Captain's Log: 6TH (Official Kart Post: 1)

I just wanna go fast daddy.

Where we had to play catch up with the work, we will also have to with the personal.

The thing that's been taking up most of my time recently is GOKARTS

No... not those kind (yet). I'm wanting to get my kids into something, and I think Karting might be it. The oldest does not seem to want to do any ball sports, and the youngest absolutely loves any thing car. So, I figured we would ease into the world of competitive racing with the simplest of forms. 

YARD KARTS

Introducing: The "Jegs" Kart

Glorious.

I've been wrenching on this kart off and on for about two weeks now. I keep getting deeper and deeper as I keep finding it's secrets. Biggest hurdle now is converting it back to a live axle. It's getting a torque converter but matching up sprockets for the jackshaft is where I am at now. I've broken in the engine and hooked up the throttle cable, and once I can get the jackshaft issue ironed out, wheels are next.

It's actually more quite at idle with the header pipe than the stock muffler.

I started working on building the engine, but realized that maybe I should just leave it alone for now, let the boys get used to it, then slowly step it up from there. As follows:

• Stage 0 - Stock Predator 212 (with header pipe) stock governor
• Stage 0.5 - remove governor, install cast aluminum flywheel and performance air cleaner.
• Stage 1 - Install Mikuni carb, wider gear.

Because I can't leave well enough alone, and I knew I would start messing with the engine, I bought another one. This one is getting the works. "Stage 3" kit, and who knows what from there. Currently looking for an old racing kart frame to put it on.

I don't know where this will take us in life, but out of the house is good. As I wrench, i'll be documenting what I can.

Something Else

I've started collecting watches. I know. That sounds awesome.
Mind you, I am a strange individual, so my watch collection should follow suit. I am only collecting watches that I can buy for under $100.

To be honest, $100 is pushing it.

After having two smart watches (a Pebble and a Fit Bit, both great smart watches, in my opinion), I have found I've missed the analog look and feel of a good plain old wrist watch. I want the time, maybe the date, and nothing more. While I originally just wanted one watch, I figured two wouldn't hurt. I had a dark watch, so getting a light one would only make sense. It has spiraled from there, and I now sit at a comfortable 6 watches.

My collection is mostly comprised of Timex watches, but I do have two Seikos. I dont think I've spent over $40 each on the Timex, and I think the Seiko's were $80 each.

Of course I had to get a box. Also, they all tick at the same time.

I find it an interesting thing to collect, and can see (yet am still confused by) how people collect watches that cost more than $1000 dollars. I fortunately like plain watches. The less shiny the better, and I prefer only three hands, none of that chronograph/extra mini watches on the face.

A few of my watches...

Seiko 5. The fanciest watch. It's automatic and has no battery. I also have a white one.

Timex Easy Reader. Old man watch. I dont like the metal stretch band. Pulls my arm hair.

Timex Expedition. The first watch I bought. Also my favorite. I have one in white.

We will see where the watch thing goes. just something to keep the mind at ease. I've already thought about hitting up the resale and 2nd hand stores to see what they have.

WELL. Thats about it. Another week is upon us. I hope that all goes well for you and yours. May the week go by smoothly, and any troubles that arise be dealt with appropriately, and with great thought and care.

LATER.

I think I'll Go Home Now

Mercy sakes alive... what a week.

It's been a bit since the last post. I went oncall last Monday (02.26) and was just swamped.
The week was ok, just a few calls a night. This last weekend, however, was gross. On top of that I still have to work my regular work week.

So to catch you up on the mud hole action, I'll ease back on the commentary, and just post some pics with captions. I didn't get a pic of everything, things got hairy at times, so pictures were not the first thing on my mind.

Monday 02.26.2018

Had to replace a 2" meter with a 3/4"x5/8". The meter did not want to leave.

3/4"x5/8" Meter on riser

This little Colorado was my chariot for the week. GMC was in the shop.

Leak under a drive way. Always fun.

Tuesday 02.27.2018

Started early! Lift Station call

Hmmmm.....

Walked in to find this. Safety third!

Like a warm hug, Wawa's is there.

Wednesday 02.28.2018

Remember that giant mudhole from a post ago? BOOM. Gone.

 

Customer requested us to clean her driveway. Sprayed it down with the Jet Truck

Curbstop change out!

 

Thursday 03.01.2018

More curbstop change outs!!!!!!

It did not go as planned, so we adapted.

I started an investigation into why a local school is using twice their normal amount of water.

That's ground water.

Oncall leak!!!! Crane truck broke both services



Finishing up.

Friday 03.02.2018

Only picture I took. Me and a coworker had to walk through a cow field. Fearless leaders stood at the gate to lock us in.

 

Saturday 03.03.2018

3 inch main break under a driveway.

TEAR IT UP

It had a split.

Now it does not.

I still haven't figured out what this is... but it broke too.

This looks cool, but it blew apart. Repaired it without adding a flushing hydrant.

 

Sunday: 03.04.2018

Some stuff happened on this day too, but I was way too busy to take pictures.




I think that's about it for the work related things. I get another post out here soon about what I've got going on around at home.

For now I am still trying to recover from the week end, as I did not get much sleep.

I think I am sleeping right now. Maybe this is just a dream...

Captian's Log: Sink-Oh

Quick update on the Rabbit, then a little something different.

I've been tooling on the Rabbit pretty hard these last few weekends, and my past personal posts reflect that. I'm pretty much where I want to be with it for the time being, so It freed me up for other things. Before we get into that, I will start with the finishing touch that was made to the Rabbit last week.

Integrated Engineering's Stage 1 07K(2.5) Tune

The reason I was working on the Rabbit these past couple of weekends was for this, a ECU tune. I wont go into too much detail, as it's all been mentioned previously in my posts. However, I will give it s brief review.

Great.

The flash took about 15 mins, and it really makes the car fun to drive. Throttle response is tight, redline was raised, and the car just feels dialed in now. I even get pops and crack between shifts and during engine deceleration. Really waked the car up. Ill post a video when I can.

 

Now, on to the weekend.

 

Friday

The weekend officially started on Friday, when my youngest decided to run a fever, and had to stay home. Not much was done that day, other than naps and TV.

 

Saturday

After cleaning up the garage, I stopped by my Dad's house to look at and old go kart I used to ride. I'm wanting to get myself and my boys into cars and engines, and I think karting is a good start.

The old "Jegs" Kart. (It has a Jegs decal on the back). 2 seater, Live Axel

Plans are to freshen it up, redo the back axle and wheels, and the drop on the Predator 212 engine I picked up from Harbor Freight.

 

This joker was $89.00 with my Inside Track card!

Plans for the 212 are what's keeping my wrenches turning right now. Common sense would say leave it alone, and let the kids cut their teeth on karting with stock power. However I do not think straight, so it's already under the knife. Nothing serious... yet. Just a carb and muffler swap, governor delete, and billet flywheel swap.

 

Saturday ended with a little Nintendo action. Farm Simulator.

Yes, it is fun. No, I don't know why/how

This game is quite relaxing. It's exactly what it says, and nothing more. The oldest even likes it. You just tend to the fields and animals using various farm vehicles. Game of the Year.

 

Sunday

Sunday started early with church, then unrolled into a long afternoon. Stopped by Publix to pick up some subs for lunch, then the kids went down for a nap. I took this opportunity to start working on the 212. Stripped it down so I could bolt the carb and exhaust on when they come. Also got sidetracked and did some pointless (maybe) dress up to the engine. Pulled all the idiot stickers off and added some others.

 

As it was

Stripped and fuel tank pulled

Found some thermal tape in a drawer. Couldn't hurt, right? Cool fuel...?

Subsequently, I think the color scheme is going to be gold and black.

 

After that, I  turned the race on, and spent some time in and out of the garage watching the game and tooling on the lawn mower. It's yard work season. I hate yard work. However, it must be done, so I try to keep my equipment running. Spent some time cleaning the mower and making sure it was running right. I bought it in 2008, still running like a champ. Its about do for another round of plug/blade/belts. Just a cleaning for now.

 

Disassembled and cleaned the air filter housing, as well as the external part of the carb. Little feet.

FWD has been weak. Decided to clean and tighten things up.

My Foreman made sure everything was done to code. "You fix this"

Cleaned and greased the FWD system.

 

I wish this was a flame thrower and grass could scream. (Too dark?)

 

 

As the day drew to a close, a trip was made to Publix again, and the weeks groceries as well as the nights dinner was bought. Biscuits and (homemade) sausage gravy for dinner. No pics of this, too busy eating.

 

Ended the night with a late night drive around one of my "routes". I have a few mapped out routes for when I feel like taking a drive. This is a shorter one, takes about 30 minutes, full circle. One day i'll actually route out the different courses and share them.

Driving is a good way to end the day. Gives the mind a break and helps me reset.

 

 

Well, that's the my weekend in a nutshell. I think I'll be starting to add another group of posts dedicated to Kart related activities only.

 

As mentioned previously, I am on call this week. So I'll either have lots to post about, or be so busy/tired I wont have time. ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

 

 



Mudhole: Eternal

Ok, I slacked off a bit this week...

Off my game last week as:

1. We had Monday off
2. I've been with out a truck most of the week (DEF crap)
3. Had to take off Friday because the youngest one decided to be sick.

Anyways, we did have a leak or two, and an exceptionally muddy one on Thursday.

Main side, lateral leak. Domestic.

What started as a small leak, turned into a giant mud hole. Normally, when you have two services (meters) next to each other, the end up tying in together at a "Tee". Then that tee feeds into the main. If you go back on some of the posts I have had about leaks, you can see this.

Well, we expected this as well with this leak, but... this was not the case.

Strike First. Strike Hard. No Mercy

It turned soupy, quick.

When digging down on an active leak, it can get a little hard to see what you are doing. Most initial guesses as to what is broken is done with the hands, and not the eyes. This is why we were confused when it felt like a 3/4 inch line was feeding from the main. Normal, as mentioned above, there would be a tee. Tee's are always going to be a larger diameter that the lines that feed off of them (what we call the service). So it made no sense to have a 3/4 line feeding off the main, splitting into two 3/4 services. That would cause a volume issue for the two customers on that lateral line, should they both try to use water at the same time.

ANYWAYS.

We dug on.

Trying to keep the water off us long enough to figure out what is going on.

Is the lateral over here?

Or is it over here

The hole got wetter, deeper and wider as we went. Eventually we uncovered the right service and verified that it was indeed a single service tied directly into the main, with no tee. This would mean the other service would be the same.

The single tap off the main

The service was broke right at the main. She let go once we started missing with it.

After a new service was built and screwed into the main, we could stop the water flow, and build back. I always take this time to look at what broke, and why.

This weird metal/pvc female adapter broke. Over tightened more than likely on install.

Rebuilding each service in poly. 

Ground was still muddy as could be.

Very muddy. A few boots were lost

Made sure the lines were flushed, and and backfilled what we could.

Still wet!

What. A. Mess.

Then on to the most important part of the day. Lunch.

Well, that all for now.

I go oncall this next week, from Monday to Monday. It's my first time as an on call leader, so I'm sure that will be fun and bring it's own challenges. (I hate being oncall by the way.)

Here's to the next time!