Mechanical Question?

[rabbitearbandicoot]

my car VZ Commodore has started with a  click-click-click when I try to start it.... it does it 2 or 3 times ... eventually starts after I bless it a few times  .... but I'm worried that eventually it won't ..... so, starter motor? solenoid? 

This had to happen when every mechanic for miles around is on 2-weeks holiday.

[this-one-time-at-bandcamp]

When you take a vehicle in for service, do they provide an estimate of costs?

[serendipityricho]

Hi Rabbit-a few lurkers waiting to find out what the problem was-400

lookers--spill the beans....................Richo.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

got the car back. They checked all the usual things (as mentioned above) - no resolution. If it keeps happening they'll change starter motor but wouldn't do it today because it tested OK.

[serendipityricho]

Well Rabbit--hope it starts tomorrow-let us know.......................Richo.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

he had a nice 2003 Statesman Caprice V8 down there putting an alternator in. Mechanic said he thinks owner wants to sell it. Trouble is it's BLACK - last time I bought a black car - her-indoors never let me live it down.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

---

@serendipityricho wrote:

Well Rabbit--hope it starts tomorrow-let us know.......................Richo.

---

It started OK. Probably started it 40 times in the last 4-5 days - OK.

I dunno! 

[rabbitearbandicoot]

you know what I find amazing?

whenever I have some work done on my car - a few days later something else goes wrong!!

Remember the starting problem? Well, that's been going OK - so far.

I have had an overheating problem a couple of times. Intermittently, temp guage will go right up - and I mean RIGHT UP and just as quickly it will come down again after a minute or so. I had it in to have checked through along with the starting problem - they couldn't find anything wrong - it wouldn't overheat.

Yesterday , it happened again - luckily I was only 300 metres from mechanics. Left it there. Today they put in a new water pump - all going well - until they pressurized the system - and the tank on the radiator blew. Now can't get a new radiator until Monday.

I am not even sure WHY the radiator should have blown - it's only 18 months old? Maybe the apprentice (who they had doing the pump) put TOO MUCH pressure into the system.

I am beginning to think that they fix one problem and cause another (deliberately or accidentally) to keep themselves in work.

[serendipityricho]

Rabbit-the seal on the radiator cap-can drop off and block the radiator-

then come good again-had it happen with a VZ  work car.

The pressure can only come from the system with the motor running..

Cut your loses -get the car crushed and get a new one...Richo.

[the*scarlet*pimpernel]

I think Richo has the best solution. Crush that sucker

[rabbitearbandicoot]

---

@serendipityricho wrote:

Rabbit-the seal on the radiator cap-can drop off and block the radiator-

then come good again-had it happen with a VZ  work car.

The pressure can only come from the system with the motor running..

Cut your loses -get the car crushed and get a new one...Richo.

---

I used to have a new car every 2 years - but I have found there is a slight difference when you are earning $100,000 + a year PLUS lots of perks - and then you come down to living existing on a pension. I used to pay more for parking in Sydney and lunch every day than I am getting in total now. We tried to trade her in last year, on something we could afford, but I had trouble standing on one leg and pushing with the other.