Day Sixteen: Chronically Out Of Time

I am chronically out of time. What kind of state is that for a musician to be in? Actually, when I play guitar I am usually IN time. IT's like this, I put in almost two hours on the guitar this morning. I posted a photo of a Robin in an oak tree on facebook. (The same one as here). I want to really give this blog some attention, but, I have an appointment at 10:30 to get my better half's van inspected. It's over due by two months. Must be done. She went to work, so I have to go there, swap vehicles and take hers to the inspection station. Any of you who read one of my first postings may remember that I was going to do a brake job on that van. Well, turns out it needs a caliper. Yesterday I was informed that the ABS light was on. Will that screw up the inspection? I do not know. I hope not. I hate paying the shop do something I can do and save on the labor. I would think that the ABS system not working shouldn't be a problem, because the way I understand it, when that system is out, the breaks function like a car without ABS. Oh, ABS is anti locking brake system. I suspect the garage will tell me differently and hold the car hostage so that I have to pay them for the repair. You see, what happens is you take you car to the inspection station. They scrape off the inspection sticker. Then they inspect it and find things wrong with the car. nThey either repair it and put on a new sticker, or, you raise a fuss, leave without a sticker and the first cop you pass on nthe street pulls you over and tickets you for an uninspected vehicle. That's just a small taste of what living in New York sate is like. I could go on and on, but I need to get going. Time is of the essence.
Well it turns out that the anti lock break system does not need to be working to pass the safety inspection. The problem turns out to be the ABS sensors on each front side have corroded due to the road salt from the Winters it has seen. Another problem the van had was bad brake rotors. Stupid me could have replaced those befor going in. But, I had them do it. Also needed a tie rod end. Anyhow, $275.00 later the 2005 Dodge Caravan meets NY state criteria.

Now one more thing. I also own and drive a 1996 Caravan with anti lock brakes. That is 9 years older than th '05 and yet, those ABS sensors are still working fine. It turns out the the '96 has "sealed" sensore, protected from the road salt and weather. On the '05 they are exposed. Why is that?



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