December 12, 2005

December 12, 2005

Yuma, Arizona

YEAR 2 DAY 178

 

Today was warm, with a high, thin layer of cloud.

This morning after preventive maintenance, I set off for Aamco Transmission to have the seals replaced in the truck's oil filter adaptor. On the way there, I stopped at Checker Auto Parts, and exchanged the wrong fuel filter that I got in Wickenburg, for the correct one. It turns out that the one that they sold me in Wickenburg wasn't really the wrong one. It's just not the one that I wanted to change. Apparently my truck has 2 fuel filters. The one that I was returning was an in line metal fuel filter. I don't even know where it goes on the truck. The one that I wanted to change, as per the recommendation in the truck's owner's manual, is a fuel filter / water separator paper cartridge type filter. From Checker Auto Parts I went to Aamco Transmission, and waited while they removed the oil filter adaptor, replaced three o-ring seals inside, and reinstalled it. While I waited, I made some phone calls. I phoned another diesel engine specialty shop to ask some questions, for comparison to the information I got at Performance Truck & RV when I phoned them last Friday. The shop I phoned today was neither as helpful, nor as knowledgeable as Performance Truck & RV. I phoned a couple of watch repair shops to find out if they are authorized Rolex watch repair depots. My Rolex watch needs repair. Both of the shops I phoned are Rolex repair shops. I’ll probably take my watch tomorrow to Watch Hospital. When Aamco was finished, I drove to Performance Truck & RV. They are a diesel truck and RV specialty shop, specializing in diesel engine performance enhancement products and services. After 2 years of owning a truck with a diesel engine, I’m still pretty much a diesel neophyte. I spent about an hour there discussing exhaust brakes, performance enhancement computer chips, performance enhancement exhaust systems, and performance enhancement air intake systems. They were very friendly, and really enthusiastic about diesel engine performance. When I discussed my chronic starter problem with them, they recommended I post a question / problem on one of the GM 6.5 litre diesel engine online forums. They provided me with 2 web addresses. They suggested that perhaps other people with the same engine have experienced the same problem, and may have ideas on how to solve it. I'll give it a try in a couple of days.

I returned to Kofa Co-op. We had lunch, then discussed staying here another month. Joanne really likes it here, and wants to stay. She went to the office to register for another month, but wasn't able to. They have a quota system for long term rentals, and are at their quota of month long rentals. We discussed it further, and decided to stay for 2 more weeks, and leave right after Christmas. I went to take a nap, while Joanne continued working on cleaning and waxing the trailer. When I woke, I went outside and installed the new fuel filter. It didn't go particularly well, but I got it done. I spilled more diesel fuel on the gravel driveway. Now there are 2 areas on the driveway that I've spilled diesel fuel on. I'm not very pleased with myself about that. I shovelled some clean gravel from another area of the driveway onto the 2 diesel stained areas. I applied another coat of varnish on the new cove moulding on the stairs.

I did today's accounting and began to work on today's journal entry while Joanne prepared supper. We had supper while watching an Elton John concert in Las Vegas on TV. Elton John is a big deal in Las Vegas. While we were in Las Vegas we saw an Elton John retail shop in one of the hotels. I wouldn't have thought it possible that you could fill an entire store with Elton John merchandise, but it is ! While Joanne washed dishes, I walked Bo, and continued working on today's journal. We watched some TV, cuddled up on the couch trying to overcome the effects of an afternoon of bickering and sniping at each other.

DSK