BLM lands in NM, AZ. I'd love to track down my old boss, friend, and mentor - Ray. As well as to just experience something completely foreign to me. The desert fascinates me.

There's a lot of "and" that need to line up...

• Parents stable in their new home
• Jeep restoration finished, and proven reliable for travel
• Weather not too hot
• Time available in work load (I've got weeks of vacation, just no time to take it!)

If the stars align...I'd love to get to some BLM camping for a week or two. The trouble is...55 hours drive (round trip) to get there. Not ideal to drive 3.5-4 days each way, you'd have to start getting ready to come home when you finished unpacking.

Maybe head to Tennessee, or along the gulf coast. But I'd like to avoid crowds and resorts. The good news I suppose is that this would likely be in May and there's LOTS of options then.

Maybe east coast and do a 'tour' of the trolly parks, and visit the dark rides and boardwalks....I love the "Bill Tracy" style rides before Salley wreckovates them into 4D shooter rides

 

22F and sunny for the ten minutes the sun has been up. The forecast is for clouds and most of the sky has clouds. I’m slowly digging out from the 18” of snow that fell on Friday.

 

Yes, yesterdays snow brought this winters total up the the 3rd snowiest winter on record for the Twin Cities area. Fortunately, 60 miles north of there, we were just on the northern edge of the system, and only got about 4" of the heavy wet stuff. Even that much was difficult to blow without plugging the chute if you didn't maintain just the right speed with the blower. My condolences to you as a new transplant to the area on having been dealt the brunt of the storm and getting 18" of the stuff. It certainly is outside the norm, but unfortunately not so uncommon that it should be that big of a surprise. It's also the reason as we got older and less interested in participating in the normal winter activities, that we invested in an AZ home to escape to for at least part of the winter. This winter is certainly causing us to re-evaluate just how much time we spend there.