DanD

I'm talking the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOT an air bag, traction control or a maintenance reminders. If a check engine light comes on, it has something to do with emissions. Who in the frig said anything about the other tell tail lights????? You can have your dashboard lit up like a Xmas tree; as long as the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT is off who gives a rat's turd as far as emissions go. Where did you and I get so side tracked? I guess it's maybe because I have never called a trac light, ABS light or an air bag light, a CEL light; to me it has always been a check engine; sorry if I didn't make that clear. Dan. Oh I forgot to add; in your last sentence you say; "I've got a CEL for my air bag". Ah the acronym CEL stands for CHECK ENGINE LIGHT!

Being an inter-provincial licensed technician (Mechanic if you're not sure what that is) for the last 37 years; along with being a repair tech and inspector for the drive clean program. I have operated my own repair facility for the last 30 year and work with the local high schools in their coop programs teaching the young and up coming techs. I could list all the up-dating classes I have taken and taught but why bother. And YES OBD I and OBD II were solely brought out for emissions sake; but now that the electronics have improved so much, we're also benefiting with fuel mileage and power. Do your homework before you contradict someone. Dan. .

It's not the garages that are handing out the automatic fails, it's MOE and they (the garages for the most part) are following the rules set out by MOE. Believe me this is one of the most stringently enforced programs that has ever been put out by the government. If an inspector is not following procedures properly, it doesn't take long before he and the test facility are fined, suspended or booted out of the program. It's went the inspector doesn't explain the process and rules properly is when the confusion starts. When a vehicle comes in with the check engine light on, they are not suppose to refuse to test the vehicle; but explain that the vehicle will likely fail because of and leave the choice to the owner whether to have it tested or not. The inspectors that are refusing to test the vehicle are just being lazy because they know they are going to have to go through the whole procedure and then have to face the owner telling them it has failed and why. Why test a vehicle that we know or think will fail; the test will give the owner the trouble code letting them know what system is affected and it entitles the owner the use of the $450.00 repair cost limit for a conditional pass. As for codes dealing with things like transmission that has turned on the light; hell yea that affects emissions. If there's a clutch pack slipping or the converter isn't locking up; you are burning more fuel to get the vehicle moving or keeping it at speed. The only time a check engine light will come on is when there's an issue with a system that may increase emissions by 15%; that is written right in the base program of every vehicle. So just because you cannot feel any running issues when the light pops on doesn't mean that it's just the dumb light. Dan.

I have a couple of customers that have a reoccurring code and light on; that myself and a number of shops haven't been able to find the root cause. How I got them through the test, is I'd cleared the code and take it for the test before the light came back on; knowing that it was going to fail due to the monitors not being in the ready state. Let the customer drive it for a week or so and do the same thing. After a vehicle has failed twice due to monitors not ready; they will run a 2 speed idle test and if the tail pipe is clean you get a pass. Dan.

Thanks for posting; I can't believe that it's been a year since my brother and I were there. That river is always changing; with-in the 10 days we were there, it had dropped at least 4 feet. It was good though it stopped us from getting into a rut and fishing the same areas and tactics; we were always changing things up to keep on top of the fish. There was this one jointed rap that was my best walleye producer; it was retired to the rafters of the main lodge, after the lip broke off bouncing it over some rocks. Thanks again for posting. Dan.

I didn't name the people I posted about because they advertise with TJ; until a forum is set up with guidelines, I'll not stick my face in that bees nest. Dan

Yea this is a great idea; I’m stuck renting and I like trying different places; but most times all I have to go on, is their web site’s propaganda or the owner’s word. I feel most places are honest and you get what’s advertized; but I have also been totally lied to on a couple of occasions. So if there were a new forum started for lodge and camp reviews; I know I would post the good, the bad and the ugly. Here’s a taste of one owner lying about his “ice fishing operation” and whether he could accommodate our group of 16 people. All this guy wanted to accommodate was the lump sum fee from 16 people. “Yea big groups are not a problem I have all the equipment and I got a great place to take your group; minutes away”. On the first morning all 16 of us are out of the shacks that he called cottages waiting for daybreak. Then this argo pulls up, pulling a sled that would maybe hold 5 or 6 guys and their gear. Well OK he’s going to make a couple of trips, not a big deal; but we had no idea of where his fishing grounds were and he wasn't offering it up? The first group leaves and the rest of us wait and wait and wait; 2 ½ hours later he returns; we’re pissed and let him know. He turns to us and says what you guys expect; it takes that long to get to the mouth of the French and back? WE WERE IN STURGEON FALLS!!!!!!! What in the hell are we doing at the tip of Sandy Island; if we wanted to fish the South shore we would have rented a place on the South shore, not sled across the lake!!!!! There’s a lot more to this story, as in the self appointed guides; that got so drunk on our booze that they both passed out in the only four man warm up shack for the 16 of us. Plus why would we need guides ice fishing with a lodge that plucked us down in this one spot with no intension of moving? That was one of the ugly and there’s a bunch more to add to this one; I’m just happy that I would also have a quite a few good reviews to post as well. Dan.

Here's a Dominican Republic message board; lots of good info for all areas of the Dominican. Easy people to talk to and are usually more then willing to help and answer questions . http://debsdrtravels.proboards.com/board/6/samana Have a great trip; they're usually what you make them. Dan.

I don't know what attachment you're adding; but if you have the original steering bolt, pull the sucker out and confirm the size and thread pitch. Take the bolt into a fastener supply store. Here in London we have places like A&H Bolt & Facca Fasteners; Scarborough must have similar places? Those guys will tell you exactly what you have and they'll likely have whatever you want for your attachment. Facca is like a cookie store to me, only to be beaten out by the candy store Princess Auto. LOL Dan.

I/we didn't even know it had happened, we were at a fishing camp that week, West of Matachewan and it didn't have hydro service anyway. The wife wasn't too impressed; I had all the flashlights and Coleman lantern. OOPS sorry dear. LOL Dan.

I remember when this law first came out that it was illegal to sell crayfish. One of the local bait shops near St Williams had just replenished his pond getting ready for bass opener. What he did was to rent you his net; the cost just happened to be the same as a dozen crayfish. That didn't last long and it was likely one of the reasons for the no transporting them over land? Dan.

Do yourself a favor and pull the bearings, wash all the old grease out and then carefully inspect them for any pitting or discoloration; if any replace them. After packing the bearings with fresh grease and back in the hub; install the nut and tighten to approx 20 foot pound of torque. Loosen the nut one full turn and then tighten firmly by hand until you can insert the cotter pin. There should be a small amount of play in the hub/wheel; this is to allow for expansion as the bearings warm during driving. To tight is just as bad as excessive play. On a 14" wheel a 1/16" would be about the max amount of allowable play, a 1/32" is about perfect. Bearing buddies are great; but nothing beats a proper wheel bearing servicing. My shop is in the South end of London (Bessemer Road) and I'd be more then happy to do the wheel bearing pack for you. If you're interested I could do it tonight after I close the garage; it'll cost you a couple of beers. LOL 519-681-3844 Dan

I don’t want to sound harsh or anything; but with you asking this question shows your lack of experience. Nothing wrong with that we all go through different learning curves. I would suggest practicing this tire change at home; so that if you do have a flat while out there; you’ll have more confidence in your ability. The next thing I would suggest is to get yourself a CAA Plus RV membership. http://caaneo.ca/automotive/index.jsp?caaUrl=caa-plus-rv Dan.

I don’t see your logic here, if you already have access to a tent trailer and a tow vehicle to haul it? By the time you spend the money to rent something and the fuel to collect it and then return it; I don’t think you’ll be any further ahead cost wise, then towing your own? I live in London and can make it to the West Arm and back when I towed my boat on less then two tanks of fuel. That still adds up to approx $275.00; but what kind of trailer are you going to rent for that money and like I said you’ll still have to pick it up and return it. What am I not seeing because I’m in the opposite position now? I have access to a tent trailer but I may have to rent a boat (sold mine) if we can’t get the one we were offered to use. Dan.

The Lansky sharpening kit. It comes with a jig that holds the knife, a set of various grit stones and a method of choosing what angle you want the knife’s edge to be sharpened at. Google it there’s all kinds of vids showing how it works. Dan.

My Late Grandfather in Belgium raced pigeons for most of his life and I guess he did fairly well at it. Back in 1939 his prize pigeon won a race across the English Channel; the pigeons were released in Dover and his came back home to a small farm house outside of Wervik West Flanders. Don’t know the time frame; but fast enough I guess to beat the others. LOL The prize was a pendulum clock that its wood case is about 3 feet tall by approx 1 foot wide, with very nicely hand caved trim. I've inherited it form my father when he passed away. It now hangs proudly above the fireplace mantel in our family room. There’s a faded picture of the pigeon that won the clock attached to the pendulum. I also have or I should say my son has my Grandfather’s racing time clock. Neat looking thing; it’s a small wooden box that has a sealed clock in it; that when the pigeon’s ID ring was placed in the box and the lid closed it stopped the clock. Only the official time keepers had the key to open the box. Dan.

If the rabbit is still hanging around today; put out some food (your dog’s kibble?) and water; you may end up with an outdoor pet and at the same time give him a safe sanctuary? Dan.

I was going to admit to that as well; but then chickened out. Dan.

I’m not sure about NY; but here I believe it is open alcohol readily available to the drive or passengers. So a bottle of rye with its seal intact should be OK Same goes for a case of beer, if the case’s case has not been open; it is fine for it to be in the passenger’s compartment. Going down to our trailer (Turkey Point) there’s always a RIDE set up along the way somewhere and I always seem to find them. I been asked and checked whether that bottle or case of beer sitting on the back seat has been opened; when they see that it has not been they send me on my way? Dan.

I got hit with a ticket in New York State; the trooper told me that they had an agreement with Ontario that the MTO would not issue a replacement license plate sticker until it was paid. Dan.

Yea I'm still around. Dan.

Elk Lake Cabins Before I book a week there I was wondering if anyone has stayed at Elk Lake Cabins or fished Elk Lake and that section of the Montreal River. Thanks Dan.

Yea that wouldn’t be a problem I’m here at the shop most days, Monday – Friday 7am -5:30pm. I’ll let my employees know that this might be happening, just in case this guy shows up with the motor and I’ve gone out. Dan.

Won't be able to help you out there; but if you can make the deal with this guy, I don't mind the motor sitting here until you figure out how to pick it up. Dan.

I'll give it here; it's my place of business so why not give it a plug. LOL D&S Auto 90 Bessemer Road Unit #6 London. Ont. 519-681-3844 Dan.