What Now??

Yesterday, I left you all with me getting a list of items which Dianne needed at the market, a simple zip out to the van, zip to the market and back . I wish that was how things had went but no a few zips turned into a fairly challenging afternoon. I got out and in the van, fully loaded, out of my chair into the drivers seat( no problem) but when I turned the key over there was only shudder of a hint of power, but nowhere near enough energy to crank the old van into life. I was not very surprised since the temperatures have been so cold and I know enough about batteries to know severe cold can bring out the worst in batteries an if a battery IS going to go the battery will go then. I had enough energy left to honk the horn and Anakah came out and I sent her cross the street to Dan the neighbor. Who came right over and jumped the van and it took off but had to be jumped again when I put the van in gear and ite instantly died and would not start at all. Dan did the job again noting that the meter was indicating that the engine was not charging the battery and it looked like I had a bad alternator- and I should drive right over to Sears and have them check the vehicle out. I should have but I didn’t. Instead I ran the engine for about twenty minutes in an effort to charge the battery. As I was doing running the engine I noticed the motor started running really rough backfiring and making all kinds off odd and weird noises; almost as if the timing was off. In fact at one point I had to keep gunning the engine in order to just keep the engine from stalling. At one point I turned on them heater and the engine almost expired right then but with more gassing the engine I managed to keep the engine going. I don’t know why, maybe just morbid curiosity I turned on the heater/blower again and the same behavior but the third time I did it something happened and he engine immediately settled down and ran smooth as ice. I slipped the transmission in and out of gear a couple time: no problem. I decided to take the chance an drove over to the market the long way—trying to charge the battery as much as I could.

I rushed through my shopping at the market and having left my lift down, to ensure no one parked too close for me to load when I wanted to go, I was relieved when the lift raised me without issue up to the van and I turned the key, the van jumped to life and I was able to get home without issue. Dianne had a doctors appointment this morning. When she started the van to go it started right up ! It was only when she tried to return home the battery acted like it was dead. She got a jump, then had to get another but the vehicle kept stopping on her on the way home finally getting a last jump she got into the drive way with electrical odors and massive smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle, close to the gas tank!!!
Luckily no explosions or fires to report but we are getting the vehicle into the cousin’s tomorrow and I am sure I’m looking at thousands in repair if not worse.
Why does this not surprise me? Happy New Year?