I don't want to jinx it... Gus redux
Well Gus the truck has been down and out for some time. Thanks to mom I got my really cool new starter in. So all I needed was to install and start 'er up. Since this about the fourth or fifth time I've taken the starter out and put it back it was pretty easy, even at night with a headlamp.
I was almost about to get excited about a working truck. I put the key in the ignition and noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I quickly popped it open to find a fire in the engine compartment. The next few moments were strange.
I walked quickly toward the house, not really knowing what to do. At this point it may have been better to get some lighter fluid and chuck it in the truck; at least then I could quit thinking about it. But I got some water after informing Philip and Luke my truck was on fire and put it out, and disconnected the battery cable.
Apparently the problem was electrical. To add to the confusion my clutch quit working. I racked my brain over it for a while. Can you guess what caused my truck to catch fire AND my clutch to quit working?
OK, so apparently the starter wire from the battery was frayed and contacting the frame. My clutch hydraulic line also comes into contact with the frame, and down the line the ground to the battery. Not directly but in a convoluted way. So when I hooked the battery up it made a circuit with my hydraulic line as a resistor; hence the fire. The heating caused an air bubble to form in the line, rendering the clutch useless. So I repositioned my starter wire and bled the hydraulic line.
MY TRUCK IS RUNNING!!!! and my wheel bearings seem to be holding!
Paul "dirty fingernails" Murphy
Well Gus the truck has been down and out for some time. Thanks to mom I got my really cool new starter in. So all I needed was to install and start 'er up. Since this about the fourth or fifth time I've taken the starter out and put it back it was pretty easy, even at night with a headlamp.
I was almost about to get excited about a working truck. I put the key in the ignition and noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I quickly popped it open to find a fire in the engine compartment. The next few moments were strange.
I walked quickly toward the house, not really knowing what to do. At this point it may have been better to get some lighter fluid and chuck it in the truck; at least then I could quit thinking about it. But I got some water after informing Philip and Luke my truck was on fire and put it out, and disconnected the battery cable.
Apparently the problem was electrical. To add to the confusion my clutch quit working. I racked my brain over it for a while. Can you guess what caused my truck to catch fire AND my clutch to quit working?
OK, so apparently the starter wire from the battery was frayed and contacting the frame. My clutch hydraulic line also comes into contact with the frame, and down the line the ground to the battery. Not directly but in a convoluted way. So when I hooked the battery up it made a circuit with my hydraulic line as a resistor; hence the fire. The heating caused an air bubble to form in the line, rendering the clutch useless. So I repositioned my starter wire and bled the hydraulic line.
MY TRUCK IS RUNNING!!!! and my wheel bearings seem to be holding!
Paul "dirty fingernails" Murphy
posted by Paul Murphy at
7:05 PM
1 Comments:
Ok, so I am a friend of Keva's. She told me to check out your blogs. I love reading them, they always make me laugh or really think. I loved the one about Mansion Robe and a Crown. I loved what you had to say about life being a journey. So, anyways I thought I would leave you a comment. Oh, and good luck with your truck and bike.
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Anonymous, at 5/27/2008 12:29 PM
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