Kobra wrote:
Urgh. Sorry to hear that. What happened?

Next I had a recollection of starting the engine before my flight to WWD and
I remember that I heard a "snap!" just as the engine caught. It was loud
enough to make me say, "...what the %$#@ was that?!" and just soft enough
for me to dismiss it and ponder, "...did you really hear what you think you
heard?"


So true... Always the hard question is how do you distinguish between
when the engine goes auto-rough every time you fly over water versus
the truly exceptional snap.

A year ago I turned the key in my Jeep, and it seemed to start pretty
sluggishly, but started nonetheless. Engine ran brilliantly so I
dismissed it. It wasn't cold or anything, I just chalked it up to
gremlins. Five minutes later I double-parked to grab a coffee, came
back out, turned the key, and -clunk-. That sluggish start was the
starter's last gasp. Had I known I could have driven it to a mechanic
and avoided the tow, but it was still under warranty so at least it
only cost me time and not cash.

-cwk.