Car Issues

Yesterday afternoon my car wouldn't start. Just went Brrr, shuddered and would not go. So I called the NRMA (auto club to you Americans)WAit 1 hour. Out came the guy, car is in garage under building so had to let him in etc. COuple of goes got it going.

Now I need to drive around for an hour to recharge the battery. Instead of walking with my friend along the beach, which I planned to do, I had to think of somewhere to go for an hour. Drove around the area and along to Kurnell - Captain Cook's Landing Place and home of lots of dirty industry including the big Caltex oil refiniery. Hadn't been out there for sometime, so drove around looking at the scenery (the nice stuff, Pacific Ocean, rock formations, beach etc - not the oil refinery, pipeline, desal plant etc). Drove for an hour and 15.HOme to change, left car running and went to church. Asked before mentioned friend to wait and make sure it started. A little dodgy but with a rev or two, I was fine.

All is well. Go two more atarts out of it. Then this afternoon - at the shopping centre - no start again! Call NRMA to replace battery. Wait 1 hour (thankfully I had just bought Maeve Binchy's new book, so had something to read in the parking lot!) New battery installed, nice chat to NRMA guy. Starts first go. Thank you very much - see you and off he drives. I drive 20 metres and car conks out. Restart. 10 more metres, conks out. Restart, maddly waving at vanishing NRMA van. 10 more metres, conks out, not even out of the parking lot yet.

So pull over and call NRMA number again! We' send a patrol out. Wait 40 minute more - enjoy book. Next NRMA guy, has look , has a fiddle, says yo drive round parking lot and I'll follow. Keeps conking out.

Now it starts to rain - heavy. He pullsof the filter, cleans carbon out of engine, fiddles with idle etc. Drive around and I'll follow. Conk out, conk out, conk out. Try again. Notice that in the odometer it says "S" not the mileage etc. Ok, let's look at the car manual. Seems, when battery is replaced, the computer has to be reset, so the car knows the size of it's engine - 3.5 litres - then it knows to idle at the right speed. Yay - we are going again. Over 2 hours of messing around.

Gee I hope it starts tomorrow