What was your prep for today?

[scout24]

Yesterday my daughter made a quick run to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items. She took my car because the check engine light came on in her's.

While the bird was baking, I got out my scanner, and pulled codes. P302, misfire cylinder number 2. I popped the hood and found that she has COPs coil on plug ignition. One ignition coil for each of her four cylinders.

Misfire could be caused by faulty fuel injector, bad spark plug, or most likely a faulty coil. So I pulled and swapped the coils for cyl, 2 and 3. If the misfire moves to cyl three, I'll know that she has a bad coil. They are extremely easy to swap. So I guess today, we'll find out.

Poppy- Just as likely, the rubber boot on the coil is bad. Try swapping just the boots instead of the coils, boots are a helluva lot cheaper to replace. Many, many a good coil has been changed because the $3 rubber boot was bad...

 

[scout24]

Today is generator exercise day here at casa scout24. Half an hour, maybe 45 minutes of running under partial load, check oil, and top off the fuel tanks.

 

[Poppy]

Yesterday my daughter made a quick run to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items. She took my car because the check engine light came on in her's.

While the bird was baking, I got out my scanner, and pulled codes. P302, misfire cylinder number 2. I popped the hood and found that she has COPs coil on plug ignition. One ignition coil for each of her four cylinders.

Misfire could be caused by faulty fuel injector, bad spark plug, or most likely a faulty coil. So I pulled and swapped the coils for cyl, 2 and 3. If the misfire moves to cyl three, I'll know that she has a bad coil. They are extremely easy to swap. So I guess today, we'll find out.

So this morning I took her car to get an oil change at one of those quick lube places. There you get a free car wash. While watching it go through, I noticed one of her headlights were out.

On the way home I stopped at advanced auto and bought a bulb, $34.00 While there I had them pull codes. P302 misfire on cyl 2. So... the misfire didn't move, so the coil must not be the problem. I bought a set of 4 plugs $54 and a specialty tool, a 9/16 inch magnetic spark plug socket. about $9.00.

I swapped out her plugs, they were only 74,000 miles overdue.
That cleared her misfire, and now she can see better in the dark.

So it only cost me about $100 but I got a specialty tool out of the bargain.

 

[Monocrom]

Preps. for tomorrow....
Paying all the monthly bills so any left-over goes into Savings, except a small percentage that goes into my Mad Money fund to.... Buy more preps.!

 

[Poppy]

With sub-freezing temperatures, it is time to stock up on...

$0.79 each at Shop Rite, and $19.99 for 14 at Amazon ($ 1. 43 each)
convenience has its price.

 

[orbital]

With sub-freezing temperatures, it is time to stock up on...


$0.79 each at Shop Rite, and $19.99 for 14 at Amazon ($ 1. 43 each)
convenience has its price.

+

Didn't know what these were, had to look it up.

72 pack for $47 (using coupon) comes out to $.65 each for the s'mores probably other flavors too.

Amazon.com

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

We usually get Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate cocoa mix. Too high calorie for us to go through high volume. I have no idea what we pay for it, I try to use an e-coupon for them at my Kroger affiliate.

 

[Monocrom]

Not very exciting. Bought a toilet seat w/ cover for a 5 gallon bucket.
Not the one from Wal-Mart. The good one, rated at 300 pounds.
You can buy a bucket anywhere. Couple of thick trash-bags for lining.
There you go! Make-shift toilet for use outdoors, or indoors.
(Just in case extreme circumstances result in no running water.)

Not ideal, but double-bag poop can be tied up, and tossed down the garbage-shoot during an extreme emergency situation lasting several days or weeks.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Outstanding, Monocrom, for bringing up a daily (hopefully) task of supreme importance.

Like any other item purchased for contingencies, it should be tested.

Some will find that the 'toilet lid on a bucket' is not ideal because some folks are too big for it, especially for a (near) simultaneous number one and number two event.

Going to pause here in order to let the squeamish readers move on.

 

[Monocrom]

Far as I've found, the version sold by Wal-Mart has no weight-rating. Guessing not for heavy-set individuals. The one I bought is rated. Anyone over 300 pounds is on their own. Which should be expected due to the construction of both the seat and a typical 5 gallon bucket.

 

[Poppy]

If you are 45 years or older, talk with your doctor about colon cancer screening with cologuard.

At-Home Colon Cancer Screening Test | Cologuard® Patient Site

Cologuard® is a noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening test for adults 45+ at average risk. See risk info and talk to your provider. Rx only.

www.cologuard.com

It comes with a stool collection kit, most of which you send back, but you can easily tape a gallon plastic bag to the collection unit. You use your standard toilet, so there is no weight issue.

 

[Poppy]

We have a big storm heading up the East coast. It should hit us tomorrow night into Monday.

I prepped one of my grandsons that tomorrow,we'll have a couple of little projects; I want to give the yards a good raking and pick up any remaining leaves. I want to start both generators, and the snow blower.

We topped off the car's gas tank tonight. Tomorrow, I'll pick up ten gallons in containers for the generators. I recently emptied them out and loaned them to a friend. They need to be refilled.

My daughter picked up a few packets of Land-O-Lakes hot chocolate today, so I am good for a bit. I need to go through our freezers and start using up what we have in them to make room for new stuff.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

We have a big storm heading up the East coast. It should hit us tomorrow night into Monday.

I prepped one of my grandsons that tomorrow,we'll have a couple of little projects; I want to give the yards a good raking and pick up any remaining leaves. I want to start both generators, and the snow blower.

We topped off the car's gas tank tonight. Tomorrow, I'll pick up ten gallons in containers for the generators. I recently emptied them out and loaned them to a friend. They need to be refilled.

My daughter picked up a few packets of Land-O-Lakes hot chocolate today, so I am good for a bit. I need to go through our freezers and start using up what we have in them to make room for new stuff.

Batten down the hatches, Poppy. Put some lead weights in your pockets so you don't blow away! I hope everything goes well for you.

 

[bykfixer]

This "nor-easter" should be named the Grinch.
It has potential to be down right nasty for some.

I've been using up frozen stuff accumulated earlier this year when prices were spiking and the stuff was on sale. The extra room is filled with frozen water in case the power goes out.

 

[scout24]

Same here Poppy and byk, storm prep. Taking some Christmas decorations down, moving cars, and moving my generator under the porch near it's hookup to run the house just in case.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Recharged the 18650 from my Fury DFT.

Go ahead, make my night!

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Bought some summer sausages the other day to put in the vehicle for the winter, just in case of getting stranded. Plan on adding some Hershey chocolate and some peanut butter cheese crackers, and maybe some other stuff to the grub box. Thinking maybe with the sodium content, Gator-Aide might have a lower freezing temp than bottled water, so may add that to the vehicle preps. Anyone have any data on that?

 

[PaladinNO]

-21°C outside today (-5.8°F), and expected colder in the coming days, so in addition to putting some extra clothes on me, I brought some extras with me (a jacket and a wool sweater) in my car on my way to work in case of any unexpected breakdowns.

EDIT:
And as expected, it got colder. Today it's -29°C (-20.2°F) outside.

 

[Poppy]

In the winter I like to add some trail mix.

Great Value Mountain Trail Mix, Family Size, 40 oz - Walmart.com

Today Buy Great Value Mountain Trail Mix, Family Size, 40 oz at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

 

[PaladinNO]

In the winter I like to add some trail mix.

Deez nuts, eh? Or rather doze nuts, in past tense.

That's actually a really good idea, having some carbs and calories ready in the vehicle, just in case. It sure is better than nothing, if that's the alternative. So I hope you don't mind if I steal that idea.

I have been nearly stuck at a mountain crossing once - entry gate was open, but the weather got worse as I crossed it, so when I got to the other side...the exit gate was closed. And it was snowing, blowing and getting darker. I was alone in the car, no other cars in sight, and no cell reception. I stayed there for some 45 minutes before a snowplow truck came to check if anyone was up there, with keys to the gate.

The driver told me that was the last trip he would make up that day, so I felt really damn lucky. I had plenty of water with me, and some food and warm clothes (was packed for a trip to the family cabin, but not packed to spend a night in the car), and enough fuel in the tank to keep the heater going when needed, but I was already well ready to attach a tow rope to the gate and step on it, because part of me was really pissed off. I checked the conditions for the area beforehand, and it said nothing about even potentially closing that crossing that day.