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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
NJRC Member
One of my Jeeps, the Renegade has the "Check Engine" light on. This isn't a big deal and the car won't get stuck, but here in New York we have to get our cars inspected every year and they won't inspect it with the check engine light on.
I have the diagnostic tool and connected it to the port under the dashboard and it tells me the thermostat is defective.
I have changed many dozens of thermostats and they are generally a simple five minute job. But not on a new car where the engine is in sideways. (I used to be an Oldsmobile mechanic 100 years ago)
Normally the thermostat is at the front of the engine and held on with two bolts. This one is also on the front of the engine but the front is near the fender under the battery, battery box, computer and a few hoses and brackets so the 5 minute job is now a real pain especially now that the temperature will be about 8 degrees all week.
You also can't just buy the thermostat, you have to buy the thermostat with the housing and sensor all in the same piece of aluminum.
I have to remove the engine shroud, battery, battery box, computer, brackets and hoses just to see the thing. Then I need metric swivel sockets to remove it. I have swivel sockets but not metric ones.
I am also old and had 36 surgeries, mostly for shoulders and that battery weighs almost as much as my reef tank so this will be fun.
I have the diagnostic tool and connected it to the port under the dashboard and it tells me the thermostat is defective.
I have changed many dozens of thermostats and they are generally a simple five minute job. But not on a new car where the engine is in sideways. (I used to be an Oldsmobile mechanic 100 years ago)
Normally the thermostat is at the front of the engine and held on with two bolts. This one is also on the front of the engine but the front is near the fender under the battery, battery box, computer and a few hoses and brackets so the 5 minute job is now a real pain especially now that the temperature will be about 8 degrees all week.
You also can't just buy the thermostat, you have to buy the thermostat with the housing and sensor all in the same piece of aluminum.
I have to remove the engine shroud, battery, battery box, computer, brackets and hoses just to see the thing. Then I need metric swivel sockets to remove it. I have swivel sockets but not metric ones.
I am also old and had 36 surgeries, mostly for shoulders and that battery weighs almost as much as my reef tank so this will be fun.
Certainly ain't like the old days Paul. I can remember working on a 54 Packard flathead straight 8 that had all of two wires going to the engine. You could remove one wire and the thing still ran. Just hope you never have a parasitic draw (sometimes referred to as parasitic drain) that is caused by one or more of your modules not "going to sleep." They are impossible to figure out. The main problem is understanding the electrical diagrams for the vehicle. Best of luck fixing your Italian foreign car!
Paul B
NJRC Member
Redfishbluefish, that car was built in the same place where my Grand Parents came from. 
But Jeeps to me are still American.
I rebuilt many engines on boats cars and motorcycles but like you said, it used to be simple. My old Wilys Jeep I had to put in new pistons, bearings and just about everything else but that engine was so simple I could have done the entire job with a pliers.
I used to be an Oldsmobile mechanic 100 years ago.
But Jeeps to me are still American. I rebuilt many engines on boats cars and motorcycles but like you said, it used to be simple. My old Wilys Jeep I had to put in new pistons, bearings and just about everything else but that engine was so simple I could have done the entire job with a pliers.
I used to be an Oldsmobile mechanic 100 years ago.
Paul B
NJRC Member
This morning about 6:15 am I went for my morning walk. It wasn't too cold, about 35 degrees so too warm for ice.
But before I got 50 yards I slipped three times (but didn't fall) because of black ice. Thats something like black ich and another thing I don't believe in but we had such fog last night coming home from dinner that my windshield looked like sheet metal, rusty sheet metal. I couldn't see 5 feet.
Last night all that fog dropped to the road and turned into a thin sheet of ice. The more I walked the icier it got so I was afraid of breaking my hip and I'm not afraid of too many things. Komoto Dragons are one.
I am very sure footed and never fall as I have the ballance of a mountain goat, but what concerned me was that I saw 3 or 4 mountain goats laying on the side of the road and I could swear they had broken hips. They were doing that "BBBBAAAAAAHHH" thing.
I was also surprised when Dorithy Hamill skated by me at a good clip with that gold medal still hanging around her neck.
Anyway, yesterday, I invited two couples over for a dinner of linguine and white clam sauce, my favorite dish. So, after my walk, I made two loaves of Italian bread with olive oil and rosemary. I haven't baked it yet because it has to rise for 7 or 8 hours.
That's also one of the easiest dishes to make. I bought the clams this morning and after the bread is baked, I will also make some Brochette with some of it
Brochette
We are supposed to get 5" of snow today, but usually, when they predict 5" of snow, it rains. You have to worry when they don't predict snow; then, we know we are in for a blizzard.
But before I got 50 yards I slipped three times (but didn't fall) because of black ice. Thats something like black ich and another thing I don't believe in but we had such fog last night coming home from dinner that my windshield looked like sheet metal, rusty sheet metal. I couldn't see 5 feet.
Last night all that fog dropped to the road and turned into a thin sheet of ice. The more I walked the icier it got so I was afraid of breaking my hip and I'm not afraid of too many things. Komoto Dragons are one.
I am very sure footed and never fall as I have the ballance of a mountain goat, but what concerned me was that I saw 3 or 4 mountain goats laying on the side of the road and I could swear they had broken hips. They were doing that "BBBBAAAAAAHHH" thing.
I was also surprised when Dorithy Hamill skated by me at a good clip with that gold medal still hanging around her neck.
Anyway, yesterday, I invited two couples over for a dinner of linguine and white clam sauce, my favorite dish. So, after my walk, I made two loaves of Italian bread with olive oil and rosemary. I haven't baked it yet because it has to rise for 7 or 8 hours.
That's also one of the easiest dishes to make. I bought the clams this morning and after the bread is baked, I will also make some Brochette with some of it
Brochette
We are supposed to get 5" of snow today, but usually, when they predict 5" of snow, it rains. You have to worry when they don't predict snow; then, we know we are in for a blizzard.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Good Morning Diana. I was correct about the snow we got. They predicted 5" and we got about a fifth of an inch and a lot of ice. Right now it is 20 degrees and very windy, so the little snow is flying all over the ice. I am going for my walk but I think I will carry one of my old boat anchors in case a gust of wind carries me into the woods and crashes me into an old oak tree with a yellow ribbon tied around it or antique Oldsmobile that has been stranded for 30+ years.
You never know.
The Blizard of 2025
You never know.
The Blizard of 2025
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Paul B
NJRC Member
These are the first two reviews of my new book so far. A couple of days ago I re submitted it because it had a lot of mistakes like no page numbers and some captions that were missing under pictures. I also asked Amazon if they could photoshop my pictures to make me look more like Brad Pitt but they declined.
Verified Purchase
A boy facing all that innocence is for a young boy going into service and the trials and tribulations and finding humor in the horrors of war. Whoever returned was changed forever. Thank God some can be reminded of a horrible situation and turn it into a humerous story. Thank you for your service Paul. Great read
Verified Purchase
LOVED THIS BOOK! A must read! I could not put it down. From his childhood, through his service in Vietnam, the author, Sergeant Paul Baldassano tells his riveting story of being a real life soldier that is humorous, emotional, heartfelt and touching. It made me chuckle and also tear up. Thank you for your service and thank you for this book!
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fabulous Human Humerous and Definitely Informative
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025Verified Purchase
A boy facing all that innocence is for a young boy going into service and the trials and tribulations and finding humor in the horrors of war. Whoever returned was changed forever. Thank God some can be reminded of a horrible situation and turn it into a humerous story. Thank you for your service Paul. Great read
5.0 out of 5 stars Touching, heartfelt and humorous Vietnam Veteran’s real life story
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2024Verified Purchase
LOVED THIS BOOK! A must read! I could not put it down. From his childhood, through his service in Vietnam, the author, Sergeant Paul Baldassano tells his riveting story of being a real life soldier that is humorous, emotional, heartfelt and touching. It made me chuckle and also tear up. Thank you for your service and thank you for this book!
Paul B
NJRC Member
I am considering going walking but it is pitch dark, 20 degrees, windy and all I can see is a road that looks like a glacier. It seems like a herd of Polar Bears spent the night dancing the Macarana all night leaving the frozen snow like craters on the moon. I will wait until it gets a little lighter so I can see if there are any mountain goats with fractured hips before I go out because it doesn't look like I could walk out there and I am not a Snowflake Sissy person with athlete's foot.
My wife frowns when I break a bone and I don't have many that I didn't already break. Maybe I will just go into my workshop and make copper anglerfish like Man
I will wait until it gets a little lighter so I can see if there are any mountain goats with fractured hips before I go out because it doesn't look like I could walk out there and I am not a Snowflake Sissy person with athlete's foot.My wife frowns when I break a bone and I don't have many that I didn't already break. Maybe I will just go into my workshop and make copper anglerfish like Man
I usually wait to 9:30 before taking the dogs for a walk. It's a bit warmer , 15 degrees, it's 10 degrees right now.18 degrees, going out for a nice brisk morning walk. The wolves, bears and walruses shouldn't bother me today as they are probably inside snuggling up to a whale oil lamp for warmth.
Paul, at 9:30 was 18 degrees for our walk. Its was degrees now.
Don't forget sun glasses from the glare.MadReefer. I am going out now but I'm not sure I will stand the heat. It's 27 degrees now so I have to look for my bathing suit.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I just returned from my morning walk. The last few days it has been a little cold, around 12 or 18 degrees. Today it was 27 degrees, so I almost went in the pool due to the heat, but it is still covered, and the ice is kind of thick
As I walked in the dark, I heard a loud noise from the forest next to the road.
You can't really see the forest for the trees. Or in this case, the antique oil tank from when this used to be a farm
I immediately went into my Rambo Stance like I used in Nam..........OK, I didn't do that....I didn't do that in Nam either. I jumped back in fear thinking it was a rabid bear, mad squirrel or a horse with no name.
I quickly aimed my flashlight at it and to my chagrin. (I actually never used that word before and am just writing this post to interject it in here but I also never used the word "interject")
It was a deer. But a big deer, more like a Moose Deer, much bigger than even the largest squirrel. He looked at me and I looked at him,. We were both focused on each other to see who would make the first move.
All of a sudden, in a quick flash of teeth. OK it had a white fluffy tail, he turned around and ran which is exactly what I was "planning" on doing. But that deer was probably 4 years old and in 4 years I will be 80 so I figured I had way more arthritis than he did and in the time it took him to sprint 50 yards, I blinked 5 times because my eyelids work fine and that is the only part of me that doesn't have arthritis.
As I walked in the dark, I heard a loud noise from the forest next to the road.
You can't really see the forest for the trees. Or in this case, the antique oil tank from when this used to be a farm
I immediately went into my Rambo Stance like I used in Nam..........OK, I didn't do that....I didn't do that in Nam either. I jumped back in fear thinking it was a rabid bear, mad squirrel or a horse with no name.
I quickly aimed my flashlight at it and to my chagrin. (I actually never used that word before and am just writing this post to interject it in here but I also never used the word "interject")
It was a deer. But a big deer, more like a Moose Deer, much bigger than even the largest squirrel. He looked at me and I looked at him,. We were both focused on each other to see who would make the first move.
All of a sudden, in a quick flash of teeth. OK it had a white fluffy tail, he turned around and ran which is exactly what I was "planning" on doing. But that deer was probably 4 years old and in 4 years I will be 80 so I figured I had way more arthritis than he did and in the time it took him to sprint 50 yards, I blinked 5 times because my eyelids work fine and that is the only part of me that doesn't have arthritis.
Paul B
NJRC Member
So 2 weeks ago I bought a small urchin. It croaked. Then I bought another one...It croaked. Urchins normally live forever in my tank and this one lived about 12 years.
So I figured something was wrong. Like Duh. Everything else looks fine, but I also can't find two Harlequin shrimp. And I like harlequin shrimp.
So, it was time to pull out the test kit. I rarely test anything, and my test kits are old, so they came in wooden boxes. Most of them, I can't get the reagents out of the bottles because they turned to tar.
But I found an alkalinity test kit that looked OK. I tested the water, and the alkalinity was about 4. It's supposed to be about 8 or 9. I doubt urchins care about alkalinity, but since I have a ton of the stuff, I figured I needed to raise it.
I have been dumping a bunch in the tank for a couple of days, and I will probably test again tomorrow. I ordered a new Alk test kit just to make sure my vintage test kit is correct or at least close.
So I figured something was wrong. Like Duh. Everything else looks fine, but I also can't find two Harlequin shrimp. And I like harlequin shrimp.
So, it was time to pull out the test kit. I rarely test anything, and my test kits are old, so they came in wooden boxes. Most of them, I can't get the reagents out of the bottles because they turned to tar.
But I found an alkalinity test kit that looked OK. I tested the water, and the alkalinity was about 4. It's supposed to be about 8 or 9. I doubt urchins care about alkalinity, but since I have a ton of the stuff, I figured I needed to raise it.
I have been dumping a bunch in the tank for a couple of days, and I will probably test again tomorrow. I ordered a new Alk test kit just to make sure my vintage test kit is correct or at least close.