Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. On Monday evening we hooked up the minivan’s battery and the Hyundai’s battery, and let the Hyundai run for about fifteen minutes in the hopes that it would charge up. No go. Even after fifteen minutes the minivan wouldn’t start. The starter wouldn’t even click/turn over. No interior lights, no clock. Dead as dead can be battery.
So Monday night I bought a new battery. Dan installed it when he got home from work. Definitely the right battery, since the hood’s lights lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as the connectors were in place. I crossed my fingers when he got into the minivan to start it up. No go. Oh, it was starting, sort of, almost… but not quite. It sounds almost as if something isn’t aligned right, or in the right place. There’s this light rhythmic thumping/rocking.
Could it be a spark plug gap issue? Dan bought the spark plugs, but didn’t gap them, because his brother told him that they didn’t need to be gapped. I’m finding different bits of information on the internet. Some sites are saying that spark plugs ALWAYS need gapping. Others are saying that they come pre-gapped to fit the “standard”, middle of the road gap size for whatever car the plugs are designed for. And still others are saying that yeah, spark plugs come pre-gapped, but because of being moved around and such settling could occur, so gapping should be redone.
Dan is really grumbling and cursing at the thought of crawling back under the minivan and removing the spark plugs to check the gaps, but I say we try that before paying to have the vehicle towed to the dealership, and then paying THEM a crazy amount of money to do the same thing. Assuming that incorrect gapping is the issue.
Ugh, ugh, ugh.
I always hate having car issues. Though I guess you can say that I am lucky in the fact that I have a mechanic in the family and he works for a steak dinner and beer and the cost of parts.
Best of luck trying to resolve the issue with your mom’s car.
I hope you guys get it solved. If not, your mom should be the one paying to have it towed and looked at. I hate the thought of you and Dan having to put out the money for all of this. It’s got to take away from your own stuff, unless that is, you have unlimited income and then you can send some my way please! I’d rather see you two out doing something fun or just blowing it instead of picking up her pieces.
ALWAYS gap your plugs. You can get gappers for like $1 at any Pep Boys. They usually keep some near the check out counter.
Without actually hearing/seeing the car I can’t offer more then that. I know it’s oftern a PAIN IN THE ASS to get to the rear most plug on any block. Hopefully that fixes the problem so pulling them isn’t a complete waste of time.
Antigone’s last blog entry: You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.
Poor Dan! I hope you guys figure it out. It must suck paying to fix someone ELSE’S vehicle.. Your husband is far more understanding than mine would be!
one of my fears of driving is having the car break down on me . I need to learn how to drive and soon but I get so scared and cars breaking down doesn’t help me feel better.
This car’s really a pain in the ass to get to the rear plugs. I can’t get to it through the hood because the air intake’s in the way and I don’t want to mess with that. The only way I can get to them is from underneath the van when it’s jacked up, and even then the exhaust is in the way which makes it very difficult to get to 2 of the plugs. I have a spot on my harm that STILL hurts 2 weeks later from being crushed against the exhaust.