Friday, August 19, 2005

My Ninja powers improve in the garage

OK, I 'fessed up to my Bonehead move on the sparkplug wires. But, all was well after I got my shit wired tight...... For about 40 miles. The Connie developed a coolant leak.

Hmmmm. Pulled the fairing off and looked around. Seemed to be coming from the waterpump. Got out the "OFFICIAL MANUAL". Sorta like the Book of Common Knowledge in Monty Pythons' Holy Grail. "Bring out the Official Manual of Common Knowledge"!! THE BOOK says the waterpump has a weep hole on the bottom, CHECK. And if the weep hole (yeah, make your own joke) has oil coming from it, change the seal. BUT, if the antifreeze is coming from it - CHANGE THE PUMP. ARRRGH!!!!! Oh Crap. Ordered the parts form Ron Ayres and went to work a bunch of overtime. Yeah, at a 40% discount the damn thing still cost $142.88. Oh well, what's a boy to do. Worked a shitload of extra days while waiting for the parts, 'cause I didn't have a heck of a lot to do anyway.

Parts came yesterday. Got my lazy arse up in the afternoon (Night shifter) and went out there and ......... just changed it!

Other than making a mess when I dropped the pan w/ 3 quarts of antifreeze mix I'd drained out, things went fine. Buttoned it up and went for a short ride. No Leaks. No drips on the floor this morning. COOL!

BTW - Do you have any idea how slippery that shit is on a concrete floor?

Went out this afternoon and rode about 150 miles thru some of my favorite twisties on Hwy 135. It was hot as hell out there too. No problem.

My Ninja powers are improving. I still can't take the pebble from that Old Bastards hand yet.