thegoat4
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2007
- Messages
- 613
- Reaction score
- 6
- Vehicle Year
- 1998
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Manual
I was sent on a road call. Customer stated batteries were dead and truck would not start.
I rounded up four new batteries (18 wheeler), an alternator, a pair of belts, my DVOM, some hand tools, and a mess of fuses and other crap. Drove sixty miles, which included right through Austin midday. When I get there, the idiot driver is sitting inside, key on, fans blowing, radio blaring, headlights on. No wonder the batteries are dead.
So, I whip out my meter and check the remaining voltage, 12.8. Batteries aren't dead. So I ask him to try cranking it for me. He turns the key and the starter motor just spins that engine over like it's nothing. Shaking the whole truck side-to-side.
I ask, "I thought your batteries were dead."
"Yeah, it won't start!"
I get to looking around, it's out of fuel. Tanks are both completely empty. I hop in the seat and turn on the key, the fuel gauge shows empty and the idiot light shines brightly.
"Does your fuel gauge work?"
"Yeah."
"How long has it shown empty?"
"Since yesterday."
The kicker: he was parked literally forty feet away from the fuel pumps at the truck stop.
His boss made him go buy a one-gallon gas can from the truck stop and make fifteen trips back and forth until he had enough fuel to get it primed. It took about four hours, they almost called me back out there, but he got it started again.
When I was on the phone with his boss he commented: "Just between you and me I think I'm going to fire that dumbass as soon as he gets back home."
I said, "Just between you and me that's a really good idea."
I rounded up four new batteries (18 wheeler), an alternator, a pair of belts, my DVOM, some hand tools, and a mess of fuses and other crap. Drove sixty miles, which included right through Austin midday. When I get there, the idiot driver is sitting inside, key on, fans blowing, radio blaring, headlights on. No wonder the batteries are dead.
So, I whip out my meter and check the remaining voltage, 12.8. Batteries aren't dead. So I ask him to try cranking it for me. He turns the key and the starter motor just spins that engine over like it's nothing. Shaking the whole truck side-to-side.
I ask, "I thought your batteries were dead."
"Yeah, it won't start!"
I get to looking around, it's out of fuel. Tanks are both completely empty. I hop in the seat and turn on the key, the fuel gauge shows empty and the idiot light shines brightly.
"Does your fuel gauge work?"
"Yeah."
"How long has it shown empty?"
"Since yesterday."
The kicker: he was parked literally forty feet away from the fuel pumps at the truck stop.
His boss made him go buy a one-gallon gas can from the truck stop and make fifteen trips back and forth until he had enough fuel to get it primed. It took about four hours, they almost called me back out there, but he got it started again.
When I was on the phone with his boss he commented: "Just between you and me I think I'm going to fire that dumbass as soon as he gets back home."
I said, "Just between you and me that's a really good idea."