Stupid good for nothing car!

Ming · DOOM! Gender: Joined: 13 Jan 2003

RANT

So this morning I get up and I'm all eager to get going because today is my first day of training for my new job, working as a waiter for Outback...but that's a different story.

So I go outside and get into my car...and it...doesn't...start...

"Crap" I think to myself. "This is really not what I need today." So I try a few times and it still won't start, so I figured that it was just because it was out of gas, since I've been having trouble with the gas gauge lately. Its been really erratic, and I don't think it gives an accurate representation of how much gas I have. I mean, it says I have a little under 1/4 tank, but then again its been like that for 2 days.

Thankfully, my family has another car that no one is using since my parents are already at work and Tobs is in Europe. The only problem is that MY car is blocking that one in the driveway. So what do I have to do? I have to put my car in neutral and PUSH IT, by myself, across the freakin street so that I can get the other one out. Mind you I spent the last 3 months on crutches because of ankle surgery.

So after everything is done at Outback, I meet up with Rev for a while at Borders, then head to Home Depot to buy a gas can so I can get a gallon to put in my car. I do that, put the gallon I bought in my car, and try to start it. It still...doesn't...START!!!

I REALLY don't need this crap right now...

/RANT

~Ming

reaper · I miss you Shar Gender: Joined: 28 Dec 2002

I hear ya man I used to have the shittiest car on the planet, everything that could go wrong will. My advice about the gas gauge is next time you fill your tank do the math to figure out your mileage, then take that into the gallons you car can hold. After that you will be able to use mileage as your gas indicator, It's what I had to do.

But what are the symptoms of your car? Does it have power? Cause it might be a bad battery or a crappy alternator.

Ming · DOOM! Gender: Joined: 13 Jan 2003

The thing is, its not a crappy car by any means. Its just one of those annoying frickin things, and it pisses me off even more because I just bought the car less than a month ago.

I hear ya with the gas gague though...that's probably what I'm gonna have to do from now on, because I don't think that its reliable, and its too much of a big ordeal to fix. Unfortunately, that wasn't the problem.

The car appears to have power. All the electronics work, so I know its not the battery. I'm not sure its the alternator. I've had problems with alternators before, and none of them were like this, at least that I remember. My dad says it might be the solenoid, which, if I remember my engine anatomy, is essentially a large electronic switch that can handle the electrical current generated to start the car.

It explains everything about it here:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine14.htm
(BTW, this site is AWESOME for learning how lots of stuff works. I learned everything I know about car engines from reading this, and I think they even how a section on how sword making works. It's really good and very interesting.)

Hopefully its that, because the part only costs like $24 and I apparently can install it myself.

~Ming

reaper · I miss you Shar Gender: Joined: 28 Dec 2002

Yeah it probably is the solenoid, don’t worry they are really easy to install. The solenoid is basically just a bolt off, bolt on job. The biggest thing you need to watch is be absolutely certain you keep track of which wires came from where. Good luck man.

GAAZ · MOD Black Sheep Commander Gender: Joined: 14 Oct 2002

If it's a honda or foreign type car it's the Solenoid hands down...It's actually a little washer that isn't making contact with the leads because it get hung up on something..The easy way to fix it is to hit your starter with a block of wodd to jar it loose..The other choice is to take it off and trade it in for a new one "MAKE SURE YOU GET LIFETIME GUARANTEE"

When I had my honda I replaced the starter 6 times in 3 months before I got a good starter.

Ming · DOOM! Gender: Joined: 13 Jan 2003

Heh. Actually, I figured out the problem. It WAS that it was out of gas. When I went back I gave it some gas while the car was sputtering, and it finally started. So I think it was either that the gas needed to settle in, or it was some sort of minor problem that seemed to fix itself.

But I definitely think there's a problem with the fuel gauge/bobber in the tank. When I filled the tank, the needle didn't go up all the way. It's a pain in the ass, but I can live with that.

At any rate though, I'm going to keep an eye on everything for the next few days, just to make sure. I think that there may be something sketchy about the gas tank/fuel system anyway, but maybe it IS the solenoid. It is a foreign car after all, as Az mentioned (its an Infiniti). But thanks a lot for the support guys, I appreciate it a lot.

~Ming, relieved