This was not a good day...
So while I'm home for Christmas break, I had a doctors appointment. No big deal, right? Drive down there in my Volvo, have a good time. Seems like a simple plan, right? Not as such...
As I pulled off the highway and stopped at the set of lights, I noticed two things:
- A horrific smell
- Smoke coming from my front driver side brake caliper
I decided that as my doctor's office was only about a mile off the highway, I was probably best off stopping there. I pumped my brakes a few times and things seemed to loosen up, so I would just drive the back roads home slowly after my appointment, then order a new caliper. Once again, things were not destined to go according to plan.
After I got out of my physical, I went to my car, sat down and turned the key... only to hear my engine sounding like it was only running on 3 cylinders. I got out, checked the electrical, namely that my battery was healthy (keeping a multimeter in the trunk is a good thing, especially when your alternator brushes are questionable). I checked the spark plug wires to make sure everything was happy there, and then I noticed that I couldn't hear my fuel pump running.
I then proceeded to check the fuses for my ECU and fuel pump, and was somewhat worried that perhaps my fuel pump had died, when I remembered that there's also a fuel pump relay, somewhat inconveniently located in my dash. I was able to reach in, give it a good smack, and low and behold, my fuel pump started running. So in addition to probably a new caliper, I would also need a new fuel pump relay. I guess I wasn't getting the new suspension parts that I wanted for Christmas.
All told, I ordered the following:
- Alternator Brush Set
- Brake Caliper Front Left
- Brake Caliper Front Right
- Fuel Pump Relay
- Trunk Struts
- Engine Mounts
- Sway Bar Link Kits
- Sway Bar Bushings
I've got some fun work ahead of me in the next week...