That Little Dr. Death Deal In Atlanta
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:27 am
Yeah, me again, the Grim Reaper of Volkswagen Dreams.
Looked at the weather forecast in Athens GA for March 11th on March 8th here in Pensacola FL. The week was mostly a 70/50* stretch for Pensacola, but it was a 52/32* with heavy rain for Athens. So, no NaranjaWesty on this run, rather it was to be a gliding banzai in the Lexus with a real cozy heater, a Rain-Ex treated windshield, and plenty of music.
First fuel stop showed a lousy 19mpg. Next fuel stop showed a nice 26.5mpg as the computer decided that I was "feathering" the throttle at 80 mph and advanced the timing but good.
Once I got used to the 80 mph, Atlanta metro decided to shut me down. That tantalizing cit skyline was far far away:
Far away when you are topping out at 12 mph and 800 rpm:
But, the music was good. Ended the banzai run at the storage unit.
The BobD refused to start (!)
Chloe refused to start (!!)
Hordes of nostalgic storage unit patrons materialized to pester me as I frantically tried to figure out why my babies are dead dead dead.
"Hey, those are great I used to have one of those back in the day you could always get them going one time I was going to Nashville in my 1967 or was it 1968 when it wouldn't start and I had to get up to Nashville and you can adjust the breaker points with a matchbook nobody knows what matchbooks are I mean breaker points actually ha ha I mean both . . . . "
The BobD wouldn't even crank. Gave up and went over to Chloe's stall. Chloe cranked, albeit slowly, but it would not fire. Went back to BobD and shoved it backwards out of the stall while sitting in the driver's seat and pulling the metal wall studs in succession. Even tried a little jump start in reverse. Sure. Front end just eased upwards and the car came to an engine compression halt.
". . . . then I got my matchbook out and set the breaker points with the matchbook and wouldn't you know it it started right up that's probably what's wrong with your bus here anyways it was the best I should have never . . . "
Walked back to Chloe and pushed it backwards out of the stall while sitting in the driver's seat and pulling the metal wall studs in succession. Didn't bother to try to jump it reverse.
". . . . show the kid here what a real car looks like I don't think he is really all that interested in old cars he's a kid he just wants to play electronic games yeah there was that other time when i was driving from Arizona . . . "
Chloe, I knew it could start on the available battery charge, so I didn't even bother to jump it. I was pretty sure that the fuel pump was not delivering, just like it did not deliver the day I installed it for the very first time. I made a funnel out of a paper towel and soaked it in my can of gas. Then I wrung it out inside the carburetor, reattached the air cleaner duct and it started right up.
". . . . and I told her that we could make it as long as we kept HEY IT'S RUNNING! I TOLD YOU IT WAS THE BREAKER POINTS! yeah see how easy they are?"
The Lexus had now charged BobD's ten year-old Optima Spiral Technology battery for five minutes and I was pretty sure that it would deign to engage the starter. And it did. Started right up. But I could smell a mouse-pee smell and that made me heartsick. Didn't see anything untoward, but the warning signs are here. These cars must be driven!
Went to my brother's house where the other Lexus lives:
Whereupon we went on a demented shopping trip through town switching cars so he could see that Alexus 1 is still doing a fine job. And we got lost near WalMart, I in his car, he in mine, his phone is next to me so I can't call him to see where he is. Eventually, I discover him in WalMart chatting up someone in electronics. I had to drive him to his car because it was parked "so far away" while mine was packed in between SUVs near the entrance.
(which explains why Alexus1 is now sporting a side-swipe down the right rear door)
My brother . . . . . . . . . . . . :
Remember that amazing tow guy in Homosassa? I had no idea that they give you gift packages along with a quick tow. Yeah, sunglasses and a new tee shirt! Still trying to wrap around these new sunglasses:
Back at the house, $30.00 poorer, but giddy, positively giddy:
You see, I had to buy a $4.99 cassette adapter and a memory card. I now own a smart phone, a LG G6 nicknamed "Crack", and it is becoming my new music hub through the cassette door:
Colin has reached the threshhold of the 21st Century.
(to be continued)
Looked at the weather forecast in Athens GA for March 11th on March 8th here in Pensacola FL. The week was mostly a 70/50* stretch for Pensacola, but it was a 52/32* with heavy rain for Athens. So, no NaranjaWesty on this run, rather it was to be a gliding banzai in the Lexus with a real cozy heater, a Rain-Ex treated windshield, and plenty of music.
First fuel stop showed a lousy 19mpg. Next fuel stop showed a nice 26.5mpg as the computer decided that I was "feathering" the throttle at 80 mph and advanced the timing but good.
Once I got used to the 80 mph, Atlanta metro decided to shut me down. That tantalizing cit skyline was far far away:
Far away when you are topping out at 12 mph and 800 rpm:
But, the music was good. Ended the banzai run at the storage unit.
The BobD refused to start (!)
Chloe refused to start (!!)
Hordes of nostalgic storage unit patrons materialized to pester me as I frantically tried to figure out why my babies are dead dead dead.
"Hey, those are great I used to have one of those back in the day you could always get them going one time I was going to Nashville in my 1967 or was it 1968 when it wouldn't start and I had to get up to Nashville and you can adjust the breaker points with a matchbook nobody knows what matchbooks are I mean breaker points actually ha ha I mean both . . . . "
The BobD wouldn't even crank. Gave up and went over to Chloe's stall. Chloe cranked, albeit slowly, but it would not fire. Went back to BobD and shoved it backwards out of the stall while sitting in the driver's seat and pulling the metal wall studs in succession. Even tried a little jump start in reverse. Sure. Front end just eased upwards and the car came to an engine compression halt.
". . . . then I got my matchbook out and set the breaker points with the matchbook and wouldn't you know it it started right up that's probably what's wrong with your bus here anyways it was the best I should have never . . . "
Walked back to Chloe and pushed it backwards out of the stall while sitting in the driver's seat and pulling the metal wall studs in succession. Didn't bother to try to jump it reverse.
". . . . show the kid here what a real car looks like I don't think he is really all that interested in old cars he's a kid he just wants to play electronic games yeah there was that other time when i was driving from Arizona . . . "
Chloe, I knew it could start on the available battery charge, so I didn't even bother to jump it. I was pretty sure that the fuel pump was not delivering, just like it did not deliver the day I installed it for the very first time. I made a funnel out of a paper towel and soaked it in my can of gas. Then I wrung it out inside the carburetor, reattached the air cleaner duct and it started right up.
". . . . and I told her that we could make it as long as we kept HEY IT'S RUNNING! I TOLD YOU IT WAS THE BREAKER POINTS! yeah see how easy they are?"
The Lexus had now charged BobD's ten year-old Optima Spiral Technology battery for five minutes and I was pretty sure that it would deign to engage the starter. And it did. Started right up. But I could smell a mouse-pee smell and that made me heartsick. Didn't see anything untoward, but the warning signs are here. These cars must be driven!
Went to my brother's house where the other Lexus lives:
Whereupon we went on a demented shopping trip through town switching cars so he could see that Alexus 1 is still doing a fine job. And we got lost near WalMart, I in his car, he in mine, his phone is next to me so I can't call him to see where he is. Eventually, I discover him in WalMart chatting up someone in electronics. I had to drive him to his car because it was parked "so far away" while mine was packed in between SUVs near the entrance.
(which explains why Alexus1 is now sporting a side-swipe down the right rear door)
My brother . . . . . . . . . . . . :
Remember that amazing tow guy in Homosassa? I had no idea that they give you gift packages along with a quick tow. Yeah, sunglasses and a new tee shirt! Still trying to wrap around these new sunglasses:
Back at the house, $30.00 poorer, but giddy, positively giddy:
You see, I had to buy a $4.99 cassette adapter and a memory card. I now own a smart phone, a LG G6 nicknamed "Crack", and it is becoming my new music hub through the cassette door:
Colin has reached the threshhold of the 21st Century.
(to be continued)