So There I was... Basically unemployed since may of 2016...
Beekeeping and removal jobs slowed to pretty much non existent...
Bills were stacking up and mortgage was a good 2 months behind.
The worry factor was starting to take hold.

A little blip of light at the end of the tunnel started to shine as my dad called asking if I wanted to go do some vehicle transporting from auctions to a dealership in the booming metropolis of Edna, Tx.

on my 3rd day of ferrying cars, I was fortunate enough to overhear the grand pupon of the dealership talking about how bad the service department needed a diesel tech versed in fords.

About that time my dad actually piped up and pointed at me...
After about a 10 minute conversation with the fellow, I was hired on the spot.

I am now a resident flag rate diesel tech at Texana Ford-GMC-Buick in Edna, Tx.

After being out of the machine shop for so long.... I cant even convey how good it feels to be wrenching again.

I now have access to some pretty neat stuff...
It may take me a couple of days to get my stuff on here back to "normal" but My message box should be accessible if anyone has any special queries.

I have missed being a regular and sharing knowledge with you guys.

 

Good for you! Congrats on the new position and it being something that you want to do instead of something you have to do.

 

OMG, who said Friday the 13th??????????????

Nicely done mister, looking forward to pecking on the stroker lawn when a problem arises again!!!

Congrats!!!


Denny

 

Funny thing is about that... The day the machine shop closed the doors and laid us off... was Friday, May 13th lmao.

 

Didn't that make you proud .

 

Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. Good to see you back here, Chris!

 

Congrats, Chris! I was wondering where you wandered off to, and I'm sorry to hear things slid back so far. I know that feeling of relief when somebody provides you with the opportunity you know you can make the best of.

How's Motorbug doing?

 

And, it looks like this cat has landed back on his feet!
Congratulations, Chris!

 

Congrats, mang.... How's Motorbugs' cholesterol diet doing 😊 (wvo)

 

Thanks Brother Mike! Good to see you are still around! I see yer missus posting pictures all the time of the kids and fam and the happy images have brightened some dark worrisome days. Say hi to "Miss Natalie" for me eh? lol I'm still just as bad with names!

It really did. To be publicly credited by him for anything has been on rare occasion.

I was really busy with live bee removals for a solid 6 months after the shop closed down but the first wet cold snap kind of messed with the bees normal cycle. It tried to fluff back up after the first little freeze but we had another cold spell too soon after the warm system hit and really screwed with the bees. I had a swarm removal Dec 26th and it has been dead slow ever since. My bees at the house are really struggling for resources. Hoping after the next projected drop in temps we will get a nice bloom.

Motorbug had to have another emergency engine r&r very recently. I was on a removal job about 50 miles from home and on the way back I noticed my dummy oil pressure gauge falling at stop signs. Shortly after I noticed my oil temp steadily climbing. It eventually pegged out my 300* gauge. Terrified that if I shut her down to let it cool off, I would not get pressure to get her started again... I just limped home. I made it home... but by that time the damage was already done. She would not start back up again once I shut her down in my driveway.

I already knew...
pulled the serpentine...
pulled the damper.
pulled the lpop...
the lpop had attempted to devour its way through the front cover like a freaking plunge mill.

Fortunately, I still had the front cover from ZombieHeart laying around...
so out it came...

This was by far the easiest engine pull I have done to date.
A nice flat, level concrete garage floor makes a ton of difference vs. a makeshift floor built out of plywood.

Suspecting a clogged oil cooler, I pulled the core from the cooler off ZombieHeart and gave it a thorough cleaning and installed it.

Got it all swapped over and since I used the grey goo this time instead of the crappy fel-pro black crap that came with my gasket kit the first time... I now no longer have my incessant oil pan leak.

She is running much, Much better now.
Soon after the turbo let loose on me. It was on its way out anyway but dang it when it rains lol... the turbine shaft actually snapped in half and the exducer was laying in the exhaust housing...

after a fiasco with an ebay seller selling me something he didnt have... i got refunded some money and found another supplier for a chicom knock off complete center cartridge for right around 160$. I was thoroughly impressed when I received the part. It looked surprisingly well machined and of good quality metal. I have had zero Issues out of it in the few thousand miles its been in there.

Since that little hissy fit, Motorbug has behaved very nicely for me.
How is the Big Stink Brother Rich?
Hows Yer better half?

 

Hey Chris, welcome back and CONGRATS!! I tried to PM you a month or two back but your box is full. Clean that thing up, wouldya?!

 

Thank you brother Roland! Glad to see you are still here too.
Are you still wrenching full time?

Actually I never did get around to getting the conversion set up. It came down to being able to find good steady sources for wvo. There are a couple ofcollection companies in the area that make it very difficult to get ahold of any. I still have most of what I need to do the wvo addition and my 91 gallon aluminum RDS tank... As soon as I get a good reliable steady source for oil I will pull the trigger on the rest of what I need.

Yah, Yah I know lol. Im going to get my paid membership back up and running probably like next friday at the latest. Too many bills to catch up on from this last paycheck lol. Also good to see you are still around!
The nice warm welcome back from everyone hits me right in the feels.
I love you guys!

 

Ok, I just said screw it and re-upped my membership. My message box should be open again now.

 

Welcome back! Always like your post but the lime green is killing me. ( how ironic the RIP face is also lime green)

 

Stinky was making a lot of racket and gave me indications of a leaky valve, so I have acquired "Frank" (for Frank-N-Stinky), an OBS engine with fantastic compression and good leak-down numbers. About the time I was finished with the studs, welded jets, new cups, and 910 springs with shims, Stinky decided he would be on his best behavior - and the temperature dropped to zero F. Now that I drive him daily again, I can pick out one damaged injector with my ear (from my loose injector and air in fuel days). I also lost a little spunk in the throttle and my driver-side EGT gauge is about 50 degrees anemic. I don't have a miss, but I strongly suspect an imbalance.

Linda was diagnosed with the big C this winter and she had the surgery part of the treatment. Her recovery encompassed the holidays, and the forum was a huge help in keeping her Chi fully charged. We thought we dodged the chemo bullet, but that changed - so we have that roller coaster to endure for the next 12 weeks. Other than the bad news of the diagnosis, the good news of the prognosis and the lack of symptoms (no pain) keeps her swingin' at that C.

I'm glad you were able to keep Motorbug going right on through the financial difficulty - that was a tough ride.