My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on May 19, 2020

Sometimes ordering repair “parts” from Amazon is more critical than than others, like last week. On May 14th I ordered a electric fuel pump for our Kubota ZD326s zero-turn mower thinking it would arrive “as promised” by end of day Saturday. Then on Sunday I noticed that the “package was still on its way, but running late.”

The new delivery “would have been” Sunday May 17th or Monday May 18th. Sure I was a bit irritated considering I was doing tractor maintenance over the weekend, but knew all delivery services were struggling to handle all the packages due to COVID19. Still, I felt Amazon could have communicated a little bit better.

Monday night rolls around and the next message is that it was still “On the way, but it’s running late” (message top right). 

Tuesday (May 19th) … now Amazon’s automated messaging system post something to the effect that “the package may be lost and you have the option to cancel the order for  a refund or continue waiting.” Instead I connect using Amazon’s chat online service which quickly offered to replace the order and continue waiting for the existing shipment (which I can return for credit).

I accept since I still need the fuel pump … BUT after ending the chat noticed the new delivery date is May 28th by 9pm … which is now over a week away. Good grief!

Category: Personal, Shopping | No Comments »
Tags: amazon, complaint, diesel, fuel, gom, grumpy, kubota, mower, online, ordering, parts, pump, repair, service, zero-turn

Posted By RichC on May 19, 2020

The heavy rain overnight continued to add to our COVID19 spring misery, as SW Ohio is under flood warning. The warning started last night and after double checking our Zoeller pumps (shouldn’t really expecting them to do much considering just how much rain comes down). Two of the pumps keep our basement from flooding and two more “try” to deal with the run-off retention area in the backyard. 

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Category: Archive, Misc, Personal, Photos, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: backyard, efe, flooding, gazebo, pano, panoramic, pump, rain, retention, zoeller

Posted By RichC on May 19, 2020

As mentioned on Sunday, the delayed Amazon shipment of the Kubota fuel pump set my maintenance and repair plans back a bit, but I did get around to replacing the previously substituted fuel filter in the John Deere 330. We mostly use the old John Deere diesel tractor for trailer duty (and snowblowing), but ever since I degraded the fuel lines and original factory filter housing up when running 100% biodiesel and homebrew cooking oil, I’ve been using cheaper disposable diesel fuel filters.

The previous repair was a glass tube type (above right) which I really liked for its design, simplicity and machining, but never trusted. I’ve always felt that the filter medium wouldn’t keep micron sized grit from getting to the injection pump no matter how many times I replaced it? Still, I’ve used it since 2014 on this 35 year old workhorse … which once caught fire due to an electrical short!

This year with the Kubota diesel fuel pump problem and buying 4 disposable plastic filters, I’ve decided to use one of them on the John Deere. Next time I’ll probably re-plumb and go back to the original Yanmar since I finally cleaned it up. No matter the system, getting clean filtered fuel to the engine is the key to keeping these engines alive and I sure do love these long lasting and strong running diesels for tractors (and of course I like them on sailboats, generators, skid loaders, cars, trucks and SUVs too!)

Last week I also had an enjoyable exchange with Mark Jones, a good friend who live in Georgia. He is retired and we share many of the same hobbies and interests … only he is much more talented. He also occasionally reads my ramblings – perhaps that makes me bias?

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Category: Archive, Diesel, Friends, Hobby, Personal, Photos, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: darlene, diesel, fuel filter, fuel pump, garage, georgia, john deere, kubota, maintenance, mark jones, repair, tractor, woodworking, workshop

Posted By RichC on May 18, 2020

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Category: Alexa, Entertainment, Gadget, Music | No Comments »
Tags: album, Alexa, coronavirus, i'm alive, jackson browne, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, pandora, problem, two-fer

Posted By RichC on May 17, 2020

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, announcement, archive, birth, drew, ellerie, family, katelyn, oostra, scan

Posted By RichC on May 17, 2020

The Kubota ZD326s zero-turn mower has had stalling and starting problems this spring.  I’ve finally diagnosed the problem as the electric fuel pump. This small pump is used to deliver fuel from the twin tanks to 26HP diesel 3-cylinder’s injection pump. Along with the pump, there are two fuel filters, one before and one after the electric pump to keep any dirt from damaging the injection pump. I found out that the pump was only running sporadically, which I thought meant that it cycled off once the proper pressure was reach – instead, the pump was actually failing.

A new pump locally was over-priced, so I ended up ordering online. Even though it was a few dollars more from Amazon over other vendors, the Prime delivery option indicated it would arrive quicker, so having it on Saturday (5/16)  would give me a chance to repair over the weekend … as we all know the lawn doesn’t stop growing in the spring.

Unfortunately only the package of 4-fuel filters arrived on Saturday even though the pump was still indicated to be delivered. Then, late in the day, an email notice arrived (below). This is starting to become more the norm than the unusual.

Category: Diesel, Misc, Shopping | No Comments »
Tags: amazon, delivery, diesel, fuel pump, kubota, mower, prime, repair, zd326s

Posted By RichC on May 16, 2020

I commented to Brenda, “We must have done something right?” It was both a statement .. and a half question .. when reflecting on the book our son Taylor read, liked and then bought to give me for my birthday. It was definitely a very thoughtful and appreciated gift.

Representative Dan Crenshaw’s book Fortitude slightly aside (my apology, as it is well worth reading) .. but what was really rewarding was knowing that Taylor continues to appreciate what some are willing to do for our country. There was a time we thought Taylor may be following a military path – he always excelled wherever there was discipline. He loved history and has always appreciated military service and veterans … and what it takes to preserve our freedom and secure the principles that built the United States.

But, just as many of “us” do, we grow up influenced by material abundance and often grow up acting entitled. Our political ideologies can easily get mixed up and skewed as we learn and are taught one thing by one group and something different by another (parents, educators, peers, the media, politicians, etc). One ideology leans right and the other left  … and both can seem convincing. Then there’s the confused mix in the middle (can’t we all just get along crowd) picking the social values from the left and the fiscal conservative discipline on the right.  It seems like it is only over time that most of us solidify our “values” and begin to recognize just how fragile and at risk our current freedom really is.

It is frightening to see centuries of bloodshed and gains we have made over oppressive governments as we struggled to achieve more rights for the individual and steadily more equality of opportunity for each person (which is why people have always immigrated to America). Too many Americans nowadays take this freedom for granted or believe that a better outcome can come from by valuing “the collective” more than individual freedom. Political ideology aside, the latest in coronavirus mask and social-distance monitoring, deep state corruption/political manipulation and naïve leftists, it seems like we are closer than ever to the “Big Brother” kind of surveillance totalitarian form of government than ever before. 

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Category: Books, History, Human Interest, Millitary, Personal, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: birthday, book, country, dan crenshaw, family, fortitude, ideology, patriotism, Politics, taylor

Posted By RichC on May 15, 2020

If all goes well, my weekend project on the 2010 BMW X5 35d will be a new blower motor, just as with the old Toyota RAV 4. This past winter has been irritatingly challenging since the squeaky motor bearings have acting up, although sporadically. As the weather warmed and the wear continued, the “only on start-up” squeal has turned into a constant groan UNLESS the blower speed is increased. So, before it totally quits and the need for AC becomes real, it is time to replace.

Procrastination:
I still haven’t started the Harmonic Dampener replacement or bumper fix – one would think being quarantined at home would have giving me time to tackle these fixes?

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Saturday update: For those who have ever struggled working under the dash and are unsure what needs to come out … AND HOW … there really is no comment necessary. 😡

Category: Automotive, BMW, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: bearings, blower motor, BMW, fan, groan, noise, procrastination, repair, replacement, service, squeal, x5 35d

Posted By RichC on May 15, 2020

We are all likely on information overload when it comes to the Coronavirus and how it has impacted our country and the world. Still, it seemed appropriated to include a reminder as we start to re-open the country that the threat is far from over – we have just “flattened the curve” as it were. Below are a couple of Reuters graphs illustrating where U.S. coronavirus cases are on the rise … and decline, looking at it from a “glass half full” perspective (click images for larger).

So in doing my part, here’s a public service announcement and link from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Symptoms of Coronavirus – PSA from CDC

Category: Health, Human Interest, News | No Comments »
Tags: cdc, coronavirus, covid19, government, idiom, idioms, psa, symtoms

Posted By RichC on May 14, 2020

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, birthday, daughter, drew, ellerie, family, granddaughters, katelyn, photoshopped