Neanderpundit

Had one of those moments, you know? I’ve been monitoring the van for the last couple weeks, driving it carefully, watching the mileage.

Each time I checked, I was getting about 32 to the gallon.

THis is unheard of. Now, the Ford 3.0 Vulcan (damned good engine) is economical, it’s not THAT exconomical, so I’m freaking just a bit. How can this thing be getting 30 mpg? but I think, Shit, it’s broke, if it’s getting that kind of mileage- but I’m DAMNED if I’m gonna fix it and make the mileage worse. So I’ve kind of just been keeping it under my hat.

Until I said something to Partner and his brother on Christmas day. We’re talking and I look at Partner’s brother and say… “The odometer measures kilometers. The van gets 30-33 kilometers per gallon.” he looked at me and started laughing, and is laughing still. Here I was freaking out about the mileage, and it’s actually almost perfect; it’s getting approx 19-22 mpg.

Good lord.

Well, I guess I was overdue for a senior moment.

The Injectors are all cleaned and flow tested and installed. Checked the fuel rail for integrity, it’s all nice and tight. Did a NOID test, and all eight drivers sink to ground properly. Got the new EGR riser tube, and cleaned the EGR valve. THe whole deal is ready to put back together and retest, which will happen in the next day or two. I’ll be swapping out the plug wires tomorrow, so I’ll have confirmation they all work. Once it’s all togehter I’ll be confirming the fuel pump, and i may replace the fuel pump on general principles- it’s getting good pressure but it’s OLD. Don’t want it failing at the worst possible moment.

Great series on BBC tv. Having a conversation with Francis Porretto about doing dirty jobs- Like the jobs Mike Rowe does on “Dirty Jobs”, or these two broads cleaning up houses of squalor…

And it occurs to me, I have relatives that live worse than those homes (and have often had to overcome the urge to vomit when in their homes) and I have done jobs similar to the worst done by Mike Rowe. In fact, other than the Mike Rowe jobs where he does confined space cleaning (I can’t get in some of those spaces) I’ve done similar or worse jobs than anything he’s done.

I’ve done jobs where I got on my hands and knees and retched, and then got up and worked some more. And retched some more. And kept retching and working till the job was done.

Life is dirty. No, it’s no fun to be down in it and have it jammed in your face. But it all has to be done, and someone has to do it. Those who do, make it possible for those who are afraid to get their hands dirty.