Hoo boy.

This week is shaping up to be a *real* winner...

Laurie broke the car.

I think our cavalier hates my wife.

She claims that the car has stalled dead a couple of times whilst on a steep slope...and she GUNNED THE HELL OUT OF IT in order to "make sure it didn't stall again".

My wife's been a little stressed out lately. She's broken the upstairs toilet...twice.

Later in the day (rode my bike to and from work) I drove the car to Grant and Kathy's place to have a look at their van. They've got a leaking heater core line that can't be repaired at the moment because doing so would require removing the engine from their van.

No, I'm not kidding. That has *got* to be the dumbest design I've seen in awhile.

Anyways...I happened to notice, after I started the car (it had cooled down by then)a pronounced..."clicking/tapping/grinding"???? noise coming from the driver's side, around the wheel well. The noise seemed to occur only when the car was in gear, and in motion.

I know what you're thinking...'cause I was thinking it too: busted driveaxle.

The cavalier is going on 13 years old, after all.

So, throwing caution to the wind, I decided to drive the car to work next morning.

And the noise started up immediately.

"What the...?"

Hmmm...not only is the car not moving, it ain't even in gear yet. Must be something else...

I pop open the hood...and the noise stops. Close the hood, the noise starts again. Open the hood...this got old after only a few moments.

Finally, as I turn to grab the trouble light, the noise starts again...and I FOUND IT!

Spotted the drivebelt "skipping" against the flange on the power steering pump. Obvious cause: the drivebelt tension pulley was broken.

Whew.

A major automotive disaster turns out to be only a minor catastrophe. Pay 150$ to your local Canuck Tire, and pass go. Brought the parts home, and started to work immediately, as L started her night course this week and HAD to be gone by 5 PM. No pressure, eh?

Surprise: the old tensioner had not, as I expected, broken its tension spring.

The bracket that holds the pulley to the engine broke in two.

Happier news:

The renovation of the basement is under way. We've got wallboard up in the hallway and new subfloor laid in the Kitchen/Livingroom area on the west side of the basement suite. It ought to be ready for occupation middle of next month.

Stay tuned.