third time ain’t charming

so, they say bad things happen in threes…

…if this is true, i should be good for a while.

my last two bits have been about mechanical issues – first the tire last friday, then the mower on wednesday. so imagine my shock and horror when i had my third issue last night…just left the ufc’s place, maybe an exit or two up the highway, and the battery light comes on.

not good.

but i was still going sixty plus down the highway, and the a/c and radio were going, the lights weren’t dimming…i thought that was weird. so i called my boss to get his opinion, thinking maybe it was the ACTUAL battery (which was still under warranty) and started to exit on a road i knew i could get to autozone…but my power steering was sluggish…

…i’d been there before. with the ol’ malibu. i knew this meant the belt was gone, and the temp would start to rise right…about…now.

yep.

the light came on for high temp and i shut off the car as i exited, popping it into neutral and hitting the hazard lights – made it to a shell station parking lot, and one hour and fifteen dollars later it was on flatbed to the house. my biggest fear was that i could get the belt (which got trashed), but would probably have to order the pulley that failed as well as the one that got melted…but all were in stock at autozone when i called early today, so i rolled back over and dozed in and out for a few hours.

to be honest after the week i’ve had with all the mechanical issues i was mentally, emotionally, and financially done.

i had no idea the parts were the least of my problems – you need a “special tool” to remove the fan, which all the websites say you have to do, and the tool is special enough that nobody in lockhart, san marcos, or anywhere i called in austin has it…

…lovely.

…so i think i’ve figured a way around the fan removal, and the ufc was kind enough to give me a ride to and from work; so we’ll see what saturday morning brings.