Out we went again today, with the huge icky heat index to try and fix the car. Starter solenoid in hand, we arrived at waldemart with no tools. 's okay though, the auto shoppe will loan theirs out if they can see where you are working. :D
Five wrenches and 45 minutes later, I finally replaced the one with the other (that looked completely different, mind you)! Thank goodness for included instructions.
Tried to start the car again, c'mon baby, I gotta get Keebler to a job interview by noon! No deal. While I re-verify that the battery is indeed still good, Faith runs to grab Keeb and take him to his interview then returns for me. She takes me home to email my (new) mechanic about the problem and he gives me a couple of do-at-home diagnostics, one of which includes quite a bit of percussive maintenance.
Returning from picking Keeb up from his "interview" for his "job" (more like group softening-up for slave labor) I despise commission-only "jobs" (just the ones you have to have regular arbitrary hours for where it sucks your life away for no guaranteed reward... You know the type). Our time is worth so much more than that, I don't care what the commissions are, and he's a fantastic seller!
Back at waldemart, the instructions have been followed and the car still won't start. But at least we know what it isn't. It's definitely the starter.
Home again to fret over what to do with no money and a nearly $90 part to buy so I can have a running car again. Much thought went into it while my mother dropped the kids off for a quick visit and some dinner, and she loaned me (even more) money to take care of the problem. I'm really getting annoyed with this whole being in debt to mom for over $100 thing. Now I owe her $210 until I can get the core fee back to her by returning the old starter. *sigh*
Faith was an absolute blessing, sitting in the car with the massive heat index while I tried desperately to repair my car, driving us all over town, and generally showing patience worthy of deity. I would have been lost without her today, and her patience and calm helped to keep me sane(r).
We will get through this!
The mechanic will be here at 8:30am to take me to waldemart and fix the car. Then the real fun begins!
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Again, With Friends
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3 comments:
i had a car that did the same thing. I found a way around it a bit though. before you replace the starter try this. on the solinoid you just replaced there should be two screws comming out of it. take a screw driver and make contact with both of them. make sure when you do it the car ignition is in the run position. it took me a few days of doing this to start my car before the solinoid kicked in on its own to work. if it works though you know you do not have to replace the starter. if you need anything you know my email and ill be at work across the street tomorrow at 130pm. plus you got my number!! Wdolphin
Nah, you can only do thay bypass if the solinoid is bad. If the starter doesn'e work (seized up) then you will not start. Some cars, however are built with the selenoid as part of the starter or so I've heard...
We needed a new starter. *nod* The new mechanic said that it looked like it was the original from the factory and that it reasonably should have failed over ten years ago!
We got a good car. :D
Geez, K, sorry to hear about the car problems. It's been a couple of days since you wrote this, so hopefully I read good news next.
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