Well, I WAS going to try and get that video your all dying to see done today, but life throws a wet towel at you now and then. Yesterday we headed off to Knoebels in the trusty Moosestang, and enjoyed a full day of amusement park cornicopia, ending the night atop the large ferris wheel, at the closing hour of 10pm. I wasn't really looking forward to the 3 hour drive and getting home at 1:00am, after tramping around the amusement park for the previous 8 hours, but the evening air was cool, and the day was fun. Heading south towards the river and route 147, I contemplated getting older. Thinking about the difference between myself and the teenagers I saw, and how when I was 20 things did seem different. I also realized my night vision wasn't so good anymore. Or was it? Gee ****, it's really getting dark. I don't remember the dash lights being this hard to see. Hmmm... that radio sure is acting weird, cutting in and out like that and changing channels back and forth. What's up with that. Wait.... a minute....... I'm not going blind! This truck isn't generating any electricity. CRAP. Been here, done this. Last time in an 86' Ford Ranger with electronic fuel injection. At least that one was a manual, and I could drift start it when the battery gave out and the CPU needed to be rebooted. Time to inform the family, which is asleep of course. Gee guys, ah... guess what? We may not make it home. And we didn't. Not until today. I made it to Harrisburg, after a harrowing 15 mile dash at 65MPH on Rt. 322 with only the moonlight illuminating my path. I had cut off all non-essentail electrical loads, including the discontinuance of the service brake (darn brake lights you know). Realizing there was no way I could keep a half mile cushion ahead and behind me for much longer, I bailed off onto Front street, and swung into the Super 8, only an hour and a half from home at 11:55pm. Consigning the Moosestang to it's fate, I backed into a parking space so that it would be easy to work under the hood in the morning, and shut it down. As I try to fall asleep in my $80 hotel room, I contemplated my options and formuated a plan. In the morning, I asked my Indian inn keeper for a phone book, and asked if he knew the name of the Ford dealer I passed coming in last night. He didn't, but suggested that I check the Sunoco only 150 feet away for what I needed. I couldn't believe my luck! It was a garage. An honest to goodness old fashioned 3 bay service station, with a white dude who spoke english! Gee ****... God does love me. I purchased a brand new Interstate battery, borrowed a half inch wrench, and proceeded to swap out one battery, and disconnected the other. I then took the battery I took out over to the garage for a recharge. We watched "The Ring 2" on the hotel room cable, and then fired up the Moosestang, swung over to pick up the charged battery and drove home on battery power. Much easier since it was now daylight. We got home at noon, and I spent the afternoon installing a spare alternator, and then swapping most of the AC components over from my parts truck. So... no time for video editing today or yesterday. You'll have to stay tuned....
Vacatious Interuptus
- Thread starter Agnem
- Start date
EvergreenRanch
In Transition
rats......glad to hear you made it home ok chief, and that the little indians and squaw werent too put out in the ordeal. looking forward to seeing the mpeg when you get a chance.
rubberfish
Registered User
Ummmm,,,I'd say you have a pretty good excuse buddy.Agnem said:
That, or a very well rehearsed lie.
j/k69oiler
I don't feel tardy
suuuure, a likely story.
seriously, it's times like that you're glad you have your trusty IDI.
seriously, it's times like that you're glad you have your trusty IDI.
John Haggerty
Birth Certificate
Knoebels, my favorite park! What's better is that the family who owns the park is my neighbor at my PA Mt. house. Plenty of free tickets on the fireplace mantel!
Good to know it wasn't that bad.
P.S.- Seen a train with a caboose go by the other day!
Good to know it wasn't that bad.
P.S.- Seen a train with a caboose go by the other day!
argve
Resident Fruitcake
Sometimes it just works out that way...
Ehh oh well... Such is life man...
Glad you were able to make it home.
Ehh oh well... Such is life man...
Glad you were able to make it home.
Dsl_Dog_Treat
I lost my face to the jaws of a poodle
rubberfish said:Ummmm,,,I'd say you have a pretty good excuse buddy.
That, or a very well rehearsed lie.
Ya now he'll reward us with a 45Mb video file that us dialupers won't see until Christmas.
I gotta agree with Rob, simple trusty and not so close to BFE.
Freight_Train
Traitor to the brotherhood
Caboose!!!!WHERE.WHICH WAY WAS IT HEADED!!!!WHAT ROAD!!!!!
Oh,to keep it on topic.....Ummm,I guess that is the differance between Yankees and Rednecks.......Down here,I would have just duct taped a couple $3 flash lights to the front end and one inside so I could keep an eye on the Volt-o-meter and kept on trucking till it was deathly close to shut down!
Oh,to keep it on topic.....Ummm,I guess that is the differance between Yankees and Rednecks.......Down here,I would have just duct taped a couple $3 flash lights to the front end and one inside so I could keep an eye on the Volt-o-meter and kept on trucking till it was deathly close to shut down!
The Warden
MiB Impersonator
Reminds me of when the voltage regulator went out on my Benz last October....while I was in L.A. with no time to swap in another VR (it's a removable part of the alternator). I recharged the battery and drove the car the 8 hours back home using as little electricity as possible...and, even still, ended up driving for about 2 hours at night. The headlights were barely telling other cars where I was by the time I got home, but the car made it...
Good to hear that all ended well
Good to hear that all ended well
towcat
Full Access Member
tim-The Warden said:Reminds me of when the voltage regulator went out on my Benz last October....while I was in L.A. with no time to swap in another VR (it's a removable part of the alternator). I recharged the battery and drove the car the 8 hours back home using as little electricity as possible...and, even still, ended up driving for about 2 hours at night. The headlights were barely telling other cars where I was by the time I got home, but the car made it...
Good to hear that all ended well
there's one nice thing about mbz that our fords lack. mbz diesels have vac IP shutoff. so as long as you have it fired up, its going to run until it runs out of feul.
i've even isolated my ford's IP solenoid to a jumpack after firing it up so I can be making it home with no sweat but a little blind.
I was explaining to the wife and kids just how futile it would be to try and manage the electrical system on a newer truck. I can just imagine what it would be like with a Silverado. Sure glad I can still decide when to turn the lights on and off.
Sure glad I can still decide when to turn the lights on and off.
sle2115
NRA LIFE MEMBER
Agnem said:I was explaining to the wife and kids just how futile it would be to try and manage the electrical system on a newer truck. I can just imagine what it would be like with a Silverado.
Yep, right up until someone pulls out in front of you! Funny thing is, I have never had these problems in my Silverado!
69oiler
I don't feel tardy
i lost an alternator in my Sonoma recently, but swapped in a new one before i lost all battery power. the good news is it was an easy install. fuel pump was turning slower though. i imagine it was only a matter of time before i lost enough pressure to kill the injection system (tempramental early Vortec )
)
82F100SWB
Full Access Member
'Bout a month ago, my truck stopped charging... I didn't notice until a week later when I went to pick up my quad, and an hour later when I got to the dealer, it wouldn't start back up... Went, got another battery(I only run a single) and proceeded on my way... Changed out the faulty alternator after I got home...
I've debated seeing if I can't convert the DB2 to a cable operated fuel cutoff...
I've debated seeing if I can't convert the DB2 to a cable operated fuel cutoff...
