What did you do today

General Discussion about almost anything Teardrop or camping related

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:00 am

So far, ran through the ECU / Key / Security relearn procedure, and got the Malibu started up, ran it for about 10 minutes, as that was the time to die before, and ran a series of checks. No codes, no overheat, no power steering failure. So far so good.

FINALLY found the 3/4 NPT x 3/8" nylon barb fittings for my tank pickup and got it ordered. Sadly the cheapest way to do it was to buy a 6 pack... Oh well $6.00 but I didn't have to fish around Home Depot.

I WILL go to my local home center to buy 3/4" NPT plugs for the remaining tanks.

Road tested the car in my neighborhood, no issues. Came back home, retested alternator all is well. Road tested to Texas City, about 15 miles or so down the highway to get some ethanol free gas while I was at it... Noticed with the new ECU shifting is a little bit harsh, but not terrible. And getting about 3 coldes all related to the MAP sensor, which itself looks to be in bad shape, and fails several multimeter tests. Ordered MAP sensor.

Got my ethanol free gas @ $3.89/gallon. Certain more expensive than regular unleaded, but if it doesn't kill my generator or foul my stove I am fine with that...

I've got about a half gallon of ethanol free RUG left in my gas can from earlier in the summer that does have Sta-bil in it, but I need to use it, soon...

Probably be ready to go with the car mid week after the MAP sensor comes in and I manage to lay hands on a couple of quarts of Mercon VI. I really need this on a lift. I had so much engine oil under the car that I didn't notice any ATF leaks... It is possible I guess. Again could be due to the new ECM.

Anyway, one thing I am NOT seeing is the old evaporative emissions system codes that I never could clear. Possibly the ECM started failing there... Not sure. But it has not kicked back in yet.
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:23 am

Hunkered down. The little tropical storm that was supposed to hit WELL south of us at the TX / Mexico border decided to strengthen, and slide north, and hit just south of Galveston, putting the entirety of Galveston County, where I live, suddenly on the dirty side of a category 1 hurricane in the middle of the night. With next to no prep. Well, okay I can now easily take power outages, cooking, AC etc... But no windows got boarded up, no planters pulled in etc... My trash cans are probably in the street right now...

Update. The storm has passed, mostly, and the moisture is being sucked north, and east of us, which is a good thing. I had a chance to peruse the damage, fence is okay, no window damage, but I lost a few sheets of siding. I have Masonite siding on the house that is giving out a panel at a time. I have plywood T1-11 in the garage. Need to paint 2 sheets up, and wait for the yard to dry out enough so that I can stand on a ladder and not just bury the ladder in the gumbo mud that is my yard right now...

Literally walking across the yard to inspect the damage, I was sinking to the tops of my shoes.
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am

Re: What did you do today

Postby popper » Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:15 pm

1st test run towing extra wide bare frame, mpg was 25% off my usual number. Am disappoint.
popper
Teardrop Advisor
 
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2021 2:55 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:11 am

Getting antsy. Side of the hosue is open to the elements, and ladder won't work right now as the ground is goopy mud. WIll have to temporarily staple sheeting from inside the attic before more rain comes Saturday... I need the ground to dry up!

Ordered a new 5K BTU GE window unit. The LG curb find, I am obviously not finding the ground fault. Into the recycle bin it goes!

I also have a 6.5K BTU Goldstar that I tried using during the post hurricane power outage. It would blow cool air, not cold... Fan speed on high was still LOW. And at a rated 6.6 amps it was nearly stalling my 1KW generator every time it cycled...

Added the hour meter to, and performed the 20 hour oil change. Oil actually looked decent.


Flame King 1lb kit and 2 of my 3 spare bottles arrived. Apparently the third was shipped by a different carrier...
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:40 pm

Day job work. Received last few remaining bits for my water tank setup.

Replaced the MAP sensor in the Malibu. Drives like an actual decent car now. If it keeps this up I might start hating it less again... The original crumbled into 3 pieces once I took the bolt for the clamp loose. Yay plastic car parts!

have a hunk of the busted out masonite siding that has the critical angles I need for the new siding. Of course T1-11 plywood siding is going to be few and far between right now, and to top it off, my yard is still soaked from the hurricane. 65% chance of rain and going up until Tuesday. So I went to Walmart and grabbed a fresh 8x10 medium duty silver tarp, using drywall screws and fender washers through the grommets, attached the tarp to cover the gaping hole in my attic. It will work well enough for now.

Cleaned up some of the Hurricane Debris in my yard. I need to spend time breaking down the messed up masonite and getting bagged up along with busted up branches. And paper towels I used for spilled gasoline cleanup need to get tossed in the BBQ pit and burned off.

Need some starter fluid to test the Tailgator generator. It refused to start, again. Starting to think carburretor problem. First tank of gas I put through it was not ethanol free and I am thinking I am paying the price for it now...

Tested the Goldstar 6.5K BTU window unit. Plugged into wall power it still only puts out 60 degree air. Curb time for it. Pending delivery of the GE. Drug the Goldstar out to the curb. It's days are done.

Winding up the extension cords we used during the power outage.

End of day update...

Spent some time fiddling with the Harbor Freight Tailgator generator trying to figure out what is causing it to not start.

I took the air cleaner cover off, exposed the carburetor and sprayed a shot of carb and choke cleaner in, let it soak, and set it to start. After 2 pulls it sputtered and smoked. Then a few more pulls, and some fiddling with the choke and it came to life. So long story short. This thing just needs some assistance in getting going. Finding the right choke position to allow it to start is next to impossible but kick it with some carb cleaner, or reportedly starter fluid and it kicks right off.
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:17 pm

5K BTU AC came in today. Have not set it up to test yet. BUT...

Am planning on testing the AC running on both the Tailgator, AND the Sprotsman generators. Due to reliability issues, and fuel use, not to mention noise, I have no intention of running the AC off of the Tailgator generator in camp.
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby bdosborn » Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:29 pm

My 1000 watt Yamaha generator will start my 5000btuh AC and run it till it cycles for the first time. Then it won't run it due to the high head pressure of the compressor and disconnects on overload. I bought a 2000w Champion generator and it runs the AC like a champ (pun intended).

Bruce
2009 6.5'X11' TTT - Boxcar
All it takes is a speck of faith and a few kilowatts of sweat and grace.
Image
Boxcar Build
aVANger Build
User avatar
bdosborn
Donating Member
 
Posts: 5492
Images: 767
Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 11:10 pm
Location: CO, Littleton
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:03 pm

bdosborn wrote:My 1000 watt Yamaha generator will start my 5000btuh AC and run it till it cycles for the first time. Then it won't run it due to the high head pressure of the compressor and disconnects on overload. I bought a 2000w Champion generator and it runs the AC like a champ (pun intended).

Bruce


Well, testing will show. Honestly I expect the Tailgator to fail, and the Sportsman to succeed...
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Wed Sep 22, 2021 2:54 pm

Very little progress in all areas...

My wife is having some issues lately with her health, I have been spending time taking care of her, and trying to catch up on sleep that I missed during the hurricane / resulting power outage. I didn't sleep well because she was overly worried about everything etc...

Our local lumber yards are just now getting siding back in, so I need to head over to the big orange store and grab about 4 panels of T1-11.

My fridge died. Under warranty, and they gave me store credit. In order to actually get an equivalent replacement I need to cough up about a grand. Yay! f***ing Whirlpool...
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby bobhenry » Wed Sep 22, 2021 3:47 pm

Well it really took two days but I had an old scratched up desk that someone had carved an opening into for a sewing machine. I enlarged the hole and with a little modification made a nifty vanity. It just might make its way into the caboose bath area if I don't find a buyer in my little furniture store.........

Image

At the same yard sale bought a $1.00 clock and a $2.00 live edge blank and threw this little gem together

Image
Growing older but not up !
User avatar
bobhenry
Ten Grand Club
Ten Grand Club
 
Posts: 10355
Images: 2614
Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:49 am
Location: INDIANA, LINDEN
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby dbhosttexas » Sat Sep 25, 2021 10:34 am

Dragged the Harbor Freight Tailgator, the Sportsman 1000 inverter generator, and the GE 5000 BTU window AC out to the yard to shoot a test video. I did the same test yesterday but the video was messed up. I am uploading the video now, and need to do my whole tagging thing, but will be posting up here in a bit.

My findings so far.

#1. The HF tailgator will actually run a 5000 BTU window unit, even with abusive on / off / on cycling with what should be high compressor head pressures.
#2. The Sportsman does as well, and does so much quieter than the tailgator, without the 2 stroke stink.
#3. Not caught on camera, but dumb a$$ me keeps forgetting the choke starting these things up... Duh...
#4. The Sportsman on yesterdays test handled everything with aplomb in eco mode. Today, eco mode did not like what I was doing to it. No idea why, but probably won't use it much as the gen seems to step RPMs down well enough lightly loaded to be "eco" anyway. Only thing eco mode seemed to do for me was keep it from revving up fast enough to deal with load changes.

Looking back at my entries, I realized, I didn't post about this, but I did add hour meters to both generators. Amazon had pair sets of these things for next to nothing, and I had a little bit of 3M foam tape left over...

Working on the truck a bit more today. Nothing big to report there.

Need to borrow a lift / cargo hauling from a friend. Need to go to Home Depot for the siding I need for hurricane repairs.
dbhosttexas
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 473
Images: 29
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:52 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby nsfr1206 » Sat Sep 25, 2021 5:09 pm

Went camping. Not with a home built camper though cause it’s not done. Beautiful weather here and nice campsite.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
nsfr1206
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 191
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2021 4:32 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby TimC » Sun Sep 26, 2021 6:09 am

Finished up three nights at Castle Rock County Park near Necedah, WI at the Camp Inn Camp Outt with my brother. Fun time and met some new folks and old aquaintences from past Camp Outts. Factory tour and pot luck dinner Saturday were a couple highlights. Seeing how folks trick out there teardrops is always fun as well.

Camp Inn is among the sweet sixteen finalists for the "Coolest thing made in Wisconsin" contest. I don't know how the hell a gas station also made it to the sweet 16. That's kinda lame!
Tim
Niagara, WI
My First Benroy Teardrop Build Thread - A 5x8 Woodie - http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=63575
My Second Teardrop (partial) Build Thread - Started August '16 - http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=66939
#3 My son's Benroy Foamie team build - Started July '20 - http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=72877

Image
User avatar
TimC
Gold Donating Member
 
Posts: 1364
Images: 732
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 4:15 am
Location: WI/MI border
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby Dan Gary » Sun Sep 26, 2021 7:49 am

Going to get back on the boat trailer restoration today with sanding and priming with Rustoleum Rust Inhibitor primer. I think back to a previous boat trailer redo years ago converting to a kayak trailer. I paid a guy $700 to sand blast, repaint and do some mods for a Yakima rack with kayak saddles. I thought it was allot of money then but man, what a deal I got. 167292
Dan Gary
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 41
Images: 8
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2021 1:57 am
Top

Re: What did you do today

Postby twisted lines » Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:24 am

I turned a shiny piece of Aluminum into this.
Box road side.jpg
Box road side.jpg (122.07 KiB) Viewed 593 times

And through away a router bit
Racking up; And Rapin foam
User avatar
twisted lines
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1218
Images: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:37 am
Location: Jefferson
Top

PreviousNext

Return to General Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests