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Aug. 27th, 2018 08:51 pmThis weekend we went to see ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
threemeninaboat's grandfather, who does not have a lot of time left.
Cancer sucks.
My car is ailing: the head gaskets are failing and a number of other issues are beginning to show up. I realized after the spark plug replacement last week that the likely reason the plugs failed was because oil leaking into the combustion chamber and fouling them, so it's going to chew through plugs until that's fixed.
There's simply no way I have the time or energy to replace head gaskets on a Subaru. On the Spitfire that's a three hours of hard work job. On the Subaru, that's engine out and entire front of the engine disassembled and multiple camshafts realigned project. I did find a slightly loose fitting on the fuel return line and tightened it in the hopes that would make my car smell less like a gasoline factory.
So, realistically, what I probably need to do is get the engine fixed and then sell it. It has almost 300,000 miles on it. That's a lot for any car.
I'm looking at used Nissan Leafs. I can get a 2015 for like 1/3 of the cost of a new one. They have ferocious depreciation. I don't even get that, either, because replacing the whole battery pack costs under $6K and is a quick easy project.
This turns into a sliding block puzzle, though, because to do that I should install a 220v charger, and to do that, I need a new electrical box/replacement mast for the electrical service.
Which I needed anyway for a new furnace, but ugh.
So with all THAT out of the way, I figured I'd better get the Spitfire fixed up to serve as my backup transportation while my car is in the shop.
Replacing the clutch master cylinder took maybe fifteen minutes. That car is so easy to work on. There aren't any fancy sensors, there's plenty of room: unscrew two bolts, loosen the clutch drain, push the clutch a couple of times to dump all the hydraulic fluid out the drain, unscrew the line, pull out the cotter pin that connects the clutch pedal, then reverse it to put the new one in. The car's so tiny and lightweight that I can bleed the clutch by pushing on the back side of the pedal with my hand while pouring more brake fluid in.
Figuring out why the left turn signal wasn't working was more complicated. I actually had to open the trunk. Oh, the light bulb fell out of the housing. Again. Time for some tape. I'm not saying quality manufacture, just that it sure is easy to fix compared to the Subaru.
Today at work, same as the last week. I'm doing great at all the small side projects we don't absolutely need finished, and I'm completely failing at the huge project we needed a week ago. This morning my manager sat down with me and went through what I'd done, clicked futilely on a couple of functions and stared at some code, and said "yeah, I don't know either" and called in a software strike team, that I'm meeting at 8AM tomorrow. I may get sent to Dallas for a day if this doesn't work. We don't have enough tools to diagnose what's failing. My program works, the other program works, but they don't talk, and the way they don't talk isn't exposed. I hate going into work right now. This has been totally frustrating and I feel useless.
But Monty hasn't eaten anything (or any dogs) she isn't supposed to in almost a week, so that's progress.
threemeninaboat's grandfather, who does not have a lot of time left.Cancer sucks.
My car is ailing: the head gaskets are failing and a number of other issues are beginning to show up. I realized after the spark plug replacement last week that the likely reason the plugs failed was because oil leaking into the combustion chamber and fouling them, so it's going to chew through plugs until that's fixed.
There's simply no way I have the time or energy to replace head gaskets on a Subaru. On the Spitfire that's a three hours of hard work job. On the Subaru, that's engine out and entire front of the engine disassembled and multiple camshafts realigned project. I did find a slightly loose fitting on the fuel return line and tightened it in the hopes that would make my car smell less like a gasoline factory.
So, realistically, what I probably need to do is get the engine fixed and then sell it. It has almost 300,000 miles on it. That's a lot for any car.
I'm looking at used Nissan Leafs. I can get a 2015 for like 1/3 of the cost of a new one. They have ferocious depreciation. I don't even get that, either, because replacing the whole battery pack costs under $6K and is a quick easy project.
This turns into a sliding block puzzle, though, because to do that I should install a 220v charger, and to do that, I need a new electrical box/replacement mast for the electrical service.
Which I needed anyway for a new furnace, but ugh.
So with all THAT out of the way, I figured I'd better get the Spitfire fixed up to serve as my backup transportation while my car is in the shop.
Replacing the clutch master cylinder took maybe fifteen minutes. That car is so easy to work on. There aren't any fancy sensors, there's plenty of room: unscrew two bolts, loosen the clutch drain, push the clutch a couple of times to dump all the hydraulic fluid out the drain, unscrew the line, pull out the cotter pin that connects the clutch pedal, then reverse it to put the new one in. The car's so tiny and lightweight that I can bleed the clutch by pushing on the back side of the pedal with my hand while pouring more brake fluid in.
Figuring out why the left turn signal wasn't working was more complicated. I actually had to open the trunk. Oh, the light bulb fell out of the housing. Again. Time for some tape. I'm not saying quality manufacture, just that it sure is easy to fix compared to the Subaru.
Today at work, same as the last week. I'm doing great at all the small side projects we don't absolutely need finished, and I'm completely failing at the huge project we needed a week ago. This morning my manager sat down with me and went through what I'd done, clicked futilely on a couple of functions and stared at some code, and said "yeah, I don't know either" and called in a software strike team, that I'm meeting at 8AM tomorrow. I may get sent to Dallas for a day if this doesn't work. We don't have enough tools to diagnose what's failing. My program works, the other program works, but they don't talk, and the way they don't talk isn't exposed. I hate going into work right now. This has been totally frustrating and I feel useless.
But Monty hasn't eaten anything (or any dogs) she isn't supposed to in almost a week, so that's progress.
