It’s been too long since you’ve heard from the Krisco Kids, hasn’t it?
Well…there’s a reason…
First of all, we’d like to thank all our freinds and family for hosting us out here in the Northwest. Aaron’s cousin Myla and our friends in the Lutheran and Jesuit Volunteer Corps entertained us nonstop.
There are plenty of fun, little stories to share with you, but unfortunately, they would be overshadowed by the most recent event. You remember how we got prairie dogs stuck in our fuel line? (Those FICTIONAL prairie dogs). Well, let’s take the wildlife ANALOGY one step further. We now have an entire elk herd stampeding through our engine compartment. Actually, make that a herd of rhinos. Yeah, in other words, the Krisco Kid slipped into a coma the other day.
Here’s the mechanics: the timing belt was worn and stretched, the valve timing started to get out of synch, the valves stated hitting the pistons, and now the cylinder head is demolished. Ouch. And ouch again. Two pieces of advice for owners of old, used cars: 1) get your timing belt checked and replaced and 2) don’t get an oil change with cold oil when the engine has been hot. Imagine dumping a cold glass into a pot of boiling water. Crack. That’s what happens to an already stressed intake valve.
Is there good news??? Just maybe…
The Krisco Kid could be revived. Lucky for us we broke down in Corvallis, one of the VW and biodiesel capitals of the West Coast. Given our shoestring budget, we saved ourselves $150 by spilling out all the engine guts so some mechanics could then look at the problem. And if we dig deep into our pockets, we might be able to buy the parts and labor to get the Kid running like a champ again. Probably have to cut the trip short (stop, crying Phil) because a vehicle coronary isn’t usually accounted for in budgets. But it looks hopeful. We’ll let you know what the VW gurus say. Wish us luck.
Soon to be pizza delivery boys in Oregon,
Aaron and Phil
P.S. Waste vegetable oil WORKS!!! It was NOT part of the problem!!!