Wednesday, August 22, 2007
On the hottest day of summer
Long time readers of this blog may remember my ill-fated Spitfire project. I drove it home, and two days later, I had smoke pouring out of it. History nearly repeated itself today. In the case of the Spitfire, the electrical system had caught on fire. The case of the Corvette was a little different.
I was driving the Corvette home today, on what the weather forecast said would be the hottest day of the summer so far. I heard a squeaking sound, and the air conditioner suddenly started blowing hot air. Great, I say to myself, I've just had my AC start acting up on the hottest day of the year. Then I start smelling something strange. I wonder - hope - if it's someone grilling dinner. Then smoke starts billowing out from under the hood when I come to a stoplight. I shut down the AC and pull over at the first place where I can safely get off the road. I start to worry that I'll have to call a tow truck.
I pop the hood, andI find traces of smoke lingering around the AC compressor. Clearly a siezed compressor. I feel a bit relieved knowing that I'm back to merely having an AC that's acting up and not a car that's left me stranded. I unplug the AC compressor clutch so it can't turn on, and sweat the rest of the way home.
Looks like the Corvette is going to need a bit more work. I kind of figured there had to be a catch to a bargain. Well, it could have been worse - like several other cheap cars I've owned.
I was driving the Corvette home today, on what the weather forecast said would be the hottest day of the summer so far. I heard a squeaking sound, and the air conditioner suddenly started blowing hot air. Great, I say to myself, I've just had my AC start acting up on the hottest day of the year. Then I start smelling something strange. I wonder - hope - if it's someone grilling dinner. Then smoke starts billowing out from under the hood when I come to a stoplight. I shut down the AC and pull over at the first place where I can safely get off the road. I start to worry that I'll have to call a tow truck.
I pop the hood, andI find traces of smoke lingering around the AC compressor. Clearly a siezed compressor. I feel a bit relieved knowing that I'm back to merely having an AC that's acting up and not a car that's left me stranded. I unplug the AC compressor clutch so it can't turn on, and sweat the rest of the way home.
Looks like the Corvette is going to need a bit more work. I kind of figured there had to be a catch to a bargain. Well, it could have been worse - like several other cheap cars I've owned.
Labels: Corvette
