I can say with a fair degree of certainty that the repair method depicted will not be sanctioned by anyone who’ve had the slightest training in basic electronics and logic design, and much less the manufacturers of the motherboard. I’ve tested the hardware after the repair and everything appears to be in working order (hardware and software). Personally, this ghetto repair method was justified for a computer ten-years past its prime.

Before we begin, study closely the casing that encloses the light bulbs. Print out the attached pictures to help with visualization.

The light bulbs for this repair (2 large amber bulbs – part number: 3157NA/4157NA) and (2 Little white bulbs – part number: 194) will set you back roughly $6/pack for a total of roughly $12. We bought one set at a local auto parts store and the other at a local Wal-Mart. We learned after stopping at Wal-Mart that both sets were available for $0.30-$0.70 less than the auto parts place the day of the repair. Regardless, small price to pay given the circumstances. All the best with the repairs. Feel free to link this article or share with us your repair experience in the comments. Toodles.

Before delving into pictures, make a mental note of the few items listed below for a safer and more enjoyable repair experience: Firstly, before heading out to your favorite store, call to make sure that the radiator that fits your model car is available and in stock.  Secondly, pick up a radiator flush kit to rid any residual coolant in the system and pick up a gallon of coolant for after the installation. Thirdly, be sure that the vehicle has been off for awhile and that all engine components are cool to the touch.

Reverse the disassemble process to make whole your vehicle. Once everything is replaced, fill the new radiator with 50/50 water and antifreeze coolant. The aftermarket radiator that I purchased had a minor defect where the fan box was seated to the ledge. The distance of the rounded-rectangular cut out in the ledge where the pegs from the fan box were to have been inserted were off by 2mm. The 2 mm caused me an extra 20 minutes of improvised sawing to make the thing work. Best of luck with your radiator repair adventures. Feel free to drop a comment with further questions or concerns.

Rocket fuel station.

Grindstone.

At present, our government (U.S.) is feverishly implementing various ways to prop up the real estate market with buyer incentives, monetary manipulation, subsidized loan guarantees for banks, etc… What I’d really like to see are truth-in-labeling legislations put in place for all real estate transactions in order to filter out some of the subterfuge commonplace in this slimy field. When I speak of legislation, I don’t mean retarded things like the lead-based paint disclosure or anything drafted with legalese. Case in point, wouldn’t it be grand if there were universal specifications on houses that will allow people to easily identify characteristics of one house against another? Think of the energy guide on our appliances, or the nutrition information label on food products – I’ve attached a sample table to illustrate my point.

There are software and databases available to real estate professionals that provide different combination of the information listed above. What I’m visualizing is not a comprehensive database containing every nuance of a house, but rather, a very small but relevant list of specifications or index that clarifies what concern consumers.  Regardless, the moral of the story is this: The entire real estate market is deeply flawed and corrupt. Short sales are not short, and the players/transactions are often not transparent. Sigh… this whole experience has made me extremely frustrated and angry. I’m going to chill out for a tad and revisit this issue once I’m more calm and composed. Until then, all the best.

The serendipitous events surrounding this seemingly superficial instruction blog has caused me to become overtly optimistic when dealing with the subject of information-based altruism. Perhaps an anecdote describing the first confirmed case would better clarify: When the door mechanisms failed on my girlfriend’s Honda Civic coupe she once owned, they both failed at the same time. Being the pompous ass that I was*, I thought I could easily handle the repair of both doors in under 10 minutes. Long story longer, I never got around to fixing the driver-side door. At the time, my girlfriend and I were on a long-distance relationship and we only met up five to six times a year, traveling back and forth between California and Florida. Oddly, she grew impatient at having to wait a couple of months before I could get back to the replacement part sitting in the trunk, and decided to have it installed by a mechanic recommended by our mutual friend. A couple of months down the road, the mutual friend of ours who recommended the mechanic who repaired the door told him that this door repair job was unusual because of its scope, but luckily, he was able to find information online through a website called chisheu.com.

So, the moral of the story is this: not every action in life needs justification or explanation. Sometimes, just putting yourself out there for the world to see, regardless of how insignificant it may seem at the time, is the only thing we need to do. I followed my gut instinct on this one and it’s hopefully saved some frustration for a fellow man/woman, and a couple of door panels from being mangled. Until next time…

*I’m now much better at over-estimating my ability