My First Tow!

[Millrat]

Wind in my hair, car running great, plenty of time to get home before the game starts, wife off doing her own thing :banana:......
Turned for home and the Sprite just quit :eeek:. Of course no cell phone. Walked to the nearest house and called our tow guy. Missed the whole first half of the Oregon game.

My question is this: How long can you run with a wire off the generator :lol:

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Just long enough. Same rule as "how much is something worth?" As much as someone will pay for it.

So....you never saw the light on?

We all know what those lights are called.....

 

[Millrat]

Not sure which light.. But yes, I do qualify

 

[JOeyKnapp]

You now know just how long you can run with that wire off! Right about where you stopped...

 

[taskadog]

The Oregon game was awesome. Most are hard for me to see because of the time zones and late starting times. I've fallen asleep for the second 1/2 more than a few times.
Goooooo Ducks,

Phil class of '76

 

[Millrat]

Yeah, the game starts at 12:30 AM your time this week. Hope they don't tank against Arizona...

And yes, I was out of gas as well as the wire off and a coil lead that broke when I barely touch it. Still lots of little gremlins.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

What year Sprite? Dead battery, it won't crank, out of petrol, it will.
Most have a lamp, sometimes called "IGN", that lights up when it ain't charging. Can't tell what you've got unless I know what car, year, all that stuff.
Even late Spridgets (like 78 Midget) had the light, seem to recall my days with B/E's they did, too.
Dave

 

[regularman]

If you could have gotten someome to stop and hook up a set of jumper cables for a few min. They could have charged your battery and you could have made on home. I have lost a gen or alt and made it a LOOOng ways that way. I hope that didn't cost you too much.

 

[nomad]

Reminds me of a time crossing west Texas eastern New Mexico when a friend and I drove for what seemed like hours with a lunched generator BY MOONLIGHT! Didn't have much choice since, at that time, there wasn't anything out there!

Kurt.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Did that once with the family in the 50 Ford. Generator went in Oregon, drove to Seattle, and to work the next day.

 

[Millrat]

What year Sprite? Dead battery, it won't crank, out of petrol, it will.
Most have a lamp, sometimes called "IGN", that lights up when it ain't charging. Can't tell what you've got unless I know what car, year, all that stuff.
Even late Spridgets (like 78 Midget) had the light, seem to recall my days with B/E's they did, too.
Dave

1962 MKII. The out of gas was the big issue. repaired the coil wire, hooked up the generator wire, filled the tank and it started right up. Is the "IGN" light the small red one on the tach? It is on but I thought maybe that was normal? It is still on after repair and hook up so I may not have been charging for the last 30 years! The wire looked as if it had not been hooked up in a long time and the generator is almost as old as I am.

 

[Millrat]

If you could have gotten someome to stop and hook up a set of jumper cables for a few min. They could have charged your battery and you could have made on home. I have lost a gen or alt and made it a LOOOng ways that way. I hope that didn't cost you too much.

Triple AAA. Makes it easy as there is no charge and they take you home . I did have three good looking gals stop and tell me how cute the car was and offer to help. Tow truck was on it's way and I could have been their father

And yes, I had plenty of battery and no fuel :blush:.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Plenty of battery, after 30 years of the lamp on when running, you've got something else going on with the electrics. If it dies and cranks, not the battery.

 

[regularman]

How much is AAA?

 

[61frogeye]

Check your insurance, it may have a number you can call for a free tow like AAA. I have Hagerty for my Sprite and my other 2 cars are on Geico. I have road side assistance with both carriers.

 

[Millrat]

How much is AAA?

We pay about $118/ year. That gets any car we are in towed up to 100 miles no charge. there are a lot of other benefits and discounts. NAPA parts and most tourist destinations get up to 20% off. Works for us.

 

[regularman]

Wow, that is pretty good. I used to have RAC in England and they had a deal called recovery where they would tow you home from anywhere in the UK. I bought that and drove old minis all over the place. Never had to use it but it gave me peace of mind.
All the ones I have seen here only want to tow you to the nearest garage and not home. Still 100 miles is not bad.

 

[Millrat]

We bought the 100 mile plus from AAA when our daughter started college. the day she called to tell me that there was a loud noise but it went away but then the car wouldn't start after I drove ten miles and shut it off was the day it paid for itself. Had the car towed 40 miles home and replaced the starter that had blown up. No charge and good service!