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How much fun can you have in December?

bentalphanerd

bentalphanerd

You may have read in another post about the UJ being torn out of my van & the joy of trying to find a new drive shaft. I found one on Monday & fitted it, went for a test spin & all was good. I almost forgot it was December....

.... The new battery went flat on Monday afternoon meaning another alternator had gone. I wasn't able to price a new or even reconditioned one for less than 380 so knowing I already had a dead alternator from last time in the shed I pulled them both apart to find out whats going wrong. (I have been replacing them every 12 months). I found the problem is that the power steering pump leaks and it sits right on top of the alternator - the oil getting into the alternator eats away a certain part (brushes) & stops the charging. Brilliant design work in other words.
I got a second hand but not reconditioned alternator from the wreckers ($85), some tin snips & a sheet metal 'ant barrier' from Bunnings ($12).

I cut out a little roof so the oil drips off the sides of the alternator instead of into it, cut & drilled a flange so it bolts into the top alt. mount.
I've sourced some replacement alternator brushes for $28 so by next week I'll have 2 spare alternators.

Bring on the next one ...stoopid festive season!
 
I probably should also mention that I ran over somebody week before last while on my way to get the boy from school. Well I would have run over him if he hadn't bounced off my bull-bar and landed 6' in front of me.
He's o.k apart from bumps & bruises & lost a little bark, but thats what you get when you run out onto the road between stopped trucks. Did I mention he was facing the other way? I never saw his face & I can guarantee he doesn't know what colour my van is.

Anyone else have more 'fun' than normal in December?
 
The only thing I can say is no fun is all the snow we have been getting..I dont think I have seen this much snow since I moved here 17 years ago and I hate shoveling lol...Ive been beating up my winter car to see if anything is going to break before the safety..the car sat 6 years before I got it...so far so good...Before I wash and put away my jimmy I gotta bring her out and blow a few doughnuts lol..Think Ill do it tomorow hehehe
 
Lol.

Some people have all the luck.

I cant say i have had anything interesting happen in the past couple of weeks. the SO's car's indicators stopped working on the passenger side... i bashed the dash a bit, now there good as gold
 
FM--

You will probably have to replace the signal relay eventually. Actually, track it down (turn on a blinker and listen for where the click is coming from) and clean the contacts. It'll probably give you about six more months.
 
I've had enough of winter and it hasn't even officially arrived yet. At least we didn't get that crazy ice-storm up here but enough with the snow!


Here's my chile igloo
 
yeah, the relay is fine...

the right and left sides work through the same relay... and it still clicks when you work the blinker...
its a weird problem. and, of course, the car ran out of warranty 2 months ago!
I suspect its a loose connection, or an open circuit, but it works now, so i'm not so worried!
 
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