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when a car turns against you
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PB2K
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Oct 29, 2013, 01:36 PM
 
So I have this economical car that I used to drive for the last 2 years. I really loved it and maintained it for as much as I needed to. Today the indicator lights stopped working, then suddenly the idling engine started to rev irratically. I opened up the bonnet and checked the fluids, the radiator cap shot off and nearly hit me in the face, followed by a shower of boiling coolant fluids. Surprisingly I didn't suffer any serious burns (although the water was boiling) but this enthusiasm for the car has dropped completely.

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laughingbunny
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Oct 29, 2013, 01:44 PM
 
Maybe if you stop driving it for two weeks and try a new car, your enthusiasm for the old car would come back
     
The Final Dakar
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Oct 29, 2013, 01:48 PM
 
Jesus, glad you didn't get any serious burns.
     
P
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Oct 29, 2013, 02:03 PM
 
That is unfortunately not all that uncommon, so it bears repeating: Never ever unscrew the radiator cap when the engine is still hot, and whenever you touch that thing, hold it with a rag and open it slowly to let any overpressure out while the cap is not quite loose.

(The base error is most likely software, btw.)
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
andi*pandi
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Oct 29, 2013, 02:22 PM
 
My car tried to commit suicide a few weeks ago. When it was at the body shop I thought I should also get it checked for depression.
     
is not
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Oct 29, 2013, 03:11 PM
 
PB2K, what is your car?
     
subego
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Oct 29, 2013, 03:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
That is unfortunately not all that uncommon, so it bears repeating: Never ever unscrew the radiator cap when the engine is still hot, and whenever you touch that thing, hold it with a rag and open it slowly to let any overpressure out while the cap is not quite loose.

(The base error is most likely software, btw.)
In a similar vein, if you drop your muffler and are going to bailing wire it back in, wait.

They get hot. Really hot.
     
ghporter
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Oct 29, 2013, 09:36 PM
 
Sounds like "burned finger" experience there, subego.

I'm interested in what car it was that tried to do in PB2K. If it's recent enough, the computer could have just found that one small memory leak and leaked all its smarts.... Seriously, no computer, embedded or not, can be 100% reliable 100% of the time, and sometimes it takes a real "cold boot" to fix this sort of thing. With older, non-computer equipped cars, having ALL the indicators go out would be more likely to be a fuse - and would not be followed by a boiling radiator. But a computerized car can go wonky and stop telling you stuff (indicator lights) while it also stops running the radiator fan.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
phantomdragonz
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Oct 30, 2013, 12:23 AM
 
1st… DO NOT OPEN THE RAD CAP WHEN HOT! the coolant system is a pressure system. Water boils at a higher temperature under pressure, thus it's more efficient to operate under pressure, they are designed this way. When you release the pressure the coolant instantly boils and creates vapor, thus you get a rather violent gushing of hot fluids.


Gauge cluster issues: Gauge clusters are typically very simple, provide power and they usually work. If the car is new enough it might only have two wires and be completely digital. However your issue is probably a power supply issue.

Check the alternator, the regulator might have gone bad and forced the alternator into a full output mode, this provides way more voltage then the system is designed for, maybe the rectifier broke and is now providing AC to the battery… either way if the alternator is bad it should be replaced. ALSO, could be the battery, but I bet it's the alternator…

OR… maybe a loose connection, OR a software issue (unlikely)

I would google your car make and model for example (2004 mazda 3 gauge cluster dies, or maybe "2004 Mazda 3 weird electrical problem"
     
angelmb
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Oct 30, 2013, 03:44 AM
 
I thought this was a thread on Mark Webber's F1 season.

Glad you are OK.
     
PB2K  (op)
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Oct 30, 2013, 08:27 AM
 
I can't explain why my face wasn't burned severely, its was just mildly sore.. but being sprayed with brown, boiling water doesn't make a great day.

The car is a Suzuki Turbo from 1993, before removing the cap I felt the intercooler and that was cold so i assumed i would just need to fill it with extra coolant.

I suspect a faulty thermostat that prevents the coolant from being pumped around the engine, instead it just boils in the radiator.
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Shaddim
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Oct 30, 2013, 08:31 AM
 
You've not had a car turn against you until you've dealt with an older Lancia bent of self-destruction (or any 40+ y/o Italian, really). The chain reaction of bad shit is almost comical to watch.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
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PB2K  (op)
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Oct 30, 2013, 09:21 AM
 
Ah reminds me..I had a classic red sports Alfa Romeo from 1975 that had parts falling off it because of corrosion

I remember I loved it so much that I clinged on to it for way too long. It was then I learned not to love cars and regard them as tools.
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Spheric Harlot
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Oct 30, 2013, 10:19 AM
 
How sad.

I remember your GT1300.

I want one, but hearing people like you say that makes me all the more wary.
     
PB2K  (op)
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Oct 30, 2013, 06:56 PM
 
You can buy the GT series as long as it is corrosion free between the front wheels and the doors (the bubbles), there are 5 layers of sheet metal there that are bound to corrode when wet. I enjoyed 18 months of the car, then had to be indecisive another 18 months before I decided the car was occupying my life and budget too much, a paintjob was calculated to be 9000€ ! It's an awesome car that you will thoroughly enjoy, as long as you dont live in wet Europe. I found an original GT in kenya in 2010, it never had a anti corrosion treatment and was pure as it could be. Not a spot of corrosion on that car ! How different it was compated to mine

I can promise you it's the greatest car in your life if you can take care of it !
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Spheric Harlot
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Oct 31, 2013, 01:38 AM
 
Hamburg isn't exactly dry.
     
zro
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Nov 1, 2013, 12:56 AM
 
ProTip™ — Never disconnect the starter motor solenoid without disconnecting the negative (-) battery terminal first. If you cross the positive solenoid terminal to any other metal... things get interesting real fast.

Also, I've done enough bicycle commuting to know that when a car turns on me, it's really the inattentive / stupid asshole behind the wheel doing it.
( Last edited by zro; Nov 1, 2013 at 09:40 AM. Reason: Come to think of it it may have been the starter motor itself…)
     
Doc HM
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Nov 1, 2013, 03:42 AM
 
Getting to know this feeling. My van (15 year old tiny FIAT) has gone for the last 3 years faultlessly and zipped though it's MOT each year with no real issues. However this year... failed on about £400 of mechanical issues, which would have been fine, but also failed on emissions. So, investigated, found No2 cylinder way down on compression. Pulled head, new valve. Fixed £300. Nope, still down. Pulled head, piston rings gone. Fit new set £300, plus a weeks hire car expenses.
So a week later. Van stops dead in mid drive. Crankcase sensor failed. Only £70 but another 2 days car hire. So drive off, bang, coil pack failure. £200.

All good for 5 days then a thump, charge light comes on, fan belt snapped.

Hopefully we are done now. Have spent way more than the van is worth but it's an odd van and serves well as mobile advertising and with the budget I have I could well just end up buying a newer money pit so...

Anyway. Cars eh?
This space for Hire! Reasonable rates. Reach an audience of literally dozens!
     
Shaddim
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Nov 1, 2013, 11:23 AM
 
Originally Posted by PB2K View Post
Ah reminds me..I had a classic red sports Alfa Romeo from 1975 that had parts falling off it because of corrosion

I remember I loved it so much that I clinged on to it for way too long. It was then I learned not to love cars and regard them as tools.
My older European ladies have been cleaned, serviced, and "unplugged" for Winter, they won't be out again until Spring. I'm going to miss them.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
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