It has been a while since we got the benefit of your talents. Mechanical, photography, wit, and creative writing.


Are you and silent accomplice "husband" OK?


Or, just the "off season" ?


Wowee, it was cold this morning at about 5 AM, When Coco and I went out for our pre breakfast walk. Frost very evident as the weather guy said.
Even colder up your way, I suspect.





Regards


Carl

 

Carl,

every XJ owner needs one of these...(for the fuse cradles, but don't forget to disconnect the battery before you start brushing them clean, unless you want to see lightning!!)

 

Jose :


??? I don't get it. Dense this AM?? Understandable. Not my favorite time of year?


Carl

 

Carl, you make me blush! I know this section is slow but it always is this time of year!

I have Nix jacked up for the Winter to keep the weight off the tires and give me access to her under parts.

I'm treating a rust blister on the right rear wheel flare but that's not at all exciting.

I got a length of silver piping to go around the console instead of the cheapy black plastic junk the PO put on, I'll post pictures when I get that done, but things will need to warm up first.

I have a length of black carpet for the rear parcel shelf to protect the vinyl from incoming sun, just a matter of cutting it to fit.

I have the rear door cards off to clean and lube the locking mechanisms, as they suddenly decided not to lock with the buttons but unlock just fine. I can hear the relay clicking under the rear seat but I have yet to remove the seat to see just what I dislodged while I was fooling with sound deadening last year (no, it's 2 years ago!)

While I'm back there and have access I want to free up the rear windows so they'll go down most of the way at least. That will take some doing because for the last 30 years the channel lining has probably Never been crushed more than an inch down and by now is stiff and hard. 24F isn't exactly the ideal temperature to work on that sort of thing and it's not going to warm up any time soon.

I need to tighten one of the rear caliper pipes against the occasional drip that's annoying more than anything else, and while I'm there I'll check the other rear fittings; and as I have her jacked up I might as well check the front.

I would like to refurbish the instrument lights with LEDs like Sarc did his in coupe, I simply haven't got them bought yet. My Opticell is working great so I'll leave well enough alone. Besides, I like the quaintness of that component.

My riding mower isn't running well (like not at all!) and I'm waiting for a new carb to arrive; hopefully that will fix my fuel starvation problem. Kit and adjustment have made no difference. At least it waited till the end of the season to die.

Husband is working on his pickup; he lunched the transmission (has 1 and R so he's killed the clutch pack), and decided he might as well put in a rebuilt engine "while he's at it." Right now he's fighting with roller rockers, which he bought some months (years) ago and doesn't remember exactly how he planned to install them with his chosen valve and spring combination. ()

Mostly I'm waiting for Spring and the first warm days so I can drive a Quality car again instead of that tuna can we call the Adequate Vehicle (Sonata). Nix's friends tell me how much they're beginning to miss seeing her, which is not Nearly as much as I'm missing Driving her!
(';')

 

Great. But, it seems you've been up to a lot. Amongst the things I've learned over the years is that hydraulic fittings brake and power have to be really tight or they will seep or outright leak. But, as I'm sure you know, an open end wrench just messes up the thing. Line wrench is a must.


But, great to hear from you.


I think I have my tank less water heater issue resolved. A balance of water flow
and water pressure is the key... I suspect our water company delivered water at a lower pressure for a bit... Will I ask? No, even if so, they would never admit it.


And, I learned something. Always good.





Carl

 

Thank you, Carl,
Husband has two very nice sets of tubing wrenches which were here before I was. They're Excellent quality and ring nicely when dropped on the concrete:



SAE; New Britain, 3/8 - 11/16
Metric; Craftsman, 9mm - 17mm (except no 16mm)
These are an Olde set, made in USA before Sears outsourced to China.

I have been known to take a hammer to one end to make sure the fittings are *Tight!*
(';')