www.flickr.com

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

My truck eats exhaust systems

So I was on my way outta town yesterday morning, out to the Little Valley to fill in a riding lesson.  There are a ridiculous amount of stop lights and subdivisions and strip malls and gas stations on this road now.  There's a lot more town here than there was two years ago.  And a lot more traffic.

I stepped on the gas at a green light and thought, "Hmm.  Someone's got a noisy V8 nearby."

I stepped into it a little harder to get up the hill.  "Hmm,"  I thought.  "I think it's my V8 making all that noise."

Top of the hill, next intersection, right up by that horrible Waaaalmart megahellmall?  Yep.  That's definitely an exhaust leak under my truck.

By the time I crossed over the big highway and through the next light, it wasn't just an exhaust LEAK but a FULL ON, MUFFLER UNHOOKED, STRAIGHT OUTTA THE ENGINE PIPE RAW UNFILTERED ROAR.


But yesterday, the buzz was pretty short lived... by the time I got to the Little Valley ten minutes later,  I was picturing dollar signs floating out from under my truck!  

I'm thinking, "Didn't we just pour some money on this a couple years ago?  Like in my world, a two year old muffler and tail pipe combo is still brand spankin new???"

When I got home I did what any self respecting, farmer raised, tomboy, recovered gear head would do:  I left it running in Park, laid down beside it on the driveway, and tried to take a look.  The muffler looks fine.  Pipe is good.  The engine pipe doesn't look great though, and the noise is clearly louder at the front.  I can't remember if the engine pipe got replaced when we got this shiny new motor put in last year.  

Whatevs, man.  There's more money to be lavished on the old truck, money that is not happening right now, and it's looking like I'm going to be driving my faux hot rod like it is for an indefinite length of time.

Plus it needs new brakes.  

So watch out for me, everybody.  

Ah'm loud, and ah'm unstoppable!!!!!!!!!!

Yikes.

12 comments:

Olly said...

Maybe it's just a clamp. Ya, hope for that. Just remember to take your foot off the gas if you happen to see any boyz-in blue, or they'll give you a time limit to fix it.

JKB said...

Crapola. Well, once everything else is settled you can get it fixed...;)

I had to laugh at the vision of you sitting on your truck seat, raising an eyebrow as you drove.

LOL!

hayseed said...

Have had many instances of being "loud and unstoppable" myself-just chalk it up to character-building experiences!

Heidi Willis said...

"Ah'm loud, and ah'm unstoppable!!!!!!!!!!"

This needs to be the opening line of your new query! :)

Coffeypot said...

Be careful with the exhaust fumes. They are odorless but dangerous.

Unknown said...

Yes, I agree with coffeepot. Normally I'm all for free buzzes, but not in this case. Too bad you're way up north-- I've welded a couple exhaust pipes in my day.

Heidi the Hick said...

Sue- well, thanks for the offer! I could get my Dad to weld it up but I can't afford the tank of gas to drive out to him!

And Coffeypot saves the day... very good warning, thank you! I've had enough of these to know the dangers but I still appreciate it. I'm still driving with my window slightly open but even if it gets colder I'll still keep it that way.

yeah... not a cool buzz at all.

However, Heidi, I didn't think of using that line in a query. Hmmm. This could work y'know, since my next character drives an old diesel truck, and those suckers are LOUD!

Hayseed, yep, by now, I am a real character, for sure!

Jkb- I'm holding out for that big massive paycheck for Jethro, and maybe a nice little payment of some kind for me? That'd be alright!

Geez, I wonder what my face looked like when I realized it was me making all that noise. Hmm.

Olly, I thought of the cops pulling me over. I said to the kids last night, "Yee haw, it's like a demolition derby, only legal!" And then I thought, nope, actually not legal. So I've been tiptoeing through town, as quietly as possible, which is next to impossible!

Dawn Anon said...

ooo... i can relate! so much so that I'm no longer a lurker on your blog.

Our faux rod was named 'the beast'. I actually miss that truck sometimes (usually around the same time that I miss sitting in the manager in the winter, listening to the horses munch)

I enjoy your style!

Heidi the Hick said...

Oh Dawn, thanks for delurking! Isn't it funny how we miss our old junk when it's gone? Boy do I have stories!

(also you named one of the nicest things about winter in the barn...)

Anita said...

My truck has been eating U-joints... time for a new drive line I'm afraid... it also need front brakes, shocks, front-end aligned, and Rick just put 9 patches on one tire!!(funny the things the streets of a tornado destroyed town can do to tires!!) spent about $700 on it last year...
When do you know to stop throwing money at an old truck and start looking for a newer one?

Heidi the Hick said...

Oh Anita, this is a constant dilemma for owners of old vehicles!

We had a Dodge Spirit a few years ago. It got stolen. I know, who'd want it, but it went. We got our Jetta after that, which was scary, until I added everything up and realized that it was costing us over $500 a month to drive the old Dodge. It would cost the same amount to drive the brand new VW. Suddenly getting our car stolen wasn't such a financial burden anymore.

But trucks are different. Seriously. THey're built tougher and they're more useful.

Also, I've spend do damn much money on that truck I HAVE TO DRIVE IT for the next decade to get my money's worth!!!!

Trailboss said...

Not to mention the fact that you are very very funny!