#NoStart

[rivs72rivgs]

Can’t Start Won’t Start

Monday, Sacrebleu went to the shop, to replace the Bluetooth battery cable.  Today’s technician, M, decided to replace both cables, and who can blame him?  I went by the shop on a break, and M told me some of the challenges he had run into changing the ground cable, he had to remove the air conditioning compressor to get access to the lug on the block, along with a ground strap between the passenger side cylinder head and the firewall not being attached.  I took it in stride, as I accept that things may take a bit longer with it being an unfamiliar car to the various technicians, who get paid for their time, costing me a bit more.  It’s a hobby though, right?

After work, I picked up the car.  Well, I went to the shop and found it in the air.  M was just about to let the car down, and invited me to inspect his work.  He’s a thoughtful guy, and with his droplight in hand, I took a look at the underside of the car.  The replacement cable to the starter was not a factory replacement, so he exercised some zip-tie skills to secure the cable.  It looked really good.  I checked where the ground cable mounts to the block, and began to chuckle.  M, who was comfortably ensconced on his stool watching me climbed off the stool, ambled over to me with a quizzical look on his face.  I pointed up to the ground cable lug on the block. “Gee M, it doesn’t really look like you have to take the A/C compressor off to replace the ground cable.” The lug end is clearly in sight, and easily accessible from the underside of the car, and he saw exactly what I saw.  He chuckled, shrugged his shoulders and said something about it being a learning experience.  It sure is, M.  It sure is.  

Once we completed contemplating the work he’d done on Sacrebleu, we walked over to his work bench, where he had saved the starter cable, for my viewing pleasure:

Sacrebleu had her original starter cable, 49 years old, with multiple “repairs” made to it over the intervening years.  I’d say the cable had given good service far beyond the designed service period.  

Here, the exposed conductor and the plastic shield the cable runs through is shown, with the shield being brittle and broken from heat and age.  The shield actually is fastened to the block, but the plastic portion to fasten it is long gone.  

Definitely scungy, the terminal end is designed to fit specifically and securely to the main power lug on the starter.  The replacement is a standard style lug, without even the 90 degree bend in it.  I found a “correct” replacement battery cable, with the plastic encasement and terminal end like this.  I may buy it later, as it’s a bit better fit and more “correct” to the car.  For now, Sacrebleu starts, runs, drives, and stops, and most importantly, re-starts just fine.

[911jumpstart]

2005 #honda #accord #nostart I checked main fuses because it was dead nothing no lights no bells. It turn out to a #battery #terminal that is painted looks nice but they’re a piece of you know what. (at Mar Vista, Los Angeles) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4qd4TRAQEv/?igshid=10hjwsvlxbhtb

[8585189561usamobiletiresvc]

#uhaul #uhaulfamous #uhaultruck #nostart #stallout #backontheroad (at San Diego, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSIOW5hpyhb/?utm_medium=tumblr

[thehummingbirdstoryofficial-blog]

A volte mi manchi, ancora.

Thehummingbirdstory

[dwp4ptsd]

Worked with my son on his G5. Wouldn't start. So we went through the diagnosis process. Power, fuel, spark. Once we determined it had fuel pressure, we checked the relays. Since they were good, something was preventing the fuel pump from starting. Next to the fuse box was a bunch of stuffing from the underside of the engine cover. Turns out a critter had been stealing the underside foam and chewed on several wires or ripped them climbing in and out of the engine bay. A couple of spare wires and some black tape, and the car fired up on the first try. I told him that he has limitless knowledge at his disposal where I had none at his age. Most of what I learned was from trial by fire...with a bunch of failures. I told him that the breakdown of diagnosis today was brought to him by the letter "Y" for YouTube. Before he came out, I youtubed common issues with no starts on the Cobalt/G5 platform. Haha This is what the Church of Petroheads is all about. Time spent together and the sharing of knowledge. #fatherson #knowledge #passingthetorch #moments #enjoythesmallthings #failures #breakdown #nostart #wire #critters #churchofpetroheads #whatitsallabout https://www.instagram.com/p/B_3abKHANH2/?igshid=1hz6u0vbskyr1

[orrautomotive]

Received a certification #electrical #steering #repair #testing #diagnostic for #Automotive #cars #trucks #repair #montclair #california #suspension #shakey #wheel #brakes #tow #nostart All #vehicle #service needs #maintained and #repaired here. (at Orr Automotive) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs8uBH-AWHf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rcbggq1mtcpy

[truluv1966]

We are right on time. @artezyum 📷#nostart #nofinishline #rightnow #yourowntime #costaricansunset #loveyourself https://www.instagram.com/p/BsuWjVDHHbl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h70cap7d6y1v

[aechteaseawb]

happy gay marriage legalization anniversary from taiwan🎉 (does not have anything to do with the story)

it's so rare that i have nothing to say but i seriously have nothing to say.

[rivs72rivgs]

The Good, the Bad, and the Stranding...

It was ugly.  More “ugh” than ugly, honestly.  I woke up this morning, drove Sacrebleu to get coffee then headed to the gas station to top Sacrebleu off, as I had plans to get together with a friend and take him out to an informal cruise-in.  I pull up to the pump, fill Sacrebleu up, and slip back into the driver’s seat to head home.  

The whole time I’ve owned her, she’s always started hard when hot, and I had it on the to-do list to replace the positive cable, as it’s grody and corroded, and rocking a temporary “repair” battery clamp on it.  The kind where you cut the old clamp off, strip back some of the insulation from the cable, and clamp the cable like the meat in a sandwich.  Those are not supposed to be long term solutions, but people (including myself, obviously) are lazy.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!  Riiiiiiight.  About that.

Key in the ignition switch, twist, and the customary painfully slow crank...then nothing.  Um.  Ok....roll the window down, and listen carefully as I try cranking it again.  This time, it cranks and almost fires, then nothing.  I turn the key a third time, and there’s nothing.  No click, no sound, no noise, no...just, no.  My heart sank, and I pull the hood release.  Once I lever the massive hood up, I look immediately at the battery.  

Oh look!  Bluetooth battery cable.  That little piece of slag between what’s left the clamp and the two bolts running through that fitting MELTED.  Lots of current multiplied by resistance due to heat and corrosion equals MORE HEAT.  Enough heat to melt the repair clamp.  Oh, brother!  A guy at the pumps asks if I need a jump start, I decline, as I have a super duper booster pack.  This thing has all the power, and is rated to start big block gasoline engines and even medium/heavy duty 12V power Diesel engines.  I clamp the negative clamp to the battery clamp, and the positive clamp to the cable end.  I turn the booster pack on, and put it in “forced jump” mode, which basically means ALL THE VOLTAGE is active at the clamps, bypassing any microprocessor safeties built into it.  I get back in the car, turn the key and Sacrebleu cranks slowly, then stops cranking.  The booster pack doesn’t have enough oomph to overcome the resistance and corrosion in the cable.  I’m stuck.  It’s 7:20am, the gas station has a store that opens at 8am, I’m left waiting, hoping that they’ll sell me another repair clamp and perhaps an adjustable wrench to make the repair.  

Mental note: I guess I need to keep a small tool kit in Sacrebleu.  :-( 

The guy from the pumps that offered me a jump start helps me push Sacrebleu sort of into a parking spot away from the gas pumps, and a couple minutes later, we’re both puffing hard from exertion.  He drives off, I settle behind the steering wheel to wait for the store to open.  Eventually it opens, I ask where the batteries are, and find the repair clamp.  Then I ask if they sell tools, the cashier regretfully shakes her head no.  Ok, so I have the part I need to make the repair, but I don’t have the tool.  Great. Just...great.  Awesome.  Ok, breathe.  Center yourself.  Think.  Sacrebleu has been sitting for 40 minutes, cooling down.  Maybe try the booster pack again.  I’m a bit dubious, but it’s not like there are a lot of other options.  The other option is to walk a mile plus to the nearest auto parts store to buy an adjustable wrench, so why not give it a shot and maybe save myself a two mile jaunt?  

Repeating the process with the super duper booster pack, albeit with a little less faith, hallelujah!, she starts and idles.  Disconnecting everything, putting it back in the car, taking my place behind the steering wheel, she stops.  Engine turns off again.  Really?  Really Sacrebleu, you’re trying me, here.  Testing me.  Once more, grab the booster, hook up the clamps, set the jump pack to maximum overdrive, and she starts once again.  This time, I rev the engine, suspecting that the alternator hadn’t had enough excitation in the windings to make power at idle.  Again, I disconnect the booster pack, put it in the car, and hold the idle a little higher than usual.  With trepidation, I drop the car into gear, and the idle drops as the transmission engages the engine via the torque converter, putting some load on the engine.  She remains running, and with a bit of a high idle, I nurse Sacrebleu home.  

That’s enough excitement, I decide, and go in for a nap, leaving her parked.  I’ll finish the interim repair once I wake up.  I message my friend, along with the photo, explaining that I won’t be able to meet up with him to take him to the informal cruise-in.  I’m treating the temporary repair as though that’s exactly what it is, not taking any extra chances.  Having been stranded once, I’m wary of being stranded again AND having him along.

After the nap, I take care of a few chores, then go out to the garage and gather the tools I’ll need to install the temporary battery repair clamp.  I decide that since I’m replacing the clamp, this would be a good time to replace the battery with an upgraded battery I bought some time back for one of my other cars, a yellow top Optima from @optimabatteries​. The old battery comes out, the new yellow top goes in, gets clamped down into place, the repair clamp is installed on the positive cable, but there’s a fair bit of tension/strain on it, then put on the battery post, followed by reinstalling the negative cable on the other battery post.

Moment of truth.  The buzzer sounds when I put the key in the ignition as I have the door open, that’s encouraging.  Twist the ignition, Sacrebleu fires to life!  I leave her to idle until the engine comes up to operating temperature, as measured by the upper radiator hose getting hot once the thermostat opens.  I turn the car off, and put away tools.  Once everything is put away again, I go back out to Sacrebleu, to see if the hot hard start condition is still there.  Nope, Sacrebleu fires right up, no issues, no problems.  She starts fine when cold, and I think that bringing the engine up to operating temperature isn’t the same as having the engine nice and toasty hot after a drive to get, say...coffee.  I plan on taking her out tomorrow morning to get coffee.  Monday, she’ll be back at the shop, AGAIN...this time to have the rest of the starting system replaced, both battery cables and the starter.

[911jumpstart]

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A post shared by 911jumpstart.com (@911jumpstarts)

#2014 #dodge #grandcaravan #nostart needed #starter car trouble? And don’t know any #mechanic in town. Call me 310 994 6277 i come to you (at Redondo Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz1CagBgh0z/?igshid=kygwuijxhsxg

[8585189561usamobiletiresvc]

#nostart #customer #usa #mechanic #roadservice #emergency (at Jamul, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSAod-lJ3pT/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bluesnowfall]

I was always happy when duallys go into neutral. ⛟👍 . . . . . . . . #tb #work #dually #worktruck #nostart #truck #trucks #tow #towing #towtruckdriver #broken https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2rl4mloC1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18ahltg7o5m9s

[stoneburq]

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A post shared by The Philosopher, Stone Burq (@stoneburq)

Got the Truck Firing up and she sounds damn good. Didn't need a new starter or TPS. I did need the new MAF and I cleaned and rebuild the Starter and it still didn't work. After some digging I found out the Positive Battery cable that goes to Main Relay on these trucks is too small gauge for what's needed so I took an old battery cable and it bolted right up! I'll post a how to video to my YouTube page here soon. Now time to get it registered and Insured again. #Toyota #Pickup #22RE #Starter #problem #NoStart #NoCrankFix #Battery #Homebrew

[truluv1966]

I thought you should know that you’re right on schedule. It takes time to cultivate genius. #nodeadlines #nostart #noend #nostartnoend #takeyourtime #moveinyourownway #beautifulbrains https://www.instagram.com/p/BsstkmRnHnn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=46rs4xg5s136

[phinesse313-blog]

#LateStart is better than #NoStart #BabyItsColdOutside

[orrautomotive]

#alternator failed #fuelpump computer driver #nostart #battery #carelectrical #troubleshooting any way we can help let us know! (at Orr Automotive)