My trusty Toyota Corolla, Sugar, is on life support. Her engine is in rough shape due to long miles and hard rides, and a transplant seems to be the only practical solution. Unfortunately, that will cost a lot of money.
I'm looking to buy my parent's van from them to last us a year or so until we can get a newer vehicle, but that involves talking money with my father. Never fun at the best of times, especially tough now that our finances are still reeling from the IVF procedures.
On the up side, the boys and Kim are surviving at home, getting into a routine, and actually sleeping through most of the night. Lukas has been sleeping from 10 to 5 or more three nights in a row, and Sean getting up only once around 3 each night. That makes it easier on both of us and there is hope we might actually survive the summer.
Showing posts with label Car Troubles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Car Troubles. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Muffler Trouble
So after work last night I went to my friend Andrew's place and we played some games. Around 6pm I was heading home on the Queensway when BANG! My muffler fell down.
Now it didn't come completely off, but it was dragging and I immediately pulled over off the road. A few years ago the same thing happened. The muffler is held up in two places, one near the front of the car at the engine and one near the back. The fastener at the back is a two piece bracket around the muffler with two bolts on the side, and what happened a few years ago is one of the bolts snapped allowing the muffler to fall free from the bracket. I repaired it at home with a nut and bolt I had lying around, but last night it was the other manufacturer's bolt that broke.
Well, there I was stuck on the side of the Queensway west of Kanata with no parts to jury rig the muffler into the bracket to make it home. So I called CAA. I pay the membership, they should be able to help me. "Ok sir, a truck will be dispatched and there within 0-45 minutes."
An hour later I call back. "Um, where is the truck? Can I get an ETA?"
"Its been called and is in transit, they should be there within 20 minutes." Sigh.
The tow truck arrives and the drivers looks at the muffler and says "Ain't going to be much left of that muffler by the time we get to Canadian Tire." Gee, ya think?!
"Um, can't we tie it up somehow for the tow?" I'm thinking a bungie cord or short chain to get it off the ground, get me towed to Canadian Tire in Kanata so I can go in, buy a new bolt and nut, and fix my muffler. The driver thinks for a bit. "If we can fix that, you won't need a tow?" It wasn't what I was looking for but I agreed. Save me some time.
He messes around in the truck looking for something and finds some wire that we manage to get into place to hold the errant muffler. I thank him profusely and we part company, me off to home and him to his next call.
Now it didn't come completely off, but it was dragging and I immediately pulled over off the road. A few years ago the same thing happened. The muffler is held up in two places, one near the front of the car at the engine and one near the back. The fastener at the back is a two piece bracket around the muffler with two bolts on the side, and what happened a few years ago is one of the bolts snapped allowing the muffler to fall free from the bracket. I repaired it at home with a nut and bolt I had lying around, but last night it was the other manufacturer's bolt that broke.
Well, there I was stuck on the side of the Queensway west of Kanata with no parts to jury rig the muffler into the bracket to make it home. So I called CAA. I pay the membership, they should be able to help me. "Ok sir, a truck will be dispatched and there within 0-45 minutes."
An hour later I call back. "Um, where is the truck? Can I get an ETA?"
"Its been called and is in transit, they should be there within 20 minutes." Sigh.
The tow truck arrives and the drivers looks at the muffler and says "Ain't going to be much left of that muffler by the time we get to Canadian Tire." Gee, ya think?!
"Um, can't we tie it up somehow for the tow?" I'm thinking a bungie cord or short chain to get it off the ground, get me towed to Canadian Tire in Kanata so I can go in, buy a new bolt and nut, and fix my muffler. The driver thinks for a bit. "If we can fix that, you won't need a tow?" It wasn't what I was looking for but I agreed. Save me some time.
He messes around in the truck looking for something and finds some wire that we manage to get into place to hold the errant muffler. I thank him profusely and we part company, me off to home and him to his next call.
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