So last night after working all day i walk out to my car in the garage, get in turn the key and the worst happens, it doesn’t start......FML... I notice as i did that the lights flickered on for a second so i pop the hood and go straight for the battery. Sure enough the post clamp for the positive battery terminal is completely disconnected WTF?!?!?! Of course I had no tools and it 25 degrees so I try to hold it down long enough for me to start the car, no luck. It just sparks and pops right back off. I was worried about damaging the electronics so I enlist the help of an extremely nervous women who passed by (i think she thought it was a trick and I was going to rape her like in the movies......seriously its a 350z not a ford utility van) Anyway after ten minutes of trying to explain that she would have to hold the clutch down while turning the key we coordinated and my baby came right back to life. I proceed to take it straight to my dealership on the way home to see if they could tighten it up and make sure i didn’t mess anything up. The service manager comes out with a wrench and after two minutes of "failed tightening" he informed me that the clamp will have to be replaced, great.... So at this point im praying they have the part and that it won’t cost me a fortune. He's trying to get me to let his techs do it (its 2 nuts, I think I can handle it) I just want to install it and forget about all this. Surprisingly they do have the part and best of all its only $11. I get it started again take it straight home and have it fixed in 5minutes. Im assuming (and hoping) all of the sparking did not damage anything.

Im chalking this one up to bad luck and not bad engineering, I still love my Z

Moral of the story, if your car breaks down, don't ask women for help

 

your just now learning this???

-J

 

 

yeah i should have know..........

 

HAHAHAHA

she just wanted to seat on the driver seat of a Z....

 

Glad is was an easy fix.

 

yeah, that was as easy as fixes get but it seems like the most simple things cause the most trouble

 

lol what are you complaining about? She did help you start your car didn't she?

 

thats what happens when you watch too much of the Lifetime Channel

 

So since you mentioned a woman...


Pics?




You did this to yourself.

 

Just a suggestion.....you might want to put some vice grips, a multi-head type screwdriver, flashlight, and ducktape in your car. Maybe some jumper cables too.

You do not want to be stuck in a parking lot or on the side of the road somewhere if you drive or live in a sub-freezing area.

 

25 degrees?. Count your blessing. Had to change a flat tire when it was -11 degrees and could not find any "man" to help

 

LOL!! She was a woman but not a pic-worthy one , i will try to keep a tool kit wiht me in the future. I assume the stiff ride is what knocked it loose, lots of potholes springing up this time of year. I was more or less wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

 

So was your night was ruined because you were able to find someone to help you fix your car long enough to get to the dealership or because the dealership was able to fix it for only $11?

 

Sounds like a good night to me. My friend had a bad night a few months ago. We heard a pop and it shut off while driving. It wouldn't turn back on so I checked the normal stuff, and then looked in the exhaust and there are metal shavings sitting in the tip. That's never a good thing. Consider yourself lucky if that's the worst thing that ever happens to you.

 

but not a pic-worthy one


Wow, Did u put a towl down before she sat in ur ride!?!?? bahahaa

 

u need a big socket that barely fits over the terminal...think 5/8th's will work but not sure and hammer it on...trust me on this, nice and snug...

 

should have knocked the bottom out of it

 

wasnt it thanks to the women that you were able to get your car started in the first place so you could take it to the dealer? Did you thank her? You dont deserve another womens help in the future

 

^^^This. I take it a step further and have a full socket set and a leatherman multi-tool in my car, you can buy a socket set in a compact zipper case for $10-15 from somewhere like harbor freight. With these tools you can fix many things roadside if needed. If you have a loose battery terminal, a quick roadside fix would be to squeeze the clamp on the cable (with it disconnected from the battery of course) a little bit with pliers, which will make it clamp down tighter on the battery terminal. After you have the car safely at home you can pick up a new clamp for the cable and/or slip-on battery terminal caps that increase the girth of the battery terminal (available at any auto parts store) and provide a tighter clamp fit. Glad to hear it all turned out OK for you.