10/19/10

If it ain't one thing, it's another.  After taking it easy yesterday and staying off my feet during today's long drive, I seemed to get back to the numbness rather than pain in my right leg.  All things considered, we'll consider this a step forward.  So I went to the gym and got through a pretty good workout.  I rode the bike for the cardio portion of the deal, since it seems that I'm able to sit now, and everything felt... well... not good, but better.  Let's just put it that way.

So I got out to my car and started the engine, then waited for the idle to slow before putting it in gear and heading for home.  As I sat for whatever it was, twenty seconds or so, I watched the temperature gauge shoot right past the 'H' and stay there.  What the hell?  I put the car in gear and drove down the street a mile or so.  The temperature stayed pegged in the overheated range.  I pulled into the Meijer parking lot and checked the oil.  Full and clean.  Now for the antifreeze.  More accurately put, now for the lack of antifreeze.  If it ain't one thing, it's another.

First things first - I bought some pre-diluted antifreeze and topped off the radiator.  I also spotted a bottle of that Motor Kote stuff that our man Calmar recommended some time ago, so I grabbed some of that and tossed it in the engine while I was at it.  The package said that it's good for power steering too, so I put the leftover 2oz. in the steering fluid reservoir.  Why not, right?  And I got some windshield washer fluid.  Okay, that oughtta cover it.

Next I drove back over to the gym and checked my parking space.  There was a little spot on the ground that looked like it may have been from a fresh leak, but nothing to indicate a major spill of any kind.  I'm not even 100% sure that it was a fresh leak.  Moving along, I headed down the road a few miles to the Quickway terminal and checked my parking space there.  This time I'm pretty sure that there was some fluid from my car, but again nothing too major.  All I can surmise is that this damned thing has been leaking slowly since the new engine was put in. 

That explains the antifreeze situation, as far as I know, but the temperature gauge still reads wicked hot when I'm going above 50mph, occasionally dipping into the moderately hot range.  When I drive more slowly, the temperature is closer to the normal zone, although it still fluctuates upward from time to time.  Obnoxious.

I have a 12:30pm pull time for tomorrow and my chances of getting out of bed early appear minimal, so I guess I'll have to take my car over to the shop on my day off Thursday.  Homeboy put in a new thermostat when he replaced the engine, so maybe there's a loose connection or something.  I don't know.  Whatever.  I need some sleep.

Back on my feet and delivering milk tomorrow.  Let's hope for the best.