There have been a few tense moments here at the Highland Village Hospital. I have tried to stay occupied outside the “waiting room” by doing a few menial tasks of my own, like changing a couple of burned out blubs in the Winnie, changing out the air filter and cabin filter, and cleaning and washing her inside and out…..just short of pacing as the two “smiling surgeons” keep assuring me that everything is progressing nicely in the lane next to me.
David, showing off the new transplant organ…
Guiding new engine in is a tenuous and tedious process!
I awake one morning to see David has returned bright and early. He standing over the dangling “heart” where Don is about to drop it into the engine cavity, so I jump out of bed and race out to help guide it gingerly down into place. But it will take all day to get Humpty Dumpty back together again. Hoses and parts and bolts all methodically put back in place. A new starter. A new thermostat. A new radiator. The final diagnosis? A bad thermostat and a faulty “sender.”
My evil nemesis
New engine is in!
David has to leave mid-day, leaving Don all on his own to “stitch up.” He carefully reassembles all the parts, adding new hoses at all potential failure points. All is finished except the radiator when the first round of bad news arrives. As Don is carefully filling up the new radiator with antifreeze and I am leaning over the engine to watch for leaks, day-glow green “blood” begins to run beneath my feet. Don scrambles to stop the leak, and I struggle to hide my fears
Antifreeze goes in. Antifreeze comes out.
“The Aorta.”
The o-ring where the manifold attaches to the water pump jumped the track during the initial install. A call back to the donor (Suzuki Lightening) confirms that this is a typical “weak link” in the Suzuki/Tracker engine design. To repair, all the right lower side of the engine has to be removed , the pipe taken out, silicon scraped, sanded, cleaned and a smaller o-ring added and silicone again to seal it in. It will take another three hours of meticulous work, and 24 hours for the silicone to cure.
Don suggests a good “learning experience” would be for me to crawl underneath and reconnect my own drive shaft. I DID IT!!
It is nearing sunset the next day, while standing in the driveway having a conversation with my sister-in-law when the engine beside me roars to life unexpectedly for the first time. I jump about six inches off the ground, and look over to see Don behind the wheel, grinning mischievously like a Cheshire cat. No drum roll. No ceremony. No heartbeat blipping across the vitals monitor. But I would have turned cartwheels across the lawn if I could turn cartwheels!!
But not so fast…..within minutes, white smoke begins billowing out the tailpipe! Since this is the last symptom I saw from the Tracker before the engine seized up back in St. Marys, Montana, I panic, and begin yelling at Don to “KILL IT!!” It is like watching your loved one have a heart attack all over again! Don reassures me, “It’s just left over water in the tail pipe from the cracked block,” but I am not easily convinced. Finally after idling for a half an hour as Don is timing the engine, the steam disappears. Second crisis averted.
Watching and listening…
By the light of the waxing full moon…
A few trial runs around town reveal that I still have a “smoking problem,” which has been around since I first took possession of the car. After a tireless diagnosis, Don determines this to be transmission oil dripping on the exhaust, so he replaces the seals in the transmission, a task labeled on the internet, “Not for the faint of heart.” 😉
Replacing transmission seals was a tense job!
He’s ALIVE!! (Both of them!)
In between waiting times, he has changed the oil in my Winnie, repaired my non-working coach stereo, repaired my wifi antenna, and added an internal DC power system and ports as “laptop charging stations.”
Don makes Korean “Hwe Dup Bop” (sashimi salad) for lunch.
Full Timer in the process of being spoiled.
Finally, the day comes….which just happens to be my birthday eve…when Dr. Don dismisses the little Tracker from the Highland Village Hospital. But not until he helps me wash, buff, and shine it up with a coat of wax! The only thing that is missing is the distinguishable little “putt-putt-putt” of the old engine. My friends will no longer be able to hear me coming. LOL! The little Tracker never looked OR sounded so good!
How’s THAT for a shine!
And so, it is with glee that I report, it is time to roll again. Don: “I feel like I just had a baby and gave it up for adoption!” 😉
“And nothing else matters now we’re together again” – Buck Owens
Wichita Falls, TX, Hwy 287
You are so fortunate to have a brother like Don who is willing to share his skills & time to help his little sister. That is love.
Don always was brilliant!
Safe travels!!!
Reta
Reta Kay! Where’d you come from, girlfriend? Welcome!! Hope you and Pat are well!
we are good! We’re living between Williamsburg, NM and Houston. I’m retired and Pat is semi-retired. He still works part time in Houston. Life is good!
Alright! I am headed toward the NE corner of NM today. I will wave! LOL! Nice hearing from you…
let me know if you ever pass through southwest NM. We’d love to see you. I’m headed to Albuquerque today with a friend to pick up her rescue dog.
I still really enjoy your writing. When is the next book coming out?
Reta
Will do! I will likely be back that way as winter closes in, so I will look you up. Thanks for all the support you gave me with the book! But I am addicted to blogging now, since I can save a thousand words with each picture. LOL! Safe travels to you too!
PS. Happy Birthday!
You are so fortunate to have such a gifted brother…who also has the time and inclination to take on this enormous task! Good to see you back on the road again!
And happy belated birthday too!
What a handy brother!! That’s some serious engine magic had worked there. Very happy for you.
Nina
What a man. Worth his weight in gold……. and a Happy Birthday to you.
What a great ending to such an entrancing story! I’ve been following it every day, and was beginning to worry when a couple of days passed with nary a word from the OR! But what a trio you make! Many happy miles on the road . . . comin’ up! ;->
Virtual hugs,
Judie < — wishing you the happiest of birthdays!
You have an awesome brother! It certainly didn’t sound like a very easy job putting that “new heart” in the Tracker. So glad all is working for you. Boy does she shine:)
You will be forever in his debt sorry to say:)
Travel west safely. Hoping to meet up one day on the road for a hike:)
You really do have the perfect brother. What a great birthday gift. Enjoy your special day and the journey.
Where is this superman and how can I steal him? H cooked lunch too? Good heavens! Winnona’s weather am-fm/radio/CD has some stupid problem and no one I talk to will even look at it. Buy another one they say. Oh Sure $350 + $150 to install it. You are one lucky lucky lady. How many hours did he spend all totaled? He knocks my socks off. What a birthday present! OBTW, happy birthday as if you need my wishes.
Wow! All that AND lunch! What a guy! After seeing the photo of your brother during the transmission seal task, I worried that he would ever be clean again! Glad to see that was not the case. The Tracker must fall into the “So Vintage & So Well-tuned” that Jay Leno may come knocking on your door, asking if he could add the Tracker to his collection. It could happen…
Very good news! And, lucky you to have such a handy and thorough mechanic for a brother. Can’t do any better than that.
Well that’s the best birthday present I can think of. I’ve never seen a transplant and quite frankly didn’t know people still did that….again…lucky you.
Happy trails, and Happy Birthday. (Just had mine…a “0” one…and big) but hey it’s how you feel, right?
So good to see your toad back together again. As you know, you owe your brother big time!
I agree – what a guy! AND he made a gorgeous lunch. Too bad he’s married! : )
Can’t wait to hear about your next adventure. Happy Belated!
YAHOO! A new engine and good food – life is good.
Ahh..Such great news..Now you three are good to go for many..many miles.
The 1st pictures with the both of them in white shirts I found hard to believe…
Everytime I open my hood of my Samurai I try to wear dark clothing…
Hit the road and continue with the fun waiting out here/there…..
David
So glad the patient survived and so did you… it is so hard to wait patiently (or not so patiently while waiting for the other shoe to drop!) So it is now mid October….. and you are free….. did I miss the last day as a working woman?? Or did the date get shoved off a bit? So glad you are ready for more adventures!! Carry on!!
Happy Birthday and just a few days and many years after mine.
We are so happy that everything worked out so well for you.
Happy trails.
YAYYYYYY!
There are no adjectives good enough for your brother! unbelievable is one! what a person! cannot fathom such brother love ……. wow
glad you’re together again ! great happy ending 😉