(no subject)
Aug. 7th, 2005 08:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cabbitzilla*sigh*
Yesterday didn't go as planned. Because Megan was on the hook for the sewing workshop, the morning began with me shuttling her down (by way of the rail station to pick up a unit member without transportation) and then hauling freight back for the apartment. The part we needed (or believed we did) was located, and Bill (the older gentleman downstairs, a capable mechanic) and I hared off after it. On arriving at the yard, some... inconsistencies were noted. Consulting the boneyard's interchange listing, we discovered that the 1995 model year for the Saturn S series was a standalone model; nothing else would apparently fit it. A second boneyard was tried, with similar results, and the everything-else-GM dealer had -nothing- referencewise for the Saturns, so we struck north for the Ellicott City Saturn dealership. The exploded view in the dealer parts breakout brought the full magnitude of the problem into the light: though the car itself was indeed a 1995 model, the ENGINE in it was most certainly -not-. The engine used in the 1991-1994 models looks virtually identical (to non-Saturn mechanic eyes) to the mill used in the 1996-2001 models, and -that- exploded view looked like what was actually in the car, leading us to a second and more critical issue.
What year power plant was it? While the early and late mills are very similar, the parts are (for the most part) NOT interchangeable. The parts man acknowledged that the dealer had run into the issue before... but that their resident master mechanic was on vacation and he was likely the only one who could be specific enough without physically seeing the vehicle to ID it properly. A phone call to the Silver Spring dealership turned up that their master was on duty... and on the way out to the truck it occurred to me that there was a way to simplify the mess: Megan's small digital camera could give us a visual cue that the mechanic could check against. We looped back to the apartment and shot a half dozen photos of the top, front, and sides of the engine, and then headed south to Silver Spring.
Said mechanic surprised me. Seeing the digital camera in my hand, he proceeded to produce a USB cable and import the pics to his machine and magnify them. And then things got a bit strange. The bulk of the engine is in fact a 1999 block assembly.... with a 1994 model cylinder head and cam pan atop it. *shakes her head* The joys of an aftermarket remanufactured engine. Some phonecalls from there have since located the needed part, and it'll get picked up (weather permitting) tomorrow, as it'd gotten late enough that the boneyards were closing.
The evening panned out a bit better. Plans for Megan got rearranged, leaving me free to go loiter at Crys and Kelly's place last night. Some time was spent BS'ing, and then Kelly and I set to work dismantling the non-functional laptops he'd scavenged for me. The net result is a 95% functional IBM Thinkpad P-III/800 laptop to replace the Gateway Solo P-II/266 that was my 'good' one. It took a good three plus hours at their dining room table, me doing the surgery while Kelly stepped me through the service documents, but it works. There's a driver issue with the sound, but that's well down my 'minor' list, more a midge annoyance than anything
After the clusterfsck yesterday trying to nail down parts for the Saturn, I felt no guilt about vanishing to 'waste' a day gaming. The nausea that's been plaguing me the last couple days is dragging at me, though. The nigh immediate-upon-arriving-home spat with Megan didn't do much to help my rapidly crashing mood. I'm sitting here, trying to recenter and refocus a bit, hoping to get things back to some semblance of balance; pardon me if I sound a bit blue, I'm trying to push through it.
*sigh* Well, enough whining, anyway. It doesn't help. Time to find something to do.
EDIT
Lifted from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jcrow
1.) Reply with your name and I'll respond with something random about you.
2.) I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3.) I'll pick a flavor/color of jello to wrestle with you in. (Maybe.)
4.) I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5.) I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6.) I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7.) I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8.) If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.
I don't remember where I found this one:
Yesterday didn't go as planned. Because Megan was on the hook for the sewing workshop, the morning began with me shuttling her down (by way of the rail station to pick up a unit member without transportation) and then hauling freight back for the apartment. The part we needed (or believed we did) was located, and Bill (the older gentleman downstairs, a capable mechanic) and I hared off after it. On arriving at the yard, some... inconsistencies were noted. Consulting the boneyard's interchange listing, we discovered that the 1995 model year for the Saturn S series was a standalone model; nothing else would apparently fit it. A second boneyard was tried, with similar results, and the everything-else-GM dealer had -nothing- referencewise for the Saturns, so we struck north for the Ellicott City Saturn dealership. The exploded view in the dealer parts breakout brought the full magnitude of the problem into the light: though the car itself was indeed a 1995 model, the ENGINE in it was most certainly -not-. The engine used in the 1991-1994 models looks virtually identical (to non-Saturn mechanic eyes) to the mill used in the 1996-2001 models, and -that- exploded view looked like what was actually in the car, leading us to a second and more critical issue.
What year power plant was it? While the early and late mills are very similar, the parts are (for the most part) NOT interchangeable. The parts man acknowledged that the dealer had run into the issue before... but that their resident master mechanic was on vacation and he was likely the only one who could be specific enough without physically seeing the vehicle to ID it properly. A phone call to the Silver Spring dealership turned up that their master was on duty... and on the way out to the truck it occurred to me that there was a way to simplify the mess: Megan's small digital camera could give us a visual cue that the mechanic could check against. We looped back to the apartment and shot a half dozen photos of the top, front, and sides of the engine, and then headed south to Silver Spring.
Said mechanic surprised me. Seeing the digital camera in my hand, he proceeded to produce a USB cable and import the pics to his machine and magnify them. And then things got a bit strange. The bulk of the engine is in fact a 1999 block assembly.... with a 1994 model cylinder head and cam pan atop it. *shakes her head* The joys of an aftermarket remanufactured engine. Some phonecalls from there have since located the needed part, and it'll get picked up (weather permitting) tomorrow, as it'd gotten late enough that the boneyards were closing.
The evening panned out a bit better. Plans for Megan got rearranged, leaving me free to go loiter at Crys and Kelly's place last night. Some time was spent BS'ing, and then Kelly and I set to work dismantling the non-functional laptops he'd scavenged for me. The net result is a 95% functional IBM Thinkpad P-III/800 laptop to replace the Gateway Solo P-II/266 that was my 'good' one. It took a good three plus hours at their dining room table, me doing the surgery while Kelly stepped me through the service documents, but it works. There's a driver issue with the sound, but that's well down my 'minor' list, more a midge annoyance than anything
After the clusterfsck yesterday trying to nail down parts for the Saturn, I felt no guilt about vanishing to 'waste' a day gaming. The nausea that's been plaguing me the last couple days is dragging at me, though. The nigh immediate-upon-arriving-home spat with Megan didn't do much to help my rapidly crashing mood. I'm sitting here, trying to recenter and refocus a bit, hoping to get things back to some semblance of balance; pardon me if I sound a bit blue, I'm trying to push through it.
*sigh* Well, enough whining, anyway. It doesn't help. Time to find something to do.
EDIT
Lifted from
jcrow1.) Reply with your name and I'll respond with something random about you.
2.) I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3.) I'll pick a flavor/color of jello to wrestle with you in. (Maybe.)
4.) I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5.) I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6.) I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7.) I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8.) If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.
I don't remember where I found this one:
 | You scored as Angel. Angel: Angels are the guardians of all things, from the smallest ant to the tallest tree. They give inspiration, love, hope, and positive emotion. They live among humans without being seen. They are the good in all things, and if you feel alone, don't fear. They are always watching. Often times they merely stand by, whispering into the ears of those who feel lost. They would love nothing more then to reveal themselves, but in today's society, this would bring havoc and many unneeded questions. Give thanks to all things beautiful, for you are an Angel.
What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!) created with QuizFarm.com |
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-08-08 02:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-08 02:47 am (UTC)Sorry to hear about all the running around. >.< Sounds like LOADS of fun.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-08 04:07 am (UTC)2) Blackbird, from the Beatles. I've never been able to pin down why, but it's what gets triggered every time.
3) Strawberry-Kiwi. Definitely.
4) Good things come to those who wait under the table away from the big folk.
5) "My God. I've been out-cuted! Must pounce!" followed rapidly by "I wonder if she'll be my friend...". I tend to remember things/places/people as transitive emotions.
6) Kitten just prior to 'adulthood'. Playful and fun, but with attitude. :)
7) ... and this is where the cabbit brain locks up. Let me get back to you on this one?
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2005-08-08 04:23 am (UTC)2) Movie would be 'Sixteen Candles'. Song? 'Dreams Come True' from HammerFall.
3.) For you? Nothing but Lime, baby. :)
4.) In the slim center drawer you'll find the key to the 'Maiden's 'Medicinal Beverage' cabinet. Save me the Inverness. :p
5.) Before I even really 'met' you, Rommie was telling me about the neat people she'd met... you among them. :)
6.) Koala Bear. Just don't ask me to explain it, because I can't. :p
7.) *giggles* Briefs, bikinis, or thongs?
no subject
Date: 2005-08-09 12:55 am (UTC)WereWolf
Mermaid
Angel
Dragon
Demon
Faerie
What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!)
created with QuizFarm.com