Madame DeLorean saved me from my awful day. I went on to have a splendid birthday and weekend with her. I still haven’t found my 450's key, but I have a feeling it’s somewhere in the mountain of Gambler 500 gear that’s still in the 451's boot.
Meanwhile, Phoenix continues to be one of my favourite vehicles. I have no idea why I’m so darn fond of this thing. I have a new side skirt coming in today (now you know why I don’t take pics of the right side lol) and I’ll get some smoked side visors around Christmas. I love getting some of the closest spaces at work on behalf of these snowbanks.
As for my “birthday present” of giving someone $300 after I’ve already feckin given them $200 the weekend prior. Sorry, I can’t. I’m normally pretty open to being manipulated (something I’m still working on) but you can’t seriously think you can guilt trip me on my birthday of all days? Geez.
Original post
I’m edging ever closer to David Tracy.
Last night I was going to celebrate my birthday by hopefully joining Madame DeLorean in the city on some late night fun. Due to some disappointing missed connections between us that didn’t happen.
On the way home from the city, the exhaust flex pipe on my 451 (car on left) finally gave up on life, somehow damaging the alternator belt in the process. It now squeals in the dry, which isn’t good. It’s regularly had issues with squealing in the wet since it had a warranty well over 100k miles ago, but squealing while dry was always a bad sign. Still, it only eats a belt every 50k, so w/e I guess.
Aside from the ticking bomb that is my alternator belt, the car’s now loud enough that it can wake the dead in another state.
This morning I was supposed to try again with Madame DeLorean. Just my luck I walked outside and discovered my lights were on. Sure enough, no start. Apparently when I parked last night and turned off the auto headlights, I actually turned the stalk to the parking lights. I turn off the auto headlights because a common defect with the 451 is that the rain/light sensor will drain the battery if it’s left on. But I guess I just learned that the parking lights drain the battery faster than the sensor does!
It was then I decided to do that battery swap with the 450 (car on right) that I had been planning on doing. Only...where the hell is the key for the 450?
After a couple of hours of searching, I gave up, mounted the 451's battery to the only starting and driving vehicle at my condo, then rode off to AutoZone to charge the battery.
I put the battery back in then gave it a crank. Oh good, it runs.
Now to the exhaust:
Upon examination, the flex pipe is actually in good shape, it broke where it connects to the muffler. This is allowing the muffler to freely spin on the exhaust hangers where it had enough force and heat to melt a hole in my bumper..
(Ignore the scrubbing pad, I’m also working on refinishing that tow hitch.)
Channeling my inner MacGyver, I decided to chain the muffler to the crossmember behind it. Now it can only spin away from the bumper.
(Ugh, I need to strip that whole thing)
I will then Flex Tape the flex pipe back on and that should be a good enough temporary fix.
I also discovered the passenger door of the 450 to be unlocked, so I was able to complete the battery swap. No idea if the stronger battery from the 451 will be just what the 450 needs...I kinda need the key to test that. :( The 450's battery struggles a little in the 451, but the car’s computers are better at handling it than the 450.
As I continued my search for the 450's key I ended up locking myself out of my condo. So now I wait over an hour for Madame DeLorean to save me with her key.