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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Mustang / August 2006I can screw up anything... (revisited)
Bless me, Mother, for I have sinned. It's been five weeks since my last post to this thread. Shortly after I wrote about cleaning the mass air meter and then not being able to start the car at all, I was introduced to the SECOND hazard associated with living in Paradise (the first being Poison Ivy). I seem to have picked up a case of Lyme Disease. Bitten by a little bug hardly bigger than this . and laid low like the worst case of flu of my life. Thankfully, it doesn't last long and the prescription results in a 48-hour turnaround time. I did get to meet my doctor for the first time (I do not like doctors - they're always looking for trouble), but I'm glad I came to him armed with a self-diagnosis (thank you, Dr. House). The internets are wonderful, and I was able to fully research the condition before setting foot in his office. Naturally, he would do nothing without a full "bloodwork", so I had to wait another three days. When he called me, he started with, "Well, you don't have syphilis." Idiot. On House, the problem is more usually gonorrhea, not syphilis - and who asked him to test for that, anyway? I've got a 5" welt on my ANKLE, not my dick. My prostate appears to be fine (again... did I ask?), cholesterol is good, he'd like to retest for thyroid (it was off by "tenths", not all that worrisome, but it seems to be his best chance to stick me with a long-term prescription, and doctors aren't happy unless their patients are on meds; I'll have none of that, thanks), and (finally) the results for Lyme Disease were indeterminate. But, since the symptoms were fairly OBVIOUS, he started my on the antibiotics. (Thank you, Dr. Duh.) Like I said, after 48 hours, the recovery was impressive. Just in time for my week's vacation at the Finger Lakes of New York... I also found out that yes, our dog (dubbed "Shelby" by the girls) can swim. Like an otter. Her first experience with open water went very well, although she was very hesitant to jump off the dock. She preferred to run around and come into the water from the shoreline. I spent a week tossing a tennis ball into the lake and watching her retrieve the thing. (She is, after all, primarily a Labrador. But even Labs don't necessarily know "a priori" how to swim. Jean brought along a Doggie Life Jacket, just in case, but it only got in the way, really. Dog is part fish.) Anyway... So I cleaned the mass air meter, and the car wouldn't start. All systems were GO when I turned the key to ON, but no ignition. My first thought (hope) was clogged fuel filter, but then I started thinking coil. Turns out that I bought myself a new distributor and ignition module. Threw in a new cap and rotor, too. When the car's in the shop and they tell me what's needed, I okay the repairs, hoping to get the car back as soon as possible. (I'm just no good to anyone when Baby's in the shop.) Given my druthers, if I know what parts need replacing, I like to pull out my Mustangs Unlimited catalog and go shopping for upgrades, but I didn't want to delay the repairs. In hindsight, I probably could have gotten significantly better parts for not much more money... Ah, well. Also had the turn signals fixed, while it was in. Those hand signals don't work so good at night, and it was becoming bothersome lowering the window (especially in the rain) to signal a turn. When all was said and done, I found that TFrog still doesn't run well. Cleaning the mass air meter had no effect on the original problem - it runs very rough at start-up in the morning, wanting to stall out, and the idle is borderline when warmed up. I'll throw a couple of cans of injector cleaner into the gas tank this week, but I doubt that's the problem, either. The car is running rich, not lean.. After a month with TFrog sitting in my garage, it is an absolute joy to drive it again. With CFrog having lost its overdrive, I tend to keep my speed to between 55-60 on the highway. TFrog has no such restrictions. I go from being one of the slowest cars on the road to one of the fastest. And it's a fascinating contrast in perspectives. CFrog: Stinkin' tailgaters. If they could drive worth a lick, they'd PASS me and not sit on my back bumper. Idiots. TFrog: Why is this person camped out in the left lane, doing 65 in a 55 zone? Move the %*%@ over, and let me by! I get to see the best of both worlds. dwight www.tfrog93.com "dwight" <tfrog93@gEEmail.com> wrote in message news:... (>snip<) > TFrog... 1993 LX 5.0 5-speed, now with 196,600 miles. > > What the hell did I do? All I really did was take a Q-Tip to a couple of > filaments, and now the car won't start... > > dwight > Shortly after I wrote about cleaning the mass air meter and then not being > able to start the car at all, I was introduced to the SECOND hazard > associated with living in Paradise (the first being Poison Ivy). I seem to > have picked up a case of Lyme Disease. The insect that has been causing me pain are the darn fire ants. If I get bite once by a single ant it causes the skin over my ENTIRE body to itch like HELL! And try as I might to avoid these nasty little pests, they still find a way to bite me. The last time I was out washing the car in the driveway. It was evening quickly fading to night. I was wearing flip flops, and I had socks on too (because in the past wearing if I wore just flip flops they still managed to find my feet/skin), and was just finishing up when I started swiping at what I thought were mosquitoes or gnats nipping at my ankles. Finally, annoyed by the constant biting, I walked closer to the garage lights to take a look. Sure enough I had fire ants crawling all over my flip flops, socks and ankles. I quickly took off my flip flops and socks and brushed the remaining ants off my ankles but the damage had already been done. They bite the hell out of me and I suffered for about a week. How they were able to find my feet/skin on my driveway with all the water running and without any visible nests around is beyond me. I think they just like me. <snip of the health check> Good to hear you're doing well. > I also found out that yes, our dog (dubbed "Shelby" by the girls) can swim. > Like an otter. Her first experience with open water went very well, although [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > swim. Jean brought along a Doggie Life Jacket, just in case, but it only got > in the way, really. Dog is part fish.) Our dog (a Papillon - http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/papillon.htm) got her first swim a couple weeks ago. My son and I took a couple Kayaks out off the coast and I took the dog and put her in the back of mine. After paddling around for a few hours and with a nasty storm rolling in we hightailed it back to the shore. Well, one of my power strokes causes my kayak to pitch over and the dog to get tossed out. So there she is swimming for the first time in her four-year life and in deep water. Inbstinctly she started swimming directly toward were she last saw my son's kayak not knowing/realizing that his kayak was a moving target. But my son quickly circled around and scooped her and afterwards she didn't seem scared at all. In fact I think she enjoyed the cool dip after being in the boat for a few hours. > Anyway... > So I cleaned the mass air meter, and the car wouldn't start. All systems > were GO when I turned the key to ON, but no ignition. My first thought > (hope) was clogged fuel filter, but then I started thinking coil. > Turns out that I bought myself a new distributor and ignition module. Threw > in a new cap and rotor, too. > When the car's in the shop and they tell me what's needed, I okay the > repairs, hoping to get the car back as soon as possible. (I'm just no good [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I probably could have gotten significantly better parts for not much more > money... Ah, well. > Also had the turn signals fixed, while it was in. Those hand signals don't > work so good at night, and it was becoming bothersome lowering the window > (especially in the rain) to signal a turn. > When all was said and done, I found that TFrog still doesn't run well. > Cleaning the mass air meter had no effect on the original problem - it runs > very rough at start-up in the morning, wanting to stall out, and the idle is > borderline when warmed up. You cleaned the mass-air meter (you mean M/A sensor, right), how about just replacing it? They're pricey, so you may want to look in a junkyard for one. That's what I did and haven't had a problem with it for seven years. > I'll throw a couple of cans of injector cleaner > into the gas tank this week, but I doubt that's the problem, either. The car > is running rich, not lean.. How do you know? Does the exhaust have a gassy smell? > After a month with TFrog sitting in my garage, it is an absolute joy to > drive it again. With CFrog having lost its overdrive, What happened with the OD? > I tend to keep my speed to between 55-60 on the highway. TFrog has no such restrictions. I go > from being one of the slowest cars on the road to one of the fastest. And > it's a fascinating contrast in perspectives. > CFrog: Stinkin' tailgaters. If they could drive worth a lick, they'd PASS me > and not sit on my back bumper. Idiots. I'm constantly annoyed by drivers on the highway. There are too many who don't use blinkers and have no lane discipline - the left lane is for passing only -- what so ever. > TFrog: Why is this person camped out in the left lane, doing 65 in a 55 > zone? Move the %*%@ over, and let me by! Or much worse, doing 55 in a 65 zone. Patrick >> Shortly after I wrote about cleaning the mass air meter and then not >> being [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > <snip of the health check> Good to hear you're doing well. Fire ants... You should stick a tiny nanotransmitter on one of 'em and track it back to the nest. Then nuke it. I guess that every place we choose to live has a Snake in the Garden. In some areas, it is literal snakes (rattling or otherwise); in others, it's the weather (the big giant wind and rain storms, or those spinning, funnel-shaped things; or extremes of heat or cold). After all my travels, I still like this area in southeastern Pennsylvania. Give me poison ivy and deer ticks over fire ants any day! I seem to recall a family vacation to Oklahoma when I was very young. I can remember being fascinated by red ants, which I had never seen before - we only have those very small black ones up here. But my fascination with the red ones slowly turned into terror as the number of ants scrambling up my legs grew exponentially. I don't remember anything of the after-effects, only the sense of the sudden, "Uh, oh - I'm in trouble here." The joyful situation that becomes life-threatening - that sense has stayed with me my whole life. Probably explains why I'm just no fun. Fire ants... >> I also found out that yes, our dog (dubbed "Shelby" by the girls) can >> swim. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > afterwards she didn't seem scared at all. In fact I think she enjoyed > the cool dip after being in the boat for a few hours. That's funny. Throw the dog in and see if it can swim. A papillon?!? You? Hell, man, that ain't no DOG. Not unless you're Paris Hilton. THIS is a DOG: http://home.comcast.net/%7Edmunroe/rebel/dog4.jpg Like I said, I never wanted a dog. Resisted the idea for all 28 years of married life, even though my wife grew up with dogs and always wanted one of her own. Now that we have an actual back yard, the dog was a foregone conclusion. The girls looked at a few before finally bringing home THIS mutt, and I'm fairly okay with her. When I consider the entire range of available dogdom from which to choose, "Jayda" is right around dead-center: a good size, doesn't often bark, loves everybody (unless you surprise her), and follows hand signals well. Very smart, but I wouldn't trust her alone in the kitchen. Naturally, the girls changed her name from "Jayda" to "Shelby", thinking that would get me to bond with her. Didn't really matter - an animal comes into my home, it's automatically my new best friend, no questions asked. (Besides, I did get that new camera out of the deal...) We did worry a bit about the swimming thing, though. We tend to vacation along bodies of water, so it was important that the dog take to it. She took to it, alright. >> Anyway... > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > junkyard for one. That's what I did and haven't had a problem with it > for seven years. That's right... Windsor Fox recommended swapping in a different sensor to see if that was the problem, and I never got around to it. TFrog's battery was donated to CFrog, when that one died (and, since TFrog wasn't starting, who cared?). Then I got sick, went away, came back, bought a new battery for TFrog, but forgot to swap the sensors. Since CFrog runs fairly well, I've just put its mass air meter into TFrog, and I'll have to take TFrog out for a romp today. If that doesn't show any difference, I'll follow Joe's suggestion and clean the idle air bypass (which, by now, has 12 years of accumulated crud in it). (Come to think of it, the symptoms would seem to strongly suggest the IAB as the culprit.) >> I'll throw a couple of cans of injector cleaner >> into the gas tank this week, but I doubt that's the problem, either. The >> car >> is running rich, not lean.. > > How do you know? Does the exhaust have a gassy smell? Very gassy. Just like me! That's what happens when you reach a certain age. >> After a month with TFrog sitting in my garage, it is an absolute joy to >> drive it again. With CFrog having lost its overdrive, > > What happened with the OD? CFrog has been in need of a transmission overhaul for a long time now. It lost overdrive first (the engine just spins when it shifts into that final gear), so I just keep it in D and drive it anyway. It doesn't "downshift" now, either. I really don't want to spend thousands to overhaul or buy a new transmission for a car that's arguably worth between $2700 and $4500 (Blue Book), since I'm not real keen on keeping it. In the end, I'll probably have the trans replaced and have a new top put on it, just so I can sell it. Sweet car, but I never took to it like I have with TFrog. >> I tend to keep my speed to between 55-60 on the highway. TFrog has no >> such restrictions. I go [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Patrick Now, now... We can all go on all day about the other drivers out there, but I'm not really in the position of being able to cast the first stone. Suffice it to say that we all don't seem to pay full attention to our driving at all times. What's funny is when someone decides to harrass the slow-moving convertible, sort of like poking a stick at a wounded animal. Sometimes, that's not the smartest approach. dwight Top posting because the thread below is too big to handle on a Sunday morning. But here are a few random comments anyway... a) Fire Ants: Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer. Use liberally when dry. Works wonders, at least down here. b) AOD: If the rest of the car's basically ok, it might be worth having it rebuilt if you're considering keeping the car. I've dumped thousands into the LX over the years even though the book is only a few grand or so. My rationale is that it's a helluva lot cheaper than getting a newer car. So far so good. c) Bad/crazy drivers: Down here in SoFla there are basically two ways to deal with them. Either be conservative and avoid them like the plague, or be crazier than they are so they avoid you. d) Ernesto: Patrick, you might want to start watch the weather reports. If you have a generator, it might be time to give it a test run. If not, you might want to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowe's. Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC >>> Shortly after I wrote about cleaning the mass air meter and then not >>> being [quoted text clipped - 201 lines] > > dwight > Top posting because the thread below is too big to handle on a Sunday > morning. But here are a few random comments anyway... [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > so. My rationale is that it's a helluva lot cheaper than getting a > newer car. So far so good. Oh, I agree on both points. Ideally, I'd have preferred a Fox convertible with stick, though (no offense, as you know). CFrog's a great car, but I still doubt that I'm keeping it, thus the wrangle over whether to have the thing rebuilt. Hell, if I DO decide it's worth keeping, I'd put a new replacement tranny in it. > c) Bad/crazy drivers: Down here in SoFla there are basically two ways to > deal with them. Either be conservative and avoid them like the plague, > or be crazier than they are so they avoid you. Hah! More often, as I get older, I decide that I'd rather have them in front of me than behind, and more often I decide to just "let it go." Unless they're riding my back bumper, it's not my problem. Still, the ones that REALLY piss me off are the "bullies". > d) Ernesto: Patrick, you might want to start watch the weather reports. > If you have a generator, it might be time to give it a test run. If > not, you might want to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowe's. And, finally, you win. Swapping the mass air meters between the two cars had little or no effect. I just pulled off the idle air bypass and sprayed the CARP out of it with throttle body cleaner. And I do mean crap. 12 years and 197,000 miles worth of crap. Sprayed out the throttle body, too, of course, and now I've just gotten back from a half-hour romp. TFROG IS BACK! Now, I won't know for certain, until I start it up tomorrow morning, but the idle is strong and steady again, and that impacts everything - even the transmission is smoother, especially starting up in first gear. "As for the symptoms up top, have you checked the idle air bypass on the throttle body? That thing could be cruddy." It was. dwight > And, finally, you win. Swapping the mass air meters between the two cars had > little or no effect. I just pulled off the idle air bypass and sprayed the [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > dwight Just keep in mind that cleaning the IAB for some reason doesn't last long and doesn't have quite the effect of a new one. Whenever you do replace it get a *good* one. The cheapass ones from AutoZone are only slightly better than the dirty one.  SignatureWhen you click the "Forgot password?" button it sends you to a screen where you can change your password. If you first enter your old password. We're talking high-quality programming here, boys. - OrionCA rec.games.computer.ultima.online I used to have abs. Now, I've just got ab. One big ol' Ab. - BigSkiff www.titanspot.com Pyongyang sounds more like the sound effect an ACME catapult makes as it goes off at precisely the wrong moment for Wile E. Coyote. - Cadbury Moose > > And, finally, you win. Swapping the mass air meters between the two cars had > > little or no effect. I just pulled off the idle air bypass and sprayed the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > is strong and steady again, and that impacts everything - even the > > transmission is smoother, especially starting up in first gear. > > "As for the symptoms up top, have you checked the idle air bypass on the > > throttle body? That thing could be cruddy." > > It was. > Just keep in mind that cleaning the IAB for some reason doesn't > last long and doesn't have quite the effect of a new one. Whenever you > do replace it get a *good* one. The cheapass ones from AutoZone are only > slightly better than the dirty one. I totally agree! Factory stuff is MUCH better. And, IMO, if you're going to take the time to tear it apart/down, just replace the old/dirty stuff and be done with it. Patrick > When you click the "Forgot password?" button it > sends you to a screen where you can change your [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > as it goes off at precisely the wrong moment for Wile E. Coyote. - > Cadbury Moose >> > And, finally, you win. Swapping the mass air meters between the two >> > cars had [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Patrick Lost in all of this somewhere is the fact that I actually took a wrench to my car. And it turned out well. And thanks for the word of caution - I don't generally go cheapass on my cars, anyway, but it's something I'll definitely keep in mind. dwight >>> Just keep in mind that cleaning the IAB for some reason doesn't >>> last long and doesn't have quite the effect of a new one. Whenever you [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > dwight I mention it because when I had idle problems I cleaned mine and got a lot better, but not perfect. A few months later it was about back where it was. Then I changed it, with one from AutoZone that was about half the price of the one from NAPA. It lasted a little longer than the cleaned one did. Went and got one from the dealer and it's been there several years now. SignatureWhen you click the "Forgot password?" button it sends you to a screen where you can change your password. If you first enter your old password. We're talking high-quality programming here, boys. - OrionCA rec.games.computer.ultima.online I used to have abs. Now, I've just got ab. One big ol' Ab. - BigSkiff www.titanspot.com Pyongyang sounds more like the sound effect an ACME catapult makes as it goes off at precisely the wrong moment for Wile E. Coyote. - Cadbury Moose >> Top posting because the thread below is too big to handle on a Sunday >> morning. But here are a few random comments anyway... [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > over whether to have the thing rebuilt. Hell, if I DO decide it's > worth keeping, I'd put a new replacement tranny in it. As for the fix/don't fix thing, what could you possibly get for it with no OD? That's the thing with these cars - nobody's willing to pay anything for them if they're broke (except die-hards that want to rebuild them), but it starts to get expensive if you want to keep them in good shape in order to sell them, or just use them as daily drivers. As for the replacement, I'd think it's cheaper to rebuild than replace. And if you're going to swap it for a 5-speed, you can instantly double the price. >> c) Bad/crazy drivers: Down here in SoFla there are basically two ways >> to deal with them. Either be conservative and avoid them like the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > front of me than behind, and more often I decide to just "let it go." > Unless they're riding my back bumper, it's not my problem. Exactly. Let them go on and kill themselves up ahead. Just have to watch for the upcoming road debris. As for tailgaters, I just slow down and let them blow by. > Still, the ones that REALLY piss me off are the "bullies". True. During the morning rush, the exit lane from I-75 to the Palmetto backs up for about a mile. Inevitably, guys drive down the regular lane past the backed up exit lane then try to cut right into the front of the line. I always get into contests with these a.sholes, so I always stay a foot behind the guy in front as we take the off ramp. These punks have no choice but to back it down or hit me. Since 99% of these guys are just hot shots going to work, they don't risk causing an accident. These dickwads are _my_ pet peeve. >> d) Ernesto: Patrick, you might want to start watch the weather >> reports. If you have a generator, it might be time to give it a test [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > dwight Hey, glad it worked. That's my starting point on the LX when it starts to run rough. A nice bath in CRC usually does the trick. Takes all of a few minutes. BTW, a month or so ago I replaced the headlight lenses with new ones and I also bought some GE Nighthawks to boot. Between the crystal clear lenses and the increased firepower of the bulbs (they're the real deal - not those blue ricer things), night visibility has improved beyond belief. Well worth the investment from a safety standpoint alone. > BTW, a month or so ago I replaced the headlight lenses with new ones and > I also bought some GE Nighthawks to boot. Between the crystal clear > lenses and the increased firepower of the bulbs (they're the real deal - > not those blue ricer things), night visibility has improved beyond > belief. Well worth the investment from a safety standpoint alone. What do these headlight lenses look like? Can you tell from a glance that they're not stock? Are they better quality than the factory lenses? Patrick >> BTW, a month or so ago I replaced the headlight lenses with new ones and >> I also bought some GE Nighthawks to boot. Between the crystal clear [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Patrick I replaced TFrog's headlights about two years ago with these kits from Mustangs Unlimited: http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=93008KIT+01&Category=Lighting&s ubCategory=Head+Light+Kits&CatKey=74-01 They look just like stock, and I was surprised how "cheap" the stock shells were, when I removed them. But $110 for all six pieces ain't bad. In fact, I should order in another set to replace those in about 10 years or so. dwight >> BTW, a month or so ago I replaced the headlight lenses with new ones and >> I also bought some GE Nighthawks to boot. Between the crystal clear [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Patrick The ones I have, bought from Texas Mustang look totally stock except that they are crystal clear instead of the mottled lens and the light diffusion occurs on a faceted reflector instead of through said lens. You can tell it's not stock if you or I look at it just because we know so much about the cars, but as common as that type of lens is now it's not very noticeable and even with regular bulbs it makes a big difference in being able to see at night. I have these: http://tinyurl.com/gkz3z which are about ghastly and these: http://tinyurl.com/hprt9 Which look fantastic. SignatureWhen you click the "Forgot password?" button it sends you to a screen where you can change your password. If you first enter your old password. We're talking high-quality programming here, boys. - OrionCA rec.games.computer.ultima.online I used to have abs. Now, I've just got ab. One big ol' Ab. - BigSkiff www.titanspot.com Pyongyang sounds more like the sound effect an ACME catapult makes as it goes off at precisely the wrong moment for Wile E. Coyote. - Cadbury Moose NoOption5L@aol.com wrote in news:1156815649.997860.132450 @i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: >> BTW, a month or so ago I replaced the headlight lenses with new ones and >> I also bought some GE Nighthawks to boot. Between the crystal clear [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Patrick Patrick, they _are_ stock - they're beautiful. I got a brand new OEM set from PPI (Performance Parts Inc.) for $69.99 plus shipping. Tim Musttanguy gave me the tip (Thanks again, Tim!). I only got the actual headlights, not the parking lights/blinkers. But the clarity on these is unreal. Here's a link to what they look like: http://www.performancepartsinc.com/images/8793headlites.jpg Apparently they still have some in stock. I did paypal with absolutely no problems at all. Here's the link to their inventory page: http://www.performancepartsinc.com/int_ext.htm Do a page search for 'headlight' and you'll see them towards the bottom. If you want to know about the bulbs, just Google 'GE Nighthawk bulbs'. Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC > >> BTW, a month or so ago I replaced the headlight lenses with new ones > and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > that they're not stock? Are they better quality than the factory > > lenses? > Patrick, they _are_ stock - they're beautiful. I got a brand new OEM set > from PPI (Performance Parts Inc.) for $69.99 plus shipping. Tim > Musttanguy gave me the tip (Thanks again, Tim!). I only got the actual > headlights, not the parking lights/blinkers. But the clarity on these is > unreal. Here's a link to what they look like: Thanks for passing this info along, Joe! I just ordered a set. (Thanks to the others for your suggestions. I went with PPI because I've been going to them for years and have always received good service/products.) > http://www.performancepartsinc.com/images/8793headlites.jpg > Apparently they still have some in stock. I did paypal with absolutely no > problems at all. Here's the link to their inventory page: > http://www.performancepartsinc.com/int_ext.htm > Do a page search for 'headlight' and you'll see them towards the bottom. > If you want to know about the bulbs, just Google 'GE Nighthawk bulbs'. I just "upgraded" bulbs about a 2 years ago. I went with a pure white GE bulb that was recommended to me at the time by a guy in another NG who was very knowledgeable. It was slightly brighter. Patrick > Top posting because the thread below is too big to handle on a Sunday > morning. But here are a few random comments anyway... > a) Fire Ants: Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer. Use liberally when dry. > Works wonders, at least down here. I've just been using Amdro around any mounds I see in the yard. But that night in the driveway there weren't any mounds anywhere to be found. Little suckers! > d) Ernesto: Patrick, you might want to start watch the weather reports. > If you have a generator, it might be time to give it a test run. If > not, you might want to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowe's. Since Ivan blew through here, I'm on these storms... I watch them closer than Max Mayfield does. The latest has it running over Cuba and then hugging the west side of the Florida peninsula. That's good news for us... it should take a lot of steam off it if it makes it up our way. Patrick >> Top posting because the thread below is too big to handle on a Sunday >> morning. But here are a few random comments anyway... [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Patrick However, Talstar One and Bifen IT are safe towards non-target animals such as birds, reptiles, dogs and "girls"... After Katrina I got a super silent Honda EU3000. Over priced to start with, but it will make up the difference in fuel economy (if I ever have to use it) and due to having no real goo place to put it other than outside my bedroom, the quietness will be well appreciated. SignatureWhen you click the "Forgot password?" button it sends you to a screen where you can change your password. If you first enter your old password. We're talking high-quality programming here, boys. - OrionCA rec.games.computer.ultima.online I used to have abs. Now, I've just got ab. One big ol' Ab. - BigSkiff www.titanspot.com Pyongyang sounds more like the sound effect an ACME catapult makes as it goes off at precisely the wrong moment for Wile E. Coyote. - Cadbury Moose NoOption5L@aol.com wrote in news:1156702420.208711.220820@ 75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com: >> Top posting because the thread below is too big to handle on a Sunday >> morning. But here are a few random comments anyway... [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > that night in the driveway there weren't any mounds anywhere to be > found. Little suckers! Yah, I've gotten into the habit of watching for fire ants whenever I'm on strange turf. Been bitten way too many times. BTW, I've tried both the Amdro and the Ortho; the Ortho always seems to get them so they never come back in the same place. Could be location though.. >> d) Ernesto: Patrick, you might want to start watch the weather reports. >> If you have a generator, it might be time to give it a test run. If >> not, you might want to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowe's. > > Since Ivan blew through here, I'm on these storms... I watch them > closer than Max Mayfield does. Max is retiring after this year. He was quoted in the paper as saying that the last two years sort of wore him out. Can't blame him one bit. > The latest has it running over Cuba and > then hugging the west side of the Florida peninsula. That's good news > for us... it should take a lot of steam off it if it makes it up our > way. > > Patrick Yeah, saw the track a little while ago. One station here had it going up across north-central FL across Jax. Looks like you guys are out of the cone, but we're on the east/dirty side. We'll prolly get some nasty wind and rain this week. The Dak's still scratched up a bit from Wilma last year. What's a few more scratches, eh? ;) > I guess that every place we choose to live has a Snake in the Garden. In > some areas, it is literal snakes (rattling or otherwise); in others, it's > the weather (the big giant wind and rain storms, or those spinning, > funnel-shaped things; or extremes of heat or cold). After all my travels, I > still like this area in southeastern Pennsylvania. Give me poison ivy and > deer ticks over fire ants any day! I found Albuqerque/NM to have the fewest "snakes". Very few bugs/no flies, lots of sunshine, no real natural disasters, very little rain... does it seem I miss the place? I do! We'll have to see what the housing market does in the next few years. Right now we're sorta locked in, but if things improve I'd like to go back West. But a small little cabin-type home and get done to just the basics, except with a real nice garage and a cool car. > > Our dog (a Papillon - http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/papillon.htm) got her > > first swim a couple weeks ago. My son and I took a couple Kayaks out [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > afterwards she didn't seem scared at all. In fact I think she enjoyed > > the cool dip after being in the boat for a few hours. > That's funny. Throw the dog in and see if it can swim. A papillon?!? You? > Hell, man, that ain't no DOG. Not unless you're Paris Hilton. We/I wanted something that looked like a Border Collie (my favorite dog), but in a small package. She fits the bill perfectly! Smart (they're the smartest toy breed and dominate in the agility contests), active, not yappy, and very cool looking. While some Papillons have longer fur and are "fluffy looking". Not this one, her fur is thinner and she's the right color -- black and white. They're great! I wouldn't own another breed now. THIS is a DOG: http://home.comcast.net/%7Edmunroe/rebel/dog4.jpg Holy crap! (jumping away from the screen> That's a horse with canine teeth. > Like I said, I never wanted a dog. Resisted the idea for all 28 years of > married life, even though my wife grew up with dogs and always wanted one of [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > animal comes into my home, it's automatically my new best friend, no > questions asked. (Besides, I did get that new camera out of the deal...) "The girls"? I thought you were an "empty nester". > We did worry a bit about the swimming thing, though. We tend to vacation > along bodies of water, so it was important that the dog take to it. She took > to it, alright. > >> Anyway... > >> So I cleaned the mass air meter, and the car wouldn't start. All systems > >> were GO when I turned the key to ON, but no ignition. My first thought > >> (hope) was clogged fuel filter, but then I started thinking coil. > >> Turns out that I bought myself a new distributor and ignition module. > >> Threw > >> in a new cap and rotor, too. > >> When the car's in the shop and they tell me what's needed, I okay the > >> repairs, hoping to get the car back as soon as possible. (I'm just no [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > junkyard for one. That's what I did and haven't had a problem with it > > for seven years. > That's right... Windsor Fox recommended swapping in a different sensor to > see if that was the problem, and I never got around to it. I'll bet that's what it is. TFrog's battery > was donated to CFrog, when that one died (and, since TFrog wasn't starting, > who cared?). Then I got sick, went away, came back, bought a new battery for [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > accumulated crud in it). (Come to think of it, the symptoms would seem to > strongly suggest the IAB as the culprit.) There aren't any codes showing up? The quick way is to just pull into a national chain parts store and have them scan it. They'll/most do it for free. > >> I'll throw a couple of cans of injector cleaner > >> into the gas tank this week, but I doubt that's the problem, either. The > >> car > >> is running rich, not lean.. > > How do you know? Does the exhaust have a gassy smell? > Very gassy. Have you ever replaced the coil? Oh, and a gassey exhaust can quickly kill a set of cats. > Just like me! That's what happens when you reach a certain age. You old geezer, lay off the prunes and eat bananas. They work great. > >> After a month with TFrog sitting in my garage, it is an absolute joy to > >> drive it again. With CFrog having lost its overdrive, > > What happened with the OD? > CFrog has been in need of a transmission overhaul for a long time now. It > lost overdrive first (the engine just spins when it shifts into that final > gear), so I just keep it in D and drive it anyway. It doesn't "downshift" > now, either. Not good. Too late to ask, but did you ever have the trans fluid/filter changed out? I'm religious about tranny fluid. Servicing transmissions is a pay me now or pay me later deal. I change it about every 50K. > I really don't want to spend thousands to overhaul or buy a new > transmission for a car that's arguably worth between $2700 and $4500 (Blue > Book), since I'm not real keen on keeping it. In the end, I'll probably have > the trans replaced and have a new top put on it, just so I can sell it. If you don't plan to keep it, that's probably the smart thing to do. First though, I'd price the cost of the work then see how much someone will offer you. Then do the math. > Sweet car, but I never took to it like I have with TFrog. 'Verts are fun, but they are something I'd rather visit than live with. > >> I tend to keep my speed to between 55-60 on the highway. TFrog has no > >> such restrictions. I go > >> from being one of the slowest cars on the road to one of the fastest. And > >> it's a fascinating contrast in perspectives. > >> CFrog: Stinkin' tailgaters. If they could drive worth a lick, they'd PASS > >> me > >> and not sit on my back bumper. Idiots. > > I'm constantly annoyed by drivers on the highway. There are too many > > who don't use blinkers and have no lane discipline - the left lane is > > for passing only -- what so ever. > >> TFrog: Why is this person camped out in the left lane, doing 65 in a 55 > >> zone? Move the %*%@ over, and let me by! > > Or much worse, doing 55 in a 65 zone. > Now, now... We can all go on all day about the other drivers out there, but > I'm not really in the position of being able to cast the first stone. > Suffice it to say that we all don't seem to pay full attention to our > driving at all times. If I'm not passing someone, or trying to pass someone, I'm in the left lane. Patrick >> I guess that every place we choose to live has a Snake in the Garden. In >> some areas, it is literal snakes (rattling or otherwise); in others, it's [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > little cabin-type home and get done to just the basics, except with a > real nice garage and a cool car. Now that I've seen Phoenix (and the country to the north), I understand your affection for the Southwest. But me, I couldn't live without my cable (TV and internet) and my greenery. And I'm not talking cactus farm - real green stuff. Hell, I took out a half-dozen small trees this weekend, that were actually overgrown weeds. So overgrown, that they WERE small trees. >> > Our dog (a Papillon - http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/papillon.htm) got her >> > first swim a couple weeks ago. My son and I took a couple Kayaks out [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > and she's the right color -- black and white. They're great! I > wouldn't own another breed now. A small dog that isn't yappy is a rare breed, indeed. But I certainly meant no offense. That's just not the dog I'd have pictured you with... > THIS is a DOG: http://home.comcast.net/%7Edmunroe/rebel/dog4.jpg > > Holy crap! (jumping away from the screen> That's a horse with canine > teeth. Yep. She runs and trots like a small horse, too. But the camera adds ten pounds - she's not nearly as big as she looks. >> Like I said, I never wanted a dog. Resisted the idea for all 28 years of >> married life, even though my wife grew up with dogs and always wanted one [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > "The girls"? I thought you were an "empty nester". Hell, no. I was an empty nester for exactly one month, some years ago. Princess still lives with us, and is welcome to stay as long as she wants. Problem is, now that we've moved to Paradise, she may want to stay longer than I thought. >> We did worry a bit about the swimming thing, though. We tend to vacation >> along bodies of water, so it was important that the dog take to it. She [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > > I'll bet that's what it is. Nope. > TFrog's battery >> was donated to CFrog, when that one died (and, since TFrog wasn't [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > a national chain parts store and have them scan it. They'll/most do it > for free. That would take initiative, and I don't have any. My CHECK ENGINE light has been on for the last 5 years, and I've had a Ford dealer and several mechanics give up on finding the cause. The dropoff in performance was a gradual thing over (I don't know how many) years, but it only recently became embarrassing trying to start the car in the morning. My current mechanic's advice was to buy a new mass air meter. I didn't ask him if he'd pulled any codes, but one would ASSume that he had. Maybe I should ask, next time I see him. >> >> I'll throw a couple of cans of injector cleaner >> >> into the gas tank this week, but I doubt that's the problem, either. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Have you ever replaced the coil? Oh, and a gassey exhaust can quickly > kill a set of cats. I suspected coil, when the car wouldn't start at all. No, it's original and probably should be replaced "just because." And now I'm curious whether I'll still get that gassy exhaust tomorrow, or whether that problem's been fixed. (Also curious to see how my fuel mileage changes...) >> Just like me! That's what happens when you reach a certain age. > > You old geezer, lay off the prunes and eat bananas. They work great. It's the meds I'm on. Swear to god. Normally, I'm much more discreet. >> >> After a month with TFrog sitting in my garage, it is an absolute joy >> >> to [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > transmissions is a pay me now or pay me later deal. I change it about > every 50K. Me? You're kidding, right? My cars only go in the shop when it IS too late. But that's another good idea. Since dropping a couple of grand on TFrog's trans last year, I should probably start a strict regimen of annual refresh. I'll do the same with CFrog, once I get that one squared away. >> I really don't want to spend thousands to overhaul or buy a new >> transmission for a car that's arguably worth between $2700 and $4500 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > First though, I'd price the cost of the work then see how much someone > will offer you. Then do the math. Tranny work has to be between $2-$3,000, plus a new top at $1,000 (ballpark). At MOST, the car would sell for between $5-$6,000. I think I'll take CFrog over to the shop and see about swapping in a manual, instead. If I can get that done, I'd keep the car for sure. >> Sweet car, but I never took to it like I have with TFrog. > > 'Verts are fun, but they are something I'd rather visit than live with. If I had only one car, it'd be a difficult decision, but I'd probably go droptop. But I've got a choice, which makes having a convertible that much better. >> >> I tend to keep my speed to between 55-60 on the highway. TFrog has no >> >> such restrictions. I go [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Patrick (I think there's a "not" missing in the above.) dwight >> Shortly after I wrote about cleaning the mass air meter and then not being >> able to start the car at all, I was introduced to the SECOND hazard [quoted text clipped - 102 lines] > > Patrick Talstar. I think it will kill deer ticks as well. SignatureWhen you click the "Forgot password?" button it sends you to a screen where you can change your password. If you first enter your old password. We're talking high-quality programming here, boys. - OrionCA rec.games.computer.ultima.online I used to have abs. Now, I've just got ab. One big ol' Ab. - BigSkiff www.titanspot.com Pyongyang sounds more like the sound effect an ACME catapult makes as it goes off at precisely the wrong moment for Wile E. Coyote. - Cadbury Moose
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