Frugal Living: misc.consumers.frugal-living - 25 new messages in 13 topics

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

misc.consumers.frugal-living - 25 new messages in 13 topics - digest

misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com

Today's topics:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: real estate
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/c83896877cf66008?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Jan 12 2009 10:45 pm
From: Steve Daniels

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:02:38 -0800 (PST), against all advice,
something compelled thackere@gmail.com, to say:

> why would a judge tell 1 lady, you can't take a mans inheritence, and
> tell the sistern in law you can take everything he owns?

The sister in law gives better blowjobs.

Real men don't text.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Batteries: Pays to shop around
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/5e9668558de59929?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 12:35 am
From: Dave Garland

me@privacy.net wrote:
> Sure enough.... one 9
> volt for $1.50 and three AA pack for
> $1.70

Still sounds high. I can get 9V alkaline in 4-packs at Aldi's for
$3.99 (and one of the stores remaindered some of the packs for $2.99,
so I stocked up.. don't know if that was a misprice or they just
really wanted to get rid of them).

Alkaline AA and AAA I figure 4/$1 is an acceptable price. MicroCenter
has them on sale for that occasionally. Menard's (a regional
building-supply chain) sometimes has them for less, maybe 5-6/$1, if
you're willing to buy in 24-packs. I've seen similar deals as
advertised specials at one of the auto-supply chains (Checker, I
think). Fortunately, alkalines have good shelf life, new ones should
be dated for use maybe 4 years into the future and seem to have some
decent life left in them even years beyond that. So stock up. I'm
still using some Fuji C-cells that I (over)stocked from a liquidator
who was going out of business, and I think they're at least 5 years
beyond their shelf date now. That's pushing it a bit, I overestimated
how many I'd use.

Dave

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 3:33 am
From: clams_casino

me@privacy.net wrote:

>I don't use a lot of alkaline batteries
>but today I need one 9 volt and three AA
>batteries for stuff at home
>
>I don't want a years worth of batteries
>and local Walmart seems to only sell
>mega packs of them anymore. However they
>did have a single 9 volt for $3.50 and
>pack of four AA's for another $3.50
>
>Being the tightwad I am I decided to
>check Big Lots. Sure enough.... one 9
>volt for $1.50 and three AA pack for
>$1.70
>
>WTF!? That much mark up on batteries?
>Sheesh!!
>
>

Big lot batteries may not be all that fresh. Some AA's I bought at
Christmas went quickly after just about dozen or so pictures in my
Camera.

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 4:53 am
From: meow2222@care2.com

clams_casino wrote:
> me@privacy.net wrote:
>
> >I don't use a lot of alkaline batteries
> >but today I need one 9 volt and three AA
> >batteries for stuff at home
> >
> >I don't want a years worth of batteries
> >and local Walmart seems to only sell
> >mega packs of them anymore. However they
> >did have a single 9 volt for $3.50 and
> >pack of four AA's for another $3.50
> >
> >Being the tightwad I am I decided to
> >check Big Lots. Sure enough.... one 9
> >volt for $1.50 and three AA pack for
> >$1.70
> >
> >WTF!? That much mark up on batteries?
> >Sheesh!!
> >
> >
>
>
> Big lot batteries may not be all that fresh. Some AA's I bought at
> Christmas went quickly after just about dozen or so pictures in my
> Camera.

If its a digital cam thats normal. Get Nimh instead

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 8:54 am
From: me@privacy.net

Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> wrote:

>Still sounds high. I can get 9V alkaline in 4-packs at Aldi's for
>$3.99 (and one of the stores remaindered some of the packs for $2.99,
>so I stocked up.. don't know if that was a misprice or they just
>really wanted to get rid of them).

Wow Aldis's... I never thought abt checking them for
batteries!

Thanks will go check

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Wholesale UGG Boots Wholesale discount Ugg Boots $60 www.cicigogo.cn
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/c20e164d38f1f2a5?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 12:39 am
From: cicitrade301@yahoo.cn

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Putian City Chengxiang District CiCi Trade Co., Ltd

==============================================================================
TOPIC: WWW.SETTENOTE.EU™ MAPPA VIDEO TESTI MIDI MP3 TABLATURE SPARTITI KARAOKE
AGGIORNA
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ac83662532d1dc93?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 12:56 am
From: staffsettenote@gmail.com

Scarica ora il video gratuito che ti guida
passo passo nel mantenimento della tua chitarra elettrica nel tempo.

I video che in soli 40 minuti ti consentiranno di risparmiare negli
anni parecchi soldini e seccature... Ecco per te i VIDEO
"Mantenere la chitarra nel tempo"

"Fare Musica in Italia, Oggi" Steve Farinoli - Chitarrista,
Arrangiatore
Steve Farinoli presenta una riflessione a 360 gradi sull'ambiente
musicale italiano dei nostri giorni:

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 1:00 am
From: staffsettenote@gmail.com

Scarica ora il video gratuito che ti guida
passo passo nel mantenimento della tua chitarra elettrica nel tempo.

I video che in soli 40 minuti ti consentiranno di risparmiare negli
anni parecchi soldini e seccature... Ecco per te i VIDEO
"Mantenere la chitarra nel tempo"

"Fare Musica in Italia, Oggi" Steve Farinoli - Chitarrista,
Arrangiatore
Steve Farinoli presenta una riflessione a 360 gradi sull'ambiente
musicale italiano dei nostri giorni:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: OT - Survivalism Retail Style
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/da641b3711ca2726?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 1:48 am
From: Strabo

EskWIRED@spamblock.panix.com wrote:
> In misc.survivalism Strabo <strabo@flashlight.net> wrote:
>> EskWIRED@spamblock.panix.com wrote:
>
>>> My sister went through a similar search a few years ago outside DC. She
>>> ended up buying a McMansion far far into the exurbs because that was
>>> pretty much all that was affordable, consistent with good schools. They
>>> use the formal living room to house their foosball table. Given that the
>>> house has a huge Family Room, they don't need a living room. They put
>>> their TV in the family room, so the Media Room too is underutilized.
>>>
>>> They don't like living in the middle of nowhere, nor do they like heating
>>> a huge house. But as you say, very little was available that met their
>>> needs at the time. And now, their neighbors are desperate to sell, with
>>> some homes being sold by banks for MUCH lower prices than they typical
>>> outstanding debt.
>>>
>
>> And this lowers the resell value of their home. Even if they live
>> in the house for years it may never bring the price they paid in
>> adjusted dollars.
>
> Yep. A home in the same subdivision as theirs, which the owners paid over
> $800k for, has been on the market for many months, priced at $500k.
>
> They paid much less, given that they have a smaller house and a smaller
> lot. I was too kind to ask what they paid and how much the home is now
> worth. But my guess is that their home is worth around 50-60% of what
> they paid, unless they would like to sell it more quickly than the most
> desperate family in their subdivision, in which case they would have to
> price it even lower.
>
>
>> Real property market prices are being forced down to the point
>> of true value. The difference between this cost value and the
>> initial cost of the house is a permanent loss.
>
> I doubt that they have gone that low. I predict that they will go lower.
> I think that a lot of people are hanging on by their fingernails, and that
> increasing numbers will bite the bullet once they see that their
> neighbor's "underpriced" home has sold, while theirs is still on the
> market.
>

Over the next five years or so, every asset, everything of value on
the planet, will be assessed and revalued. In monetary terms some of
these will go up while most will go down.

== 2 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 5:00 am
From: EskWIRED@spamblock.panix.com

In misc.survivalism Bob Brock <bbrock@i-americia.net> wrote:

> >Wow! Treachery? Cool!

> Yeah, but how did you like my prediction of the exact month that the
> stock market drop? Really cool huh?

Your predictions re: y2k killed millions. I would have thought that you'd
learned your lesson! :)

--
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so
certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
-- Bertrand Russel

== 3 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 5:02 am
From: EskWIRED@spamblock.panix.com

In misc.survivalism Curly Surmudgeon <CurlySurmudgeon@live.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:57:47 +0000, EskWIRED wrote:

> > In misc.survivalism Curly Surmudgeon <CurlySurmudgeon@live.com> wrote:
> >> On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:24:36 +0000, EskWIRED wrote:
> >
> >> Yes, find a federal cite that shows "house prices" to be part of the
> >> CPI.
> >
> > You are correct that the raw median average house prices are not
> > reflected in CPI. I misundersood the reference to house prices, and
> > took it to mean housing prices.

> Neither are "housing prices" part of the CPI:

You need to look more closely.

--
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so
certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
-- Bertrand Russel

== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 5:07 am
From: EskWIRED@spamblock.panix.com

In misc.survivalism Strabo <strabo@flashlight.net> wrote:

> Over the next five years or so, every asset, everything of value on
> the planet, will be assessed and revalued. In monetary terms some of
> these will go up while most will go down.

Massive deflation, eh? That would not surprise me. People will become
very tight with cash, and will have to be enticed by low prices to give it
up.

You have a very different viewpoint from the folks who are predicting
hyper and stagflation.

--
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so
certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
-- Bertrand Russel

== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 8:17 am
From: Bob Brock

On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:00:19 +0000 (UTC), EskWIRED@spamblock.panix.com
wrote:

>In misc.survivalism Bob Brock <bbrock@i-americia.net> wrote:
>
>> >Wow! Treachery? Cool!
>
>> Yeah, but how did you like my prediction of the exact month that the
>> stock market drop? Really cool huh?
>
>Your predictions re: y2k killed millions. I would have thought that you'd
>learned your lesson! :)

The Y2k tribunals should have sentenced me to death by now because I
was responsible for millions of deaths and you should be drinking dog
piss from rusty hubcaps :)

However, I don't have as much confidence about the current economic
situation being successfully remediated. The situation is fluid and I
could change my mind, but this one is too far from over to call just
yet. I think what has been done so far is inadequate.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: what to do with old Dot Matrix printer?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/433f3de03338791a?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 2:36 am
From: meow2222@care2.com

OhioGuy wrote:
> I've got a roughly 19 year old Panasonic KXP-1124 dot matrix printer
> that I haven't used a lot in the past year or so. I've started
> rearranging our bedroom, and found myself thinking about throwing it out.
>
> It works just fine, though it prints at half the speed it did in DOS
> for some reason - under Windows '95 and greater, it started only
> printing one direction, instead of both directions like it used to -
> effectively making it half the original speed.
>
> Anyway, I don't like the idea of adding to landfill waste, but I
> think that perhaps I may end up giving it up finally to make more space
> in our room. On the other hand, there were a couple of times when I was
> able to use it when our primary computer had trouble.
>
> Anyone have any thoughts on finally getting rid of something you've
> had for a long time, which still works, but seems slow?

Dot matrix printers have high resale prices now that theyre not
common. Theyre used by businesses that print multipart forms, for
which theyre pretty much the only usable technology.

Computer kit isnt known for longevity, so backup equipment has its
uses. I cant imagine it being worth going back to technology as crude
as that though. You can get a new laser printer for not much now.

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 10:51 am
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:33:27 -0600, gheston@hiwaay.net (Gary Heston)
wrote:

>In article <gkgm5e$cc5$1@news.ett.com.ua>, OhioGuy <none@none.net> wrote:
>> I've got a roughly 19 year old Panasonic KXP-1124 dot matrix printer
>>that I haven't used a lot in the past year or so. I've started
>>rearranging our bedroom, and found myself thinking about throwing it out.
>
>> It works just fine, though it prints at half the speed it did in DOS
>>for some reason - under Windows '95 and greater, it started only
>>printing one direction, instead of both directions like it used to -
>>effectively making it half the original speed.

Unidirectional printing can be from a couple of causes. First, if you
select "best quality" or graphics, a lot of printers go into that mode
to have a single reference point for each line, rather than one at
each end, which can be improperly matched. Secondly, the fault mode
for overheating puts dot matrix printers into unidirectional mode,
which allow the printhead and printer to cool.

>Have you tried looking on Panasonics' web site for a more current driver?
>Might be able to get it back to full-speed operation.
>
>> Anyway, I don't like the idea of adding to landfill waste, but I
>>think that perhaps I may end up giving it up finally to make more space
>>in our room. On the other hand, there were a couple of times when I was
>>able to use it when our primary computer had trouble.
>
>Check with a technology recycler in your area; there are still a few
>applications for impact printers--logging activity on a sercurity system,
>for example. Printing is done in real time, and makes tampering more
>difficult.

Yep, some situations work best with dot-matrix. Audit trails are
another example.

>> Anyone have any thoughts on finally getting rid of something you've
>>had for a long time, which still works, but seems slow?
>
>Craigslist/freecycle, which I think someone else has mentioned.
>
>
>Gary

Although the Panasonics were common as dirt, the curve has bottomed
out on dot matrix printers. Most people have dumped them, and those
who still need them are now having to pay higher prices for used ones.
The higher end Okis in like-new condition are being sold at better
than half the price of a new one.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Medical dilemma - any suggestions?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/df14805001c77364?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 2:39 am
From: tmclone@searchmachine.com

On Jan 10, 1:26 pm, info_at_1-script_dot_...@foo.com (spendwize.com)
wrote:
> xxxxo
> -------------------------------------
> There is a 29 year old adult single female living in Texas. Due to several
> chronic and worsening medical conditions ( including IBS and fibromyalgia)
> this gal has been unable to attain and hold a full-time job. She was fired
> from the last one she held for 3 months for taking too many medical
> emergency days (She offered to make her work up but was told the company
> did not have any flex-time policy). Texas, in its conservative wisdom, has
> denied her unemployment benefits. She has applied for social security
> disability, but that process takes well over a year to resolve.
> She is living currently with a "gentleman" acquaintance rent free, but her
> savings are very limited and he- this gentleman- has been known to decide
> on a moments notice that he wants her gone. She has looked into support
> from social services to get her own place to live, but they have a
> wait-list!
> As her mother, I have used the limit of my financial means to subsidize
> her living but I cannot do any more at this point, especially since it is
> likely I will have to assume paying for her medical insurance any day.
> Worst case scenario is that she moves back home , but I am in the
> Northeast where the winters are miserable and the cold further aggravates
> her conditions. How does she continue to survive - at least until the
> spring - where she is now?
>

Your daughter most likely has Coeliac disease. It is an auto-immune
disorder which can easily be controlled by avoiding wheat. She is
probably allergic/sensitive to gluten and should cut it out of her
diet. Tell her to stop eating wheat and see if her health improves.
She should see improvement almost immediately.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Where do you get your best buys in cat food?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/0890e14d22167708?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 2:49 am
From: "h"

"SMS" <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:KN6al.4733$jZ1.3813@flpi144.ffdc.sbc.com...
> James wrote:
>> Is it K Mart, Wal Mart, Target or big box pet stores? Now that gas
>> is reasonalbe it may be worth it for me to drive to one of the stores
>> to buy cat food.
>>
>> I used to get the 7 lb. Purina One but it seems expensive lately.
>
> I volunteered for a cat rescue group, and we buy mass quantities of cat
> food, and did extensive evaluations of the nutritional content, ash
> levels, etc. of many of the dry foods, including the so-called premium
> foods like Science Diet.
>
> The Kirkland dry cat food from Costco was not only one of the least
> expensive foods, it was one of the best ones. For the cats with medical
> issues we sometimes had to buy special foods from the vet, but this was
> rare.

Obviously price is a factor for rescue organizations, but dry cat food is
very high carb and should only be fed to cats occasionally as a treat. My
spoiled indoor cats love it, but the three of them only get one tiny bowl
once a week, or else they gain weight. My vet says that the only carbs cats
need can be found in the stomach of a mouse. The mouse-carbs are probably
why my furballs are good indoor mousers!

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Most effective grease removal from clothes?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/50e041b05a439b9e?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 5:55 am
From: zekfrivo@zekfrivolous.com (GregS)

In article <gkgn1q$qia$1@news.motzarella.org>, "Evelyn" <evelyn.ruut@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>"GregS" <zekfrivo@zekfrivolous.com> wrote in message
>news:gkfnrq$6u$1@usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu...
>> In article <gkfl6r$2p8$1@news.motzarella.org>, "Evelyn"
>> <evelyn.ruut@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>"GregS" <zekfrivo@zekfrivolous.com> wrote in message
>>>news:gkfhoc$s2a$1@usenet01.srv.cis.pitt.edu...
>>>> In article <gked1i$nnj$1@news.motzarella.org>, "Evelyn"
>>>> <evelyn.ruut@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>"Gary Heston" <gheston@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
>>>>>news:d5qdnSc8upfsjvfUnZ2dnUVZ_hidnZ2d@posted.hiwaay2...
>>>>>> In article
>>>>>> <248516b3-dc95-45c1-b458-9c8d05dcdeb8@q30g2000vbn.googlegroups.com>,
>>>>>> brassplyer <brassplyer@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>Grease stains seem to be really tenacious. Thinking primarily
>>>>>>>petroleum-based grease - automotive etc. Anyone found a product or
>>>>>>>combination of products a/or methods that's really effective getting
>>>>>>>it out without damaging the cloth?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The white gel-type hand cleaners work very well; available at just
>>>>>> about
>>>>>> any auto parts store for $0.50 or $1.00 per tub. I keep a tub next to
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> laundry supplies in my utility room for this very purpose.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Gary
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Gary Heston gheston@hiwaay.net http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Behind every successful woman there is an astonished man"
>>>>>> General of the Army (four stars) Ann Dunwoody
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Go into the hardware store and ask for "Goo Gone." I use it on greasy
>>>>>stains in the laundry, or on that gummy stuff that holds labels, or on
>>>>>grease spots anywhere. I have actually used it safely on a silk
>>>>>shirt.
>>>>>I keep a bottle of it in the laundry room, and hubby has one in the
>>>>>garage.
>>>>>Great stuff. Squirt it on the stain, then wash as usual. Preferably
>>>>>with
>>>>>rather warm water.
>>>>
>>>> Similar action, WD-40 will soften up the smudge, then use lots
>>>> of hot soap to remove.
>>>>
>>>> greg
>>>
>>>
>>>I squirt it on the stain then throw the garment into the washer. It
>>>never
>>>needs a second treatment. Been using Goo gone for probably over 15 years
>>>now with great results.
>>
>>
>> I was just picking up a tube of hand cleaner yesterday. Its always missing
>> when you need it.
>> I was going to say, most hand cleaners designed for the garage mechanic
>> should also work pretty good.
>>
>> greg
>
>
>
>Could be, but they contain pumice which isn't good for fabrics.
>

I don't think this stuff has much or any pumice. there are instructions..
http://www.goophandcleaner.com/uses_v2.html

greg

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Madoff stole most of the money from other Jews, idiot
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/15e45ea9aea90eb7?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 6:18 am
From: hal@nospam.com

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:13:01 -0800, Tim Howard
<tim.howard@suddenlink.net> wrote:

>>
>BS Look at all those charitable foundations Maddoff riped off that were
>run by Jews. I don't know how many non-Jews were invested with Madoff,
>but there was no concious transfer of money from one "tribe" to another.

why are there reports that the vast majority of the sum has ended up
in banks in Israel?

==============================================================================
TOPIC: How Not to Get a Construction Loan
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/d367573846de7521?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 6:33 am
From: Napoleon

How not to get a new construction loan (for the frugal):

10. Live in America.
9. Have more than 50% equity to put down.
8. Have an above 800 credit score.
7. Have no debts.
6. Own your own land free and clear.
5. Plan to build a modest house - not a McMansion.
4. Plan to build on your own lot - not a McMansion subdivision.
3. Build a modular home through an established company.
2. Live in an area of the country where housing prices never
overinflated and there are very few foreclosures.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON:

1. Go to your local bank which is waiting for the next TARP handout
and doesn't need your MEASLY MONEY.

I love America, don't you?

-N

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 7:03 am
From: Napoleon

How not to get a new construction loan (for the frugal):

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON:

1. Go to your local bank which is waiting for the next TARP handout
and doesn't need your MEASLY MONEY.

I love America, don't you?

-N

==============================================================================
TOPIC: OBDII P0301 misfire detected, P0303 cylinder 2 of 4, CEL lit, not
blinking
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/4afaadd401efa141?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 8:33 am
From: Donna

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good inexpensive OBDII scan tool
for future events?

(I had a borrowed OBD II scan tool and we reset the yellow CEL by pulling
the EFI fuse but it would have been nicer to have an inexpensive OBD2 scan
tool.)

Where is the best place to get a good cheap OBD 2 scan tool?
Is there any freeware for the Windows XP PC?
Where would we get the cable from the OBD II port to the computer ports?

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 8:45 am
From: Anumber1

Donna wrote:
> I just want to write this to put down for posterity for others to be able
> to find what I couldn't find on my own but with my friends' help, I was
> able to solve the problem.
>
> The 1998 Toyota 4 cylinder has over 100,000 miles on the original four NGK
> BKR5EYA plugs & four wires & two coils & (how many?) fuel injectors.
>
> Last week, the yellow emission-control OBDII Check Engine Light lit solid
> (not blinking so it wasn't that serious) and a friend checked it this
> weekend to tell me the code is P0301 misfire detected, P0303 cylinder 2 of
> 4. I had noticed the engine running a bit roughly under acceleration for
> about a month but I wasn't sure what the cause was.
>
> I called Toyota this morning and they said plugs and wires would not fix
> this cylinder-misfire diagnostic code and the Toyota 4Runner needed to be
> brought to them for service because it could be the ignition system, the
> 200-dollar fuel injectors, the 100-dollar ignition coils, the fuel system,
> the EGR system, the engine congtrol module computer, etc. They were clear
> that just replacing the plugs and wires would not solve the problem. I
> needed an 800-dollar diagnostic service.
>
> Undeterred, my kind friend bought four new two-dollar ND K16R-U spark
> plugs, gapped them to 0.031 inches and torqued them to 14 foot pounds in
> the Toyota 3RZFE 2.7 liter 4-cylinder engine. Unfortunately he also had to
> replace the 50-dollar four spark plug wires on the two coils because two of
> the wires broke at the spark plug, necessitating needle-nose pliars to pull
> the stuck-on metal caps off the plugs.
>
> For 30 seconds, we removed the 15 amp EFI fuse in the engine compartment
> next to the battery, which reset the OBD II memory.
>
> Time will tell but the yellow emissions control check engine light stayed
> off during a test drive and the prior stumbling disappeared. I'm amazed
> that plugs would last 100,000 miles (they were the normal j-gap type, not
> even platinum).
>
> This is written so that you may comment to help us and others. The main
> problems we ran into were the Belden ignition wires didn't stay on the
> coils as the clip was about a tenth of a millimeter too small so it took
> about fifteen minutes to get the coil side of the wires on correctly.
>
> The only other problem was that two of the ignition wires broke at the top
> of the plug, necessitating needle-nose pliars to extricate them. As
> recommended, we used no lube on the spark plug threads so we can rest
> assured the 14 foot pounds is accurate.

Well,
You got some bad service recommendations from the dealer, that is no
surprise.

But, unfortunately, the torque spec of your spark plugs could have been
largely ignored as you do *NEED* to put an anti-seize compound on the
threads of any aluminum head engine when replacing the spark plugs.

What you may end up with is a spark plug that will not come back out
when it's time for replacement or it even may "blow back" out of the hole!

Good Luck

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Couponclippers.com?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/479a768fe15c093e?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 9:40 am
From: James

On Jan 12, 5:09 pm, "JonquilJan" <war...@imcnet.net> wrote:
> James <j0069b...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:0d61b8c0-c8b4-44ea-be7c-f45357b26399@e1g2000pra.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I tried it years ago but ended up with a bunch of stuff that I never
> > used.
>
> With couponclippers.com you select only the coupons you want - and that you
> have use for. You can get the coupons in quantity - some have a limit and
> some you must get 5 - but you still only get what you can use.
>
> As said before, I have dealt with them for years and have saved hundreds of
> dollars. About 35% off my grocery bills. The grocery in my area (would
> have to travel 15 miles to another) will double coupons under $1 - but not
> more than the cost of the item. That still means I get some things for free
> (not a lot but some) and many more half off. Have to watch and be very
> aware of the local prices - and brand names stocked - and watch what is on
> sale. Recently - toilet paper was on sale - a 4 pack for $2.99. I
> immediately ordered ten coupons from couponclippers.com - for 75 cents off.
> Since they ship within a week - I got the coupons - and used them - before
> the sale was over. So just a bit over half off - and I stocked up on TP.
>
> You just have to be aware of what you want - what the stores stock - and
> watch the adds.
>
> JonquilJan
>
> Learn something new every day
> As long as you are learning, you are living
> When you stop learning, you start dying

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 13 2009 9:42 am
From: James

I tried the site and can't find manufacturer's coupons. Do you need
to join to see those? For example how do I find tp coupons?

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

misc.consumers.frugal-living - 25 new messages in 13 topics - digest

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