Pinging & Performance
As my wife came home one day from shopping, she asked me a simple question, “Have you noticed the pinging when you drive the van?”
Truthfully I hadn’t – that is not my department. My hearing isn’t the best and my schedule is too full most of the time to do anything about car problems – at least until it is absolutely necessary. An old adage makes sense to me – “If its not broken , don’t fix it.” Add to that another one that is from a Mr. Murphy, who I believe is a distant relative of my mine, who has stated, “If it can go wrong, it will, when I most need it not to.”
For a few weeks now the “pinging question” has been nibbling at my mind. It usually is taken care of by turning the radio up a little louder when traveling together in the car. With the assistance of a good radio and the right level of volume you can effectively cover the sound of squeaking breaks and rattles of other parts that come from the lower extremities of an automobile.
Well I did hear the pinging after she pointed it out. I also noticed the results in performance of the vehicle. It was slower on take offs and was shaking a bit more than usual on start ups. Not a big shake - just a little shudder – more like a cough. It usually levelled out when it would run for a bit.
Bumping into a mechanic friend of mine in the local Canadian Tire store, the time was right to ask some one for help. I described the problem and asked if he knew if there was something I could do to help my cars cough and pinging. His smile was slow and gentle along with his careful answer. “Start buying better gas for a while.”
That seemed to easy and also more expensive in my mind. At over $1.00 average a litre of gas, it would be easier to trade the vehicle in for a new one. But my wife wouldn’t go for that at this stage of time and budget.
So I pressed him for more ideas. He told me there was an additive that could be poured into the motor to help clean the carbon particles from the engine. It seems that without running a lot of highway miles and also by driving slower around the city the carbon build up is common in a car engine. The small carbon lumps get hot and as the new fuel is shot into the combustion chamber it pre-ignites the gas before it should be ignited and give a small explosion that sounds like a ping.
I can take care of this. I headed off to the additives aisle in the store. Did you know they have a car juice for almost any ache and pain the old girl might have? There are black bottles, red bottles and grey bottles along with the yellow and gold ones. The bottles are all different shapes and sizes and prices. It is almost like looking at the range of “beauty bottles” at the hair dresser's shop.
I found what I thought I needed – not too expensive – not too cheap – mid range. The label said it was the best on the market. It promised that no other product today could do what this product could do. It was excellent. As I read what was being stated about the contents, I was convinced that ever race car driver used this stuff in there private vehicles when the pit drew was not available for old “Betsy”.
Arriving home I began the procedure that promised results. I was to pour the contents slowly into the carburetor. It said the motor should be hot and to do it slowly. Then it encouraged me at one point to pour the remaining 25% of the bottle in until it stalled the motor – wait for 10 minutes and then start the car again.
Picture this… my wife is now involved. I have her sitting behind the steering wheel with the vehicle running. She has it running a little faster – revving the motor a little at a time. Then I began to administer the red substance that has a warning to not get it in your eyes and to not induce vomiting if swallowed.
The van shook a little at the first few squirts of the fluid. My wife pushed the pedal further to keep the motor running. I squirted and the motor shook. This went on a for a few minutes and then I gave it a good drink… if a little seems to help… a lot will do the trick. It did say on the bottle to pour the remainder into the motor. Well I did it. Then the motor gave a mighty tremble and died. With one last cough it was over. All life left the old girl. I looked up and my wife was starring at me. She said, “I couldn’t keep the motor going. Is it okay?” With all the reassurance I could muster I said, “I think so. I did what the bottle said to do.” As she left the operation scene for the house her solid gaze at the ground did not leave a feeling of strength.
I retreated to the garage to do another task that I was involved in. I starred at the van with its hood raised. It had said to wait for 10 minutes – so now we wait. When I came back to try to start it again… nothing. Just the sound of a starter trying real hard to get the motor going… but nothing. After the fifth try my neighbour could sense the despair that I was building in my throat. I was ready to scream. My wife peeked out the kitchen door and asked if it was okay. No problem –it said to wait a little while. So we waited.
Two rain clouds later and a burst of sunshine I tried again. Whirrr and away it went. It was coughing and sputtering and little but it was going. I took it for a spin to the highway… and we had power. I kicked old “Betsy” into passing gear – she hesitated a little and away she flew. I did it again and again. The tremble was gone and she was feeling better. The pinging was gone as well as the shudder that was there before.
As I pulled back into the driveway I headed to the kitchen to tell my wife that it was okay. Her gentle response was, “That’s great!” (Her thought was – now he won’t push for a new one…;)
This “maintenance mode” of yesterday has a strong personal lesson for me as I thought about it later last evening. Often our(my) spiritual life is like my van. After many months of service in the slow lane, it starts to run rough. Poor fuel and a louder radio leaves it shuddering with lots of pinging – carbon build up from the stuff that gets into our “life motor”.
I have a better maintenance program with my life than with the car and it is summed up with the following verse….
Isaiah 26:3-4
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
(NIV)
Truthfully I hadn’t – that is not my department. My hearing isn’t the best and my schedule is too full most of the time to do anything about car problems – at least until it is absolutely necessary. An old adage makes sense to me – “If its not broken , don’t fix it.” Add to that another one that is from a Mr. Murphy, who I believe is a distant relative of my mine, who has stated, “If it can go wrong, it will, when I most need it not to.”
For a few weeks now the “pinging question” has been nibbling at my mind. It usually is taken care of by turning the radio up a little louder when traveling together in the car. With the assistance of a good radio and the right level of volume you can effectively cover the sound of squeaking breaks and rattles of other parts that come from the lower extremities of an automobile.
Well I did hear the pinging after she pointed it out. I also noticed the results in performance of the vehicle. It was slower on take offs and was shaking a bit more than usual on start ups. Not a big shake - just a little shudder – more like a cough. It usually levelled out when it would run for a bit.
Bumping into a mechanic friend of mine in the local Canadian Tire store, the time was right to ask some one for help. I described the problem and asked if he knew if there was something I could do to help my cars cough and pinging. His smile was slow and gentle along with his careful answer. “Start buying better gas for a while.”
That seemed to easy and also more expensive in my mind. At over $1.00 average a litre of gas, it would be easier to trade the vehicle in for a new one. But my wife wouldn’t go for that at this stage of time and budget.
So I pressed him for more ideas. He told me there was an additive that could be poured into the motor to help clean the carbon particles from the engine. It seems that without running a lot of highway miles and also by driving slower around the city the carbon build up is common in a car engine. The small carbon lumps get hot and as the new fuel is shot into the combustion chamber it pre-ignites the gas before it should be ignited and give a small explosion that sounds like a ping.
I can take care of this. I headed off to the additives aisle in the store. Did you know they have a car juice for almost any ache and pain the old girl might have? There are black bottles, red bottles and grey bottles along with the yellow and gold ones. The bottles are all different shapes and sizes and prices. It is almost like looking at the range of “beauty bottles” at the hair dresser's shop.
I found what I thought I needed – not too expensive – not too cheap – mid range. The label said it was the best on the market. It promised that no other product today could do what this product could do. It was excellent. As I read what was being stated about the contents, I was convinced that ever race car driver used this stuff in there private vehicles when the pit drew was not available for old “Betsy”.
Arriving home I began the procedure that promised results. I was to pour the contents slowly into the carburetor. It said the motor should be hot and to do it slowly. Then it encouraged me at one point to pour the remaining 25% of the bottle in until it stalled the motor – wait for 10 minutes and then start the car again.
Picture this… my wife is now involved. I have her sitting behind the steering wheel with the vehicle running. She has it running a little faster – revving the motor a little at a time. Then I began to administer the red substance that has a warning to not get it in your eyes and to not induce vomiting if swallowed.
The van shook a little at the first few squirts of the fluid. My wife pushed the pedal further to keep the motor running. I squirted and the motor shook. This went on a for a few minutes and then I gave it a good drink… if a little seems to help… a lot will do the trick. It did say on the bottle to pour the remainder into the motor. Well I did it. Then the motor gave a mighty tremble and died. With one last cough it was over. All life left the old girl. I looked up and my wife was starring at me. She said, “I couldn’t keep the motor going. Is it okay?” With all the reassurance I could muster I said, “I think so. I did what the bottle said to do.” As she left the operation scene for the house her solid gaze at the ground did not leave a feeling of strength.
I retreated to the garage to do another task that I was involved in. I starred at the van with its hood raised. It had said to wait for 10 minutes – so now we wait. When I came back to try to start it again… nothing. Just the sound of a starter trying real hard to get the motor going… but nothing. After the fifth try my neighbour could sense the despair that I was building in my throat. I was ready to scream. My wife peeked out the kitchen door and asked if it was okay. No problem –it said to wait a little while. So we waited.
Two rain clouds later and a burst of sunshine I tried again. Whirrr and away it went. It was coughing and sputtering and little but it was going. I took it for a spin to the highway… and we had power. I kicked old “Betsy” into passing gear – she hesitated a little and away she flew. I did it again and again. The tremble was gone and she was feeling better. The pinging was gone as well as the shudder that was there before.
As I pulled back into the driveway I headed to the kitchen to tell my wife that it was okay. Her gentle response was, “That’s great!” (Her thought was – now he won’t push for a new one…;)
This “maintenance mode” of yesterday has a strong personal lesson for me as I thought about it later last evening. Often our(my) spiritual life is like my van. After many months of service in the slow lane, it starts to run rough. Poor fuel and a louder radio leaves it shuddering with lots of pinging – carbon build up from the stuff that gets into our “life motor”.
I have a better maintenance program with my life than with the car and it is summed up with the following verse….
Isaiah 26:3-4
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
(NIV)
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
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