2026-01-29
a warm day to switch the radiator
how u noticed it before Christmas (your little trip up to visit family). filling gas. under the hood, it was smoking a bit.
but u had just refilled the coolant. all the work you'd just finished doing. the front suspension successfully changed. but the intake manifold giving u a headache for weeks now. attaching & re-attaching it. maybe a vacuum leak at the gasket to the block. the throttle body on & off & on & off. the fuel rail. the fuel injectors. failing idle control valve. trying to track-down why it's too lean on tip-in now. after having scraped the intake manifold clear of carbon buildup. failing 02 sensors maybe.
but the smoking under the hood. u figured you'd just spilled a little bit of coolant on refilling the reservoir within the last week or so. and it was just burning-off.
and 2 days later. drove about 200 miles. car ran fine. (besides a bit boggy in the low gears ). a few days of Christmas. then drove back home about 200 miles. car ran fine (a bit boggy, yeah).
but 2 days later. back at home now. back to the gas station. to fill-up. u see, it's still smoking under the hood. so u check the coolant reservoir & it's nearly empty. (and you're positive it was full before u left, less than a week ago, u even checked right before driving up).
so the radiator is leaking, or smthn. or if not the radiator, the reservoir or a hose somewhere. but there's clearly a leak. a little puddle after u park. (plus the smoke). not that big of deal. car is 25 years old. the radiator probably the original.
fedex already brought the new one. fairly timely. box half-opened though, flapping. so, we'll see.
but am not crawling under that damn car. or touching any of that metal on the motor. (imagine those rusted bolts, cold). till it's at least above freezing.
so just barely puttering round town as needed. feeling all cooped-up. despite projects accumulating.
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