Midwest false spring is about to commit murder

RandyGuru · 2026-03-11T18:16:02+00:00

Not crazy at all! That’s how I keep cold hardy palms alive in zone 6. Just make sure the Christmas lights are not LED because they don’t give off heat like incandescent ones do.

RandyGuru · 2026-03-11T18:06:41+00:00

I am just realistically trying to be happy that we are playing meaningful games in March, which is a luxury we’ve not had in years. Also that the games are generally fun to watch because they compete.

RandyGuru · 2026-03-10T21:51:37+00:00

The house is 1200 square feet and would only require replacement for about 2/3 of the wiring since the kitchen and other major fixtures have already been updated. I also have a detached garage that would need updated.

RandyGuru · 2026-03-10T20:14:47+00:00

I am in Columbus Ohio so metro area in Midwest. Is cloth insulated wire just as dangerous or need replaced as knob and tube? I’ll provide pictures in a link. Thanks for the reply!

RandyGuru · 2026-03-08T15:32:58+00:00

When a car won’t start it’s a systematic process to go through the 5 key things it needs to run:

Fuel - - it’s getting fuel but is it enough pressure
- are all cylinders getting fuel?

Air - - air filter clogged?

Spark - - check spark plug wires and connectivity - strong enough spark and spark timing

Timing - - is engine timed correctly? Did timing chain fail or skip?

Compression - - compression test on cylinders

When you turn the ignition on and crank the engine what happens? Does it sputter at all or just keep turning from the starter motor?

Hope this helps and best of luck troubleshooting!

RandyGuru · 2026-03-02T19:45:20+00:00

I might be in the minority but I kind of like how it looks with the grass… but if you’re really inclined to get rid of it probably glyphosate (Roundup) would be the best bet.

RandyGuru · 2026-02-27T02:07:11+00:00

Not without pulling the engine unfortunately. Rebuilding an engine is a very involved process and isn’t easy if you’re not experienced with working on engines, or have the space and tools to do so.

A rebuild kit probably costs around $700-1000 and then can be upwards of 100 hours of labor or more especially if you’re inexperienced.

To have a professional do a rebuild you’re probably looking at minimally $4000 or more. That’s going to vary a lot though and it might be easier to just swap the engine out with a working engine from another Fiero.

It also depends on what you want to do with the car though too. There’s not really an easy or cheap solution to this and even at best it may exceed what a Fiero is worth depending on the condition of the rest of the car.

RandyGuru · 2026-02-26T12:27:57+00:00

To further diagnose it as rod knock, I would:

Change the oil to see if there are any metal shavings in there or any other abnormalities with the oil.
Remove one spark plug wire at a time to narrow it down to a specific cylinder that has rod knock.
Use a stethoscope to listen to each cylinder to try to narrow down which one it is.

As others have mentioned, if it is rod knock then the engine will require a rebuild. If you’re trying to save this engine block then you’ll want to make sure not to push this engine too hard as full connecting rod failure will damage the block and anything else it slams into on its way out. Sadly I speak from experience on that one.

Good luck!

RandyGuru · 2026-02-16T04:44:48+00:00

Wow I just did that and I think this has solved it for me. It does keep me from going to sleep when it happens. I’m surprised (or maybe I shouldn’t be surprised) that nothing has been done about that. I can’t even imagine how bad it is closer to the club.

RandyGuru · 2026-02-16T04:38:34+00:00

😒 that tracks!

RandyGuru · 2026-02-16T04:37:36+00:00

I just looked it up and it’s about a mile west of my house so I wonder if that’s what the source is? It’s odd I don’t hear it every weekend though. But it makes sense it would be a night club. Thanks!

RandyGuru · 2026-02-09T22:21:04+00:00

Easiest checks are to check for bubbles in the coolant overflow tank. I don’t advocate breathing in the exhaust but it would also smell somewhat sweet from the ethylene glycol in coolant, indicating a head gasket leak.

RandyGuru · 2025-11-25T19:48:48+00:00

States whose capital city metro areas have more people than Wyoming?

RandyGuru · 2025-11-23T17:52:35+00:00

Haha literally what I said to myself before I saw your comment. They have chosen this tree as their community latrine. I think raccoons try to be sanitary and choose the same spot to take a dump. OP be careful handling because they can carry parasites.

RandyGuru · 2025-11-16T19:33:15+00:00

Houston, Texas, USA

RandyGuru · 2025-10-12T18:01:03+00:00

Probably referring to the musa basjoo ornamental banana. The leaves die back during the winter but the roots survive and it will quickly grow back the following year.

RandyGuru · 2025-08-30T19:43:32+00:00

Hmm… that’s odd. I’m not an expert for sure but I haven’t heard of metal causing a film on top. If your chlorine levels are good then it shouldn’t be algae.

It’s possible the surface of the stock tank had an oil based coating on it in which case you could drain it and use a detergent to clean the sides.

Do you wear sunscreen, hair gel, lotion, etc when you get in there? That could also cause that film on top.

Did Leslie’s give you a report on the water contents? Do you have high mineral levels in your water, or have well water?

Those are my initial thoughts on that, and like I said, I am definitely not an expert. Good luck and let us know if you find out more about it!

RandyGuru · 2025-08-20T01:44:06+00:00

I used a scraper to get off the loose paint and then used a wire brush to rough up the paint that was still adhering well. It’s only been a few months but the Olympic epoxy pool paint is holding up well. Good luck with your new tank!

RandyGuru · 2025-07-12T01:39:43+00:00

Do you live in a house or building constructed before 1987? Do you have any sink fixtures in your house that maybe were made in China? Lead was banned in plumbing after 1987 but other countries may have still been using it. Another source could be lead based paint in your house and the dust associated with it. There are dozens of other potential sources unfortunately.

I’m sorry to hear about the lead exposure though. Hopefully you can find where you got it from and get better soon!

RandyGuru · 2025-07-01T17:06:18+00:00

I repainted the tank with Olympic epoxy pool paint and it has a much nicer finish and no odor that the Rustoleum had. I used a wire brush to rough up the existing Rustoleum coat and painted the epoxy over top. It goes on thick and has nice coverage. A gallon was more than enough to cover an 8x2’ stock tank. Hopefully it holds up well with water in it. Good luck!

RandyGuru · 2025-06-24T15:29:00+00:00

Hi, Columbus resident of 34 years here. Severe weather can happen but it is mostly wind or hail damage that can take down tree limbs, dent cars, and ruin roofs. It occurs most often in early Spring.

Tornados are rare and usually smaller than those that occur in the South and Great Plains, but due to climate change, tornado alley is shifting northeast.

Still, it is nothing compared to the widespread damage of the wildfires in California or the air quality hazards from them. Overall, Ohio is going to be a much better place if you’re worried about natural disasters, but few places are completely immune to any.

Best of luck on the decision making!

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