Adventures in winter driving

December 23, 1998 

I went up to Bottineau a few days ago to watch my brother play basketball.  I had only planned to stay the night, and return to Burlington to spend time with Melanie before I went back to bottineau for Christmas.  My truck made the 90 mile trip to Bottineau just fine, but when I went to start it the next day there was a problem.  I put the key in the ignition, turned it, and nothing happened.  But the battery was good, that's what was strange.  We tried jump starting  it anyway but it didn't help.  Then we restorted to pulling it and popping the clutch.  It ran for a little bit, but the engine died and refused to start again.

The next day, we tried pulling it in to Bottineau (10 miles from our house) and it finally started while we were pulling it.  By the time I arrived at the shop where we were going to inspect my truck, it was nice and warm in the cab of my pickup.  I pulled into the shop, shut the engine off, and tried starting it with the key.  It worked.  The ignition (the actual part where I put my key) had a problem with the cold.

We drove back home after trying it a few times and realizing  all I have to do is get the ignition warm.  I was a little concerned about what to do in the cold parking lot in Grand Forks if this happened, there's no way to pull it or get electricity to it.

I had been in Bottineau for a few days now, and I was ready to get back to visit Melanie.  I got up in the morning and tried to start my truck again.  Nothing happened.  I was on my own, with everyone else in town working or at school, so I had be be resourceful.  I got out the hair dryer and plugged it into the extension cord that my block heater had been plugged into.  Then I blew warm air on the igntion on the steering column.  After just a couple minutes, I tried it.  It worked, but the engine died shortly after and refused to start.  The battery had died because of all the troubles the day before.

I was very grateful to remember I had a battery charger in the back of my truck, and charged it for a few hours.  Only then was I able to get the engine running.

After letting it warm up for a while I headed down the road.... slowly.  My truck refused to go over 50... or 55, I'm not really sure because the speedometer is very inaccurate.  In any case, cars kept passing me.  The truck occasionally does this (very frequently lately) and nobody seems to know how to fix it or what causes it.  Believe me, I've asked around.  Nodody knows.  It's a mystery that may never be solved; either because it's too obscure a problem or because I'll destroy the truck out of anger before anyone gets a chance to fully investigate.

This cold spell has brought about many other problems with vehicles in my family.  My brother's pickup wouldn't start, so he had to ride to school with my step-brother.  But then they got a flat tire.

When Melanie and I were at the mall watching Prince of Egypt, which is a very good movie I must say, her tire also went flat.  That's another story.  I commenced changing the t