This week…Well my alternator went out on me… I thought but it turned out to be a wiring problem, specifically the wire that charged that battery. I found out that those old dodges were not equipped with thick enough wire so they have a tendency to burn up. Anyways I replaced it and tested the battery and alternator and it defiantly works correctly now. WHOOO! I never knew how much one tiny little wire could ruin my day. This taught me an important lesson though; a trained eye is the one of the best and most important tool to have. If I had done what I was trained to do and followed the wires in the system I would have clearly (under several layers of multi colored wire) seen where the problem was. I wish that I had pictures to post but sadly I use the RV to charge my photo taking device and since I had no battery all my electronics were dead for a little while.

Then later this week, I learned that what you can’t see you can feel. And you defiantly should inspect more than just the broken part; you should also defiantly suspect there was a reason and possibly a deeper problem for the failure. The steel support piece that the power steering pulley mounts to broke again just above the weld. I partially expected that it was the weld making the steel brittle because it was in the exact same spot but I also suspected something else might be wrong… after further inspection I found that the other bolt that it was mounted with was rusted in to place about a quarter inch from being flush causing the pulley to move slightly when the belt was in motion. Finding this part was a chore in itself but I found a vintage junk yard just outside of Portland with a 1979 dodge 440 to pull it from. And I got her home that night. I am so happy to have made it back. This trip has taught me so much about turning wrenches and troubleshooting mechanical and electrical systems.  

Now I can physically see another fluid in my oil so I’m pretty sure I need a head gasket. But luckily I found some lucus in the tool box and that got us home safely.

I really feel like I am learning the normal failures of a vehicle and how to trouble shoot in a real life situation (with this old simple vehicle that is). I am confident I can tell when an alternator needs replacing or which belt is loose. I know what it feels like when the power steering is faulty. I know what it feels like when you’re down on just about any fluid actually. I know when a battery is dead. I know when a radiator needs a good cleaning and how to test a thermostat. I know how to correctly install a distributor cap. I know the inside and out of my wheel assembly and brakes and I can trouble shoot an starting charging system and fix it. I have read a lot about all of this but none of it was experience, I actually had a chance to get my hands on it. I am feeling pretty confident I can fix anything (with a little time and research) after being broken down in the desert several times. I feel like a mechanic now.

Time this week: 33

Time total:  217