May 16 - ugh

I got out early, wanting to beat the black flies, and took down the Christmas lights from the gazebo and then the tarps.  That went quickly.  Building on my success, I then floated the big dock into place; the water being high enough to easily bounce it onto the concrete step.  I tied it into place with the turnbuckles, one of which doesn't really do anything because its anchor is loose, and the ropes tied off for good measure.  All that probably didn't take more than an hour ... I was feeling pretty good !

I then went to back Sandy's car out of the garage to move it to the barn for the brake work.  It wouldn't move.  The car would "hunch" down like some of the wheels were driving but obviously not all.

Sigh.  I then jacked up each of the four wheels individually and used the C-clamp to loosen off each brake.  I should have known at this point that in neutral, the rear wheels were seized, but I didn't remember whether they would turn freely or not.  Back down, still nothing.  I was worried about the clutch !

After some playing, and time going by, I finally got it to move ... sideways.  One of the back wheels freed up and skidded on the floor, the car shifting to the right.  Now the car was too close to the shelving for me to even get in there ... yikes.  I tried jacking up that side and sitting the jack support point on some boards, jacking up the other side with the wheeled trolley jack, to see if I could get it to move sideways -- well, perhaps I could have done that with the winch, but no go.

Ok, next I pulled the shelves back and out of the way, since they are free-standing, thank goodness.  Now I can get at that passenger side rear wheel.  In the meantime, I'd figured out that the rear wheels should turn freely, and this one didn't.  It turned a little -- the brake was loose -- but would stop after about 1/8" rotation.  What ? 

Off with the calipers, off with the rotor -- that was a problem, took significant prying and tap with the sledge hammer -- ah ha -- it was the hand brake pads that were rusted to the inside of the rotor.  I couldn't find my wire wheel, so I borrowed Jason's and cleaned it up a little, putting everything back together. 

Well, at least at this point, I'd accumulated all the tools that I needed to do the brake job !

It was now noon and I had lunch, then got at the front brakes.  That went without a hitch, first the left then the right.  Sandy helped by pressing on the brake pedal to bleed the line after installing each new caliper.  I had no real problems.

It was now around 3pm, I think.  I took the car for a short spin down Osprey Road and then onto 522 going west.  If I had been cleaner and had my wallet, I'd have gone into town for the mail etc. 

Oh oh ... the alternator light just came on.  I can't believe it !  I did a u-turn in the middle of the road and drove home, hoping like hell that I'd make it back.  I have no way of knowing how much juice was left in the battery, but it was back in the garage soon enough.  I probably should have pulled it into the barn.  I can do that today.

That is one crowded engine compartment.  It's got many of the same parts as the X5, since it's the same engine, but there are differences.  I can see the threads on the end of the water pump, for example, where the fan would be attached, but it isn't.  This car has an electric fan only where the X5 has both.  I can see the alternator, higher up than the X5 and under the air filter box.  Whew it's crowded. 

I went online and found a DIY and it doesn't look too bad.  I called Daryl in town and he doesn't want to touch it.  I could get it into town, but not to Parry Sound or Sudbury ( I think ).

So ... I could have it towed or I could tackle this.  I'm going to see how far I can get with dismantling, since there's nothing to loose, and track down an alternator.  If I have to have it towed, someone can do the installation.  Jason is going to have Kyle bring up a 17mm box end, which is all that I'm missing from reading the DIY.  I don't have many metric tools here, other than a full set of shallow and deep sockets.  All the open and box-end wrenches are SAE.

Sigh.  Well, the good news is that it didn't die at the same time as the X5 !  This car does have 126,000 miles on it so the alternator doesn't owe me anything.

The trouble with having a car here -- any car -- is that it's only going to die in a very inconvenient place.  Here, on the way to Toronto, Parry Sound or Sudbury ... it's all inconvenient.  Daryl also said that if I joined CAA, after 48 hours he could tow me without charge.  Perhaps ... that's an alternative too.

It's sunny out but the temperature was in the 30's when I got up.  I do intend to ride today.

Sandy is going into Sudbury, with the X5 of course :).  She'd have loved to take her car and had it run well and also done a run into Port Loring for mail yesterday, that would have been a good idea.  No go yet ...

Onward ... I hope !