Frustrating Day

The trip at this point, with the issues that keep cropping up, has grown tiresome. We had brand new issues today, but hopefully we'll push through them.

First, the car started out way too hot right from the get-go. I did not check the water level before leaving the motel in Grand Junction, and that was the issue....but why was it a gallon low. Topped it off, and a long incline later we needed another gallon. All told today I've added four gallons of water. Some of it is because on the longest climbs (such as Monarch Pass which topped out over 11,300 feet) the boiling point of water is lower and the car pushed up to 95-96C, hence purging out some water.

But to top it off today, the dynamo (generator) stopped charging. Well, it was intermittent, first i

t usually charged, then it barely ever charged. Cleaning the commutator off might have helped

but did not solve the issue. Today's thanks for telephone troubleshooting belongs to Dick Frawley of The Frawley Company. Now I have a hefty backup battery from CarQuest, as well as a new Schumacher 30A quick charger from WalMart. Interestingly, even with all the discharging of the battery, the battery in the car was at 87% charge (according to the charger). The brand new battery was at 78% charge (who knows how long it had been sitting on the shelf?). Now they're both at 100%.

Tonight once the car cooled off, I fiddled the best I could with the dynamo. In case anyone hasn't figured out, I'm not a mechanic, and I cannot explain to you how a dynamo/generator works. Frawley suggested I get at the brushes and see if things were dirty or if the springs were holding them down properly. I got in there and really didn't know what I was looking at. I pulled the springs back, and then pulled back on the brushes and sprayed some contact cleaner between them and the commutator. The commutator is clean (because I cleaned it), and it is nice and smooth. After fiddling with the brushes, now the car is charging (based on a little parking lot testing and a three block drive to get gasoline). I am not confident that it is "fixed," but clearly we're on the right track. If the brushes will just last until we get home that would be awesome, but if not then at least we know where to remedy the problem.

Despite the issues, tomorrow's agenda starts with an ascent of Pike's Peak. I have 9 gallons of distilled water in the back of the car, and we'll grab a couple bags of ice before embarking. We'll have tons of water for the passengers as well, as the lady at the front desk of the motel said that is the best way to prevent altitude sickness.

Then it is time to bring her home.....