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View Full Version : waking dragons - a fsj rambling


fulsizjeep
05-10-2008, 06:44 AM
During the winter, it is not worth all the effort to keep everything running, snow cleared and al that so some of the FSJs here take winter naps at Jubilee Jeeps. I woke the Camper Special a few weeks ago and drove it around the hood some to warm it up. Ran just as well as the last time I drove it in December, belching and smoking all the way. :cool:

http://jubileejeeps.org/jubileewinter.jpg

Last weekend, we woke the Cherokee Chief in Montrose and drove it up on the trailer for a ride home. No radiator, alternator, belts, tranny line looped back and can run for a couple minutes without getting too warm. Impressed it got up on the trailer on it's own. :thumbsup:

http://frontier.net/%7Emystkblu/parts/08_rustheep2.jpg

Luna is Krista's 76 Waggy. I woke Luna after a 3 month nap and started off to work on Tuesday. She was not happy and left me walking after a couple miles. :huh: It was a complete power shut down, no lights, starter, nada. Walked home and pulled the battery out of the Chief and drove back in the Outback, Ruby. The walk left me thinking it was nuts for us both to be driving 401s that day when gas is high and Ruby is a worthy economical DD, but it was time to wake the dragons. The battery made it all better and I noticed the one I pulled out was new in 01. So I got her off the road, parked out of the way and took off to work in Ruby. At the end of the day she started up and drove home fine.

I was headed for Cortez to take care of tag renewal for 2 Jeeps and bank business yesterday. Crap, Ruby's tags are expired too. 3 vehicles with expired tags. I am also trying to get organized in project land and see I have 4 steel stock 6 lug wheels that Krista's dad wants for his 52 Chevy 3100 project. I am all for moving some uneeded stuff out of here, so loaded them up in Luna. The gas guage has been showing half tank since Luna woke up. I head off to Cortez, 20 miles. About 10 miles she runs out of gas, right in front of Mesa Verde park. I walk about 100 yards to the conscessioner's office where there are fuel pumps. I tell them I work at the park and need to borrow a gas can for about 20 minutes. No bueno. So I call the park and they are kind enough to send a ranger down with a 5 gallon can. What a deal. Her round trip to help me took her about 30 miles out of her way but it was a slow day fortunately. I will catch grief at work next week. :rolleyes: So I get 3 gallons of gas at $4.15 a gallon. :eek: Aramark is in the bottom line profit business and they are a "partner" to Mesa Verde. :grumble: I hate them. I digress. Hitch over to the Jeep and get going pretty quick now. This took me an hour and a half out of my way. Fill up in town, 17 gallons @ $3.54.

Get the tags renewed. $145. Could have been worse I guess. Get bank business done. Head to Krista's dad's place about 15 miles down a canyon. Drive right in the barn and unload the wheels and tires right next to the old Chevy. Jump in Luna and the starter says uunnngghehh... then uunnngghehh and a whine that made my hair tingle. As I was throwing a SOB at the Jeep, my step mother in law (it is a real name right?) walks up and catches me about to have a tantrum. Now I have to hold it. :o She helps me round up an extension cord to hook up a battery charger. I visit and have a glass of wine. Charla is one day younger than me and cool Cancer lady. I unwind and follow her around her chores and we chat. Lu gets home and we talk Jeeps and all kinda stuff. Later I check the battery and the charger is off because the cord is a POS. We get another cord on it and have another glass of wine. I have to be in Cortez at 5:30 for acupuncture. It is 5 and we go out and the same sad sounds come from underneath. Lights are bright on, so whats up. Wrenches start going around and we soon think the starter is B-A-D. Deal with a quick call to Krista, cancel appt and turn back to the dragon. :banghead:

This Jeep has not been driven much since August so most the travel gear had been moved to another Jeep. I realized I did not even have a jack to change a flat if needed. duh. But... under the driver seat, I see a fracking starter. :eek: uh-yeah, double take... So go pull the starter and get the spare out (where the hell did THAT come from?) and check them on the battery. Yep, that starter is jacked up and the spare works (but where the hell dit IT come from?!) Also noticed the tranny mount is coming apart again. Gonna need to change the adapter on the QT because the foot is jacked up. Meh, another day. At least the 401 was starting up again by 6:30. OK, let's celebrate with another glass of wine and talk about more all kinds of stuff. My neck is sore again and missed the acupuncture. get home about 9 take some ibu and flexeril, take a shower and fall down.

Dayum Dragons. :fsj: :D

Time to burn some ATF & QT fluid... :p Fresh java too. Gonna slay a Dragon today. Crap, it's raining. Where did THAT come from?

edit: add pix of course ;)
This is from a frosty March morning. Luna is the left white Waggy.
The other white Waggy is Krista's $100 401, Phoebe. They are Moon Goddess Dragons. ;)
http://jubileejeeps.org/jubileespring08.jpg

janie
05-10-2008, 08:20 AM
Aw Flint, dadgum. We've all been there. Guess when you've got that many dragons you have to slay a few once in awhile.:) ;) As long as you can sip some vino and just smile the next day it's all good.

We're fixin to slay our own dragon here shortly. Hopefully it won't slay us back....

If I don't get to squeamish when Bill starts cutting thru Tequilla's bed, I'll post up some pic's later under a separate thread.

Gambler68
05-10-2008, 08:30 AM
Didn't someone throw a spare at us at Moab last year after mine froze up?

Dang dude..you need a Volvo :lol:

JeepBountyHunter
05-10-2008, 08:52 AM
The thing that stands out for me is $4.15 for gas...WHOA!!!!!

yoslvr442
05-10-2008, 10:47 AM
sounds like a nice FSJ adventure!! Im sure having a herd like that its pretty common! more power to you thats for sure.

Gambler68
05-10-2008, 11:38 AM
The thing that stands out for me is $4.15 for gas...WHOA!!!!!

3.69 for 85 octane down here :( (but Flints story inspired me to drop 6 gallons in the Cherko, and even wash it..its been sitting since gas start the latest spiking).

fulsizjeep
05-10-2008, 01:12 PM
phase 1 under way...
http://frontier.net/%7Emystkblu/parts/scalpdragon1.jpg
http://frontier.net/%7Emystkblu/parts/scalpdragon2.jpg

bigun
05-10-2008, 01:48 PM
With all the proccesed fruit juice being consumed I was worried you were going to end with you being stopped by the law on the way home!!!!

scantar
05-10-2008, 01:54 PM
Great story Flint!

Looks like the leprechans were with you and not agin you, and stuck that starter under your seat.

:thumbsup:

jsinajeep
05-11-2008, 09:35 PM
Gee Flint, I thought we had fun in the Desert. You have fun all by yourself.LOL:D

firecaptain13
05-12-2008, 10:06 AM
Nothin like like waking up the sleeping beauties, huh? Now that you've had your "bad" day the rest of the summer should be all rosey

fulsizjeep
05-12-2008, 02:47 PM
Well, I am happy to say that I drove that Wag with the replaced starter yesterday and it made the 10 mile trip without any issues. :rolleyes:

The deconstruction of the Cherokee continues regardless of how well the other ones work. That Cherokee should stand as an example of what I COULD be doing to them. :bluelaugh: They have personalities and do get jealous of each other getting attention. Like when a bettery fails in a FSJ around our house, it is very likely there will be another one fail shortly after that one is replaced. :grumble: Ujoints, same thing. Tranny and/or engine mounts, same thing. I could go on... :D