Beamed out day

as in, too much Jim Beam,,,

BUT, I do feel less ‘defeated’ today.   I’m still mourning Jakjak, but it doesn’t sting like it did yesterday.

Something about alcohol loosening up inhibitions: maybe you could say weakening the stoic in me,  I was able to let it all out last night, and other than a slight hung-over feeling today, I was fine.   I did the liter of water and a pair of excedrin before crawling into bed last night so that definitely alleviated some of the potential hang-over.

Short day today, did some secondary checks on Buffalo and am questioning my earlier diagnosis.   Starting to think its a computer issue.   #3 and #5 are still ‘off and on’, but they are hitting, especially over 2000rpm.  She runs smooth then, but the check engine light starts flashing at me while over 2k.  My code reader is NOT the problem here either.  I put a new battery in it, still no love at the OBDII plug, but if I plug it into another vehicle, it fires right up.  I can manually turn it on, plug it into Buffs plug, and get “please connect to vehicle” error message.    

Sumpin ain’t right, and I don’t think its a mechanical issue anymore.

And I really don’t want to start parts slapping only to find out its something else.   I REALLY don’t wanna pull heads off the beasty and find that there is nothing wrong on that end.  I do have the parts to do it, but that is one hell of job to do in the dead of winter, outside,,,   (may be under cover, but no walls,,,,wind blows right through you when the temps drop, like they are doing right now,,,,)    

I guess I am going to have to figure out how to hook a compression tool to cylinder 3 (the others are straight forward hook ups,  #3 has the steering column directly inline  with the sparkplug hole, with very little clearance, and causes all sorts of grief.).  Do a compression test and confirm or deny my earlier diag.    

Sadly, I am thinking the ECM is taking a crap.  The lack of communication with the code reader is giving me fits, but is a clue in and of itself.   I have had similar issues in the past with other GM’s doing things that seemed one way, but were entirely failing computer.   

Anywhoos, I did have some daylight to play with, and most of it was eaten up by Buffalo, but I did work on the Ergometer too.   Ran the ropes around all the wheels and pulleys, out to the front part, even tested it a bit even though she is not completed: I still need the front support to hold the pulleys for the reversal back to the seated area.   What I did to test was sit facing the unit backwards, pulling the ropes to me.   OhYEAH,,, this thing is gonna give me a workout.  NO DOUBT.   Even if I only do a half hour every other day, I should be in fine shape by spring for the paddle season; races even. (but I will do one day a week with more than that half hour, to keep building endurance.   Last race: the SKAW took me an hour and a half of pretty much non-stop paddling.   I need to do that, once a week, and I should have my endurance up firm by March.)