First, I know I should be known as Neo-Mechanic, but I just like the sound of Proto-Mechanic: First Mechanic, First Time Mechanic...
So, Logan calls with loose belt. Seems his belt tensioner is out... or so it seems. Proto-Mechanic will be leaving at 3 today in order to try and fix the issue and not screw the pootch. Update on the Blog tomorrow.
Of course, Logan made it out to Terry like I thought it was the alternator. I simply told Logan that without the belt running the alternator would not keep the battery charged. Now Terry thinks I misdiagnosed the issue, which I did not.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Further Adventures of Pete Bush: Proto-Mechanic... and some Movies
EGR Valve
So, the van cuts out on Christan down in Jacksonville. She takes it to Advanced Auto and comes up with two codes: P0404 and P0406... both dealing with the EGR valve. Never heard of it before, but the guy at Autozone told Christan that "it would be 30 or 40 bucks and was a a plug n'play piece." At that point I felt good about the whole project. Right in Proto-Mechanic's wheelhouse.
The EGR valve was seventy-seven bucks. That should have been an omen. Should have been. Got an air filter as well. Ninety bucks at the Autozone. Awesome.
Got up late Saturday. This was the day I fell in love with my chainsaw. Nate and I took down a fallen limb, chopped it into bits and were done in fifteen minutes. I love my chainsaw. On to the EGR valve.
Easy to find. Top bolts are 5/16, bottom bolts 10mm. Makes sense to me. First three bolts are EPJ. Then, the fourth bolt.
The fourth bolt on the EGRV is located just above the alternator, and I mean just above. So just above that a ratchet will not fit into the gap. I had an inkling about what to do, but called Master of Sport Mechanic Extraordinaire and All-Round-Great-Guy, My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline Terry who agreed that the alternator would have to be loosened.
The top bolt and mounting bracket both came out with little issue, just time consuming as the ROM for ratchet work is negligible. Unfortunatly, the second bolt is in a wee gap under the belt with even less ROM and in order to get to it with a ratchet you need to go by feel. This took a long time. And once these three bolts were out... the alternator would not budge. At this point I lost control.
According to my tear filled phone call to MOSMEaARGG,MPML Terry, there is a third bolt toward the front. I found it. If you had no air conditioning setup, it would be easy to get to. I have AC, so it was not. No way in Hell or God's Green Earth a ratchet will get in there and, of course, the alternator is held on by 15mm bolts and I only have a smattering of SAE wrenches. Off to Ace Hardware: $23.86 for a set of metric wrenches. I find that I have to buy tools for every job I do.
Alternator moves once third bolt is loosened. Have to impress Nate into service. We finally get it off, get the new one on. Total time: 4 hours. Assumed time: 45 minutes.
Good news: the van starts up.
Air filter takes three minutes to remove and install. Right on schedule.
At this point, the gym has assumed the "no chance in hell" status.
Proto-Mechanic became DJ Yardman on Sunday. Mowed all three yards and swept up small backyard and front yard. Gots to weedeat, rake and trim trees next weekend.
Watched movies:
Firefly
A great TV series that never got a chance. Great acting (except for Adam Bladwin who tries too hard to be doltish), great stories, fantastic CGI, Hot Chicks and Hot guest stars. Nate and I watched the whole single season series this past week. Wish we could have seen more about Shepherd Book and the bounty Hunter Jubal Early. A-
Serenity
As icing on the cake we went with the movie of the series. Enjoyable movie that waffles between looking like good ST movies and bad ST movies. A little bit of a disconnect between the relationsip between Mal and the Tam's but is acceptable. Good self-contained story, solid acting and Chiwitel Ejiofor... my man. Little far fetched in the end, but good fun. Sad to see Book and Wash go. B+
Hot-Tub Time Machine
Back to the Future meets The Wedding Singer. Not as smart as the first, not as funny as the second. The best part was catching the Better off Dead references. Had some funny stuff, but just did not work. Clark Duke, the unknown, was the funniest guy in the movie. Ridiculously perfect ending, not to mention a whole time travel continuity issue. C-
The Book of Eli
Better than I anticipated, but so slow. The Road Warrior meets The Road. The revelation did not make a ton of sense to me, but it was cool... I guess. Gary Oldman chews through his scenes. Denzel was great in a subdued role. Contrast this with Training Day and you see the chops. Actually liked Mila Kunis in this. Still, the thing meanders to a questionable end. Kind of derivitive outside of the main story line. I liked the vaguity about the reason behind the war and the book burning. B-
Mr. Wrong
Ellen Degeneres vehicle from 96. Starts off hilarious and ends up ridiculous. Bill Pullman plays the unbalanced whit wonderfully and Degeneres actually does a very fine comedic job, never over-doing it. Still, a waste of time. D+
So, the van cuts out on Christan down in Jacksonville. She takes it to Advanced Auto and comes up with two codes: P0404 and P0406... both dealing with the EGR valve. Never heard of it before, but the guy at Autozone told Christan that "it would be 30 or 40 bucks and was a a plug n'play piece." At that point I felt good about the whole project. Right in Proto-Mechanic's wheelhouse.
The EGR valve was seventy-seven bucks. That should have been an omen. Should have been. Got an air filter as well. Ninety bucks at the Autozone. Awesome.
Got up late Saturday. This was the day I fell in love with my chainsaw. Nate and I took down a fallen limb, chopped it into bits and were done in fifteen minutes. I love my chainsaw. On to the EGR valve.
Easy to find. Top bolts are 5/16, bottom bolts 10mm. Makes sense to me. First three bolts are EPJ. Then, the fourth bolt.
The fourth bolt on the EGRV is located just above the alternator, and I mean just above. So just above that a ratchet will not fit into the gap. I had an inkling about what to do, but called Master of Sport Mechanic Extraordinaire and All-Round-Great-Guy, My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline Terry who agreed that the alternator would have to be loosened.
The top bolt and mounting bracket both came out with little issue, just time consuming as the ROM for ratchet work is negligible. Unfortunatly, the second bolt is in a wee gap under the belt with even less ROM and in order to get to it with a ratchet you need to go by feel. This took a long time. And once these three bolts were out... the alternator would not budge. At this point I lost control.
According to my tear filled phone call to MOSMEaARGG,MPML Terry, there is a third bolt toward the front. I found it. If you had no air conditioning setup, it would be easy to get to. I have AC, so it was not. No way in Hell or God's Green Earth a ratchet will get in there and, of course, the alternator is held on by 15mm bolts and I only have a smattering of SAE wrenches. Off to Ace Hardware: $23.86 for a set of metric wrenches. I find that I have to buy tools for every job I do.
Alternator moves once third bolt is loosened. Have to impress Nate into service. We finally get it off, get the new one on. Total time: 4 hours. Assumed time: 45 minutes.
Good news: the van starts up.
Air filter takes three minutes to remove and install. Right on schedule.
At this point, the gym has assumed the "no chance in hell" status.
Proto-Mechanic became DJ Yardman on Sunday. Mowed all three yards and swept up small backyard and front yard. Gots to weedeat, rake and trim trees next weekend.
Watched movies:
Firefly
A great TV series that never got a chance. Great acting (except for Adam Bladwin who tries too hard to be doltish), great stories, fantastic CGI, Hot Chicks and Hot guest stars. Nate and I watched the whole single season series this past week. Wish we could have seen more about Shepherd Book and the bounty Hunter Jubal Early. A-
Serenity
As icing on the cake we went with the movie of the series. Enjoyable movie that waffles between looking like good ST movies and bad ST movies. A little bit of a disconnect between the relationsip between Mal and the Tam's but is acceptable. Good self-contained story, solid acting and Chiwitel Ejiofor... my man. Little far fetched in the end, but good fun. Sad to see Book and Wash go. B+
Hot-Tub Time Machine
Back to the Future meets The Wedding Singer. Not as smart as the first, not as funny as the second. The best part was catching the Better off Dead references. Had some funny stuff, but just did not work. Clark Duke, the unknown, was the funniest guy in the movie. Ridiculously perfect ending, not to mention a whole time travel continuity issue. C-
The Book of Eli
Better than I anticipated, but so slow. The Road Warrior meets The Road. The revelation did not make a ton of sense to me, but it was cool... I guess. Gary Oldman chews through his scenes. Denzel was great in a subdued role. Contrast this with Training Day and you see the chops. Actually liked Mila Kunis in this. Still, the thing meanders to a questionable end. Kind of derivitive outside of the main story line. I liked the vaguity about the reason behind the war and the book burning. B-
Mr. Wrong
Ellen Degeneres vehicle from 96. Starts off hilarious and ends up ridiculous. Bill Pullman plays the unbalanced whit wonderfully and Degeneres actually does a very fine comedic job, never over-doing it. Still, a waste of time. D+
Friday, June 18, 2010
Seven Pounds: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson
As someone constantly trying to ammend for his sins, who does not care for himself, who is desperate to make a difference, this movie is powerful, even if I figured out the twist right after the box jellyfish scene. Will Smith plays a fantastically muted version of himself, on the borderline of being broken at any point. Woody Harrelson gives the best perfomance of his career, in my opinion. Rosario Dawson is downright powerful. There is never a doubt that she actually IS the character she is playing, sickness and all. A beautifully acted piece with a just a smattering of too much heavy handed emotion, but whose slap-in-the-face ending is, while transparent, still effective. You wonder how an individual can exist with so much hate for himself and love for others for so long. And in the end love both wins and loses. B+
Thursday, June 3, 2010
David Mamet and Training Log: Bis and tris and "cardio"
Just finished Watching Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner from '97. Even though it is odd, I have always loved Mamet's dialogue and rythms of speech. Rebecca Pidgeon, his wife of nearly 20 years, shines in an adorable role that makes the ending even more shocking. Steve Martin absolutley nails his performance as Jimmy Dell, the con man. He takes to the Mamet style seemlessly. Some say the characterizations get lost in the style with Mamet's work, but it simply lends itself to an atmosphere I have grown to enjoy. Always great to see my boy Ricky Jay in action. Though the plot is the most elaborate con of all time, it makes for good, if not believable, movie watching.
Two points of contention: Campbell Scott characterization IS lost in the style. He never seems to merege with the dialogue and it just gets worse as the movie goes on. That's the first problem, the second is the ending. Incredible let down. That was the problem with Redbelt. Not the problem with Heist. The ending is outlandish and poorly done. A great example of what could have been. B-
Wednesday at AF in Blackshear
Pullups
4 sets of 5... just tough today
Kneeling Pulley Crunch
110 x 12
115 x 12
140 x 12
115 x 12
Standing BB Tricep Extens
45 x 12
65 x 12
95 x 12
105 x 12
Alternating Hammer Curls
30 x 8 x ea
35 x 8 x ea
40 x 6 x ea
35 x 8 x ea
Pushups: feet up, handles
12, 15, 15, 20
Russian Twists
+15 x 20
+20 x 20 x 2
Wide Grip Push downs
65 x 12
80 x 12
95 x 12
Two Hand Pulley Curl
65 x 12
80 x 12
110 x 12
Chris and I walked Around the block twice, hence "Cardio".
Two points of contention: Campbell Scott characterization IS lost in the style. He never seems to merege with the dialogue and it just gets worse as the movie goes on. That's the first problem, the second is the ending. Incredible let down. That was the problem with Redbelt. Not the problem with Heist. The ending is outlandish and poorly done. A great example of what could have been. B-
Wednesday at AF in Blackshear
Pullups
4 sets of 5... just tough today
Kneeling Pulley Crunch
110 x 12
115 x 12
140 x 12
115 x 12
Standing BB Tricep Extens
45 x 12
65 x 12
95 x 12
105 x 12
Alternating Hammer Curls
30 x 8 x ea
35 x 8 x ea
40 x 6 x ea
35 x 8 x ea
Pushups: feet up, handles
12, 15, 15, 20
Russian Twists
+15 x 20
+20 x 20 x 2
Wide Grip Push downs
65 x 12
80 x 12
95 x 12
Two Hand Pulley Curl
65 x 12
80 x 12
110 x 12
Chris and I walked Around the block twice, hence "Cardio".
Monday, May 31, 2010
A Weekend of doing nothing, gastrointestinal debauchery, movies and more doing nothing
Outside of the gym on Saturday and making good use of the empty nest just before that, I did nothing constructive this weekend. No yard work, no writing, no nothin'. Oh, except eating WAY too much garbage. But, it has reinforced my desire to track down 225 and make it mine own.
Saw a few movies:
It's Complicated: Alec Baldwin, Meryl Streep
Nothing fancy, but enjoyable. If you have been married a long time, you can understand a fair amount of the idea of being divorced from the person you have been with for so long. B+
DayBreakers: Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke
Great premise: a vampire plage has turned the world into vampires and blood is running out. Can't figure out why cattle and pig blood could not be farmed, I mean we eat billions of pounds of meat every year. But anyway, seemed like it was going to be a smarter movie, making you wonder about the nature of haves vs. havenots, of big business and the need for control. Wound up devolving into a bloody (no pun intended) mess. Nice try, but just not done very well. C-
Edge of Darkness: Mel Gibson
I love a good revenge piece, but they never seem to work much anymore. Taken, Law Abiding Citizen... they started out great and unraveled. Edge of Darkness suffers from a murder whose motive is a bit far-fetched, a bad guy who is underdeveloped and Boston. Boston gets too much play, but works best when you feel you are actually in the area. Outside of the accents, this movie lacks the pulse of the region. EOD just gets too far-fetched and entwined too work well. Ray Winstone is strong, but his character lacks a definable function in the whole. But, a great ending. B-
Avatar: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weever, CGI
I had no desire to see this movie. After watchinng it there is nothing original about the story, the subplots, anything: we have seen it all before... except for the visuals. Truly stunning. The motion capture of the bodies is PERFECT, they even get facial expressions close to life. A fun movie with a gaping hole: Why the hell woulf the Na'vi decide to let a warrior avatar know EVERYTHING about them when they had trouble with the regualr ones. Stephen Land rules, by the way. Cobble together Braveheart, Dances with Wolves, Aliens and Return of the Jedi and I give you Avatar. Still, more fun than I anticipated. Oh, and I may be in love with Michelle Rodriguez... too bad she crazy. B
Requiem for a Dream: Ellen Burnstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connolly
Have not seen the movie in years, but it is still blunt force trauma to the soul. A devestatingly bleak movie. Truly solid performances by everyone, but that Ellen Burstyn did not win best acctress, that she lost to Julia Roberts, is a crime that will never be forgiven. Just a remarkable piece of acting in a movie whose only failure is in the overuse of gimmicky shots. Other than that, its just perfect. But, it is not for everyone. Actually, it is not for many, but it is unbelievable. A
Saw a few movies:
It's Complicated: Alec Baldwin, Meryl Streep
Nothing fancy, but enjoyable. If you have been married a long time, you can understand a fair amount of the idea of being divorced from the person you have been with for so long. B+
DayBreakers: Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke
Great premise: a vampire plage has turned the world into vampires and blood is running out. Can't figure out why cattle and pig blood could not be farmed, I mean we eat billions of pounds of meat every year. But anyway, seemed like it was going to be a smarter movie, making you wonder about the nature of haves vs. havenots, of big business and the need for control. Wound up devolving into a bloody (no pun intended) mess. Nice try, but just not done very well. C-
Edge of Darkness: Mel Gibson
I love a good revenge piece, but they never seem to work much anymore. Taken, Law Abiding Citizen... they started out great and unraveled. Edge of Darkness suffers from a murder whose motive is a bit far-fetched, a bad guy who is underdeveloped and Boston. Boston gets too much play, but works best when you feel you are actually in the area. Outside of the accents, this movie lacks the pulse of the region. EOD just gets too far-fetched and entwined too work well. Ray Winstone is strong, but his character lacks a definable function in the whole. But, a great ending. B-
Avatar: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weever, CGI
I had no desire to see this movie. After watchinng it there is nothing original about the story, the subplots, anything: we have seen it all before... except for the visuals. Truly stunning. The motion capture of the bodies is PERFECT, they even get facial expressions close to life. A fun movie with a gaping hole: Why the hell woulf the Na'vi decide to let a warrior avatar know EVERYTHING about them when they had trouble with the regualr ones. Stephen Land rules, by the way. Cobble together Braveheart, Dances with Wolves, Aliens and Return of the Jedi and I give you Avatar. Still, more fun than I anticipated. Oh, and I may be in love with Michelle Rodriguez... too bad she crazy. B
Requiem for a Dream: Ellen Burnstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connolly
Have not seen the movie in years, but it is still blunt force trauma to the soul. A devestatingly bleak movie. Truly solid performances by everyone, but that Ellen Burstyn did not win best acctress, that she lost to Julia Roberts, is a crime that will never be forgiven. Just a remarkable piece of acting in a movie whose only failure is in the overuse of gimmicky shots. Other than that, its just perfect. But, it is not for everyone. Actually, it is not for many, but it is unbelievable. A
Monday, March 15, 2010
Book Review
Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison: B-
A funny and interesting memoir of a man who struggled to find his place in the world while suffering from Asperger's Syndrome. Needless to say, with a son who has AS, the book hits home with me. I found myself questioning some of the stories of Robison's youth. The seem a little bit too far fetched and "out there", particularly knowing what I know of my son. It is comforting to see someone with this type of high functioning autism come through it all and find himself. Gives me hope for Nate.
I am a little concerned that all the attention given to Asperger's focuses on the savant-like qualities of people like Robison and Temple Grandin. Nate, while very intelligent anda gifted musically, does not show aspects of this specific-genius. Not to knock him at all, but call a spade a spade. Though I do wonder what he can accomplish in music when he gets a chance to really branch out.
the two most revealing things form the bokk, for me, where the discussion of Robison's and Aspergian's-in-General voice patterns, and the ability of Robison to do complex designs in engeneering without being able to do math. Nate catches a lot of flack about his very unique voice pattern, and I think it will be good for him to read that he is not alone in this situation. Nate recently won his school region in boy's solo, but missed out on All State Chorus. He struggles with the technical aspects of music while being able to assimilate them into his vocal performances much easier. The parralel with Robison was interesting.
Anyway, it is a fun read for those affected by Asperger's and those who are not. Robison is a decent writer and an odd dude, so it works to create some interesting insight into a person living along the Autistic spectrum.
A funny and interesting memoir of a man who struggled to find his place in the world while suffering from Asperger's Syndrome. Needless to say, with a son who has AS, the book hits home with me. I found myself questioning some of the stories of Robison's youth. The seem a little bit too far fetched and "out there", particularly knowing what I know of my son. It is comforting to see someone with this type of high functioning autism come through it all and find himself. Gives me hope for Nate.
I am a little concerned that all the attention given to Asperger's focuses on the savant-like qualities of people like Robison and Temple Grandin. Nate, while very intelligent anda gifted musically, does not show aspects of this specific-genius. Not to knock him at all, but call a spade a spade. Though I do wonder what he can accomplish in music when he gets a chance to really branch out.
the two most revealing things form the bokk, for me, where the discussion of Robison's and Aspergian's-in-General voice patterns, and the ability of Robison to do complex designs in engeneering without being able to do math. Nate catches a lot of flack about his very unique voice pattern, and I think it will be good for him to read that he is not alone in this situation. Nate recently won his school region in boy's solo, but missed out on All State Chorus. He struggles with the technical aspects of music while being able to assimilate them into his vocal performances much easier. The parralel with Robison was interesting.
Anyway, it is a fun read for those affected by Asperger's and those who are not. Robison is a decent writer and an odd dude, so it works to create some interesting insight into a person living along the Autistic spectrum.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Weekend Stuff
Pulled on Friday.
Went to work on Saturday morning. Then to get the van tires put on. Off to lowes for siding and various and sundry project stuff. To Walmart for more of the same. Tried to eat lunch with Nate and Chris, but called to work.
Put battery in old smoke detector, hung the new one. Replaced old shower head. The new one is the balls. Attached weather stripping to bottom of caviary door to help keep out flies. WAs getting late so I decided to change the oil in the Focus (FrankenFocus). What a nightmare. Took like two hours. Between fits of rage I put a coat of waterproofing on the new screen door.
Sunday. Got up early anticipating Logan's early arrival. Hung screen door. While waiting for the boy, ran the sweeper. Pain in the ass. Pine needles kept rat-nesting around the axle. Decided to cut up the pine needles. Hit a root with mower. Looks as if a blade is bent. The one blade is shot out, the other looks fine.
Logan arrives at 11:00. Byt twelve we have eaten and I am under the car. A rear brake job: big day in a man's life. Keep in mind I am off and on the phone with my Dad (Terry, not Dave) the whole time. Looks as if the brakes are not that bad, but the wheel cylinder is shot. Off to the AutoZone for two cylinders (just in case) a brake line wrench and a floor jack. I am very excited to have a 2.5 ton floor jack. Another big moment in a man's life. Takes roughly three hours to do the passenger side cylinder, shoes and prep the drum. On to the driver side.
We are rolling phat... until the e-clip flies from the emergency brake cord as I try to remove it. Off to Advanced Auto where I have to buy a $9 kit to get a .10 cent piece of metal. I steal to Mcd's for an ill advised soda and burger cheat. Back to the house where we opt to replace the other wheel cylinder for the shits and giggles. Really goes quickly once you know how it is done. Brake shoes fall to our will. Takes a while to adjust brakes, but there she is. My first complete rear drum/shoe brake job. Awesome.
Should have gone to the gym, but I was give out. Would have gone anyway if I had know about the emergency room debacle of the following evening, night and early morning. 7 hours, a false diagnosis, a bad reading, and finally absolutely nothing at all. Thanks Satilla Regional, your incompetence has no limits. Utter and complete bullshit.
Went to work on Saturday morning. Then to get the van tires put on. Off to lowes for siding and various and sundry project stuff. To Walmart for more of the same. Tried to eat lunch with Nate and Chris, but called to work.
Put battery in old smoke detector, hung the new one. Replaced old shower head. The new one is the balls. Attached weather stripping to bottom of caviary door to help keep out flies. WAs getting late so I decided to change the oil in the Focus (FrankenFocus). What a nightmare. Took like two hours. Between fits of rage I put a coat of waterproofing on the new screen door.
Sunday. Got up early anticipating Logan's early arrival. Hung screen door. While waiting for the boy, ran the sweeper. Pain in the ass. Pine needles kept rat-nesting around the axle. Decided to cut up the pine needles. Hit a root with mower. Looks as if a blade is bent. The one blade is shot out, the other looks fine.
Logan arrives at 11:00. Byt twelve we have eaten and I am under the car. A rear brake job: big day in a man's life. Keep in mind I am off and on the phone with my Dad (Terry, not Dave) the whole time. Looks as if the brakes are not that bad, but the wheel cylinder is shot. Off to the AutoZone for two cylinders (just in case) a brake line wrench and a floor jack. I am very excited to have a 2.5 ton floor jack. Another big moment in a man's life. Takes roughly three hours to do the passenger side cylinder, shoes and prep the drum. On to the driver side.
We are rolling phat... until the e-clip flies from the emergency brake cord as I try to remove it. Off to Advanced Auto where I have to buy a $9 kit to get a .10 cent piece of metal. I steal to Mcd's for an ill advised soda and burger cheat. Back to the house where we opt to replace the other wheel cylinder for the shits and giggles. Really goes quickly once you know how it is done. Brake shoes fall to our will. Takes a while to adjust brakes, but there she is. My first complete rear drum/shoe brake job. Awesome.
Should have gone to the gym, but I was give out. Would have gone anyway if I had know about the emergency room debacle of the following evening, night and early morning. 7 hours, a false diagnosis, a bad reading, and finally absolutely nothing at all. Thanks Satilla Regional, your incompetence has no limits. Utter and complete bullshit.
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