I’ve mentioned before I’ve been having intense starting issues. This morning I decided to finally pull some wrenches having been led onto the correct trail of my glow plug control relay.
So the past few days I’d been researching off the way it sounds and what it is what it isn’t doing. So a post on the Rainbow Mechanized Squad Facebook group led me to further conversations and analysis. The conclusion led me to an articles of how to replace glow plugs. This article mentioned alternative issues to check first including the control relay which itself is between $100-$200. But there’s a way to bypass it! So before doing all kinds of purchasing and navigation, I pulled the wires I have to my in house battery and used the grounding hole to connect one line. To access the controller I had to pull the dog house out which resulted in a terrible mess and disorganization. But lo and behold making the connection between the proper terminal and the grounded wire with the ignition on, releasing the wire and then cranking made it fire after some attempts. This was a process guided by Turtle, my friend of 3 years, via facebook mesenger. It was a very thorough walk through. I’m very grateful for his assistence and consistency in prompt replies. I hooked the dog house back on (It’s quite the sound to fire your engine without the doghouse on), after doing a dance of pure ecstasy. Can you imagine? the frustration of a persistent problem. The wish for just a professional to be there and help. The gratitude for the miniscule help you receive that really turns out to be the thing you needed. The confusion of looking at a new diagram of a piece of machinery you had no idea even existed. The moments of comparisson of the diagram to the piece you’re looking at. Seeing clearly but doubting your capability of doing it. The resolve to try. The couple missfired attempts with devastation nearing at having to find another way. The crank where you’ve already kind of given up hope that this is going to work. The resulting fire of the engine. The feeling of Joy bubbling up until it can no longer be contained! It fired! It fired! I did it! I even jumped out the front door and danced about. The bum on the corner looked at me weirdly. I quickly cleaned up my tools and got the bus driveable before heading to the post office.
No mail yet. leaving delayed. This is my work break. I went to autozone and purchased a push button I will first connect to the grounded wire and then to the terminal with the white wire. Then I will cut the blue wire from it’s position and also attach it to the white wired terminal.. This will enable me to hold the button down to warm the plugs while the key is in the starting position. Then I release it and try to fire.
Bus life. I’ve got to say that I’m very proud of myself. I overcame a hurdle within my bus with my own two hands. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if it wasn’t for Turtle. But even so, I, a little lady with two kids, managed to overcome a malfunction of mechanical malice in just a few hours. Just a little courage. And lots of faith. And plenty of luck.
Loving you
Matilda the Bugus 