Running, Spark Plugs, And Another Fishing Eagle!

Cheryl is able to run today. 

A short run before climbing on the bikes.

 A quick post as I seem to have had a long day today.   Cheryl and I did our typical morning bike ride,  but today she decided to take a short run.  I would like to think that the biking is doing her legs some good... but for now she is keeping he mileage short.

Another Eagle sighting!   I can't believe my luck capturing him with the camera. 

A close up still of the grab.

Fish secure!

As I blogged a few days ago about the eagle...  what would be the odds that I would see another eagle fishing again?   Well that is just what happened.   Only this time I captured multiple shots and put forth an animation!   I am, once again,   very excited!

Let's eat it!

New Spark Plugs and Wires!

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.   I still find it fascinating to watch and be able to witness first hand.  I guess there is a part of me that will never grow up.  (And that likes watching Eagles in Nature!)

Old Wires and spark plugs removed.

Check out the NEW NGK Plugs.

The BIG project today was to swap out the spark plugs and wires for the Subaru.   By now you may be wondering why we don't sell the Subie and get a new car?   The problems posed on this blog are usually ones that are exaggerated for dramatic effect ( or comedy.); Or intermittent problems that only obsessive or anxious people notice.   Either way,  I enjoy getting my hands dirty and trying to solve problems myself (even if those problems are imaginary)  And so it goes with the spark plugs.

Add a little Anti- Seize. 

Time to thread them into the Engine. 

We have had a small knocking sound whenever we climb hills or accelerate really fast.   The book gave us several places to look and try out.  Changing the spark plugs and wires are on this list for helping your engine burn off fuel completely.   Apparently,  what we have is "detonation!"  Where the spark does not burn off all of the fuel... or something like that.   You are supposed to change out the spark plugs every 30,000 miles.  We have not changed out ours since the great Head Gasket Disaster!   What ever the reason,  I get to put in new sparks and wires!

Wires labeled for Idiots like me...

All Finished! So colorful!

Fairly simple.   I have done this several times on my Jeep.  But never on a Subaru...  So I was extra careful.   The last thing I want to do is break off a spark plug deep inside the engine!    I used anti-seize and torqued things down to 15 LBS.  ( My new Torque wrench!)   I buttoned things up and stared him up.    Vroom!

Everything works!   Which is always a good thing.  My greatest challenge is to not break things further.  The Wires were nice enough to be labeled so I could not screw them up... On Purpose anyway.   The small ticking sound is still there on the hills and acceleration,  so we did not solve that problem,  but we did get some new parts in there and I'm sure they needed to be changed out.

Old spark plugs ready for Inspection.

Upon closer inspection,  We noticed that the Mechanics put two different spark plugs in our engine.  I'm not sure how they effected the performance overall....  but that  probably was not the best.     They were not even the NGK spark plugs that Subaru recommends.  But they are all good now!

Two of these plugs are not like the others!

So, on to the next possible problem for "Combustion Engine Knock".  Perhaps an EGR valve or fuel treatment.  Maybe this is all really nothing and Subie can live with it for a very long time.  Some people turn up their radio just so  they can avoid hearing the sound.   We don't listen to the radio much, but I like to sing and whistle.   Neither one of those ideas work for Cheryl though... so hopefully we will get that sound taken care of soon.   Thanks for stopping in.