I am beginning to believe that cars breakdown with little to no usage...that is, the more they sit, the higher the likelyhood that it will breakdown next time you use it.
Case in point, my beloved Vette! :eyerole:ugh;squint:
Today, I decided to cruise it to my work. Just as probably all of you who use a Friday as a pretext to drive your toy and make for a great start-of-weekend drive home.
And continuing with the festive mood, I figure I go fetch myself something tasty during lunch, and then it happened...
ugh;squint:
ad
I lowered the windows, inserted the key in the ignition, turned the key, and Vrooom, engine start! And I heard that sweet sound of her cam lopping...for all of about 3 to 4 seconds, and then dead!!!!
eek:eek
What now?confused:confused
The engine was dead, the radio was dead, the horn was dead, the gauges were dead, and another turn of the key, confirmed that there was something wrong with my Gail.
So, I am looking around the engine bay for lose wires or a sign of something shorting or something...I go ahead and wiggle a few wires, and nothing.
I momentarily have a lapse of memory, and I insert the key and try raising the windows...immediately remind myself that 'Gerry, you dummy..., she's dead why would you try in raising her windows'...and then it hit me..."oh no. I cannot risk the chance to leave her here if the windows do not come up'.
So it was fortunate that it happened to me at lunch and not at quitting time...that would have sucked even more. So, I get my insurance information. I call Hagerty Insurance, and I select the road assistance option. In no time, they set me up with a platform tow truck, with soft tie down, and I waited only 40 minutes for it to show.
I explained my situation with the boss, and I told him that given the dead symptom of the entire car, I suspected the in-line fuse for the starter extension harness. I also explained to him that I would not be able to find a replacement locally, so I might as well take her home.
The truck guy comes by and we load Gail on the back of the flatbed. I was so frustrated with the whole situation, that I even forgot to snap a couple of pictures.
At, home. I went ahead and cleared the garage, and I asked the tow truck guy to drop her right in the middle of my garage. After the truck left, I just cooled myself inside my house and tried to not think about her that much. An hour later, I went in the garage, and I jacked her front up and place jack stands under her. I grabbed my multimeter, and I first checked the,"BAT", lead at the distributor. I confirmed that it had no juice. I then consulted the wiring diagram and circuit operation, and figured that I should check for 12 volts at the starter...check! So then I figure that I should check the starter extension harness where it connects with the blower....hummm, no juice? Why? Why? oh! this connector does not look good. It looks like it overheated (melted plastic. terminals exposed), so I thought that perhaps thats where it started, but why no juice still??? Dumas, turn the ignition key. Alright, and when I do, and check the leads, I find 12 volt on three terminals...alright! Now we're getting somewhere...
So then, I cleaned the contacts and I figure that if I connect it again, and the fan does not run, then I know that the in-line fuse was toast, but what really happened was that I reconnected the harness, and she began to give signs of life. Still, her extension harness connector is looking really bad. I wonder why it shorted..can moisture do that? I better order one...
So that's how the day went, and now I am beginning to think that she has given me more problems spending most of her remaining life parked, than when I was driving her all over creation for nearly 148K miles.
So I am beginning to think that the old adage is correct. Use it or lose it!
If she ain't broke, then don't fix her, but if you don't break the couch seal, then she's fixing to give you trouble.
ughhnoes
GerryLP:cool
p.s. A small plug for Hagerty Insurance. They have always treated me outstandingly!!!! On Gail's little mishap last November, and now with the road assistance. Outstanding service, Hagerty!
Case in point, my beloved Vette! :eyerole:ugh;squint:
Today, I decided to cruise it to my work. Just as probably all of you who use a Friday as a pretext to drive your toy and make for a great start-of-weekend drive home.
And continuing with the festive mood, I figure I go fetch myself something tasty during lunch, and then it happened...
ugh;squint:adI lowered the windows, inserted the key in the ignition, turned the key, and Vrooom, engine start! And I heard that sweet sound of her cam lopping...for all of about 3 to 4 seconds, and then dead!!!!
eek:eekWhat now?
confused:confusedThe engine was dead, the radio was dead, the horn was dead, the gauges were dead, and another turn of the key, confirmed that there was something wrong with my Gail.
So, I am looking around the engine bay for lose wires or a sign of something shorting or something...I go ahead and wiggle a few wires, and nothing.
I momentarily have a lapse of memory, and I insert the key and try raising the windows...immediately remind myself that 'Gerry, you dummy..., she's dead why would you try in raising her windows'...and then it hit me..."oh no. I cannot risk the chance to leave her here if the windows do not come up'.
So it was fortunate that it happened to me at lunch and not at quitting time...that would have sucked even more. So, I get my insurance information. I call Hagerty Insurance, and I select the road assistance option. In no time, they set me up with a platform tow truck, with soft tie down, and I waited only 40 minutes for it to show.
I explained my situation with the boss, and I told him that given the dead symptom of the entire car, I suspected the in-line fuse for the starter extension harness. I also explained to him that I would not be able to find a replacement locally, so I might as well take her home.
The truck guy comes by and we load Gail on the back of the flatbed. I was so frustrated with the whole situation, that I even forgot to snap a couple of pictures.
At, home. I went ahead and cleared the garage, and I asked the tow truck guy to drop her right in the middle of my garage. After the truck left, I just cooled myself inside my house and tried to not think about her that much. An hour later, I went in the garage, and I jacked her front up and place jack stands under her. I grabbed my multimeter, and I first checked the,"BAT", lead at the distributor. I confirmed that it had no juice. I then consulted the wiring diagram and circuit operation, and figured that I should check for 12 volts at the starter...check! So then I figure that I should check the starter extension harness where it connects with the blower....hummm, no juice? Why? Why? oh! this connector does not look good. It looks like it overheated (melted plastic. terminals exposed), so I thought that perhaps thats where it started, but why no juice still??? Dumas, turn the ignition key. Alright, and when I do, and check the leads, I find 12 volt on three terminals...alright! Now we're getting somewhere...
So then, I cleaned the contacts and I figure that if I connect it again, and the fan does not run, then I know that the in-line fuse was toast, but what really happened was that I reconnected the harness, and she began to give signs of life. Still, her extension harness connector is looking really bad. I wonder why it shorted..can moisture do that? I better order one...
So that's how the day went, and now I am beginning to think that she has given me more problems spending most of her remaining life parked, than when I was driving her all over creation for nearly 148K miles.
So I am beginning to think that the old adage is correct. Use it or lose it!
If she ain't broke, then don't fix her, but if you don't break the couch seal, then she's fixing to give you trouble.
ughhnoesGerryLP:cool
p.s. A small plug for Hagerty Insurance. They have always treated me outstandingly!!!! On Gail's little mishap last November, and now with the road assistance. Outstanding service, Hagerty!
:L at least nothing major happened...
4LT GS Roadster
). 
