Apparently, FIFTH Time's a Charm

In my previous posts (here and here) I have chronicled my adventure in fixing my Nissan 200SX. Actually, the posts were more about me waiting for the AC Compressor from the part store than the actually fixing of the car. The four hour job turned into a seven day job. The part store actually had to reorder the part FIVE TIMES! However, I was patient and after much trouble, which I will not detail here, I finally installed the part. Rita is up and kicking again.

Things I learned:

• The location of the pully adjustments to install the belts on my car. This made the job much easier than last time I removed the belts, as you may imagine.

• A part store in town I did not know about who will do whatever they can to obtain what I need to get my car working.

• How patient I can be installing the same part several time and then removing that part and taking it back to the part store.

• There are times I wish I had more money than time.

• I am getting too old to be crawling under a car all day and not feel it the next.

• My time table is rarely on God's timetable. I am not sure why I needed to not be driving my car the last week but I am sure it is the best thing for me.

• I am sure there is more but I will stop there.

Now that this burden is off my mind and I can focus on other things, I will begin to post more spiritually rewarding posts in the future. I am planning to post on some different topics: my leading our Sunday School class in the study of Genesis, some thoughts on perparing a sermon, perparing for a religious pilgrimage class, attempting to bolster PPBI enrollment, and things like that. Right now, I am just thankful that the garage is cleaned up, and we are back to being a two car family, and my car is put back together and running.

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Third Time's a...Pain!

In a previous post, I mentioned some problems I was having with my little Nissan 200SX. I finally was able to begin work on it yesterday. I got the car in the garage and begin tearing it apart. First of, I will mention that it looks like they dropped this engine in from a helicopter because EVERYTHING is so crammed in there you cannot do anything without taking the car half apart. Nevertheless, I took off the tire, the cowlings, and the belts (a major feat in itself) and removed the air conditioner compressor.

It is not like I need an air conditioner right now, since it is something like 27 outside. However, as stated in the previous post, the compressor was hanging up the belt and not allowing the engine to turn over fast enough to start.

I put the new part on and it fit great but the AC lines would not fit into the new compressor. I called the part store and they told me they would have the right one the next morning (meaning today, Wednesday). So, at 9:00 A.M. I headed to the part store to exchange the new compressor with the one they have (I will not mention the part store because of what follows). When we looked at the newly delivered compressor, it was not the same compressor as the one I removed.

"We can have another one here by 1:30," the man said.

So, at 1:30, I made my way to the part store again. We opened the box, and there sat a compressor. It was not the compressor I needed but a compressor nonetheless. It looked like someone at the warehouse had placed the compressor in the wrong box because the box had the right part number on it. However, the compressor had a different part number than the box had.

"We can have another one here by Friday morning, 9:30," the mand said.

On Friday morning, I will make my way down to the parts store and take a look at the forth AC compressor delivered to me and see it if works. If it does, I will have extended a four-hour job into a four-day job.

I thought three was the perfect number.

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My Love/Hate Relationship with Rita

Did you ever have one of those days which did not end the way you thought it would when you got up that morning. First thing this morning I received a call from a friend whose car had broken down somewhere between Colorado Springs and Cañon City. So I packed up my toolbox and numerous supplies, got my coffee and bagel, and got in my car to go. I turned the key and rrrrr...rrrrr...rrrrr...rrrrr...rrrrr.

"You have GOT to be kidding me, Rita!"

Rita is my car. She is a 1998 Nissan 200SX SE. Here is a picture:


This not Rita but it is the same model and color. She looks just like this (click picture to see a larger .

OK...First, yes, I named my car. I know it is corny but when we first bought it my daughter was about 12 and wanted to give the car a name (she named everything at that age, it seemed like). I chose Rita, something like Really Irritating Trashy Automobile, or whatever it was I told her to make her laugh.

Secondly, and more to my point, I have not any trouble with Rita lately. None. Then, this morning when I needed to go work on a car, she said, "nope." My A.C. has not been working and I know that probably it is the A.C. compressor hanging which makes the belt hang which slows down the engine turnover and prevents the car from starting (this has happened in the past and I am about 95% sure it is the same problem again).

So, I took our Oldsmobile (no name) and finally was able to help my friend, which consisted of inspecting the car for a while and then informing my friend that I do not think I could fix it, my friend would have to have a tow-truck come and get the car, and I do not think my friend's car would make it. Unfortunately, I was right - the engine was toasted.

When I got back, I when to a variety of different part stores in Colorado Springs (AutoZone, Checkers, Advanced Auto, NAPA, etc.) No one had the parts for Rita. So, I had to order them and prepare to work on the car on Tuesday. So, I woke up with one set of plans, and those plans were immediately changed to work on one car, which could not be saved. The day ended with an all-day date with my car on Tuesday.

So I have a love/hate relationship with my car. I love it when Rita is working well. I hate it when she does not.

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