An installing, uninstalling and repairing day

A belated Happy Easter to all!

Today I spent way too much time installing and then removing a new water pump on the tractor. It never had one before, original from the factory. It normally just "thermosiphons" but on hills that can be a problem when you're going down hill and the "cooler" is below the "hotter." I bought this aftermarket pump off eBay that was supposed to allow it to run cooler. However, once I installed it I discovered the pump shaft sticks out too far forward and interferes with the fan blades, thus the fan can't turn. I had to remove the pump and reinstall the original housing. Now I have to try to get my money back. :(

I had to make no less than three trips to town to (not) accomplish all that. First trip was for a different mounting bolt than the original. That was before I figured out the fan problem. Second trip was for a new fan belt once I got the old housing back in place since the one that was on there was not tight and the adjustment was maxed out. The third trip was to get a larger belt since the replacement I'd selected was a tad too small. (Fifty year old tractors with a modified alternator are not in their computer.) However, the next size was not in stock and I have to go back a fourth time tomorrow. Yippee. Hope this one fits.

On top of all that, the carburator needle float stuck open and I lost about two gallons of gas on the ground since the last time I ran her. And then I ran the battery down trying to fire it up. And when I hooked up the jumper cables to the truck, she still wouldn't turn over for some reason, so now I need to pull the tractor battery and have that checked out. And it's not easy to get it out. Ugh.

I tapped the carburator and I think the float freed up because the leak seemed to stop. I'll know tomorrow when I check the tank level. Expensive problem these days...

After the third trip today I gave up on the tractor and turned to another project. In poking around the barn a while back I realized that there had been a pull down stair installed at one point, but whoever had done it had simply cut the floor joists and left them hanging in mid air. They were being held up by the floor boards. It's supposed to be the other way around. Last week bought a couple 2x8x14 joists (to "sister" in alongside the now crippled ones). Today I got to instal them. I REALLY needed my big red wrecking bar to pry off some of the old boards but can't seem to find it. So it took me twice as long as it should have to pull out the remains of the old stairs. But the new joists are in and I should be able to install the rest of the new flooring tomorrow. It felt good to make a genuine improvment, not just cut grass or trim bushes.

In order to work on the floor joists I had to clear out the south bay of the barn, so many things migrated either to the second floor for later use, or the burn pile or the growing "to da dump" pile. As soon as I can drag out the old rusted freezer that weighs a ton, and can get Eloise running again, she can pull right in there with no problem.

I've ordered a rental backhoe for Friday to move some dirt and fill some holes and perhaps poke around where the "West Wing" will be. It's sure a nice feeling to be able to move stuff without asking anyone's permission. Just "have a vision, make it happen" is a very gratifying process.

I've got to be up early tomorrow. One of my buddies is taking the day off work to come help me with some two man jobs around the place. I'd hoped to pick up some windows a friend gave me, but I wasn't able to get ahold of the guy who owns the shed they're in. Maybe later in the week...

Tomorrow I'd like to start removing the kitchen cabinets and get them mounted in the shop. Then tear out the paneling in the kitchen and perhaps even tear up the floor to see what's under the linoleum that's there now. Never a dull moment!

Thanks for reading!

Doug