Illuminating

[torquill]

I'm killing a little time as the car cools down; I went out to get a case of oil and some filters, and I'll go out and get grubby once this entry is posted.

On the way home from Pep Boys I stopped by the Honda dealership. I parked, pulled the clock out of my dashboard, and went in to talk to the parts counter. "I have a '99 Accord. My clock doesn't light up. Should it?"

My old friend Bill (now manager) at the counter nodded and said that was really common, pointed out the small light in the back of it, and went off to get a new one. He added, as he handed me a bulb the size of a child's first tooth, that they must get a couple of requests for that part per day. (I asked whether I should get two, and he said that they had changed the part number, and that this version was hopefully more reliable.)

$2 plus tax and I was out of there. I had a bad moment when I turned out of the parking lot and found that my turn signal didn't work... I made a circuit of the block and found that neither side worked. Just before I went back to the dealer it dawned on me: the emergency flasher button is part of the clock assembly... apparently if you unplug it, the turn signals just don't operate. Interesting.

I changed out the bulb and put the assembly in, then verified that the turn signals work again -- the clock light is dim enough that I can't see it in daylight, but I suspect it'll operate in the dark now. One less source of irritation. :)

Comments

[bunnyman1.livejournal.com]

I thought you should always change the oil while hot, that way the sediment hasn't settled to the bottom of the oil pan when you drain it.

[amanda-nye.livejournal.com]

some things can be surprisingly simple. cool.

[luna-torquill.livejournal.com]

What I've been told (by mechanics) is that modern oil is very good at keeping sediment suspended, so you don't have to worry about it; check the level when it's moderately cool to make sure that the oil has settled into the pan, but oil changes can be done absolutely cold. (This had just been cooling for forty minutes or so, it was still quite warm.)

Besides, I like being able to reach the oil filter without burning the skin of my arm on the exhaust pipe. :)