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cylan's LiveJournal:
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| Sunday, January 13th, 2008 | | 6:17 pm |
Not My Type
Slowly, I have been discovering the sort of treatment my 944 has gotten from its previous owners over the years. Off of the top of my head, I know that the first owner lived in Alaska. This probably explains the sunroof delete option and the 120V plug in the engine bay, presumably for an engine block heater. Then another PO was a member of the PCA. Looking through the documents in the document brief, I see that there was an aftermarket security system installed. Thankfully, all it seems to do is to blink a little red light on the center column, be the cause for a mess of a wiring job and inclusion of an odd loudspeaker-like device in the engine bay, and generally just add weight. Last weekend I was futzing around with the non-functional CD changer in the glovebox, and I managed to power it on. I couldn't manage to get it to play, and with it powered on the (awful) main deck wouldn't play CDs. However, I did eject the changer's loader cassette, and it was full of CDs. The list is a soft rock collection practically straight out of 1989, with a short stop in 1996: Fine Young Cannibals - The Raw & the Cooked (1989) Traveling Wilburys - Volume One (1988) Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien (1987) "Say Anything" the original motion picture soundtrack (1989) Dave Matthews Band - Crash (1996) Live - Throwing Copper (1994) I can't really believe that someone would spend both their time AND money to have and listen to these albums. Listening to them so far, the only one that seems remotely listenable is Throwing Copper, which barely climbs above the level of the vapid, uninspired tracks of the other five albums. Even so, it's pretty much the same style that everyone in the world describes as "similar to Coldplay". People can say what they want about Rush, but at least they can emulate their contemporary styles while making a unique sound and even making songs worth listening to, rather than simply hearing. I can only imagine that the dude who loaded up the CD changer in my car before it gave up on him looked like the ultra 90'-hip, prepped up wannabe Porsche owner guy shown in this page. | | Monday, December 3rd, 2007 | | 11:17 pm |
Full Throttle
The problem with owning an older car is that for every part I replace, a new old part pops into my head with me thinking "this is going to fail next". This past weekend I got the (practically) welded in fuel filter and the completely dead oxygen sensor off. Now with these two items taken care, off all of the stuff on my initial list of maintenance has been taken care of. The car runs smoother and more efficiently than ever before. Now, I'm worried about crankshaft bearings and valve seals. But I'm only worried because I now feel more free to rev the engine like it was built to be revved with a good long shakedown time by now; the redline isn't at 7000RPM for no good reason. Once the oil is warmed up, it's time to play. 10+ over highway speeds seems slow in 5th. The pack is left behind with ease from stoplights. Fun. Fuel lines actually seem pretty good and pliable. I think the NAs had more issues with them than the Ss. (also, it's very hard to specify the difference between the model "944S" and plural 944s in a web/forum search) Repairs are now on an "in the future" list: * Brakes, one way or another (front rotors are so deeply worn I'd almost swear they're the originals) - not sure exactly what will need replacing yet * Get compression/leakdown test done (I'd like to know if any valves are bent/leaking for sure, just to be safe) * Clutch is halfway worn out. Probably would be nice to get it replaced now, but they're tons of work. * Clean grounds * Get shift linkages into shape (getting into 2nd and reverse feels very mechanically off) | | Monday, November 12th, 2007 | | 10:16 pm |
With age, comes...
There is no more telling a sign that I am getting old than this: I'm ready to go to bed before 23:00. Stuff that still needs to be done to the 944: * Wheel cap * Cargo cover roller cap * Timing chain tensioner * Fuel filter Stuff that eventually has to be done: * Inspect and replace fuel lines (this seems extremely important, there has been a rash of 944s catching on fire among other rennlist.com owners) * Upgrade grounds * Check gear/transmission oil * Get electronic hatch release working reliably | | Saturday, November 3rd, 2007 | | 12:30 am |
944Stuff
In the near future I'm going to be doing a lot of work on my car. For a 20 year old (soon to be 21) Porsche, it has a laundry list of issues and things that need service. For starters, the stuff I think I'm competent enough and can be equipped to do are the following:
- Replace hood shocks
- Replace sun visor clip
- Replace missing wheel emblem
- Replace missing cargo cover roller end cap
- Replace spark plugs
- Replace spark plug wires
- Replace distributor cap & rotor
- Replace cam chain tensioner
- Replace cam cover seals
- Replace oil cooler seals
- Check transmission fluid
- Check clutch wear
I have just bought the parts needed to do most of this stuff. Fortunately I just got a pay raise at work because all this plus shipping was just over a grand. Stuff that needs to be fixed, but are on the back burner:
- Stereo plays CDs, but the display doesn't work and the CD changer in the glove compartment doesn't seem to work
- Rear wiper is loose, it flaps way out of bounds and doesn't come all the way back to vertical
- Diagnose water leak into left side storage compartment
- Fix hatch so that it opens with the pushbutton
Stuff that may be very problematic in the future but I am not really equipped to fix and I'm not even sure if a problem exists:
- Clutch!
- Transmission!
I have accidentally ground the gears a bit, trying to move into reverse once from a stop, no clutch, and once in forward motion, clutch somewhat in, as I was moving the shift lever to the wrong position. So something makes a clunking noise every now and then when I get the car in gear and the clunking seems to impede graceful acceleration until the clunking goes away at about 3K rpm. Doesn't always happen though, and I have half a hope that maybe it's just me being stupid and not pushing the stick all the way into gear. If not, well, clutches are cheap but replacements are about the most expensive things you can do on a 944 labor wise, until you move into the realm of rebuilding the engine... And transmissions aren't cheap, though fortunately they sound easy to replace. I knew full well that this car would be a money sink. But you know, the driving experience is totally, fully, worth it. | | Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 | | 10:48 pm |
Stage Right
Or is it left? Although Rush has a long history and a huge discography, there's one moment of virtuosity which I think stands out from all the rest; there's one guitar solo that I would have to call the best of all of Lifeson's performances. Please note though, I know little about the handling and use of guitars in anything more than the absolutely most rudimentary of senses. It's found near the end of Everyday Glory, from Counterparts (1993). You have to be in the mood to really appreciate this song. Some Rush fare can just spin away as background music (though fortunately, Rush's works are in general highly resistant to this sort of treatment), but Everyday Glory needs to be listened to, nay, focused on. It's a powerful bit of music; the lyrics in Counterparts show Rush having fully moved away from the more vague and allegorical messages from their 80's and into a phase where the messages were more direct and blatant. Like the other tracks on Counterparts, Everyday Glory is a song about the problems that an individual person might face, rather than issues that the generic mass of humanity faces. Everyday Glory has a more accessible soul. And the music fits it. The solo finishes it. A soaring guitar line rises out of the deep background growls of the rhythm, streaming about until halting for the final verse. A clean, bright set of chords. It perfectly mimics the concepts of the lyrics. It's a passionate sounding thing - it's not really about the chops or the technique. The solo is the counterpart to the story, and it works well. It gets me every time I listen to it. Everyday Glory doesn't get my number one spot for best Rush track, but it does get the spot for best solo. Back you your regular scheduled programming. | | Sunday, October 21st, 2007 | | 9:37 pm |
An Expensive Month
10/2007 will go down as the most expensive month of my life so far. But I'm not complaining. Today, as my grandparents are arriving back, I needed to move my car from the driveway in the back out to the front. It took me close to an hour. And several dozen miles. I figured it would be such a waste to just run the car for a few minutes, so I went out for a drive. I found some pretty nice driving roads out in the countryside, too. How decadent I feel at times now though! I parked at Arbor Hills nature preserve to take a shot or two of the 944 in the setting sun's light... As I unpacked my TLR a passerby remarked something about it being a "real camera". There I sat, about as young an adult as they come and dressed scrappily to boot, in front of my Porsche with a camera that was at one time mostly afforded only by real professionals. Those with thousands, tens of thousands perhaps, of dollars worth of photographic equipment. I haven't finished putting money into the Porsche yet, though: Factory Service Manuals Change oil Flush coolant Replace air filter Replace spark plugs Replace spark plug wires Look into cleaning MAF sensor Look into cleaning fuel injectors Look into replacing seals on oil cooler Look into flushing brake fluid Look into flushing clutch fluid Cleaning supplies So, it's a good ride already. This stiff will keep it a good ride for a long time to come. | | Tuesday, October 16th, 2007 | | 10:20 pm |
End Chapter 4
Of my life. The Buick is now gone for good, out of my hands. I wouldn't have signed it away if it were still alive, but it was dead, and thus the parting was not difficult. I gave it a little wave as it passed out of my sight for the last time. It was an uncerimonious affair, I had arrived to the car's place of temporary internment to find that the tow man had already loaded the Skyhawk up. A few quick signatures on the title, and the car was no longer mine. Borne away on a flatbed, the Skyhawk took with it a lifetime of good service and took away the final ties keeping me attached to the previous chapter in my life. Slowly but surely, everything changes, and I am now fully invested in this new chapter of my life. Tomorrow I pick up The 944 for real use now, and my role in my current job is increasing in importance. Time to hit some new open roads.  | | Friday, October 5th, 2007 | | 10:34 pm |
Last Road to Heaven
A eulogy for the 1989 Buick Skyhawk. It took a week and a half of planning logistics, frenetic searching, steeling my nerves, and hand wringing, but in the end I decided that the Skyhawk had driven its last mile for me. The last gasp of life rose from the engine bay in a cloud of smoke; now the vehicle lies incapacitated. It's rather clear to me that somewhere in the starter motor assembly there was a short. It's probably not a difficult fix, as these things go; certainly it's no warped head. ( But the Buick had other flaws of character... )Thus with the end of the starter motor, so ends the Buick. One era passes, and another begins. I am now a Porsche owner. I own a 1987 Porsche 944S. The Nighthawk. Current Music: Rush - Available Light | | Friday, September 28th, 2007 | | 5:33 pm |
You Think You're So Hot
Sometimes, all of the book knowlege in the world isn't enough to give you the proper mental tools necessary to accomplish a task. For most things in my life though, the book knowlege has been good enough for me to "hit the ground running". Yet today I attempted something which promptly kicked me to the ground, hard, in spite of the research I made in order to give me the edge. It turns out that driving a manual transmission really is one of those skills that the practiced drivers make "look so easy", yet to the fool is something extremely difficult. It has been a long time since I have so thoroughly failed at trying something new. Fortunately I have enough resolve to try it again. | | Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 | | 11:35 pm |
| | Monday, June 11th, 2007 | | 10:45 pm |
Photopost CLOWN
Been busy with travelling, the police, the con, and the family. But I discovered something in my archive which made me smile:  This was from the day after my wisdom teeth were removed. Petri 7S, Plus-X | | Saturday, May 19th, 2007 | | 9:40 am |
| | Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 | | 9:58 pm |
| | Tuesday, May 15th, 2007 | | 9:57 pm |
| | Monday, May 14th, 2007 | | 10:10 pm |
| | Sunday, May 13th, 2007 | | 9:50 pm |
| | Saturday, May 12th, 2007 | | 10:36 pm |
Photopost #1
Going to post a photo a day. Because I have so many halfway decent ones that aren't seeing the light of day.  | | 9:38 am |
Agh
I know that sometimes, the manufacturing and distribution of product can get a bit difficult, but now I have to wait until the first week in June to get my DVD copy of Snakes and Arrows:
"IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Atlantic Records has changed the release date for the MVI (formerly DVD-Album) version of "Snakes & Arrows". It will now be released on June 5. Your order will ship to you on or around Friday, June 1. Your original shipping method will still apply. No one will be receiving this special release prior to this date. Any order containing the MVI version will not ship until this date."
And I've really been feeling the need for some new music to listen to at work. 75 albums means that in the past couple of months I've basically listened to it all. In some cases multiple times (it takes only two days to listen through the entire set of Rush studio albums). On another note, you'd think that I would have learned to do housecleaning more often, but inevitably I leave it go too long, so that when I actually get around to it I end up disturbing a whole lot of pathogens. And it seems that every time I clean lately, I get infected with something. This time I've now gotten something that's kept me ill the entire week. Can't jog or exercise, felt feverish, and have had a decrease in appetite. Seems like it will be a great opportunity to test out my shiny new health insurance plan if I still feel like I'm slowly decomposing come Monday. Current Mood:  sick | | Saturday, March 17th, 2007 | | 6:59 pm |
Once in a While...
The locals would probably disagree, but to me, Dallas (and its suburbs) are dead. No culture, no life, no character. Nothing to do but go shopping in chain stores and eat in chain restaurants. Nowhere to go but by car. Slave away for a corp. every then go home and enjoy your insular life in your respective burbclave. Except for today. Wow, today. Saint Patrick's Day. People were out in force for the " big parade", greater in number than I have before seen outside of the State Fair (which doesn't really count) and the balloon festival. And it was so much more vivacious than both of those events. No uptight southern conservative types. Nope. The beer flowed freely, openly, and the debris from such consumption did likewise. It was a messy, trashy jovial celebration and I was glad to be there. For once I got a glimpse of culture in Dallas that wasn't so afraid of itself or what others thought of it. Conversely, the balloon festival felt like a glorified children's event and the State Fair was a football game with animals from across the state being shown as a sideshow and new cars for eye candy. Other parades I have attended around here are woefully uninspiring. I slopped through a good bit of film, after walking a couple of miles to actually get it (ACROS 100 - fine stuff). Saw some beautiful Huskies too. Also, on the lookout for lunch in the vicinity of the parade, I came across a place called Jersey Mike's Subs. Jersey Mike! (aaayyyy, how you doin') But Jersey Mike was closed. Jersey Mike, you let me down. Also a comic convention going on this weekend. Special guests include some people I've never heard of, the guy who played chewbacca and Walter Koenig. He's giving autographs. I'm undecided whether I should get one or not, as I really like his character Bester in Babylon 5, but I don't worship the man... And finally, I bought my first iTunes track. Yes, I'm feeling jazzed about what's in store for me this summer... | | Sunday, March 11th, 2007 | | 6:25 pm |
It's Over 1000
As of today, I've spent $1200.66 on gasoline since I began keeping track in the middle of the summer of 2004. It has been spent on moving my car a distance of 15,365.6 miles (which is a little over half of the circumference of the earth), and has purchased a total of 529.368 gallons of (usually) 87 octane gasoline. On average, the price of fuel has been $2.249/gallon which has had me pay, on average, $25.01 at the pump (where I usually fill up with 11.029 gallons). I can usually make 326.9 miles between fillups, giving an average fuel economy of 29.76mpg. Front tires which can't seem to hold air have contributed to a decline on average economy, as has my recently started daily commute - a moderate stop-and-go situation. Temperatures have been warm however, and this helped the mileage from sinking too low on the commutes. And I'm still probably making 10mpg better than most of the *ahem* cars on the roads around here. All of the stats here have been tabulated by my nifty gas mileage tracker. |
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