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Friday, August 3, 2012

On Foot, Again

Just when I think things are settling down a bit, even looking up with Bob being accepted into Outpatient Rehab, just when I think we are getting ahead a bit, The Green Machine takes another dump.

Bubba picked her up on Tuesday. This time she's got some strange electrical problem. Imagine driving down the road, minding your own business, and bam! the whole car just shuts off. Almost as if an invisible hand has reached over and switched off the ignition. So you end up coasting to the side of the road, throw her in park and start her up again. She always starts up again. But I tell you, it's more than a little disconcerting.

On Tuesday, Bubba said "Let me have her for a couple of days." Well, here it is Friday and I doubt I'll see that car until next week, if I'm lucky. I swear, every time Bubba opens up the hood, he finds something else wrong. So far we've got a dead voltage meter and an ignition module which is "melted" (that's Bubba's word) and he still can't pinpoint the actual electrical problem.

He also told me The Green Machine is all "carbed up" and gave me a long long lecture about how crappy gasoline is now (especially the cheap stuff I've been buying) as they add ethanol and how that pretty much eats away at engines and he made me swear on a stack of Bibles that from now on I will only fill-er-up at Shell with premium gas, which Bubba says is the best on the market because it has some kind of additive in it....

And all this happened on top of having computer problems. The Verizon technicians have been out to the house twice this week, because I could not connect to the internet. I think that problem is now corrected. Knock on wood.

Oh, what next?

I don't even want to know...

I am frazzled....


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really hate to disagree with Bubba, but even Shell (the last to do so) now has ethanol in their gasoline. But what does that have to do with an electrical problem in the Green Machine? Ethanol is not good for your Green Machine due it's age, but it's difficult to find any gasoline now days that doesn't have at least 10% ethanol in it. Check the pumps and fine print around it prior to gasing up. I need non ethanol gasoline for my boat motor, and it's becoming more difficult to find.
Hope the Green Machine is back to good operating condition very soon. Hugs, Dan

Diane said...

Dan, Bubba drove the car to his house so he could see if it would kill on him (it did) -- that's when he noticed the engine was also "carbed up". He's going to "blow it out" on the freeway for me. (hope he doesn't get a ticket!)

He said even though Shell has ethanol, it also has some kind of chemical additive that works to keep the engine clean...

but what do I know? ha!

I am hoping to get the car back Monday (that was the last word from Bubba). Fingers crossed.

thanks!

Jenn said...

After just having read your post, Gerry recommends checking the electrical grounds (he also knows Bubba is probably already on it) for starters. Inconsisting electral problems are just vexing, he says, just vexing!