Pardon me, while I take a dump!

[SavageSun4x4]

Moab, Utah, 21 May, '08 Cliff Hanger Trail, side trail to observation point overlooking the Colorado River.

Weather was bad and getting worse, cold, raining and the temp had plunged from 98 to the low 50's daytime. It was the last trail of the day and we were on a side trail for the overlook in spite of poor pic taking.

After much looking and even some pics snapped and with darkness approaching we, George, Diane (Number 7) and Mike (Gearhead) my passenger loaded up to head to town.

The key is turned in ole Cowboy and nary a light, click or buzz was seen or heard. WTF!? Suddendly this is not looking good and its raining harder. 3 guys are crawling over the opened hood wriggling, pulling, pushing and hammering on wires and starters to fix or isolate the problem.

Its in the ignition switch, maybe, but I am thinking its in the starter relay, etc, etc. In the dimming light on occasion the lights of the dash would light up then go away as soon as they lit. Finally we got the dash lights to stay on and decided to try and tow start it,

George hooks up and pulls me, I pop clutch and the engine roars to life but dies if you try to let it idle. Nonetheless getting out is all important and I with heel on the accelerator, toes on brake, left foot on clutch, right hand on shifter poised to shift into neutral and left hand on the steering wheel.

Albeit Cliff Hanger is not a 5 rated trail its still a tough trail, but I am going down hill rather than up. Cowboy dies off several times like getting shot by the bad guy in a cheap western but only to revive again to struggle down another ledge.

After more hours than I care to remember we arrive at the trail head and then back at the Motel. Number 7 and Gearhead will swing by in the am to see if we can all get home.

They arrive the next morning and Cowboy is as dead as it was the day before. George, who had trailered his rig up to Moab says lets put yours on my trailer and Diane will drive the Jeep back. Makes sense as I go to set up my winch to winch onto his trailer. The winch is a no show:aagh: I then tell George that lets try to jump this thing and see what happens. George brings his Jeep over and the jump works.

We head south to Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and Phoenix. Out side of Moab in a town called Blanding Cowboy dies again. George says take the battery out of my Jeep and put it in yours and lets see if that will work. It does and home I soon arrive.

Next morning: I have a hot Red Top Optima setting on my shop workbench and I pulled out Georges battery and put it on my charger. George's battery is fully charged??

I grab my Blue Top Optima and run to AutoZone for a systems check. Everything is fine and then I take the Blue Top into the store for is check.

The guy hooks up the leads, pushes a button and looks up and me and sez, "I think your battery has taken a dump on you...bad-shorted cell."


Pics: http://www.savagesun4x4.com/enter/fl...es_a_dump.html

[mrblaine]

That's a tough one Don. No way to predict that one heading your way. Glad you made it home alright.

[SavageSun4x4]

Originally Posted by mrblaine

That's a tough one Don. No way to predict that one heading your way. Glad you made it home alright.

Blaine, NOT a good feeling to turn the key and have NOTHING and you are at the farthest point on the trail from the trail head in Moab.

The good, no, GREAT news is that the next day I was supposed to do Pritchett Canyon. However the guy that signed up for it had engine problems and went home early. I am not sure how I would have got out of PC. Cliff Hanger was tough enough

This has prompted me to add a second battery to my rig, just got to sort out exactly where and how.

[TObject]

This is the second time I hear about battery dying on the trail ? not doesn't start well kind of dying, but nothing works kind of dying. The first time I towed a fellow out of the Pirates of the Caribbean in Los Coyotes. Perhaps an extra battery is not such a bad idea, maybe even a puny one, kept isolated, just in case.

The jeep can be started with a help of jumper cables, but at least some kind of battery is required to keep[p it going; the quality of electricity the alternator alone provides is not good.

[Rockjeep]

I had the same thing happen to me. But luckly I reached down and flipped the dual battery kit to emergency and it started right up. Got home and yanked the optimas out and never looked back.
Kory