If you're wandering in the forest trying to concentrate on the trees, 

photo source: unsplash

don't accidentally fall down a rabbit hole!

photo source :Dreamstime.com

Have you ever convinced yourself that a certain "thing" was causing a particular problem, to the point that you overlooked or ignored another much simpler alternative? 

Sometimes it's easy to fixate on a possible solution, even when trying to chase it down hasn't resulted in any progress. The building frustration just makes it even harder to see clearly. 

Especially when the first obvious symptoms didn't resemble anything that you've ever seen before. Then the blinders come on! It's kind of funny that even with almost fifty years of experience in dealing with cars and motorcycles I found myself dealing with a "novel" situation. 

Once you find yourself in a situation like this, it's pretty easy to become difficult to deal with, the tendency is to dig in, and and to become stubborn, especially when you find yourself in a rut like this. 

This is a time when you need to go back to the basics.

We know that an engine needs three things to run;

Fuel, Air, and Spark. Take away any of these elements and the engine will stop. An interrupted supply of any of these three things will result in poor or sporadic running. 

Electrical systems need two things; a complete circuit, negative and positive power delivered to the item at the proper points.

They also require an adequate source of power, either household a/c circuit or a battery to send the electrons down the way. 

If we can't find these electrons at the end of the line, ready to power a light bulb, or spin an electric motor, we need to trace the route back. 

We come to expect certain familiar symptoms to present themselves when problems occur. We build up a storehouse of experience over the years. This usually allows to properly diagnose what is causing the problem. 

The difficulty develops when we stray, or are led into a foreign realm.

Mechanical items, nuts and bolts, levers and shafts. All these items are easily visible.

Electrical systems like wires, connectors, switches, batteries, motors, fuses and relays. These are also pretty straightforward.

But what about "electronics?" Those mysterious "black boxes?" Filled with electronic components like transistors, capacitors, circuit breakers, fuses, relays, printed circuits, and other things that can't be easily visually diagnosed? 

For many, if not most of us, we have no detailed understanding of what goes on in there!

After the replacement SJB didn't work, I decided that I would just have the car towed to the local Ford dealer. I don't like my local dealership, so what difference did it make where it went? It would surely be less hassle to have it dealt with locally. I put everything back as it was. I would let the dealer test it and sort things out. 

I told my Daughter that I had reached the end of my rope and was out of ideas on what to do. I was going to contact the Ford dealer and that I would get back to her.

Before I left I called my Wife to give her a progress report, I ran through what had occurred:

When I arrived, I had checked the battery voltage with my multimeter. The battery was still connected, as my Daughter had tried to run a scan for codes. The voltage was very low, around seven volts. I had wanted the battery to be left disconnected so it hopefully wouldn't have run down any more. 

I installed the proper replacement SJB ( Smart Junction Box) and then jumped the car to start it.

The proper replacement worked for a while. Everything, all systems appeared to be working.

Then it died.

I jumped the car again and left it connected, and the car seemed to run fine. I let it run for at least 15 minutes but I was worried that it might damage the battery in my car.  I disconnected the jumpers and it ran for a couple of more minutes then died. 

At that point I reinstalled the original SJB in disgust. 

My Wife focused on a salient point in the narrative, one that I dismissed. The conversation went like this:

She asked, "So it was running okay when the jumpers were hooked up?"

"Yes. "

"It died after you disconnected it? "

"Yes."

"Do you think that the alternator is bad?"

"I don't think so, I checked it and it put out over 13 volts."

"Do you think that the battery is bad?"

"I don't think so.

"Why don't you try a new battery, you said the voltage was real low when you checked it, and you had to jump it to start it. And you said the motor died after you disconnected the jumper cables. "

"It's only two years old."

"You've already made three trips up there, with no progress. What can it hurt to try the battery?"

"Well, it will cost 200 bucks, it's only two years old, I think it ran down because of the SJB causing a drain. I guess that I could take it to an Autozone or O'Reilly's and have them test it before I buy a new one."

"Let me know what happens." 

I checked and found the proper battery in stock at a local O'Reilly's 

So I went back up, got the key from my Daughter- again, and pulled the battery. I took it to the O'Reilly's a few miles down the road. They tested it and the counterman told me. "It looks like it is going to be about 90% bad."

I paid my money, and was glad that I'd pulled the old battery first, so that I wouldn't have to make another trip to return the core.

On the trip back to my Daughter's apartment I started thinking. It's not just the voltage that's important with car batteries, it's also the amperage. Without enough amps the engine can't start, even with twelve volts indicated on a multimeter. In the past, I'd had batteries fail after only a year or two, generally they won't be able to start the engine, that would be the main symptom. I went through a bad run of Interstate batteries with my Seville, years ago, which is why I now avoid that brand.

Maybe it's a low amperage battery problem with the SJB. It just didn't put out enough juice to start the motor and power all the systems. This resulted in the system going bananas. On another occasion, my Daughter had run the battery down before, listening to music in the car with her friends with the motor off. A jump got it started with no further problems. I had replaced the battery shortly after that. 

After all the years on the Jaguar forum, where the battery is ALWAYS the first suspect, I just couldn't accept it. 

I got back and hooked up the battery. It fired up and everything was working! I let it run, switched on the a/c and went to go buy a burger as a test run. I kept the engine running after the drive through, while I was parked under a tree enjoying my lunch. Then I drove back, parked in the lot and switched off the motor. I tried restarting it and it sprang to life with no problems. I had run the car for almost an hour. Success!

I admitted to my Daughter that I hadn't considered the battery as a possible problem, because it was only two years old! Batteries don't last as long as they used to, now they generally fail in four to five years. The circus of SJB problems had totally distracted me, and resulted in my lack of consideration of a possible battery sourced problem. She had mentioned the alternator several times, but I checked the output and hadn't found a problem. But I didn't take the battery out and have it tested! I just assumed that it had to be okay. In fact I just didn't assume that, I completely accepted it as gospel. 

After I "fixed" the car I felt kind of embarrassed, I thought that I should have done it sooner. I told my Daughter, "My head hangs down, my face burns in shame, and I will walk now a little lighter in humility!"

I phoned my Wife with the good news, I admitted that her "fresh eyes/fresh ears" had been an immense help. I just had to repeat the line about walking lighter in humility! ( It's a good one!) 

Don't you hate the always Mr. "Right?"

I am reminded of an episode of that old Tony Randall/Jack Klugman sit com, the Odd Couple. In it, Felix is lecturing Oscar in front of a blackboard where the word "assume" is prominently written. Felix self righteously instructed Oscar, "Whenever you ASS-U-ME, you make an ass of you and me!

I wouldn't go that far Felix, but we have to be careful not to let our thinking get trapped by assumptions. 

Of course I haven't checked back with my Daughter to see if everything is still okay. Sometimes you don't want to think about things like this for a while! 

I did enjoy the drive home.

My Daughter moved her car 120 miles away. 

It's fun to leave your mark. Gotta have a little fun! 

Six degrees of separation, Fahrenheit or Celsius? 

The Never ending story? 

This came out of an '08 Mustang.

Armed with my junkyard SJB I drove back up to Davis. This time I took my '96 Mustang as it got a bit better gas mileage than the Flex, and I figured that it could use some exercise.  I'd been driving it since I fixed the plug wire incident with no problems, in fact it was running really strong. I always describe the temp gauge as a clock face, straight up being 12:00. Usually the needle stayed to the right at around 11:55. When the needle indicated 12:03 I was starting to get a bit concerned. It never got higher than 12:05.

It was a hot day, 90+ degrees, and I was moving along at 75+ mph. Usually low speed cooling issues work out due to the increased air flow. I hadn't had any problems in a long time, and I wasn't in a position to do much right now except to check the coolant level when I arrived. Upon arrival the needle returned to a more normal position. All through this episode the needle had never left the "normal" range indicated on the gauge. It also never "puked" any coolant upon stopping, which left me to deal with the other Mustang.

Removing the kick panel covers was easy, I first pried up the door sill plate then pulled the kick panel cover off exposing the SJB. I did not detect any evidence of water intrusion, not even the most minor presence of any moisture. Everything was dry. I removed the three electrical plugs visible from the front, then undid the single securing nut and pulled the SJB out of its recess. There were seven more plugs in the back! There are hundreds of connections. 

I didn't see any evidence of moisture in the area or oxidation inside of the connections of the original box. All of the connections in the car mated with the replacement '08 box, except one that looked like an antenna connection. The '08 box had what appeared to be an aerial running up the outside of the case. Sort of like an old transistor radio. I guessed that this was for the key fob transmitters.

After it was hooked up, I was successful in starting the car.. The engine was running and the dash warning lights went out. I found that the a/c fan control, radio, turn signals, and windows all were working again. The engine sounded fine, and I was just about to congratulate myself when the traction control light lit up and the others followed. The functions that had been there a minute ago were now gone! I quickly moved the car to a shaded parking spot after which the motor died and would not restart. 

I was quite disappointed, to say the least. I did manage to restart the motor by jumping the battery but nothing was working. I removed the replacement box and exchanged it with the original. I restarted the car by jumping it,  but the motor died after about a minute. After that I disconnected the negative terminal and left it off, no need to run the battery down further. 

This wasn't going to be an easy fix. Either I needed an exact replacement box or the junkyard replacement would need to be reprogrammed. I imagine that the systems worked until the car realized that it didn't recognize the box and shut everything down. 

While on the road home I kept an eye on the temp gauge and slowed down a bit. The hoses, cap, and coolant were new. The thermostat was changed out not that long ago. There weren't any leaks. When I had cleaned the oil cooler I had found some deposits of corrosion in the oil cooler, maybe the radiator was getting a bit blocked. I'd had the car for 13 years and have never flushed the system. Could it be the water pump? Since it wasn't an emergency it would have to wait.

I also wondered if the new Mach One spoiler was blocking some airflow, since it was positioned ahead of the under bumper opening. The original spoiler, which was still in place, was located behind the opening.

Upon arrival in San Jose I stopped at my mechanic's shop. I asked him about the reprogramming and he told me that he "had a guy" that worked out of the shop. That's one lead that I can follow up on.

I was so desperate that I even contacted the dealer's service writer. They advised me of the same. "Just bring it in and we can run a diagnostic and find what's wrong." Cost? 250 bucks. I asked if they had a secondary source for these units, the service writer told me that was privileged info, they protected their sources. I had been discussing the problem with my Wife, who started looking for an exact replacement on EBay. She found one and we ordered it. Now we just had to wait a week for delivery, but at least it is returnable. 

I had another idea that I could buy a cheap car for my Daughter to drive while I sorted out the problems. But that had it's own problems, how good could a cheap car be? It might turn out to be another problem that I'd have to deal with. Didn't I already have a good cheap car? My '96 Mustang has been well maintained and it's the car that I used to teach my daughter how to drive. 

Realistically, lending her my Mustang made the most sense, even though I'm very protective about this car. 

But what about that temperature gauge?

I have owned the car for 13 years and kept up the maintenance. I'd changed out all the hoses, serpentine belt, and even the thermostat. But I hadn't flushed the cooling system. I had found some deposits in the oil cooler and wondered if there were any in the radiator. I thought about having the radiator flushed at a radiator shop but figured that I would need to make an appointment and it would set me back at least one hundred bucks. I thought it would be more expedient to just change out the radiator with a new unit. I could order one from Rock Auto for that 100 dollars but it would probably take a week to arrive. So I decided to go to my local auto parts store, Winchester Auto. They could order it and have it there in a couple of days for 300.00. So that's what I did.

First I needed to pull the old radiator.

It came out easily.

I didn't find many leaves or debris between the radiator
and the condenser.

I blew some compressed air backwards through the condenser core. I was surprised by how little restriction that it offered to the air flow. I took advantage of this opportunity since it doesn't present itself too often. 

I got a call a couple of days later about the radiator and went to pick it up. I immediately noticed a hole punched in the box. I opened up the box and sure enough, found a small area of flattened fins. I didn't think that it would leak or cause any real problems, but I had just paid three bills! No way I was going to accept this, I told them that I needed a replacement. ASAP! They told me that it had a lifetime guarantee and that I could bring it back if it leaked. Then they said that it might be a week to source a replacement. I said that was unacceptable, and insisted that they start looking for one. A couple of phone calls later they told me that they could have one delivered in three days. It was longer than I wanted, and I suspect they had just told me a story so I would take the damaged item. Like I had told them, I didn't want to have to do the job twice! 

Now, that's more like it!

In  the meantime, I went home and checked the operation of the electric fan, which worked fine. I really like that electric fans have replaced those old crankshaft driven units. It not only cleans up the look under the hood, it makes working on the motor easier. It looks like this particular radiator/fan combo could be used in updating an earlier car. Good to know.

After I had pulled the old radiator, I noticed that some of the last coolant dripped out along with some "crap." Fine, sand-like debris. Maybe there was some blockage. The old radiator was too good to toss, I think that it would be okay with a garden hose flush, there wasn't any damage or leaking. I plan to sell it on Craig's List, the last radiator that I bought from Pick and Pull set me back fifty bucks. 

Everything went back together smoothly and a couple of short test runs didn't indicate any problems, so I was set to go.

My Wife had ordered an exact replacement Smart Junction Box off E bay, now all we had to do was wait for it to arrive. Then I would be good to go.

 My Daughter moved her car 120 miles away.

Another Chapter in the saga. I'm starting to lose count!

I thought and certainly hoped that after the transmission rebuild that I would have a trouble free period with the car. It was a good couple of months. Then the text came, funny problems with the car!

My Daughter had called and reported that during her lunch break, after sitting in the parking lot with the engine running, a/c on, and listening to the stereo, that when she shut the key off, the in dash multi disc cd player began shifting through the discs, as if to eject them. This was with the key off! Repeatedly hitting the radio switch and turning the key off and on didn't affect this. She tried to start the engine but it just made some weak clicking sounds. She had to return to work so the cars sat for a few hours. 

After work she tried to start the car and was successful, driving back and parking it at home. Later the car would not restart. Then she called me to let me know the situation. 

This was an odd symptom, something that I had never experienced during my prior ownership of the car.

I started searching the Internet and found a lot of related threads in various Mustang and Ford forums. I discovered that this was a common condition. There were also comments that other systems were displaying odd symptoms. However I focused on the cd player. The cure was stated to be disconnecting the battery terminals and performing a "hard reset" by touching the battery cables together, This was supposed to discharge any memory systems in the electrical system so they could be started clean. 

This concept of the hard reset would be well known to any Jaguar fan that has been involved with forums over time. It seems that Jags built after 2003 are notorious for electrical gremlins, usually related to weak batteries. Their electrical systems need a minimum of 12+ volts to function properly. Many Jags are not everyday cars, and as they sit, their batteries lose voltage, due the drain of  maintaining memory systems in the car. A lot of owners keep battery maintainers hooked up to keep the battery topped up.

My Daughter knows enough about cars to know that the alternator supplies the electricity to charge the battery and asked if that could be the problem. The starting issue was the only one that presented itself so that was all I considered before driving up the next day.  

When I arrived I checked the resting battery voltage with both terminals connected. It showed 11.77 volts on my multimeter. Then I disconnected both cables and measured the battery voltage again. It was the same. After performing the hard reset, I started the engine, without a jump,  and recorded 13.8 volts with the motor running, which indicated that the alternator was working. 

My conclusion was that since she lives only three miles from work, the battery doesn't have enough time to recharge the battery after starting, especially since she was using the lights, stereo and a/c. She  had been on vacation for a week so the car had not been used for some time. She also mentioned that it sometimes took two tries to start the motor, that thought registered, but I didn't think that the fact was too relevant. I thought  that I'd drive the car for a while to charge the battery. I decided to drive to Sacramento Vintage Ford, an antique and hot rod car shop.

When I arrived I left the car running and opened the hood to check the running voltage which was over 13 volts. When I shut it off the resting voltage was over 12 volts, so it looked like it was okay. The car restarted and I drove to a nearby gas station/car wash. I put some gas in, bought a car wash and restarted the car and put it through the wash with the engine running. I drove "home" with no problems, the car felt great. After I arrived I rechecked the battery and alternator once more with positive results. 

The advice I offered learned from the forums was to turn the radio off before turning the key off. It was also suggested that the driver not depend on the "after shut off" accessory power.  I shared these insights with my Daughter before I left.

Now I felt great during my drive home. 

But of course, this feeling didn't last! At least I felt good during the two hour drive home!

The next evening I received a text that the car had been fine for a day and she had used the car to run some errands with no trouble. After work the problems started again. This time the car wouldn't start at first. The car started up but after driving a bit all the warning lights lit up, luckily she could pull into a parking lot. She called for her partner to get help and they managed to get the car started and it barely made it back to her parking lot at home. 

Back to the Web.

I spent a few hours reading about similar problems. The accessories, a/c, and windows not working, all warning lights lit up on the dash. It was determined that something called the SJB, Smart Junction Box was at fault. This is a combination fuse/body control computer located  behind the right front kick panel. All the accessory and body systems are controlled by this box. 

I learned that most problems were due to moisture getting into the connections. This moisture was due to water leaking in from the cowl area and dripping on the box. The leaks were due to poor sealing or a blocked drain. Usually the posters had complained of wet carpets and a damp smell. When the plugs were disconnected at the SJB, there was visible corrosion at the terminal pins. 

I never noticed any damp smell in the car even after I drove it through the car wash. 

Some guys had success drying and cleaning the connections. Some didn't. In that case the SJB needed to be replaced. One problem; these have been out of production for years and there weren't any "reconditioned" units available. My auto parts store told me that they couldn't order one. I even contacted the dealer's repair section. They advised me of the same. 

I watched a bunch of videos where the poster used one sourced from Ebay. I went to Ebay and check out some parts interchanges. 

After lots of research I learned that the important thing was to match body style to body style, ie; coupe to coupe, convertible to convertible. The option levels were important also, base as opposed to deluxe, which has more equipment and options. 

I went to a local Pick and Pull lot where I located several similar year Mustangs. According to their interchange, '05 &'06 units are interchangeable and '07 &'8 units are also, I noticed that one plug was different on the '08 unit that I removed. For the price of 40.00 I figured that it was worth a try. 

I had read that it was sometimes necessary to reprogram the unit to have it work properly. 

So far I was only out forty bucks, the cost of gas, and a lot of my free time.  What's a Father to do? 

I drove up again with the new/used SJB hoping for the best. 

 Why we Drive.

An important new book.

The title seems so clear and simple, intending to illuminate why some people just like to drive. But much like the book, Zen and the Art of motorcycle Maintenance, it really deals with a much broader and important subject. 

On the surface of it, the beginning of the book deals with the factors that govern driving. The skill of mastering the operation of the vehicle for basic transport, and the development of higher level skills that allow the machine to be operated at a higher plane of performance.

The author touches on the idea that there is an interplay between drivers on the road. It can boring, waiting behind slower drivers, or it can become almost a dance of coordinated movement at a four way stop sign controlled intersection. 

I have described the harmonious act of driving on Interstate 5, where I modulate my speed to go around slower trucks, and cars, slowing gradually as I anticipate the truckers changing into my lane, and moving to the right lane to allow faster drivers to pass me. This can all be coordinated into a fluidity of uncommunicative cooperation.  Take and send cues to other drivers and if it is working properly turns the process into a community of the moment. Strangers actually working together in a common cause. 

Kind of hard to believe, isn't it? 

The act of driving as an accomplishment.

Is there an actual need for self driving cars? I mean, people have managed to drive themselves around for over a hundred years. Not always without incident. But we have enjoyed a pretty unfettered freedom to cruise the asphalt and concrete tributaries that make up our Nation's highway system. Predominately on our own terms. Yes, there are laws and regulations, but we can get out there and disappear for awhile. Turn up halfway, or even all the way across the country. Or just hideout somewhere where we can't be found or bothered  by the responsibilities and duties that we left behind at home. That's been for the good and the occasional bad. But you've had the choice.

There are those out there that say that they hate driving. But is it the actual act of driving or the commute? The commute being the repetitious act of driving from one location to another. Usually from residence to workplace. Generally this is not a pleasant process due to traffic and time crunches. Or maybe just too much time having to be spent in this activity. 

Even short periods of inter urban commuting can lead to similar frustrations.  Commuting is driving as a chore. Of course there are some people that see any driving as a chore.

The author goes on to describe how competitive automotive racing results in a kind of cooperation that arises spontaneously.

So if humans are so good at cooperation why do we need to have self driving cars? 

Well because they're not.

The author raises another darker reason to promote autonomous vehicles.

The drivers are now passengers, and they are a ripe audience for social media consumption. In other words they are free to be targeted by social media marketeers.

The book has a discussion of various types of racing, then discusses photo enforced intersections and speed limit laws. 

There is also a discussion of "Google Earth." 

Was the book what I expected?

In some ways yes, in others no. 

I was kind of expecting a testament to the love of motor travel, something that I value highly. Maybe some day in the future there won't be any freedom to drive wherever and whenever we wish. I sure hope that day never comes. I find it hard to believe that such a widespread  highway system could ever be so tightly regulated. 

Technology has changed the kind of cars that we currently drive, and there will be even more changes in the future. Even curmudgeons like me will eventually learn to make peace with the adoption of electric vehicles. The important thing is to keep those wheels spinning! 

 Should I be concerned that my rational mind is currently agreeing with my emotional mind? 

Work it out Kronk!
 image source: Disney

This almost sounds like the late onset of maturity!

My rational mind is saying,"don't buy anything right now," 

My emotional minds chimes in and says "Listen to that other angel!" 

I don't really want anything else right now. And, of course, I certainly don't need anything right now.

All I should be doing is enjoying my recent purchase, and I am. It only took 16 years to get it. 

What I am definitely enjoying is having less cars.

An empty side yard, two cars in the garage, my truck at the curb. 

There's two cars in the drive, but that's pretty normal.

Why would I want to mess this situation up? Don't I have everything that I want?

I could do without either the '96 Mustang or the XJS, but I don't have to sell either of them.

The Mustang really doesn't need anything.

My intention has been to straighten out the ABS situation with the XJS, then I can move on to other problems.

There's no need to spend too much money right now. I don't really have to spend any money at all. It's the time to save and build up my car fund. 

Do I even want another old car? That's a question that I've been mulling over in my mind. My XJS is 33 years old, my Mustang is 26 years old, both would considered to be vintage cars.

When I say old car, I mean something from the 70's and earlier. I've had lot's of cars from this period. I enjoyed them, but do I want to go back to that time? ( Lot's of question marks in this post!) 

Like the other two cars that I sold, I reached out to another buyer. This time one of the dealers that advertise that they buy "Classic cars" on CraigsList. This dealer has their lot in Monterey, and I've looked at various cars that they've advertised over the years. 

This time I offered up the XJS! Is this a betrayal of some secret, sacred trust?

I just spent all my extra cash to buy the '06 Mustang, couldn't I have spent that money to fix up the Jaguar? Yes, I could have, but I really didn't want to!

I guess that is just the ugly truth. The XJS will never be the favored one. It's sat for years, chances are it would probably sit for more, taking up space.

Will it sell? I don't know. There really isn't much demand locally ( that's putting it kindly for these cars). I've read that there are a lot of these going back to England. Prices for XJS are all over the place. Occasionally a really well preserved, well sorted, low mileage example will show up. These command prices in the low 20K. Then there are the forlorn cars that have sat for years and haven't run for at least that long, sometime racking up late registration fees. These can go for anywhere from 1,000 dollars up to a few grand. 

The buyer asked how much I wanted for it. I decided to send some photos before I give a price. I asked him to make an offer.

He probably won't do that, he'll probably want me to make the first move and I don't blame him. No need to start with more money on the table before the negotiations begin. 

I'm pretty realistic about the value of the car, I doubt that I'd get more than that. The buyer might not want to pay even what I think is my bottom line number. Then I don't sell, and nothing changes. 

Not the ringing endorsement for keeping a car!

Still I should enjoy my relative freedom, I'm sure that it won't last.