Rick's Garage

If all else fails I can open a garage and get a bunch of shirts with my name on them.

I went to the storage unit with the old beater truck Saturday morning. Great intentions of hauling out a few loads. I shut the tailgate on the first load, moved my black lab Pele out of the drivers seat and turned the key. Nothing! … Well not really nothing. I did get some white smoke coming out of the right corner pocket of the hood. That’s never a good sign. It’s actually an Indian signal for, “We’re screwed now Martha!” I lifted the hood and could readily see that the battery cable was loose and the resultant arcing had melted the clamp in half that attached the cable to the terminal on the battery post. WTF? Fortunately I have a rusty tool-box in the truck with enough tools for MacGyver to rig something up. I cleaned off the melted lead as best as possible and wired the cable to the terminal post at least to be able to start the car and get home. Viola! It worked.

I went right to the parts store to get a new clamp and fixed the problem on the spot. Well… maybe not the whole problem. My starter had been whining for a couple of weeks and I knew it was not long for the world. You guessed it. It started up fine in the driveway back to the storage unit but as soon as I began to enter the gates the #*@#% stalled. I turned the key and got this sick whirring sound that basically tells you the starter is toast. OH CRAP! Unbelievably our neighbors were coming out of the storage facility at that very moment and gave Marian, Cecily, Pele and I a ride home. God loves me! Well, he loves Marian, Cecily and Pele.

Long story short. An hour later I replaced the starter in the street outside the storage unit. Actually, Bryan my capable son did with my help. I got the truck back home and blew off any more trips to storage. I am just glad I am mechanically inclined.

New cable clamp - $2.99.
New starter - $54.99.
Tow truck charge to a mechanic for diagnostic of white smoke and whirring sound and having them do the same repair - $350 or more!

Qualifying for a job with my name on my shirt - Priceless!

I am hoping my next post isn’t about cars!