Where's Bob?

[Bob]

Moving around so much I was thinking that I could use this instead of relying on my memory about where I have been. Without back-tracking this is starting in Bishop Ca (where I am at now)
The first pic is Rachelle enjoying Easter day in a natural hot spring nearby. The water was crystal clear and about 96 degrees...also free!
The other pic is where we are staying at a casino rv park for $5 a night..It is a beautiful view to wake up and behold and the weather is perfect!

[Jones'n4chrome]

Perfect!

[Bob]

Left Bishop Ca a few days ago heading north on 395. I decided to stop for (I thought) 15 minutes to stretch my legs and make an americana while overlooking Topaz Lake..went to start the rig and ....nothing. Spent the next two days dealing with the ordeal..no phone service at all..and trying to get towed to town but there were no trucks big enough to do the tow. I had a mobile mechanic come out and together we got it fixed. I knew it was the starter and got a new one for $350 (plus several hundred labor) Just arrived in Lake Tahoe...its still cold here but so beautiful! Took a jeep drive to the campground and town and the lakes....VERY happy to be here! Even if we are broke after that coffee stop! Our plan is to stay at the casino parking lot until sunday and then we should be able to make it into our summer spot.
I wanted to take pictures of the repair job but the camera batteries were dead. I will take some tomorrow of Tahoe and the campground.

[Rudy]

It is good that you have a shuttle craft. Bummer about having to spend that money for the starter. I hope work starts for you soon.

[ezrablu]

Sorry to hear about your starter...and how much it cost

Last fall while I was at Taco Bell, out of the blue my pickup wouldn't start. I called a mechanic who came right away to the parking lot to look at it. He reached in there with a hammer and tapped on something and then told me to try starting it and low and behold it cranked right over. He said it needed a new starter. I asked him if he's sure because the battery cables sure seemed loose to me? He laughed...and I felt stupid

A few weeks went by and it started fine until one morning, it wouldn't start again...just clicked sometimes. So I figured I just better get the darn thing fixed and I called him and he came over and installed a new started as I stood there. Well, the truck still wouldn't start

So I asked him again...maybe it's just bad battery cables? He laughed again and I felt stupid again I showed him they seemed very loose to me....and he finally looked at them and said they weren't even tightened down at all so he tightened them and sure enough...it WAS just the cables had been loosened. So I thought someone had tried to possibly steal my battery and wasn't able to finish or was coming back for it. (I've had batteries stolen before

Come to find out, my son had taken my battery out to put in his Durango because it wouldn't start (he figured out he had a bad battery cuz it started right up with my battery) Well, he got side tracked when he went to get a socket wrench and never re-tightened the cables.

Sooo....I paid for labor and new starter for nothing!

[stuartcnz]

I've had a mechani do the hammer trick on a couple of starter motors in different cars too. In my case it was worn out bushes on the starter, that needed replacing, and worked fine from then on.

[ezrablu]

I remember my dad doing it to a car we had, too. I guess I deserved to pay that repair bill since I didn't just stop doubting myself and jump in and try to tighten the battery cables, etc. It felt good to know that I was actually right in the end...but I should have acted on my hunch instead of being uncertain.

I know this will sound REALLY stupid to most of you...but I'm afraid of batteries and I didn't know if I would get shocked or blow it up somehow by touching metal in the wrong place or whatever....so I just didn't want to try messing with it. Now, since getting my bus batteries in and out...I feel better about messing with them

[Mark R. Obtinario]

@ Ezra--you have learned one good lesson. And that is if you don't know something it is better to pay someone to do it. But while they are doing it, lean over their shoulder so that next time you will know what to do.

In regards to starting issues, the first place you need to start is the battery. If you don't have a good start battery anything and everything else will not work correctly.

If you have a good battery, good clean and tight connections on both ends of the battery cables is a must. You can almost double the amperage required to start if the cables are loose or in bad condition. Also, make sure the cables are in good condition. I had a 1976 Buick with the side post type battery cables. I replaced two batteries and a starter before I tried changing out the cables. Although the cables looked in good condition, inside the cables were all green.

If everything is in good shape from the battery to the starter and you still have problems it is at that point you need to start looking at the starter as the culprit. Fords usually have a remote starter solenoid and they go out much more often than the starter mounted solenoids as found on Delco-Remy type starters. I had to use a jumper cable to start a Ford mini-bus I had for quite a while because it kept "blowing" the remote starter solenoid. The actual starters are pretty robust and don't need replacing very often unless you crank the engine a lot.

There has been many a job I have observed and have decided I would be able to do the next time. I have also learned that if it has been a loooooooong time since the last time it is a good thing to look things up to refresh one's memory. Also, taking pictures before disassembly and during assembly can help with putting things back together correctly.

[Bob]

The first thing I tried was the hammer trick...got the trick but no treats
The problem here started with the exhaust manifold leaking heat onto the starter and the wires. The spring broke that sends the shaft in to start the motor...hence it was a fried starter. Just one of those things that happen on the road. As I always say...at least we were home when it broke down
Going to go check out the campground soon and I will see if getting new batteries will make the camera work...if so..you will get some pictures of this most beautiful place later tonight!

[ezrablu]

I'm looking forward to your photos!

[ezrablu]

Mark...thank you for your input. That's an excellent tip about taking photos before and during taking something apart. AND about looking over the shoulders of anyone working on my vehicles!

I knew so little about batteries that I didn't understand how I would touch the posts with a metal tool. I know know that sounds silly but when people ever talked about batteries...the mentioned words like "hot", "positive", "sparks", "explosion" With so many other things going on in my life, l.
earning anything much about engines wasn't priority so I just didn't take time to find out. So after my husband bailed, I've gotten a crash course and wish I had had more time to learn long before this past year.

[Rudy]

Blu, There are precautions that must be maintained when dealing with car and truck batteries.

The biggest concern is the Hydrogen gases that develop when batteries are in a state of charge. They CAN and DO blow up provided that they have a spark to ignite the Hydrogen.

I was charging a big battery once. I mistakenly removed the charging cable end off the battery being charged while the charger was still plugged in.

BOOM!!!

The battery exploded and sent me backwards 10 feet.

Luckily I was wearing safety glasses. Nevertheless, most of the hair on my head was singed.

I laugh about it now, but I know I learned a valuable lesson.

With proper safety knowledge, one not need be afraid of volatile elements.

[Bob]

One of the full hook up sights that might be home for 5 months

Fallen Leaf Lake, a very short walk from the campground....and full of trout!

[Bob]

Another lake shot..it is pretty big and the water is crystal clear.

[Bob]

Lake Tahoe is about a mile from home...it is a BIG lake! The water from Lake Tahoe would cover the entire state of Ca in 14 inches of water if it were spread out.