Stranded in the middle of the freeway. :(

[Scirocco-Al" <scirocco-Al@insight.rr.com (Scirocco-Al)]

On Thursday of last week I decided to drive my auto-x car to work.  Decided
is really the wrong word here as my daily driver Volvo was leaking a bottle
to automatic transmission fluid every 2 days, with most finding the exhaust
pipe and smoking like a SOB.  The wife needed her car to take the kids in
for a checkup.

I've driven the car back and forth to work a few times in the last couple of
years and it's no big deal.  The trip to work went smoothly and it was a fun
drive.  The trip home sucked though.  It was in stop and go traffic on the
270 outerbelt in rush hour traffic.  I had just passed an exit that always
backs up the freeway and was on a stretch of freeway that really moves.  I
was doing 80+ and the ignition just cut off.  I was in the fast lane and of
course no one would let me over.  I ended up parked in the median in the
center of the freeway.  The volt meter was reading 8 1/2 to 9 volts when I
turned the key and the starter was barely moving.  The aftermarket ignition
I have on the car won't run on less than 10V.  I'm guessing that the
alternator took a crap and the battery ran down until the car quit.  Anyway
I eneded up walking about 2 miles in the rain down the median of the freeway
until some nice woman picked me up and took me back to the next exit.  I
called AAA and had it towed home.  After I got it back I turned the key and
the meter read 10.5 V.  I managed to get it started and the alternator and
02 sensor light in the dash were glowing very faintly.  I shut it off and
went in the house.

I tried to start it again the other day but the battery went out after 3
attempts to start it.  I guess I shouldn't complain as it's the origianl
alternator, it's an 84 with 150,000 miles on it.

I'm going to take the alternator and battery out this weekend and have them
tested.  Maybe it's time I buy one of those Optima batteries I've had my eye
on?

Alan

.