Friday, August 07, 2009

Coil Failure

At least part of what went wrong with the car last night: one of four engine coils failed. This happens instantly and can cause the catastrophic failures my car experienced. There may be other problems. The computer system error says "analog failure". There are a few other parts needing replaced to get the engine running enough to see what the computer system says. Mr. Mechanic is concerned the problem also may be a short somewhere and those can take forever and ever to find. But first step is to get the parts including the coil, and they're expensive and can't be had until next week.

Well that's the car update. I never knew such parts existed. Engine coils, four of them. At least one of mine failed. And they're expensive to replace.

Ok, they're called coil packs and there's one per cylinder or plug. So one has failed and this would not affect anything other than ignition, so the real problem is going to be something else. Shit. I mean shoot.

But wait, some mechanics on a Scion forum said it's going to be the coil, because if a coil pack fails it runs on only three cylinders and a four cylinder car will act exactly as I described when my Scion failed, with vibrations like that. So those Scion car pimper mechanics on the forum are reassuring me that if one of those coil packs failed, simply replacing it should solve all my issues. I told them, "Thank you boys. I do feel much better now." And I do.

5 comments:

  1. how did you getthe towing done? let me know how much all this shit is going to cost if no one else is going to finance it for you....and please don't blubber - i don't do whales...

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  2. I used to do whales. I was an activist when young, trying to save the whales, and the dolphins, from the japanese drift nets. I wrote letters to then Senator Bob Packwood of Oregon, I remember. We were trying to extend the international fishing limit off America's coastline from ten to 200 miles because the Japanese massive drift nets would literally rape the ocean of everything alive, including whales and dolphins. They did get a ten year moratium on whaling finally and I ran into someone, now retired, then I believe OSU president or something, who was on the international whaling commission. I ran into by chance at that local writer's workplace on campus and he wanted to chat up a storm. When he told me who he was and what he did so long ago, it was so cool to meet him, so many many years later. He told me how they swung it, the moratium and how the Japenese were trying to get by it, and all that, but my friend, the writer, who was going somewhere with me, needed to get going. I always wish I had had more time to chat this older gentleman then. He was a mover and shaker in his time.

    Well anyhow, I can swing the repairs. I don't know yet how much the tow will be, but these are honest beyond honest good people, who towed my car and now are in charge of fixing it. I will find the money. It is my responsibility. The car is old now, in miles on the engine, and these problems must be expected. I am hoping these parts he has identified already as bad, will be all that is needed. You never know. But thank you for caring and for the offer. You are coming to see me and I need a car to pick you up and for our week long adventure. I am so looking forward to that I can't tell you. Do not worry about the car. It was bound to happen and better now than when I would be headed to Portland to pick you up.

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  3. well the offer still stands - unless you tell meyour brother is taking care of the finances for the car repair/tow. i am glad you have an honest honest mechanic like that - my husband had one of those years ago when he had his vwbug - the guys' name was Tony, he was greek and he would treat my husband to lunch while the car was being worked on...he would also notice john's empty wallet after paying him and give him a ten or twenty back!
    he ran a private garage that only worked on vws...
    i am sooo looking forward to this visit, too - i for sure need a week away from this joint - you have no idea....i'll be the one off the plane wearing the sign OREGON OR BUST.......

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  4. I want to show off Oregon to you and I want you to have a wonderful laughing time. And I do too.

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  5. actually,youmeantshit......
    well we are going to have a good time...thats already been decided...and i'll even be able to show some of my utube buddies what a deranged good time we are having...
    by the way, i don't twitter....

    ReplyDelete

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