Van lives and day looking good

Well today is starting out pretty good.

I was finally able to get my van back from the shop. The new motor was not cheap ($5538) but it sure runs smooth with excellent oil pressure. I haven't run the butler unit yet and will likely need to adjust the throttle cable and vacuum pods again, but I expected that. Heck, it might even get 16 mpg now

I also have another company interested in my dehu units and filters....sounds like they want to close the deal today. I also have a church to clean Thursday that wants to buy my Steamin Demon unit as well. Feels like I am in the closeout sales business these days, but that van motor replacement needs to be paid somehow.

I also booked 2 more residential jobs in my area via the website. So, things have become very busy to close out this month and surprisingly from the website. That is a good sign.

Now I have to knock the rust out of my body from last night's cleaning for my interview in a couple of hours from now. Last night I flew through a theater lobby in 4.5 hours (7,500 sqft) but I am paying the price this morning for such effort...I think it was all the weighted brass stanchion moving that did it.

I hope all are having a good day as well.

The Sun always comes out tomorrow.
Nice to hear the good news!

Never mind...the day was a bust.

I drove the van around at all speeds for 15 minutes without issues. Fueled up and parked it to change clothes for the interview. Jumped in and 4 blocks later the van started to buck and dumped antifreeze all over the ground. I had to run home to change vehicles to make my appointment.

So, the van is back in the shop for who know's what. Personally, I think they failed to install the head gaskets correctly. Really don't know yet.

It was nice while it lasted....a great 15 minutes.

Well, like Matt said, the sun always comes out tomorrow, if I were you, I would have a serious discussion with the owner of the shop regarding this issue, let him know that $ 5538 is not a chump change for you and you are expecting the new motor will last a full life of it without any error in anyone’s part ( including yourself, for changing oil and doing regular maintenance ). Hopefully he will check and double check everything instead of just taking care of leaking coolant issue.

We had the talk...believe me. He is going to work on it first thing in the morning and I told him to drive to / from home himself for a couple of days to make sure all the bugs are worked out.

I am not going to use it on a job until I get a good track record of performance. He did a very nice install from what I saw and even took pictures of all the parts that he installed like the new motor mounts.

Being as the thermostat is relocated from the engine to the heat exchanger by butler, I am guessing that it might be the return lines from the HX that are leaking. There might have been some trapped air that purged out and caused a leak.

What concerns me was the sudden bucking. It acted like a mis-firing coil on a Ford, but this motor doesn't use those kind of coils. If it turns out to be a transmission issue I will jump off a bridge.

Oh well, it is supposed to upper '70's tomorrow and I only have one house to clean so I can recover a little from that Theater before attacking the Church on Thursday.

Also, the interview went well, but I was clearly not what they were expecting at all. The past employee quit after 18 months for better money elsewhere. They loved that guy and told me that he was young, very handsome, and charming...the parents loved the guy and they hope to locate someone like that. I am old and look like Frankenstein so probably not the right guy.

The only thing that gives me a chance is that they know nothing about security and neither did the handsome guy. They have some serious issues and I went over about 6 things that needed immediate correction including the fact that I got into the "secured" building by just walking around to the back of the building to find an unlocked door.

Who knows what happens....I can go either way on this. I would take it if offered, but wouldn't be disappointed if not as it is a 45 minute commute.

Hoping for better news tomorrow.

“I am old and look like Frankenstein so probably not the right guy.”

Lol, sounds like discrimination to me, ha..ha...

I might have to look that one up under the ACLU listings Dp.

No response from the mechanic yet so it must not be a simple hose clamp issue. Not looking good and with the freezing temps on the way....timing sucks for this to happen.

The sun will come out tomorrow ! And the day after tomorrow ! And 2 days from today ! And .......

Last word is that the van is fixed. Claims there was a leak at the lower radiator hose and oil cooler, but couldn't duplicate the "bucking" problem and there were no codes.

I told him to drive it home tonight. If it doesn't have any issues when he comes back to work with it, I will pick it up. I can't have unreliability working at night an hour from home in the winter.

Xxxxx = fingers crossed
XXXXX = toes crossed

Mine are as well since I will have to winterize the TNT before dinner tonight as the temps drop to low 20's. That means the baton will be passed back to the Van to finish out the jobs this month.

Too close to the finish this month to fail now.