Tony H

We purchased our home about 15 yrs ago, and have a 3.5-4' high retaining wall made of railroad ties around a portion of our house. Well, over the years those ties have started leaning and we have since taken most of those out and are looking for an inexpensive way to replace the wall, due to the fact that we'll be selling the house within the next year.

There are still railroads ties buried in the ground from the original retaining wall and I'm unable to get those out as it's only my manual efforts. Plus, I thought they'd be a good support for posts that I'll be putting in. I have about ten 8ft 4x4 posts. My plan is to auger down about 3-4 ft, and Quikcrete those 4x4s vertically behind the railroad ties still in the ground. I'll then use 2x6s or 2x8s to face the retaining wall (using lag bolts of course to secure them). I would also be anchoring the 4x4s by attaching a 2x4 to each 4x4 to help stabilize the 4x4s. My question is if this recommended? Will 4x4s be sufficient? I was also thinking of using a 4x6 post on the ends and one in the middle and the rest would be the 4x4 (the 4x6s would help with strength). The length of the wall is about 25ft. Any suggestions and/or personal experiences would be helpful. Thanks!

Last night the engine blew on my 2007 Chevy HHR. We were seriously looking at trading the car in within the next few weeks when this happened. The mechanic says he can get a used engine(118k miles) installed for about $3500. The trade-in value for the car was about $5000 (might get more since we were looking at trading for a new vehicle), but right now it's worth scrap price. The car is a nice car (no rust, auto-start, moonroof, premium wheels, etc), so I believe it's more valuable than scrapping it. My question is whether it's worth getting the engine replaced only to then trade it in on a new vehicle? Or is this too much hassle and would a dealership not want the vehicle (or give significantly less) seeing there's a replace engine in it? Wanted to get some experts' knowledge and opinions. Thank you kindly for your time.

Have an '07 Chevy HHR. Noticed my struts were leaking so I had the front struts & springs replaced by Sears. They then also did a front end wheel alignment (which I know needs to be done w front strut replacement). Immediately after this the tire noise is very loud... so loud in fact that my wife and I have to turn the radio up above normal levels to even hear it, as well as talk very loud to hear each other. It also makes my ears hum when we are done driving. This was not an issue prior to the alignment.

Again, before the alignment the cabin noise was normal, quite tolerable. After the alignment the tire noise is almost unbearable in the cabin and obviously even more noticeable if the window is down. Anyone have any thoughts? I'm thinking of taking back to Sears to ask them what is up.

I'm using a Windows XP SP3 machine. I have over 500 backup files in a folder and a backup is made 2x a day. What I'd like to do is have a batch file (DOS.. like just backup.bat) that will take the newest file created in the backup folder and move it to another folder. For ease sake, let's say the src dir is TEMP and the dest dir is TEMP2.

I've been searching the web most of the afternoon for this and here's what I've gotten so far...

::==CCIEditRename.bat

@echo off

setLocal EnableDelayedExpansion

pushd C:\TEMP

for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%a in ('dir/b/od') do (set newest=%%a)

echo copy "!newest!" C:\TEMP2

::==

I am 99% sure my bathroom is wired like this:

Circuit box--> light switch that controls both the overhead fan & light--> GFCI outlet--> GFCI outlet-->light switch over the sink. This could be wrong because I took out the fan/light so that isn't even hooked up and the GFCI outlets work fine still.

Both outlets mentioned were already GFCI outlets, but replaced them for color reasons (updated bathroom). Now that I've switched out both outlets, neither the fan/light or the light over the sink works, however, both GFCI outlets work properly. The first GFCI outlet is setup with the black and white load wires and this works fine as it resets the other GFCI outlet downstream.

So my issue is that neither the fan/light works nor does the light above the sink (the first and last points of the circuit). This worked prior to my changing the GFCI outlets so not sure where things went wrong. Any thoughts as it seems it should be simple enough, but I'm not seeing the issue.

I just purchased an OEM ignition lock cylinder for my 2000 Saturn LS. This new cylinder has 7 slots for tumblers (there are actually 9 places for tumblers but slots 2 & 4 are covered).

When I finally was able to get the worn ignition cylinder out of the vehicle, it actually have all 9 slots open for tumblers. When I took the tumblers out of the old cylinder and compared them to the new tumblers, the newer ones are longer.

So my question here is if anyone has any experience on if this new cylinder and tumblers will work or not? I would like to keep my existing key (had a new one cut) so just wanted to rekey the new cylinder to match the old one.

Anyone able to point me in the right direction? Thank you!

Have a 2000 Saturn LS manual transmission. Pulled the car up into the driveway as normal. Next time I went to drive it the key goes into the ignition but it won't turn at all. The wheel is locked to the left at this time. The key goes in and out just fine. Electrical seems fine as when I pull the key out the doors unlock as usual. Here is what I've done thus far:

I've made sure to turn the steering wheel so it's not locked when I try to turn the key

I've tried my spare key with no luck either

I've sprayed dry graphite into the ignition cylinder with no luck

I've sprayed penetrating lube into the cylinder with no luck

I can't change the ignition cylinder unless I can turn the key to ACC. Does anyone have any experience with this happening? Thanks!

Idling the car shudders. When I drive there is no power and RPMs are higher before I have to shift (manual). I noticed about a week ago when this started that the exhaust before the catalytic converter was glowing, but haven't seen it do that since (haven't driven it as hard). This all happened about the same time my son ran the car out of gas... at least I think he did bc the low fuel light was on but came out the next morning and it wouldn't start, just turned over and over.

Check engine light was on before (O2 code, but changed the one behind the cat and still got code) but now it blinks when driven.

Here's what I've done so far...

Thinking maybe it was that the fuel pump sucked something in from the bottom of the tank I put in Lucas fuel injector cleaner and changed my fuel filter. Symptoms still occur.

Took it to local Autozone and they got a misfire code. So I just changed the spark plugs but didn't not change the boots, yet. Symptoms still occur, so took it to a car lot and they hooked up to better scanner and found it's misfiring on cylinder 2 & 3 (firing order is 1-4-3-2).

So now I'm wondering where to go from here. Do I change the boots? Is it the ignition coil(s) (thought possible if cylinders 1 & 4 on one coil and 2 & 3 on the other)? Perhaps the ignition control module? Or possibly the catalytic converter (since it was glowing red earlier) being plugged and building pressure up front?

I'm able to do the work myself, but I'm look for the most inexpensive avenue so that I'm not spending extra time & money buying all these different parts. Is there one avenue that you've experienced or think with your own experience I should try first?

Thank you for your time.

My son ran the car completely out of gas in that it wouldn't even start. Added gas and eventually was able to start it but now the engine runs like crap. Idling the whole car shakes. There is no power at all in the vehicle. Can't even go up an 30 degree incline in first gear. Exhaust seems loud now too.

I assume that with it being out of gas there is now junk that got sucked into the fuel system. I added some good fuel injection cleaner, filled up the car w gas and drove it for about 10 miles, but still acts the same. The check engine light blinks now. Had Autozone do a test and it shows a misfire. Also the catalytic converter glows red hot.

Assume there is excess gas reaching the converter, but don't know really where to start. Since the car runs I wouldn't think it's the fuel pump. I bought a new fuel filter, but haven't installed it yet waiting to see if the injection cleaner helped.

Any ideas? I don't want to spend a lot of $ on this as it ran great, but isn't worth fixing up if it'll cost alot. Someone mentioned maybe spark plugs, plug wires, coils or just clogged fuel injectors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm ok w fixing certain things on my car, but when it gets into the motor (pistons, timing chain, fuel injectors, etc) I'm not sure of what I'm doing. Please help.

How do you deal with two boys that call their mom bipolar merely because she gets upset. The boys will leave the house a mess, dishes, clothes all over, pillows from the couch strung all over, blanks wrinkled on the floor, laundry that was folded in their basket is now thrown all over the laundry room bc they are looking for something.

Their mom asks them over and over politely to clean up their messes, to clean up after themselves, do help around the house, just do the basics of being a family and doing your share. One boy is a senior and will be on his own and we are trying to get him ready to be on his own, but both boys play off of each other, start yelling at her when she asks them to do stuff and REALLY get upset and yell when she starts to raise her voice at them bc she has told them things time after time after time and is just frustrated and fed up with it.

We all get that way... when we ask something of someone continuously and there is no compliance at all... eventually it builds up and we crack and go over the edge. It happens to us all, but by no means is that bipolar.

They think bipolar is "being happy one minute and then being angry the next". I'm sorry but that is the life of a teenager... being super moody all the time... going form happy to sad to joyful to angry in 2 minutes time... yet mom is the bipolar one.

Any ideas on how to get through to these boys and get them to stop calling her bipolar? It really hurts her feelings to be called this by her own children.

I have an 03 Chevy Trailblazer EXT 5.3L V8. Had the water pump replaced Oct 29, 2009 from Tuffy's Auto Center (franchise auto repair in midwest & southeast US). Have been having a secondary issue with belt squeal and just found out from same Tuffy's that changed my water pump less than a year ago that is bc the water pump has failed again and coolant is getting on belt and getting residue on belt, fan (and clutch), alternator, etc.

So anyways, they told me the warranty was 12 months / 12,000 miles. It's under the 12 months, but since I drive about 80-100 miles a day round trip, I've put on like 29k so it's not warrantied. They are telling it'll cost $705 to replace it all.

Now to my question. I've called a Chevy/GM dealer and they told me it's cost $775, but it's a GM part so there is a lifetime parts & labor warranty on the water pump. I then called another Chevy dealer and they too told me it would be a GM part, but said it would only be a 12 month / 12,000 miles warranty. So my question is why are two Chevy/GM dealership service centers giving me conflicting information about the warranty on a GM part?

I have a 250GB HD (2 partitions C: w OS and D: for data) that has Vista on it. I bought a new 1TB HD that I want to install Windows 7 x64 (or even XP, but not Vista again). Anyways, I have licensed programs that I don't want to lose on my Vista (Pinnacle, etc).

I want to make reformat my 250GB drive and make it a slave drive giving me 1.25TB total. How can I get my licensed programs onto my new drive? I don't think simply reinstalling them will work since I've already used the license key for those programs? Help!

I'm looking for a nice looking car to compliment our Trailblazer that we use during the winter. I'd like something somewhat fuel efficient too. I found a 1998 Mercedes E320 with 127k miles for a great price. I'm just wondering if it's worth going with a Mercedez or are there Mercedes owners out there that would recommend against going w Mercedez for mechanical reasons? I'm pretty handy with a rachet and tools, but wondering if I should go for it or steer away from it.

Woke up this morning with a bad toothache. Went to the dentist today and he did an x-ray to find a deep cavity in tooth #2 (top right back molar next to wisdom teeth). I've had my wisdom teeth pulled when I was younger so the #2 tooth is the back tooth now. The dentist recommended a root canal (refer to endo, so probably gets kickback) but said I could have it pulled too (but didn't recommend this bc roots are long and recommends to save teeth if possible). My insurance(s) will pay for all but about $250 of the new cap. My question is even tho insurance will pay for almost everything, should I get the root canal and possibly have it pulled later or just get it pulled and be done with it?