Karma just took a bite out of my ass

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

So I guess I should have been nicer to DRM earlier...

I'm driving to meet my GF for lunch and my truck dies. I think it might be that battery, but doubt it.

I call AAA and they show up pretty quick. Well, the battery's charging fine since my lights and Sirius work just fine and there's no turnover when I try to start the truck.

AAA guy tries to bang on the starter, but it still won't turnover. We also try to pop the clutch, but to no avail.

So I have to wait to get a tow home. While waiting, I decide to listen to the radio since I know it works and what's the song playing when I turn it on: Kurtis Blow's "The Breaks."

Well, now I'm home and with the help of a pretty cool guy doing the tow. Real nice guy, enjoys his work, so I'm going to give him a plug.

Gilbert Martinez "X-Ray"
Allied Towing
(210) 682-1899

[Earl Hickey]

You rang?

I'm just trying to be a better person.

[rayray2k8]

could be your Alternator as well.
Are your lights a bit dim??
If the battery is fine its probably the starter or alternator.
Have you changed your plugs lately?

[ShoogarBear]

I'm betting alternator, but could be starter.

[TDMVPDPOY]

out of nitrous my man

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

My mechanic thinks it's got to be something worse than the starter since it died while I was in motion (45 mph down Grissom).

[ShoogarBear]

My mechanic thinks it's got to be something worse than the starter since it died while I was in motion (45 mph down Grissom).Good point.

[ShoogarBear]

it died while I was in motion
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/viagra-2.jpg

[Marklar MM]

OMG. I was driving my car up here when the thing died as well. All the battery power and shit in the car worked. The car just would not start. I think the problem on mine was a belt or some shit broke.

[ORION]

sounds like the flux capacitor

[ShoogarBear]

Great Scott!

[Jimcs50]

Sounds like fuel line problem

check filters(air and fuel) before doing anything major.

[bendmz]

my vote goes to : FLUX CAPACITOR

[Steve Perry]

I'm sure your ass will recover fine. last I saw it could use a bite or two.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

I'm going with clogged fuel filter.

[ShoogarBear]

This screams vBookie.

[Steve Perry]

Back in 1988 I borrowed a Ford temple from a friend of mine to take a girl out on a date. After I spent all night listening to pet shop boys and drinking cheap ass rum and cokes she never let me in her draws. her father was coming home from work and she told me i had to exit asap!

as I went to start the car it would not start. It just kept making that sound like it wanted to start. I thought it was the fuel pump. I had to finally call a tow truck and later on I found out it was some sort of Modulator that is part of the distributor cap bullshit. Some sort of computer chip that ford installs in the cars so it knows how many times you started it or something.

It was 60 dollars for the part and 90 for the tow and i had blue balls the rest of the week end.

Thats why i will always love the old cars of the 60s and 70s , Back when you knew when it was a starter,water pump, or alternator. none of this computer chip modulator bullshit.

long live the 1969 Camaro the 1972 dodge duster, cars I used to get laid in high school. :wakeup

[CubanMustGo]

A Ford Temple? WTF is that?

The TempO didn't come out until 2000 (I had the misfortune of having that first-year model, AKA "Recall One")

[Steve Perry]

Maybe it was a ford Taurus. Dude this was back in the 80s I am lucky to remember my last GTG. read Manny's sig for more info. Did you actually give a shit what brand it was when someone was stupid enough to lend you their car to drink and get laid? :lmao

[tlongII]

If it's a relatively new car, it's probably some sort of electronic sensor. Same thing happened with my CTS last summer. They just replaced the sensor and I was good to go.

[MannyIsGod]

You usually notice fuel line problems because the car will sputter beforehand. It never just dies. It could very well be the alternator, and losing an alternator will make some cars just die in motion the way Joe's did. It could also be the fuel pump, but I'm almost certain that it isn't just a fuel filter or a clogged fuel line.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

It's a 1999.

I did hear some noises while I was idling and accelerating before it died.

Apparently, my battery is dead, though, as my family took it to some place when I left to work. I'm waiting to find out if that could be it.

EDIT: Not the battery.

[Steve Perry]

sometimes it's a belt.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Checked the belts, they're fine.

[MannyIsGod]

did you check the timing chain?

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Fuel filter, sticking with my first instinct.

[MannyIsGod]

If you want to check your fuel line/fuel pump, put your key in the on position, disconnect it from your fuel filter, (point it away from your face) and have somenoe press the gas. If fuel comes up then you're line and pump are fine.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

did you check the timing chain?

I'm getting it looked at tomorrow afternoon and maybe worked on - I'm at work now.

I'm also considering getting a newer, automatic vehicle.

[ShoogarBear]

(point it away from your face):madrun

Have you no respect for good potential slapstick?

[T Park]

:lmao @ Shoogar

[ShoogarBear]

Blaze could have lived up to his screenname.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

As long as somebody puts the video on YouTube and plays Yakety Sax behind it, it's comedy gold.

[Mr Dio]

Chong: Did you check the air in the tires?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

maybe it's that 20 dollars you owe me? :lmao

I offered to put it on your account when you were in prison, but Mookie never gave me the info. (http://spurstalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=814726&postcount=39)

[RashoFan]

My mom's car wouldn't start AFTER she went to the store and bought groceries. Had to tow it to the mechanic...he diagnosed the problem was the battery cables.....
(POS) Geo Metro

[Re-Animator]

Maybe you drove over a puddle and your wires got wet.

[trueD]

What about the thingy that breathes the emissions out, or some damn thing? Pretty expensive part, just can't remember what it's called.

If it was the starter it would have jumped, right?

[Condemned 2 HelLA]

When you turn the key to start it, does it crank over and WANT to start, but just won't?
If that's the case, it's got to be something in your fuel line.
What kind of truck is it?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

It's a 1999 Ford Ranger.

When I turn the key, it doesn't want to start. It clicks and that's it.

[ShoogarBear]

^That kinds sounds like a starter. But I dunno if that would cause your car to quit while it was running.

[ObiwanGinobili]

I had this exact problem happen with my vehicle last week.
died on the way to work, battery had plenty of power - would not start.
no turn over. Alternator tested fine, starter too.
Come to find out it was the timing. the water pump was leaking onto my timing and the belt went.
new tensioner, belt and pump is eating my paycheck alive this week... BTW- all things I replaced last March with after market parts.
don;t buy after market parts.


and I was towed by Allied too. small world.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I had this exact problem happen with my vehicle last week.
died on the way to work, battery had plenty of power - would not start.
no turn over. Alternator tested fine, starter too.
Come to find out it was the timing. the water pump was leaking onto my timing and the belt went.
new tensioner, belt and pump is eating my paycheck alive this week... BTW- all things I replaced last March with after market parts.
don;t buy after market parts.


and I was towed by Allied too. small world.

As far as the parts/labor go, I trust all of that to my dad (also my mechanic) since that's what he's done his whole life.

Ruiz Automotive on Jamestown Drive just off 183 in Austin in case any Austinites need some repair work.

[to21]

It's a 1999 Ford Ranger.

When I turn the key, it doesn't want to start. It clicks and that's it.

Before you replace the battery, alternator, starter.....check the solenoid. It's the cheapest thing to buy at Auto Zone and if it turns it wasn't it, then you are only out 10 or so dollars.

Of course you know you can have the alternator and starter checked at Auto Zone, etc.

[MannyIsGod]

Ford's with Manuals have a good deal of problems with timing chains. I wouldn't be suprised if that was it. However, you'd notice the engine turning over really fast if that was the case, not the clicking.

[Jimcs50]

If it were your alternator, you would not have been able to listen to radio, because your battery would be dead.

[spurschick]

Since when do you have a GF?

[ShoogarBear]

See, JB, once you're taken they start bitin'!

[bendmz]

So what was the problem after all ?????

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

It's getting picked up tomorrow (my truck, not me).

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

UPDATE: Engine blew up...well, so to speak.

Crankshaft locked and that's all she wrote. Engine's being rebuilt.

Oh, and I lost $35 cash somewhere today, so that's another how-do-ya-do.

Plus, I spent 30 minutes going over my old cell phone bills for that federal tax credit and after putting in all my amounts of taxes by going through months of PDFs (and it totalling about $50 in taxes), I still only got the standard $30 deduction.

[MannyIsGod]

What, a Ford engine blew? No fucking way! I've never heard of an engine blowing with a Ford, except the 2 Fords that I've owned.

Never again.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

What, a Ford engine blew? No fucking way! I've never heard of an engine blowing with a Ford, except the 2 Fords that I've owned.

Never again.

Hey man, I put a lot of work into that truck, it's not like it happened right after I bought it.

[MannyIsGod]

Still, I just refuse to own a Ford ever again. Next car I be will be unfinanced and unFord.

Fuck the F! :lol

[CharlieMac]

Good to know. I'll file it in my phone because I'm sure my car will crap out on a hot July day on IH-10 and Huebner.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with Ford trucks. I have a 97 F150 and it's almost at 200,000 miles. I did blow the engine at 130.000 miles, but that could've been prevented. I went over the 3000 mile mark between oil changes many times. I went over 5000 a few times and I went 9000 miles over once. That's really the only major work i've done to it. It's on the same starter, same alternator, same transmission. It still runs like a champ. You can keep a good vehicle going if you do more to your vehicle than fill it with gas and make sure the tires have air.

[ShoogarBear]

Wal-Mart? Never!

[mookie2001]

General Maintenance is even worse than ford are yall kidding?

[MannyIsGod]

American cars in general suck.

[mookie2001]

all american cars do blow, ive only driven trucks, ram, silverado and f-150. I work at an austin chevrolet dealer and chevy and GM are pretty sad when it comes to reliability

[50 cent]

You should have replaced your blinker fluid.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Our long national nightmare is over.

The truck is back in my driveway (well, not right now, right now it's next to a parking meter on McCollugh).

[ZStomp]

Our long national nightmare is over.

The truck is back in my driveway (well, not right now, right now it's next to a parking meter on McCollugh).

Where on McCullough?


I have owned 2 Fords and have never had major problems.

I would buy another Ford.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Where on McCullough?


I have owned 2 Fords and have never had major problems.

I would buy another Ford.

Are you going to ticket me or what?

[ZStomp]

I would but not my side of town. :lol

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I would but not my side of town. :lol

I swear, I put enough change to get the parking meter to 6 p.m.

[1369]

Geeze, you so low ranking you don't even get parking privilidges?

By the way, we have a new jobsite in Sioux City, didn't you need a paper from there?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Geeze, you so low ranking you don't even get parking privilidges?

By the way, we have a new jobsite in Sioux City, didn't you need a paper from there?

Ha! There's about 60 spaces total from my count, the rest are lots and street.

Actually, it was Cedar Rapids I need a paper from.

[sa_butta]

A Ford Temple? WTF is that?

The TempO didn't come out until 2000 (I had the misfortune of having that first-year model, AKA "Recall One")
The first generation Tempo, released in 1983.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1c/Tempo_1986-87.jpg/250px-Tempo_1986-87.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Tempo_1986-87.jpg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Tempo