Learnt a very expensive lesson, through an unlucky “ co-incidence” over the holiday period….
Was in
Mansfield, (about 15 k out actually), about to head to lunch at the pub, Chrissy day, all the relo’s there. I unwrap and plug my brand new HP iPaq 12 volt ciggy charger in, hook up GPS, ready to impress all aboard, power it all up, yep, everything’s working, including new ipaq charger ( charge light on). I crank the old girl over ( 2002 100 series std wagon, 45,000K) she starts first hit as always , but WHAT THE….. SRS light on,
Check Engine Light, Parkbrake light on, ( with hand brake off) Alt light plus a few others. 0 volts indicated on gauge, ????
Ok, the new ipaq Charger has fried the dash. Great. Car running, all ok, we’ll drive to the pub. 30 seconds up the road, I shut all down, key off, then restart. Same problems….
Well, dash definitely screwed. ( Im an electronic technician, and busy explaining what has most likely happened to my passengers…)
10 minutes later, 2 K’s out of town……. BANG…… huge amount of steam out of the sides of the bonnet, and inside the cab??? Has the a/c just gone as
well?? Pull straight over, ( after shutting down straight away).. pop the bonnet – steam everywhere. Let it cool down, closer inspection… split top “plastic” tank in radiator, both alternator belts snapped.
Closer inspection, and analysis:
Over the last couple of months, when I’ve been starting her up, the fan belts have been doing that little squeal. It only lasts a second or two, Just enough to remind you to
check the belt tension, and forget about it. A closer inspection of the Belts – they are stuffed (
well wore and cracked.)
Removed the radiator, Bummed a ride back to Melb, only to be told – You cant get a new top tank for these. We can order you a new Radiator?... $ 470 later.
So what happened…
It would appear that the fan/alternator belts deteriorating just decided to give up, right at the time I plugged the ipaq charger in. I “assumed” it had fried the dash, when infact no drive to the alternator was causing the dash problems. Was a bit weird some of the lights that were on but hey, She was trying to tell me something!!!!
I hope my expensive incident may remind some one out there to attend to that little squeal when they start there Fourby, or if all those warning light come on,…. THERE TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!!!!!! Had this happened in the middle of nowhere, we would have been absolutely stuffed.
Happy motoring
Jarrod.