[geeks] car question

[Amy]

On Mon, 11 Mar 2002, Fogg, James wrote:

> Much too weird.
>
> I wouldn't run it until you check something. Start the engine and take a
> voltmeter and see if the polarity of the system is correct (red wire to a
> live fuse in the block, black wire to chassis, if the meter swings backwards
> you're in trouble.

hrm. i guess i'll need to buy a new battery to start the engine (the old
one wouldnt hold enough stuff to turn over)

> Unless the battery was stone cold dead and you reversed polarity on the
> battery when you jumped it?

what if the jumper cables were wired wrong, in reverse? is that possible?

> If that was the case the battery would have
> gotten warm when you ran the engine.

it never ran. it tried to turn over, but i guess it didnt have enough
power. it wasnt dinging (door sounds when its opened), even.

> It also means the starter would have
> turned the engine backwards. A modern engine shouldn't run backwards (but a
> diesel engine can run poorly in reverse, depending on design).

gak. now i'm really getting worried.

--a