[Xist]

It has been nine days and I am not much further than my last update. I thought I could use Permatex to replace the timing belt cover gasket and I probably could have, as long as I let it dry first, but I tried to reinstall it, and it smeared all over. Everyone sells covers with the seal for $50 - 100. Advanced Auto is the only any aftermarket replacement I could find by itself, but I would need to order it, it is not carried in stores, and they charge as much as Honda does.

Where is the advantage of using aftermarket parts?

I just thought to check Pep Boys, although they do not have a parts store anywhere near here. Allegedly they have the seal for $6, but Amazon says it does not fit.

For six dollars I would risk it, but not if I need to order it.

Rockauto has an Aisin seal kit with the other seals that I replaced and this one for $21, but I would probably need to wait longer for spare parts.

Monday was my brother's birthday. Mother was not planning on doing much because none of us had much money, although I still had some savings, but a maxed out credit card. I am not arguing that taking my brother to a water park with the last of my resources was the prudent decision, but I was paid a couple of days later.

My sister moved from Oregon the same day, so we were able to see them as soon as they were in-town, for the first time since October, but my sister was not able to take over my brother's birthday party, like she did two years ago.

Is it too difficult to ask that someone's birthday be about them?

For my birthday my sister bought my brother-in-law's favorite cake, served my nephew first, and chose the movie we watched.

I was able to get the seal, but it seemed like a $3, not a $30 part. I also made it to Sully's Barbershop in Mesa before 8am, where they cut my hair and trimmed my beard for $11. I thought the guy did a good job, he just did not do the job I wanted.

Summers in Show Low are in the 80s and a hundred thousand people drive up here for holidays, but it was too dry for fireworks, which was disappointing, because we have a great view from the driveway.

I double-checked the timing belt, it was off a tooth, so I took it off, but it started raining before I could reinstall it. I did not get very far the next day before it started raining. I installed the timing belt correctly, the balancer belt, lower cover, and crankshaft pulley.

Today I realized that I should have ordered a valve cover gasket, so I picked up a Fel-Pro kit. I kept finding people saying the spark plug gaskets just popped out, but K.K reviewed it on Amazon and wrote "After 15 years and 220K miles the old gasket got cooked into the groove, hardened, and refused to come off. Please be careful and don't pry it with sharpened tools. You need the valve cover edge to be smooth to contain the oil in the crank case. I used carburetor cleaner to soften the hardened rubber."

Carburetor cleaner helped, but you still need a plastic pry tool. You are supposed to use a small flathead screwdriver to stretch the grommets over the ends of the bolts, but my old grommets would not go quietly into the night, and I did not have an easy time with the new ones. I used wire clippers to remove the old ones and a hammer and deep socket to install the new ones, but that tried to roll the grommets inside-out, and possibly damaged the inside. I do not know what difference it makes when installed, but I used Honda Bond, and next time I will use the small screwdriver.

I installed new spark plugs and wires and realized that one of the spark plug gaskets got pinched in the hole. I loosened it, worked the gasket into place, and wondered if I made things worse or what.

I need to watch that area, I may have one or more leaks.

I installed the new hoses, but did not fasten one of the clamps. I worked for a while under a picnic umbrella in a thunderstorm.

It was just a difficult day to turn wrenches.

If I cannot finish by the time I see my clients Monday at 10 I will be on my fourth week replacing my timing belt.

I hope that everyone is doing well!