OMG....I have been needing to update this!!!
Mid November '23, I replaced the starter on Rawhide. Got a mini starter from O'Reilly's, sounds different but it works! Original starter still worked, but the Bendix drive was hanging up periodically, and I knew that was not getting any better.
End of November '23, replaced the battery in Rawhide, because it went down after being parked for 36 hours. Got jumped, went down to street to O'Reilly's and got it checked out. Battery checked out "good but in last quarter of service life". So it was under warranty, so it was a no cost swap, did it in their parking lot. Power locks working for four days.....I think the switch is bad or the actuator, but the actuators work when the alarm resets. Once I can get a yard trip in, I'll get a pair of front door switches and swap em out.
Friday before Christmas, coming home from work, brakes are grabbing at the end of a stop on the crew cab. So the next morning I had it out in front of the shop building, trying to get the front wheels off and check the caliper pins and mounting surfaces. Haven't got the right wheel off yet, but they are dry on the left side. Hopefully I can tend to this tomorrow as the weather has not been good for wrenching lately! So we got Burb ready for service (put a battery back in him, moved tools and fluids over) and have been driving him since.
Then last Saturday he didn't want to start. Got him jumped, battery checked out good at Sam's Club and O'Reilly's. Came out to check on Rawhide, and he won't even attempt to start. Bought a jump box at Sam's Club, charged it up, went and filled Burb up with 87 octane since we are running him more. Sunday when it's 41° Burb started fine.
Monday when it's 27° Burb started fine, but proceeded to dump all his oil out in the driveway. Maybe the oil filter gasket blew out, maybe a cooler line, maybe the oil pressure sending unit and fitting. Won't know till I can get under it and look at things....
So....now we have gone from two trucks, to no trucks. I Uber d to work on Monday, called out Tuesday because it was 18° not counting the wind chill and they don't need me that bad. Not enough to risk my life and other lives and vehicles, driving on icy roads. Today I am off, but brother is working tonight. So we Uber 'd to the shop, with some tools and the jump box. Got Rawhide going, and then we went to O'Reilly's and got it checked out. They wanted to keep the battery and charge it for two hours, before they can make a final determination. I declined it today because we didn't have the time. I'm taking the jump box with us this evening, and have the tools and fluids moved back into the back floorboard. Supposed to be nice tomorrow so if all goes well, we'll see to the brake issue then. But the truck didn't do that on the way back home, so maybe the brakes have to be warmer to do that? At any rate, the brakes do need that cleaning and lubrication done. And he's overdue for an oil and filter change, so I can do that too.
Then if I have enough time, I could bring the jack and wheel blocks over, to look under the Burb. I'm hopeful, because the puddle is oil and not mixed fluids, no discoloration or milkiness.
