Sooooooo……
My truck has had battery problems. About twice a year, it has increasing trouble starting, until a week or two later when it just conks out completely. I understand why it happens – I start it up cold, drive thirteen blocks, let it sit all day, then repeat the process to go home. I hardly ever go anywhere after work, and we never take the truck into Lincoln because it’s a more efficient to take the car. So, the battery doesn’t get charged up. (I asked about this problem last time I took it in, and the guys didn’t really seem to care. The battery is under warranty so they just replace it for free.)
Well, earlier this week it was starting to make the warning sounds, so I let it idle fifteen minutes in the driveway. When Lloyd came home I told him about it and he said, “Tomorrow, let it run an hour.”
So I did. I drove Ralph home, left the car running, and said to myself, “Set a timer so you don’t forget.” This was around 5:00. Then Ralph started doing his pitifully hilarious shennanigans.
As I was writing my post last night at 8:30, there was a knock at the door. It was Mr. Durre, our neighbor. He started to speak, but I went pale and said, “The truck!”
God bless him. If he hasn’t stopped by, that thing would have run out of gas. I am so stupid.
Bright side? It started like a dream this morning.
LOL. I once left our van running in the WalMart parking lot while I did our weekly shopping (not a quick stop). Impressive!
I’m so glad to hear that other people do such things. And thank goodness for the neighbor! Unfortunately though, if there was ever an idiot contest…I fear I’d win.
Once I pulled into a gas station, went inside & paid for my gas, got back in my car & drove off….without putting the gas in my car. When I came out of my next stop I noticed my gas cap thingy open & then it hit me. I went back, head hung, & the guy laughed and I got my gas. My friends all convinced me that I wasn’t an idiot…just a mom with way to many things on her mind that day. So that’s what we’re going with.
I’ve heard that it’s good to let your car run out of gas every once in a while. It helps suck dirt and water out of your gas tank, and it gets blown out your exhaust pipe. You could’ve just claimed it was your regularly-scheduled gas tank emptying day.
It will clean your tank but will clog your fuel filter.
Oh… I should have remembered that. I had a car once that had frequent fuel filter problems. I even learned how to change it. But not without drenching my hands in gasoline. Ahh, the bracing smell of gasoline…
I have a battery charger and you can borrow it whenever you need to.