So the air conditioner on my truck quit working the other day. Right at the beginning of summer, great. I take a look at it after work today. The compressor comes on and then shuts off. My first thought is low on refrigerant. So I pull out my manifold gauges. I notice the static pressure is way high. I turn on the AC and when it first comes ones, the pressures drop to where they should be, then the high side starts climbing until the compressor shuts off at about 450 PSIG. Crap my first thought is a blockage. Then I notice the A/C Condenser fan is not running. I test the fuse and it is good. So I plug the plug and and 14V as I would expect. So it is the fan. Looked online and that is a common problem on the Dodge Ram. Man it is an expensive part. $100 at Autozone, but I can get it online for about $60. So I'll order one and fix it next weekend. The kicker is that you have to pull the condenser. WTF Chrysler. Looking online you can get the fan out with out pulling the A/C lines, but you have to cut the shroud on the fan. I don't have a way to capture the refrigerant, so guess I'll be trying that. While I wait for the fan to come in I am going to get my car going again. It needs a thermostat. It looks like an easy job, I've just been putting it off as it can be messy. Anyway I have a thermostat on order and it should be here tomorrow morning. I fixed the A/C in it last year, so it should keep me cool.
Ahh, the joys of not owning a car (or truck)! If the AC is broken on my train, it's slightly annoying for a few minutes, then I get off If that heat that you've had is anything like it's been up here, then it must be absolutely miserable. I rode a bike home and was DRENCHED in sweat today. Not changing into shorts probably not such a hot idea (no pun intended)
Two of my favourite books readily came to mind when I saw the title of your post... The first is "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig, and "Shop class as Soulcraft" by Matthew B. Crawford. Both books talk deeply about the need to "work on our own stuff" and how we are now prevented from even doing that. Crawford's book, which is more recent, bemoans the fact that when you buy a Mercedes, for example, you can't even access the motor without invalidating the warranty! He also talks about how "knowledge workers" are more like clerks and computer jockeys than actual thinkers. Your opening thread is exactly what Crawford is talking about (he even describes the process you so ably describe) he argues that there are very few occupations as cognitively rich as being a mechanic. The way you describe the problem, the trial and error, expenses, where to get the parts (economics), the whole thing. You can't outsource this kind of work, it can't be done by someone in India because you have to work on something actual and tangible. Pirsig talks about motorcycle maintenance, but his angle is quality and how important it is to recognize it and how to work toward it. I love his description of problem-solving. When something looks impossible and you're just stuck, he calls this the longed-for Zen state, so you just stare at the damn thing until you hear that small voice, that little fact that you previously ignored as unimportant, and you then find out that it is the most important part/problem/situation ever! All to say, good for you, and for being able to deal with your own stuff!
The heat today wasn't bad. The thermometer in the truck said 35C. And we old hit that late in the day. When I went out for lunch about 1300, it was about 30C. My $DAYJOB is system admin stuff. Really fixing cars is no different than fixing computers and networks. The thought process is the same no matter what you are trouble shooting. And with the internet if it is something you don't know about there are tons of webpages and videos on it. As for invalidating the warranty on a Mercedes. I'm not worried about that. I've never owned a car that is still in warranty anyhow.
I work on my car sometimes. Just the fairly easy stuff though. On my previous car I've had to replace things like the radiator (the coolant was EVERYWHERE) and parts of the exhaust. Toolbox in one hand and a manual in the other, and just do as it says My current car has some issues too, some of which I can tackle myself, but it also needs some welding on the rocker panels (one is kind of rusted away...) and I'm not doing that myself. I'm also not starting on the electric wire-y stuff, but I own a French car and they tend to have some electric problems every now and then... oh the irony. /random post
