Thanksgiving weekend 2020, I drove my HMMWV for some local errands, it began making some god-awful noises (like some prankster had tied a 1/2” zip tie around a driveshaft but more metallic), I got it home into the garage, and did my best to figure out what the heck was making the noise.
I poked around with a hammer, flashlight, second set of eyes (friend), screwdriver, hands, couldn’t find a THING.
Let it sit a few weeks and…
Got covid19.
Dec 16 I had some sneezing, a little cough, couple days later awoke with a 105.4 temp, got tested, went home until Jan 13. Christmas day I was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia (well, being a doctor myself the ground-glass appearance of about 90% of my chest was a dead giveaway), wife too. She was hospitalized for a couple days, since then I’ve been dealing with irregular heart beats, fatigue, finally, december 21, 8 mos ago, I worked my last full shift (15 hours) as a doctor of 30 years duration. Seeing pain management monthly for meds, quarterly for steroid injections and nerve ablations and all kinds of fun stuff.
Interestingly, the illness exacerbated (worsened) underlying arthritis, sensorimotor neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome and other issues I’ve dealth with (and the VA has compensated me for to the tune of 90% disability), migraines, etc.
I’m awaiting review by VA and Social Security regarding 100% disability.
Meanwhile, I’ve kept the truck running, starting about every 4-8 weeks, setting the throttle at idle, 1,000, 1500 and higher RPM until engine temp reaches 200F, maybe an hour or so, then shutting down. Did a couple oil changes.
Had a power steering fluid leak from somewhere… tightened a hose clamp on the cooler and that stopped.
Finally, about ten days ago, I backed it out onto my driveway to wash down, install a locking fuel filler cover, and have taken it out several times for local grocery and big-box store trips.
Funny, I’d replaced the transmission output seal and driveshaft seal when I replaced the original (broken) transfer case for a 242 case, and there’s a class 3 drip from that ONE spot only.
I’d replaced the transmission filter/ATF and the pan gasket with a Lubelocker five years ago. Not a drip ever.
Now I’m trying to figure out how to trailer it down to my farm in TN.
Steel garage was finished about 4 years ago, I even built a 15x30 “Barndominium” at one end I stay in when I go down.
Cabin’s been dried in, ready for electric, plumbing, all the rest of the details, should be move-in ready in another 2-3 months.
Wife retires Feb 1, 2023. We will be putting Maryland behind us like a hackneyed metaphor. We’re done.
Will be making several more trips down to TN this year with household goods, MEP 803 genset (already got the 802 there). We bought the 17 acre property next door and it already had a 30x70 two story steel garage (with a 5 ton overhead hoist that slides end-to-end of the buliding), a great place to keep the HMMWV, room enough for an LMTV if I win the lottery.
Meanwhile, gonna drive it around tomorrow in neighborhood Independence day parade, couple more times until I can get it to its new home.
Gotta change the oil again, too. Think I’ll send it out for analysis this time.
Oh, and the weird noise?
Gone. Go figure.
“Still alive and well, still alive and well, every now and then it get a little hard to tell but I’m still, alive, and well.” -J. Winter.
Happy Independence day all.
-Norm
