Mid-Tenn Chapter Roundtable

[HeavyHauler]

Well my factory batteries finally crapped out this morning. Went to start the truck and the starter just started clicking. It was pretty weird - I had just got done telling Dad that I was worried that these things were getting weak. Just my luck.



The local Advance is supposed to have me 2 Optima D31's in tomorrow morning. Oo. Their price was better than any on the net but dang those things are still way too high! :{

 

[ProspectorTim]

Well my factory batteries finally crapped out this morning. Went to start the truck and the starter just started clicking. :{

Are you SURE it is the batteries?



That click-click could easily be the starter contacts. I had a set of these under the seat of my truck for 6 months *before* my starter did that.



That was last December, with almost 124,000 miles on the truck. 127,000 miles now, and still running the original batteries in my '99 truck.

 

[HeavyHauler]

Well I load tested the batteries and the secondary battery was in the red (replace) and the primary was way down in the yellow (attempt to charge but no promises).



First I hooked up my charger to them and just tried to start it on the 200 amp setting. It tried to go (no clicking) but just didn't have enough power. I then let them charge for a few minutes and then switched it over to the 200 amp starting surge and the truck started right up. The alternator would charge them but I quit driving the truck around 3:00 pm yesterday and I noticed that my lights were already very dim when I opened the door at 1:00 am this morning.



So yeah - it's the batteries! But I will keep those starter contacts in mind - I was thinking that only the older trucks had problems with that though. Either way - I'll see if LarryB has a set.



EDIT:



Apparently we've all got the same type of starter from 89-03. I believe I'll go ahead and order a set of those contacts and plunger since I'm approaching 100K. Thanks for the tip, Tim!

 

[Kimber]

Turbo installed... ...



100* cruise egt drop so far... . still under 20psi for 130mi :{



Will post again when I reach 150mi.

YOU THERE YET?



I volunteer to drive it for you while you're at work

 

[Got Smoke?]

YOU THERE YET?



I volunteer to drive it for you while you're at work

"45 miles to go good buddy" :-laf :-laf



Paul I would have gladly taken you up on that offer, had I not just filled the tank! #@$%! (it was past 1/4 )

 

[WadePatton]

Okay, I'm behind again. The notification crap cuts off every two days.



ALWAYS check with me when you want batteries. I can usually get bigguns for less than $100 the pair.



And the PULL INFO for MTPA is:

They're going to let us pull "exhibition" style 30 minutes after ALL MTPA classes are over. So we'll be hooking up around midnight most places.



Anybody find a portable dyno yet?

 

[Got Smoke?]

exhibition... ... . great that puts me in the same class as Meacham :-laf



guess that means stoner's will dominate the track this year since they have the $$$ for all that BS crap they want us to have. :-{} #@$%!

 

[Dieselnutz]

Yeah, like turbo's and head gaskets! :-laf :-laf

 

[Got Smoke?]

Yeah, like turbo's and head gaskets! :-laf :-laf

kizzmyazz Stephen

 

[HeavyHauler]

ALWAYS check with me when you want batteries. I can usually get bigguns for less than $100 the pair.

Now you tell me...

 

[ProspectorTim]

"bigguns" ?



Enlighten me. I figure these stock batteries will fail sooner or later.

 

[Cumminsman]

exhibition, that usually means no money. and most people will have left after the pull. what bs are they requiring? safety? shutdowns, safety blankets, loops? hmmm, could probably make it in their class to give the stoners a run for there money

 

[JSykes]

I can usually get bigguns for less than $100 the pair.

Wade, please elaborate on the bigguns. There is a girl at work with bigguns, but I don't think we are talking about the same thing!



I am expecting a little present at the end of the week from a fellow TDR member. A set of Mach 3's. A little divorce present for myself.



Hope to have the ConFE installed in May. (Hopefully sooner!) Getting ready to blow some smoke on the way to DieselThunder. :-laf



Jay

 

[Got Smoke?]

Got a freshly O-ringed & 60 pounded VS head installed today. Great to be back in my CTD finally!! Oo. Been without here since Tuesday! :{



We did a midnight run to IN Friday night after work, JR o-ringed my head and installed my valve springs..... then we got 2 hrs into the 5hr trip home to have JR call and say "You left your thermostat & housing" :{ oh well not his fault I took it off.



Anyways its all back together and except for a radiator petcock that can't keep closed #@$%! and my temp gauge dying I'm great (again)... ... . but broke



See y'all on May 6th..... can't wait to dyno!

 

[Crazygator]

Hey Girls,



Well good news bad news.



Good news: Got back up computer system up and internet running. Now I can keep in touch and check on you people..... lol



Bad news: In my stressed out crazy mental state I completely forgot about family plans that are on the same weekend of diesel thunder event. So I had to cancel that... . sorry. Oh well maybe next time.



And if anyone wants a report on new tires from Joe Underwood (where we had our last TDR meeting meet/greet/eat/fix) just let me know. I got some and I are pleased!

 

[Got Smoke?]

Getting a little off topic here... ...



Guys I'm tired of my job... . as some of you know I work for Wally Hell (aka Wal-Mart) in Gallatin. I'm just totally fed up with their BS now-a-days, however I've had this job ever since my Jr. year of HS. So I have no idea where to go about searching for a new job?



Any idea's, help, suggestions?

 

[Piston Slapper]

What do you want to do? Where do you want to work? Why? It does not matter where you work, you'll always have a boss and you'll always have crap to put up with. It's all on whats important to ya? Is the the paycheck worth it? You know what they say about the grass and the fence... seen many wish they could climb back over...



Just some thoughts to ponder..... I betcha there is a few here that reminisce about your situation. Single, live at home w/ momma(free room and board, 3 squares a day), no light bill, hang out all night, save up all my money just to spend it on my truck..... Enjoy it, someday you'll have to "work" for a living.



Young, dumb, full of ... ... ya'll know the rest

 

[CMNS PWR]

Go back to school Mark. Being a grad student with a research assistantship pays the bills plus a little more, at least for my fiance and I. I know lots of folks who are undergrads getting government money to pay for school. They request the maximum amount so they can have thousands to blow on stuff other than usual expenses. The only thing is you have to pay it all back.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Guys I'm in school now, @ Vol State Community College, but I have no idea what I want to do anymore.



When I graduated HS in '02 I was dead set on going to Nash. State Tech Comm. College and becoming a GM service tech through the GM program. Well I got royalled screwed out of that program a year into the two years of it.



So I took a year off and just worked. I started back @ Vol State last fall, and managed to fail my first two classes. I'm still hear gritting it out, but I have no declared major because I have no idea what I want to do anymore.



The reason I'm tired of Wally Hell besides Mgmt. which I know comes with every job, is that I'm not going anywhere with them. They will not let me go to any different dept. or anything other than what I'm listed for now (Cashier & Lay-A-Way) because I'm N/A (non-available) on Saturdays. The reason I'm N/A Saturday's is because they got tired of me requesting them for Truck Pulls so when I dropped out of school after getting screwed I had them swam my current N/A Friday (for school) to N/A Saturday for less fighting about going to the pulls.



I really don't know what I want to do which is bad I know, but I know that I'm tired of what I'm doing and not getting to go anywhere else with it. :{

 

[Crazygator]

Mark,

Other side of the fence here.



I own my business. Its great - can schedule time off with family and stuff like that, but like all work I have many bosses - all those that I do work for. I have to keep up with billing and all thats involved in that, plus everything else... ... . so what I am saying its not all green over here.



But I do love what I am doing, and its fun to learn another aspect of the landscaping business and add that into my list of services.



What I am telling you is follow your heart, or what your good at. What are your talents? Do you do anything really good? If so that could guide you in the direction you need to go. If you love what you do it will never ever seem like work..... even when you are doing it on overtime and weekends.



Just remember what ever you give up now can always be made up later, unless you have a family of your own..... which does not apply with you. Give up something now and start your new direction. I wish you well!



Call me anytime 347-3698.