Oh O 2......

And the saga continues........

So...now you know I have the car home and safe and sound....but what transpired next just wasn't fair to me how it all turned out. The following day after having the car towed and placed on the curb side, I decided to try to 'crank ' her over and low and behold....vrrroooom away it runs and pretty good to boot!
Well...astatic I am...and thinking a bit of good fortune is on my shoulder. Oh ya....right ...lol !!
I knew it had an 'overheating' problem so I figured I might as well take care of that issue and do what has to be done. That should eliminate my situation that got me to this point.....right ???? I shuttle off to my neighborhood auto parts store and pick up a new thermistat figuring the original is just too crudded up and not functioning properly. After about a few hours and becoming 'dirty and greasy'..I manage to get to the point to put water into the radiator without it leaking anywhere except for a small tiny spray coming from the bottom hose of the 'fill container' to the radiator and heater system. Now...I don't know if you are aware of how these 'closed systems' work...but they seem to run the water around backtracking thru all kinds of metal tubing and balanced pressure designs. Unlike the older vehicles... water in water out of the radiator. Well....that little 'leak'....particularly under pressure is really a nightmare to correct because the joint is only held in place by a small pressure type spring clip. Every time the engine shakes....that bottom hose is 'praying' to remain in place for there is nothing else holding it. Now that you have that mental image in your mind.....I cranked over the car..and wow....I didn't know this car had a 'geyser'. Yup...you guessed it ...that bottom hose let loose. Water srayed everwhere......it was awesome ! However, it didn't help me none...lol....
Well after the passing of about 5 hrs of constantly trying to keep that hose connection in place after each starting of the engine....I manage to succeed.
You probably know I felt pretty good after I made the repairs for the final time and again the engine started without too much trouble except it took a few more revolutions for it to catch and one thing this car did very well was to start on only a half a crank.....Well it used too ! I didn't think that would be too much of an issue even it it remained to be a hard starter....lol
Ok...now the car is running and I decided to let it do it's thing for about 15 mins to allow some pressure and heat to build up. I couldn't ask for anything more.....running smooth..and rather cool...heck ...even the radiator fan was working ,kicking in quicker than before. I had it 'made in the shade'. Well, cutting to the chase, I took the car around the neighborhood feeling a might smug.....Another job well done....or so I thought !
I backed the car into my driveway after a few spins around the block and went into the house to clean up my hands and wash my face removing any evidence of me tinkering with the trouble maker.......lol..:)....A good day was my thought !
Well...I came out thinking I would shut off the engine...and probably 'charge' the battery with the external charger since over the past day or so I took out probably more 'juice' than I was putting in. But low and behold upon returning to the car I noticed it seemed a bit more quieter than normal for a running car.....lol...not that it made a lot of noise running....but something just didn't seem right. Sure enough....it wasn't running....hmmmmm.....no problem...I thought....I'd just crank it right over and be back in business.....Oh Ya.....Right !!!
I cracked the key over....and the engine went into its 'rrrrmmm...rrrrrmmmm...rmmmm....clunk, click...click'...and then 'silence' mode. Now what the heck.....well...boys and girls...yup.....the engine won't turn over any more...it's seized. Dead silence when the key turns.....nadda..zip..zero....no spin ....no go ..dead as a door nail ..hmmmm !!
Mind you ....this is a 4 cyl...and bearings are known to crap out around 80k miles ...well...I guess I came as close to the jackpot as anyone could....I had 78k+ miles on it......hmmmmmm ....bummer....:(
So there is a life's little lesson in here somewhere......look at the little signs and not the big sludge hammer that falls on you to let you know...maybe you should rethink your original ideas and thoughts and make wiser decisions before you get your hands dirty.
So the bottom line is ....now there is a new 2006 Camery sitting in the driveway with only 6 miles on it.....I do think I have some ways to go before I need to get my hands dirty again....considering the factory states 125k miles...for the first tuneup....lol :)....
And just a footnote to this story......since I still don't own title to the older car...I can't even 'junk it'...until the note is paid off.....upside down I am.....Seems like one always pays and pays in life and always seems to come up short....even if just a little :)...lol.......
So with a smile on my face....a spirit of tomorrow being another adventure.......life goes on !
Till next time.....happy trails to you .....and make sure ...the movie you go to see ...is worth a mortgage payment'...or a new car...lol :)

Oh O.......

Sorry for the delay.....but a funny thing happened on the way .......

Ok...maybe not so funny....the movies definitely wasn't and well....the popcorn was just ok. ...lol....so let me start from top....:)
It's Saturday nite and a trip to the movies to see "Inside Man" with Densel Washington and Jody Foster, just to name a couple. Ok...not as in 'together'....but more like a 'pair of actors' in a movie....got that ??? Hang on...its going to get more complicated......I assure you !
Anyhow, the movie was a nice 'mind game' suspense drama/thriller and a decent movie to see if you have nothing better to do and want to be enticed. As I said, the popcorn didn't add anything to it. No..not the 'corn' itself ...but to the movie ....K ...lol :)
Again....an 'anyhow'. I should make note at this point....on the way to the theater the car was acting up and overheating. Mind you its been making some 'banging ' noise mostly at idle and pretty good running otherwise. It's a Ford Contour (yup say no more ) with about 78k on it and a couple of years ago the timing belt was replaced not because it needed it ....because I had an insurance policy for repairs on it that was soon to be expired, so I talked the insurance company into replacing it earlier before it did go bad and do much more damage. They agreed and it was done and things seemed ok and going along like a champ.
Now back to the movies.....about 3.25 hrs after parking it in the movie parking lot, the show broke ( nice choice of words....did you notice ? lol ) and I started up the car. It didn't start as easily as always but really nothing to get overly worried about.....or so I thought at that time.
About 1.5 miles from the theater the temperature gauge seemed to move rather quickly to the 'red zone' and obviously indicated 'over heating'. With infinite wisdom I figured I can make it....
Well, I did....but just 'where' is 'it' that I was trying to 'make'......home obviously !!! Seeing I only needed about another 2 miles of 'luck' in front of me ....why not try ?? ...lol........let me tell you 'why not' !!!
Before I go on...did I remind you it was the 'late movie'....started at 10:00....gets out about 12:00??...Oh I didn't ...huh....well keep that in mind....
Ok.....I manage to move closer to my two mile destination when all of a stutter shudder...the engine dies ....yup.....no putt ..no grrrrr....no nothing.......Lucky me...I'm on a 'hill'....oh ya.....sorry ...this is Florida guys where a 2 inch incline and decline is considered a hill.........lol....and I 'coast' for about 15 more feet.....whereas I manage to get out and roll the car back into some wide driveway to get off the road. Ya know.....blinking lights and me waving people to slide over to the next lane is like trying to convince Superman that he can fly....its something that is just going to take a bit of doing and don't stand there for long convincing....for you'll liable to be hurt. ...
I give the engine a few mins....to cool down and maybe I can make those extra 2 miles...huh ?
After all...its not mid day and where or better yet...why should I call for road side assistance ?? Naaaa ...not me......no way....I'll make it .....lol....:)...sure I will. !!!
It's about 20 mins.....when I retry the starter and wham biz...bam....its running and rather smoothly....couldn't ask for a better car....like new.........so I figured I better get some 'speed' ...and maybe I can 'beat the heat'....and find my driveway before I have another issue. .....
I must say.....paitence....prudence and a 'new car' would be a better bet than what took place next.
The distance only shortened down to about 3/4 mile now to my desination. Not bad...huh.....except for one thing.......eventhough I had no more turns to make.......and its all straight......the engine is 'dead' again ! ...Oh no.!!! I say this because this time.....it 'died' sounding differently that earlier. Yup....like it had some 'final gasp' and 'high noon' came early ! I do think that is where and when it bit the bullet....I have no doubts. ....but there is more.....hang in !
Yup....I called for road side and had it towed the remaining distance since it really just didn't look like it had any more life left.....and the clock after waiting for about 1 hr for service said it was just about 2:15am when I walked into the door. ....but things are good......the car is 'back home'....I'm safe inside and the movie.....well......I think I had the adventure moreso than those in the movie :)...lol.......
Now what happens next.......really just 'capped off' how things were to be ....despite my attitude of 'I can make and save all'. ....lol.....ya...I do have that thought process....sometimes........geeeesh.....!!! But you'll have to 'tune in' for my next posting to see how this all turned out. !!
Sorry , guys........how else is a 'cliff hanger' supposed to be.........lol......
Till next time........
Smugs :)

Just See It !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi guys/gals....:)
I'm back........lol......
Last night I took a late evening jaunt to my local 'Super Walmart' to pick up a few items just because I was a bit 'antzy'...well...in the process of picking up 'this that and the other things'....I purchased as if by 'design' from a 'higher power' the King Kong dvd. I mean....I didn't actually take it off the shelf with the intent to buy but as I was checking out...some one left the dvd at the 'conveyor belt' at the register that I 'chose' by chance, as if they had second thoughts about purchasing it themselves. Somehow, my hand and mind 'grabbed' that 'ophaned' cd and quickly scooped it into my 'stuff'...lol....its not like I didn't see the massive display on the floor as you walked in.......course I did...and as usual....walked right by that big 'impulse machine' called 'gotta have it' !! Well, I must say, ' glad I can be 'impulsive' at times too.

Watching this on my big screen and surround sound was a thrill. I don't know if I can do 'justice' to this for it was really 'something' ! Maybe not so much so for the 'acting'.....but for everything else, good gosh......and if you really must know....Kong was the best 'actor' present ! ..I probably can really expound on this for decades....lol....however....I don't want this ink to dry before I make my point......so I'll be short and sweet ! :(
Go... watch this thing....I don't care if you have to hold a theater 'hostage'......or need to 'hold up' the 'concession stand'.....or stand in a 'store ' that is 'running this flic as an attention grabber.....just stand there or sit if you are lucky enough to have seating available and enjoy ! The animation and sound is superb...but the biggest thing I got out of it was the 'connection' between 'man/woman and beast'. Ya....I know it's an old story and I personally have seen the original a number of times......but.......you haven't 'felt' anything like this ever, even if you think you haven't a 'soul' !!

If you don't walk away feeling soooo sooooo 'sorry' for "KONG'.......don't say a word.......for you are really just a 'walking zombie'.......lol..... Most of you know I am an 'animal lover' .....so what can you expect me to say...huh.....lol......but I assure you....animal lover or not.....if you don't have a 'tear' in your eye..I'll bet you'll have a 'lump' in your throat !
Of course, if you can see this in a wide screen....or Imax.......gosh....I would think you would have 'died' and gone to 'heaven'......:)........
Till next time.....'sit back and buckle in'.......please pass the popcorn ! Oh, by the way......."Q-Tips' definitely not needed !!! ....lol :).........