How Many Iterations
Earlier this winter, our 2005 Suburban – affectionately called “The Moose” by our children - had the check engine light illuminate . I borrowed my brothers scan tool and searched forums for the most likely cause. It turns out that this generation of the LS engine had a problem with moisture pooling in the rear sensor port causing the sensor and successive mounting boss to rust. Moreover, the universal consensus is that you must use OEM parts because aftermarket sensors are not always reliable out of the box. With the unit price for OEM parts totaling $450 and perceived lack of time available to complete the work, I momentarily thought about taking The Moose in for service. That thought was quickly extinguished when I thought about the additional labor costs and the skills transfer lost to my kids.
The first iteration to swap out the sensors took me close to 6 hours! Yup, you read that correctly. I did, however, have the best helper – also known as my Shadow - who was sitting on the radiator core support asking about my tools, the parts, and how they work. We also took a few breaks to sing, giggle, and tell stories of her earlier years. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. The check engine light and trouble code returned within a week.
The second iteration took 3 hours. Before I took the engine apart this time, I learned how to test the sensors out of the box. After my oldest son and I removed the subject sensor, we learned that the OEM sensor was faulty, which the dealership ultimately confirmed. All that being said, this iteration served its purpose, but it was not meant to be. The check engine light and trouble code returned again within a week.
The third time around, I had the top half removed in 30 minutes. I spent another 20 minutes cleaning threads and grinding the mounting surfaces down to ensure good conductivity to pass the electrical current to the computer. I also tested the sensors on and off the vehicle. My oldest son and I had things buttoned up in another 40 minutes. The check engine light was put to rest.
Questions to Ponder.
How does this relate to finances? First and foremost, we must address the fundamental element of finances – the budget. On average it takes between three to six months to develop the disciplines to create a budget and work out the respective kinks our priorities introduce. Remember, that’s an average, which means some get it done in less time, while other take more time. Second, team work makes the journey better. Not only does your team provide encouragement (or giggles in my case), they can provide the assistance needed to get the work done. Third, there might even be an element of skills transfer. Either your partner may have more knowledge stored up that needs to be transferred to you creating the environment to be successful, or you may transfer the skills to your partner so that they will have the confidence to do the same when life throws them the same opportunity. Consider the following questions.
How has your level of persistence helped or hindered your ability to craft a budget that works for you or your family?
When is it worth the investment of premium (OEM) service or solutions to achieve your desired results?
What role is your spouse or accountability partner playing in your success? Do they have the unbiased perspective you need to push through your challenges?
To failing forward into persistence.