Pumped. Stoked. Way happy. Pick your adjective.
Today was my first day on my new schedule. It worked out well. Not that I had any actual time off, I've been working on lots of stuff, but it's good because it's stuff I wouldn't have had time for otherwise.
Also, I'm feeling good about what was accomplished today.
I fixed the heater/AC blower motor on my car. This would have been $250 (plus tax) for a new one, and with the hot weather coming on, I will REALLY need the AC. And BTW, this is no small thing because I am like a total dweeb with hand and/or power tools. Yeah, I can (more or less) fix anything I need to fix, but horribly inefficiently and not well, and the final product looks like crap. But this seems to have worked.
And because I saved that much money, I went down to the stereo store and bought a new (relatively cheap, the car is seven years old) radio/CD player. Originally, I had hoped that the issue with the old one was just a slipped disc (insert joke here). But when I pulled it out of the dashboard there was a small puff of smoke that I'm reasonably certain shouldn't have been there. And after that it would not play at all. It's conceivable, I suppose, that I did something really bad to cause that smoke but, realistically, I think it would have occurred anyway and it's probably just as well that I got that player out of the dashboard before something really bad happened. Like a car fire on the freeway.
Anyhow, I'm taking a short break between hooking up the factory connections with the aftermarket connections of the new player. This is no small task, given the number of connections and my hideously poor (and aging) eyesight. I'll let you know how it turns out, assuming I don't incinerate myself in the process.
UPDATE: Good news and bad news. Good news is that the electrical connections seem to be good. Bad news is that the new stereo is just about 1/8th inch shy of fitting the slot. But I will perservere.
Posted by Ken S at April 28, 2008 02:53 PM | TrackBack (0) |By "1/8th inch shy", I presume that you mean the hole is too small. If so, and you aren't really worried about the dashboard, try a good file, and work slowly. Assuming that the dash material can be shaped.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at April 28, 2008 05:11 PMEh. My standards are low. I took a coping saw to the plastic front piece (actually, the new stereo fit okay in the slot, it was only the facing that was too small). Now there is a big hole under the new stereo, seeing as how the old one was much deeper. But then again, the car is seven years old with >170k miles on it so I think I can cope.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at April 28, 2008 05:31 PMYou weren't kidding about that killer commute. My car is an '02 and has 100K+ fewer miles than yours.
Puff of smoke? Was that stoner kid from American Idol hiding in your dash and singing along with your stereo?
Posted by: Kate P at April 28, 2008 09:23 PMCoping saws are good.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at April 28, 2008 10:15 PMBut when I pulled it out of the dashboard there was a small puff of smoke that I'm reasonably certain shouldn't have been there.
Ah, the magic smoke on which all electronics operate. Once you release the magic smoke from within, the equipment no longer operates.
Puff the Nakamichi Dragon lived in Ken's dash...
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 29, 2008 11:43 AMWhen I replaced the radio in my old (OLLLLLLD) Ford Fairmont (yikes) I didn't bother to fill the hole. I pulled the wires and ran them down to the gap between the dash and floorboard, and used two old straps from a dead pair of goalie's leg pads to tie the unit underneath. Worked like a charm. Nowadays the cabin space is so packed this wouldn't be feasible, alas.
Posted by: nightfly at April 30, 2008 07:03 AM