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Just to review: A. What happened: One week ago on a Friday, wife called and said the Jeep would not start. She and my daughter had driven up to the local mountains to prepare for my wife's class fieldtrip. She indicated that they had driven up without any car warnings. Stopped after doing a mountain road - Angeles Crest Highway - and had stopped to use the restroom and gather pine cones at the Nature Display Center at the intersection of Angeles Crest Hwy (the N2) and Angeles Forest Highway (the N3). She said that they had been stopped for about 15minutes, and when she went to start the car, it would only crank over. No combustion or attempt to ignite fuel by the engine. Thankfully some Caltrans personnel let her call AAA on their phone. AAA brought the car home. *** B. Researching the problem I then started to do google searches on: Cherokee will not start. Jeep Cherokee cranks no start. and such. That lead me to these articles: http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7811_102-0.html?forumID=78&threadID=260764&messageID=2565038http://autorepair.about.com/od/faqs/l/bl651h.htmhttp://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=891783http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080217183225AATS94phttp://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=506914&page=2http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070828154718AA07aejhttp://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=257990http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/15/24/5f/0900823d8015245f/repairInfoPages.htmSo, since the Jeep had been running fine without incident or warning, I concluded that the Crankshaft Position Sensor had failed. It matched the symptoms reported by those other articles: Car had failed to start without warning, usually after it was hot. *** C. Doing the Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement Went to my local Alhambra Jeep Dealership parts counter, and asked them for the Crankshaft Position Sensor for a 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport, 5spd, 4.0 inline 6-cyl. Yes, of course. But it was out of stock. Part number: 1-56027866AC. Cost $109, $118 with tax. They ordered the part for me, and said it would be in the next morning. To give them credit, the part was available the next day. I had to wait to the weekend to work on the car. *** To change the sensor, most of the articles were accurate, but I wanted to also document what I did to be successful. It is a very simple repair, but tricky due to the sensor hole. 1. I went under the car, as it was parked on the street, where AAA had left it for us. 2. I used an 8mm socket to disconnect the front driveshaft where it enters the front differential. There are 4 8mm screws that hold the U-joints to the driveshaft. I marked one end and the driveshaft and one set U-joint retainer, to make sure to assemble in the same position as it was removed. 3. I used a zip-tie to hold the front driveshaft to the exhaust, so it would be out of my way. 4. I used 3 sections of 6" socket extensions, and one swivel, to an 11mm socket to reach the two 7/16' bolts that hold my car's Crank Position Sensor to the bellhousing. 4a. The sensor is located where the bellhousing of the transmission mates to the back of the engine, in the 11 o-clock position, near the fuel injectors if you are looking down from the open hood, between the fuel injector nearest the firewall and master brake cylinder. I used the extensions and 11mm socket to break loose the bolts a turn or two, then stopped. 5. YOU MUST BE VERY VERY CAREFUL NOT TO DROP ONE OF THE 7/16" BOLTS INTO THE HOLE THE SENSOR IS IN. YOU WILL HAVE TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE ENGINE TO FISH IT OUT IF YOU DO. 6. Once the 7/16" bolts are finger loose, I used a part retrieval tool, like http://store.summitracing.com part number SUM-900070, the kind with 4 little wire fingers, about 2 feet in total length, to grab onto the bolts and carefully carefully finish unscrewing them and removing them. This was a white knuckler. Very very scary. I took a long time, and kept making sure the part retrieval tool had a good grip on the bolt. 7. Once the two 7/16" bolts have been safely removed, then you can disconnect the sensor from the wiring harness with a 3-wire plug that is located on the aluminum air intake, near the number 6 cylinder. 8. Get the new sensor and place it into the opening. Using the part retrieval tool, use it to CAREFULLY CAREFULLY thread the bolts into the sensor into the bellhousing for a few turns, making sure that the bolts are actually engaging the threads. You do not want to have a bolt drop into the transmission bellhousing and ruin your day. 9. Then assembly is just the reverse of steps 1 to 7. Done. *** Put the key in the ignition, got very religious and pious and humble for a few heartbeats, and started the engine. It stared and ran fine within one second! Success! Tags: 1998, 5spd, cherokee, crankshaft position sensor, jeep, replacement
Current Location: san gabriel, california
Current Mood:  pleased
Current Music: none
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http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/20702/Excerpts: Solar electricity is about to get much cheaper, industry analysts predict, because a shortage of the silicon used in solar panels is almost over. That could lead to a sharp drop in prices over the next couple of years, making solar electricity comparable to power from the grid. ... The added silicon production capacity is now starting to begin operations. While only 15,000 tons of silicon were available for use in solar cells in 2005, by 2010, this number could grow to 123,000 tons, Sullivan says. And that will allow existing and planned production of solar panels to ramp up, increasing supply. "What that means, practically, is that [solar] module prices are going to come down pretty dramatically in the next two or three years," Bradford says. Tags: future price trends, solar panels
Current Location: san gabriel, california
Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: none
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Wife took the bus to Hertz and rented a Toyota Highlander. Roomy. Nice. Came with GPS. With the LDW rented it for $50 for the day. I stayed home with my son, Julia went to her normal a.m. kindergarten class. It finished at 11:30am. We all picked her up in the Highlander, and went to Carl's Jr. for 2 kids chicken strip meals, and 2 western bacon meals: $20 . Took the 5-fwy south to Disneyland. Highlander was quite quiet to drive. Very comfortable. Good braking. A little difficult to back up with, as the high rear window meant it was hard to know if anything was near the rear bumper. Also, the air conditioning outlets are only on the dashboard, so we had to remember to aim some vents between the front windows so the kids would get the cool air-conditioned air. Arrived at Disneyland at 1:30pm. Purchased 3 season passes for me, wife, and daughter, purchased parking on Julia's pass, too: $625. Took my season pass picture. Was pretty darn warm. 92F apparently. Did the carousel as a family. Nice. Rode the teacups as a family. Feeling good. Participated in the Royal Coronation ceremony and tutelage on how behave as a princess and prince. Julia really got a kick out of that. Waited in line an hour for it, then she had pictures with Princess Jasmine, another Princess , and Fairy Godmother. Next had dinner at Plaza Inn. I had the cobb salad. Excellent and hearty portion. Wife had the pot roast. Kids split a kids pasta plate and chocolate milk. With the discount as a pass holder, dinner was a reasonable $35. Christopher was working that evening, and came out in his full chef's uniform and chatted us up for a good 15minutes. Was really wonderful to get to chat with him at work. He commutes to/from work every day taking the MTA 460. Says that on weekdays the trip is usually only one hour from disneyland to norwalk station, then the Metro Greenline to home. Then went to the Jungle Ride and Tiki room as a family. Ended with Julia and I riding the rockets in Tomorrowland right before the park closed at 8pm. Then walked around Downtown Disney for an hour till 9pm so we wouldn't have to be stuck waiting to leave in the parking garage. Got some ice cream and toys for both children to take home: $50 Highlander had great gas mileage, as the car was delivered a little over half full, and once we got back, seemed we had only used about 1/4 tank for the drive to disneyland and back. Having a great family day at disneyland, where Julia got to pick the rides? Priceless Actual real world price? $50 + $20 + $625 + $35 + $50 = $780 *** Wow. Almost $800 for a family of four just to enjoy a day at Disneyland in 2008. When I was a kid in the mid-1970s I remember getting the ticket books for $20, and think a family of four could enjoy the park for the day for $125? Now, to be fair: Since I purchased passes, if we go at least 3 more times in a year, then the cost per visit will be much more sane, something like $40 per visit per family member on the division of the pass price by 4 visits. But _man_ it hurts to pay that much money up front! Tags: big money, disneyland, family day, rental car, season passes
Current Location: san gabriel, california
Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: none
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On Saturday was 1pm: 99f outside 75f inside, kids were bored, I was bored. All cars in the household still out of commission. So, time to enjoy life in spite of no running cars! *** Asked my daughter where she would like to go. She wanted to go to the mall (boy I am in trouble, only in kindergarten and already loves the mall!) Looked up on http://mta.net the route from San Gabriel to 400 south Baldwin, where the mall is that my daughter wanted to go to. Corralled the little ones into clothes. Packed spare diapers and wipes for my son. Took juice drinks for thirst, headed out. At 3:40pm: Took the MTA 487 from the corner of W Las Tunas and N Mission in San Gabriel to the MTA 79 at the corner of San Gabriel Blvd and Huntington Drive to the mall.Felt great to be in the air conditioned buses. Had lunch at Doña Rosa ( http://www.dona-rosa.com) at the mall. Excellent early dinner. I had Cochinita Pibil, wife had their shrimp tacos, kids split a cheese quesadilla. Fed my family of 4 for only $40. Then walked the mall for a few hours. Ended it with a Ben & Jerry's cookie sundae. One cool thing about the mall is that they have an integrated bus stop with benches and shade at the southeast corner. Very nice. Left about 7pm: Took the MTA 79 bus west on Huntington Blvd. to Cambridge Rd, then walked south until back home. Was back home about 8pm and the sun set during our walk home. Really was nice to get to walk. Wasn't too hot, scenic, and not many cars were on the road, so was quiet, too. *** I considered it a good family day. Nice to know we can have a good family day, even without using a car. Tags: bus, dinner, family day, mall, mta 487, mta 79
Current Location: san gabriel, california
Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: none
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Wife's 1998 Jeep Cherokee is out of commission again. She went with my daughter on friday to the local San Gabriel mountains to scout out and get notes for a field trip she is taking with her students on today. According to my wife, she drove up to the spot just fine, stopped to use the restroom and collect some pine cones. So they were stopped for about 15minutes. When she went to leave, the car would only crank, and not start. (sigh) So, she was able to have some caltrans folks let her call Auto Club and get the car towed home. Caltrans, Auto Club, I am grateful! But, now my family has no reliable car to drive. The jeep is parked in front of the house, dead. My mustang stays in the garage, as I take the bus to work during the week, and I have never made any fixes or changes since changing the TFI module. I few months ago, after fixing the TFI, it still gave me trouble. I assume it is fuel related, but haven't had a chance to fix that yet. I run the mustang every weekend for about 15minutes, but do not think it is reliable until I change the fuel filter and drive it a few days, before deciding my wife could possibly use it as a stopgap. (sigh) I know that, compared to people starving, or hurt due to war, this is nothing. But, for someone that grew up in southern california, where a car seems necessary, this is feeling tough. Adding to feeling hardship is the fact money we were going to put to savings, $500/month, will be now instead going to pay off taxes. Therefore no savings is getting built up. The money to savings was going to be the new car fund. *** I am grateful to Fate (?) to allowing me to become comfortable with public transportation for the past ten months, because now I know that my family can survive, although it will be a strain, using public transportation until I can either fix one car to the point it is reliable again, or we just trade in both cars, as-is, and try to buy a survival car. *** I had hoped the jeep would last through all of 2008, so we could pay off our enormous $7k tax bill ($2k state, $5k federal), and have some down-payment money saved up for the next family car. Not sure if irony, or Fate again, but had recently Tivo'd and watched 'The Pursuit of Happiness'. I am feeling a bit like the character in the movie: Things are getting tough. I am worried quite a bit. Feeling frustrated that where I wanted to be in my 40s isn't matching my reality in terms of material successes. *** Strangely though, on another facet to my life, I am actually feeling okay: My children seem well adjusted and doing well in school. We have a safe place to live. Marriage seems to be doing well. Feeling positive about seeking out new work opportunities. Now that I know we can still do okay with no working cars, we'll get through this. We have our health. Blah blah blah... :) Oh, and this video helped lift my mood, too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvKIB-HGt_4 <--- thank you Al Yankovic, YouTube, and ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) alejandraddTags: fate, life, my car, taxes, tough times, wife's car
Current Location: san gabriel, california
Current Mood: determined
Current Music: none
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Took the family to Leo Carrillo State Beach for the day. Costs $10 for a day pass, but worth it, as no undesirables visible. Was windy and cool, but still a fun day. Kids had fun looking in the tide pools, and playing in the sand. Did family walks along the beach too. Stayed from 1p to 4p, then came home. On the way there, went to Malibu Fish and Seafood for lunch. Wife had ahi burger, I had two fish tacos. Both were quite good, but I did notice a jump in prices. The fish tacos are now about $3/each, and the ahi burger was $8. Yeow, but food prices are going up. Also noticed that gasoline was a good 20cents/gallon higher in cost than near where I live. I was also surprised that I did not see many cars on PCH driving there or back. I figured there would be more traffic on a Sunday than there was. Could the high gas prices finally be affecting people's desire to drive recreationally in their cars? I did see plenty of motorcyclists driving the coast, but not many cars. Tags: beach day, family, food prices, gas prices, leo carrillo, traffic
Current Location: san gabriel, california
Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: none
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