Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[rjohns39]

Kris, best of luck....

 

[Kris5902]

Sounds like a very busy day. Interesting that the chickens will kill off the tough ugly grass. Good for them. They have really fallen down on my yard this year. Much more clover than in years past. I must be feeding them too well.

Good luck with today's moves.

Im not sure if you have considered this but there are two easy ways to remove that lug nut. For $20 advanced auto (probably amazon) sells a socket that screws itself onto the lug and spins it off. The other way will only cost you a socket. Take whatever socket you have that is closest in size to the lug nut and hammer it onto the lug. Then just use the socket to take off the lug. Throw the socket away when finished and get a new lug nut.

OmGosh!!!! How did this not occur to me? Thank you Bob! I guess because we had the fancy key thingie (technical terms!) when we got the truck, I never thought of this. Genius.

Wow, Bob. You are a mine of useful information ~ but then I am mechanically challenged. You'd do well as an Aussie. That's just the sort of *bush mechanics* most people I know use. Why use the real deal when you can DIY?

^x2

Cars are my thing. The one thing my dad and I could relate to each other about. We had no money growing up so we had to develop shortcuts. I've been to the junkyard so many times just to keep cars going.

It was such a big deal when I got the new Alfa. A car neither of us will ever work on. That's when he finally told me Ihe was proud of me. That I had made it. Forget that I had raised daughters yo be an engineer and a lawyer, that car was the moment for him.

My cousin went through the same thing with my Dad's brother. It wasn't until he bought the Porsche that he had made it. Forget the fact that he had his own custom cars parts company. It was the Porsche.

I’ve done the scrap metal thing, I’ve fixed lots of little things on cars over the years, despite being, much like @Ribh, not very mechanically inclined. And now that we have YouTube, there is so much you can DIY even without a decent mentor like your Dad. I’m 97% sure I can now refurbish the starterwith just a few tools, new solenoid contact thingies, and a new plunger. But we are just going to get a whole new one, because with our luck of late that 3% uncertainty looks too likely!

I mentioned a tow truck issue in my initial post... to elaborate: he used his bumper to push us around two corners, up a hill and out of the ferry lot, before jumping us as we requested. Because the ferry worker called him direct we couldn’t use our BCAA (AAA in the USA) he wanted cash upfront and offered to tow us into Vancouver. He was unusually agitated (he’s normally a pretty nice guy) . And when he was asking if we had hit the starter with a hammer (yeah, that’s a thing...) I asked him to show me what to hit. He was super standoffish. I’ve never had ANY guy, especially one remotely mechanically inclined, not want to mansplain a part or procedure to me. WTH? It was an awful experience, and I usually get on swimmingly with Tow truck drivers, and most other “blue collar” guys. I started working In a warehouse on the docks in Vancouver at 15/16 years old, splicing rope and sorting web slings. I’m used to longshoremen, construction workers, and rig pigs and oilfield workers. Almost nothing offends me. I’m fairly certain it was him and not me...

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris

I'm pretty certain it was him and not you.

 

[BY Bob]

OmGosh!!!! How did this not occur to me? Thank you Bob! I guess because we had the fancy key thingie (technical terms!) when we got the truck, I never thought of this. Genius.

^x2


I’ve done the scrap metal thing, I’ve fixed lots of little things on cars over the years, despite being, much like @Ribh, not very mechanically inclined. And now that we have YouTube, there is so much you can DIY even without a decent mentor like your Dad. I’m 97% sure I can now refurbish the starterwith just a few tools, new solenoid contact thingies, and a new plunger. But we are just going to get a whole new one, because with our luck of late that 3% uncertainty looks too likely!

I mentioned a tow truck issue in my initial post... to elaborate: he used his bumper to push us around two corners, up a hill and out of the ferry lot, before jumping us as we requested. Because the ferry worker called him direct we couldn’t use our BCAA (AAA in the USA) he wanted cash upfront and offered to tow us into Vancouver. He was unusually agitated (he’s normally a pretty nice guy) . And when he was asking if we had hit the starter with a hammer (yeah, that’s a thing...) I asked him to show me what to hit. He was super standoffish. I’ve never had ANY guy, especially one remotely mechanically inclined, not want to mansplain a part or procedure to me. WTH? It was an awful experience, and I usually get on swimmingly with Tow truck drivers, and most other “blue collar” guys. I started working In a warehouse on the docks in Vancouver at 15/16 years old, splicing rope and sorting web slings. I’m used to longshoremen, construction workers, and rig pigs and oilfield workers. Almost nothing offends me. I’m fairly certain it was him and not me...

Yes hitting the starter with the hammer is a thing. Sometimes they can bind and a wack t p with the hammer gets them going. As they wear they can stop just a little out of alignment. If your battery is not up to snuff then it won't have the power to move itself into spin position. A wack with the hammer jars it back into place and off you go.

Ironically, as the pool motor fails, sometimes I have to wack it with a hammer to get it started again.

See that! I'm not blue collar (technically) but I could not pass up a chance to mansplain.

That guy was either having a real bad day or he is natively a jerk.

 

[Kris5902]

Yes hitting the starter with the hammer is a thing. Sometimes they can bind and a wack t p with the hammer gets them going. As they wear they can stop just a little out of alignment. If your battery is not up to snuff then it won't have the power to move itself into spin position. A wack with the hammer jars it back into place and off you go.

Ironically, as the pool motor fails, sometimes I have to wack it with a hammer to get it started again.

See that! I'm not blue collar (technically) but I could not pass up a chance to mansplain.

That guy was either having a real bad day or he is natively a jerk.

But Bob... your Roots are showing! I’m chalking it up to a bad day, all around... he’s usually a nice enough guy. It was also some awful hour of the morning for most people, and he was trying to get on a ferry that was leaving in about 10 minutes. (We didn’t want him to sacrifice a decent paying call out for our Jump either!) I don’t have much experience with Diesel engines. The starter is “due” for replacement or rebuild anyway from what I’ve read based on our mileage and engine. Of course, after watching the YouTube instructions on rebuilding it, I half want to give it a try, but a working vehicle is more important and the core charge is a little pricy for a “Kristen wants to play around with a part, to see if she can” ATM. The Alternator was the beginning of the issues, which led to overdraining the batteries, and excessive wearing on the Starter from what I researched and in line with what you just explained. Apparently if it’s the original starter, a Denso, they are awesome and worth the rebuild... and now I want to tinker! Sigh.

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris

 

[BY Bob]

But Bob... your Roots are showing! I’m chalking it up to a bad day, all around... he’s usually a nice enough guy. It was also some awful hour of the morning for most people, and he was trying to get on a ferry that was leaving in about 10 minutes. (We didn’t want him to sacrifice a decent paying call out for our Jump either!) I don’t have much experience with Diesel engines. The starter is “due” for replacement or rebuild anyway from what I’ve read based on our mileage and engine. Of course, after watching the YouTube instructions on rebuilding it, I half want to give it a try, but a working vehicle is more important and the core charge is a little pricy for a “Kristen wants to play around with a part, to see if she can” ATM. The Alternator was the beginning of the issues, which led to overdraining the batteries, and excessive wearing on the Starter from what I researched and in line with what you just explained. Apparently if it’s the original starter, a Denso, they are awesome and worth the rebuild... and now I want to tinker! Sigh.

I truly understand the wanting to tinker and fix it yourself. I will replace the pool motor myself, maybe even this week. Just because it's fun. Well it needs done too.

 

[BY Bob]

Good morning Kris

Good morning Bob.

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Bob.

Good morning Bob, have a great day

 

[BY Bob]

Good morning Bob, have a great day

You too. Stay safe on that drive.