Aug 20th

We left late for a visit to our friends in Califon, New Jersey because Carol’s son bought and installed two new tires on the front of the Tracker and because we wanted one last visit with the grandchildren.

We decided to take the road less traveled to New Jersey since we had all day to get there and it was only going to be a short drive on the interstate.  The ride was very scenic and pretty but very hilly – some of those ridges that seem to travel east to west across Pennsylvania are pretty big and steep.

Our starter had been giving us problems throughout the trip but I had not given it much thought since it almost always occurred when the engine was hot.  Each time, if the problem persisted, I would hit the boost switch to use the house batteries and the problem (clicking sounds only) would go away.  On this leg of the trip it finally broke.  We stopped for a break and couldn’t get the starter to work for a half-hour or more.  When it finally did start I figured it must be the starter solenoid so we stopped about 10 miles later at an AutoZone to try to buy one.  I called Jim K at Applied GMC and he confirmed my suspicions so I bought some jack stands and a bottle jack (the one I had bought from Harbor Freight was too tall) and set out to replace the starter.

There were no starters available anywhere but a NAPA store we had passed before the first problem had a solenoid in stock so we unhooked the tow car and went back for it.  Once the coach was up on the jack stand I noticed that the connection end of the solenoid was loose.  I tightened the screw that holds it in place and the started worked like new.  I now have a spare solenoid and when I get home I will either install the new one or tighten the screws on the old one – I could only reach one of the screws in the parking lot.

We arrived at our friends’ home a little later than we planned but we got there.  We had a nice dinner and then used the internet to buy tickets to a Broadway show – Million Dollar Quartet – for the Saturday matinee.   Neither one of us has been to a Broadway show before so should be lots of fun.