That is next. And after a little more research, nice blue spark seems to indicate it's the wire, not the coil pack. So, thank you!
You've probably got a cracked/ carbon tracked coil pack. If I had a better picture, I could tell you, but plan on replacing the wires and coil pack. "Nice blue spark" just means that the coil is capable of making high voltage. If it's cracked, then it's junk. A hydraulic pump can spray oil clear across the shop with a cracked housing, but it's worthless if it can't hold the pressure IN. Voltage is electrical pressure, and you've got a leak.
Thank you! Typically, when I replace things like this when there are two, I replace both of them at the same time, even if just one of them is bad / cracked. Is that something I should do here? ETA: Based on this video, I think it would be dumb to put one new and one old coil pack back on the ignition module, so yes, I will replace both. RichPin's videos are really useful for Saturn owners, but he doesn't mention at the beginning, but should I disconnect the negative battery lead first? Or does it matter since the coil pack is unplugged?
I wasn't planning to get a new truck, but current prices & rates combined with the age and upcoming maintenance on the old one put me in the market. It's an emotional goodbye to the old truck. That truck has been a part of my life for over a decade. That truck helped me transition out of the military and was waiting for me when I came home from my last deployment. That truck has taken me back and forth exploring across the country; to California, Wisconsin, and everywhere in between... My home on the road. It was where I first told my wife I love her, it brought my dog and my first son home, and it took my mom to the hospital after her stroke. There are countless memories, both good and bad tied to that grey truck. I hope whomever drives her next gets as many years of experiences and memories as I did. The new truck has extremely big wheels to fill.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who gets attached to our vehicles. I’ve felt the same way. From what you posted that truck was integral to some amazing times. Best of luck with the new one.
Yeah... I've had some great relationships with vehicles... My Jeep TJ was my first new vehicle, and first 4x4. It totally opened up so many opportunities for me. I met one of my BFF's by going backroads fishing with it. I drove across the country in it twice. I went to so many US and Canadian national parks in it. When I got married and had to sell it (she couldn't drive stick), it hurt. My '94 Wrangler that I stripped down and rebuilt and drove across the country twice, again, was a huge labour of love... it was old, but having rebuilt so much of it I had a much more intimate connection to it. It had a shit ton of character, and I loved it. And my old Porsche... I put thousands of miles on that thing driving crazy in the backroads of BC, even got hit by a deer in it. Loved that car, hated that I had to get rid of it when I got divorced and lost a job. The latest vehicles I've had have been fun, but nowhere near the attachment to them.
Same, the wife's explorer was brand new but it is mostly hers. I have never had a brand new vehicle, but I have had 2 brand new motors cycles. My work truck is a POS but I paid 8k for a diesel and the engine is great so I live with it. My civic owes me nothing has been great, only fixing the mechanical things that need fixing, brakes and such everything else is left alone(abs/windshield washer, SRS, lights are all on and don't care). My old endro that I bought brand new to learn how to ride a motorcycle was great I miss that thing so much. My supersport bike I currently have, I haven't insured in a few years, I love that thing to death but our roads around here have gone to fucking shit in the last 4 years and it isn't fun to go out in the highway and wind it up.
I met my wife because she got her '95 Wrangler stuck in a mud hole on my old neighbor's property. 300 acres of trails and holes, I just happened by and drove it out for her. I owe a lot to that old jeep and her lack of driving skills. They blocked off that property this year. Someone went down there and nearly drowned trying to cross the river in a flood stage on a quad. I grew up there, I don't even know if they'd let me on it. Some uncle that lives hours away is partial owner, locked it down so he didn't get sued, not the actual family that I grew up with.
Let's talk about tire chains. What's the typical use of them? Will ANY driving on a "clear" street damage your tire? We are having a lot of snow and stuff is packing down. Main streets are pretty clear but most other streets are either icey or packed with gravel. I have to drive as part of work every week. We're getting winter weather with ice on the roads. I bought a full set of chains, just in case. I think step one, I'll set aside some time to practice putting them on. There's one area I drive in with hills that curve back and forth a little that's the worst part of my route. I saw a box truck slip back and forth before crashing off to the right side into a snowbank and/or guardrail today while going downhill. (I slipped too, but I had space and managed to do okay with the sliding before getting a grip again). I know on the other side of the interstate there is a chain up sign for trucks. Would chains have helped the downward slipping from that truck? Also. My neighbor is from Buffalo. She laughs at our different reference points, but apparently: there's all sorts of donuts in the ice and snow in parking lots when winter hits because people actively practice winter driving like stops and slides when the first weather hits. Does anyone else have this as part of their "driving culture"? I was kinda fascinated. My education in driving skills was more focused on mastering the stick, especially when stopped at the top of a hill. The rest was gravy. edit because
Did you get real chains, or cable chains? real chains: Cable Chains: Chains of either type give you traction, most of the time. They do not damage the tires when used properly. Part of that is to ensure that they are properly fitted to your vehicle... there are clearance issues that have to be accounted for. They do NOT just stick to the tire like glue... they flop around a bit, even when properly adjusted... so follow the guidelines. They are way better traction on ice than straight tires, but are useless on black ice. They are not magic... and a lot of it comes down to the vehicle you're driving, the road you're on, the specific snow conditions, and how you drive. I'd recommend going to a bunch of online shops that specialize in selling snow chains and read their FAQ's... they are the experts. For my last 3 vehicles, I got mine from here: https://www.canadianchains.ca/ The chains I got are crazy aggressive, and illegal to drive with on the public roads. The way I look at it, if I'm needing chains, it's an emergency, so fuck the rules, I want the best traction I can get that will give me the best odds of making it home safe.
There's a fun show called Highway Thru Hell about a major stretch of highway in the BC mountains, and the winter coverage is great. I used to drive it a lot when I was living out there. If you watch this clip, you'll get an idea of just how much of a game changer having chains is for trucks. Sames goes for cars. Trucks are mandated to chain up when told due to the shit that can happen if they lose control/grip, while cars are mandated to have pure winter tires, not all seasons.
These are the chain I have... they have sharp knobs on them that will actively dig down and dig into the ice, much more than "normal" chains that don't have them. The issue is that they can also damage roads, so they are regulated on the roads and meant for offroad or gravel road use only.
Again, chains aren't magic... the real trick is to just go slow. Way slower than you think. Most people wipe out because they don't slow down properly for conditions. Conditions not only means the road conditions, but how well you and your vehicle do in those conditions. When we have shit weather and I have to go somewhere, first thing I do is leave the driveway and try to accelerate quickly, then emergency brake. (My cul-de-sac never gets plowed, and barely ever gets sanded). This really gives me a good test to see how slippery it actually is on the road. Sometimes it's scary surprising... as you slide twice the distance you think you would in the ice, so that makes you adjust your speed and brake points, and makes you look out more for idiots coming up behind you at intersections that don't adjust their driving.
Yeah... traction control off, stuck in the snow, offroad, and just mat it... and it's an incredible thing. They just dig/crawl through some deep shit that is 100% impossible with even the best snow tires.
Just for the truck, or can you run chains on the Porsche as well? I'm still surprised that Chrysler's half ton's have insufficient clearance to run chains
As a dumb Georgia redneck who rarely experiences snow, I usually limit my snow driving to: snow tires, drive slow, don't slam on brakes. If it requires more than that, I'm out. I did live in Colorado for awhile, and I do drive to ski resorts every year, sometimes in snow. But, I remember one time, a buddy and I decided we were going to drive across country. It turned out to be a great trip, lots of good, good memories. But, we were in my front-wheel drive Toyota Celica GT. We started in Georgia, and drove to Colorado, making several fun stops. It was January. On like the 4th day, we drove from Idaho Springs, CO to Steamboat Springs, CO in a driving snow storm, over Rabbit Ears Pass. There were no cars on the road, the snow was deep and there was a sign that said "Chains Only Past This Point" or something, like that. We were stupid, but also, didn't really have a choice to stop. We had to keep going. I had some cable chains, so we stopped and put those on, and I think it took us about 2 more hours. About halfway from there, I thought to myself, why do I hear rhythmic slapping? Huh. We finally pulled into the main stream in Steamboat and stopped at Days Inn or something, my hands were clinched in steering wheel grab mode, I was exhausted. On each side of the car, one of the cross cables had come loose from the tie and was just whap, whap, whapping the fender. It beat the paint off in a nice round area. But, we made it! There was great snow the next day on the slopes, and they had closed the airport and roads, so there weren't many people there. lol
Just for the truck. The Cayenne is a lot of AWD high HP fun in the relatively clear or light snow conditions, but anything serious and it's not ideal. It has an "offroad" suspension setting that raises it about 4" to give you more clearance, but the tire size and profile doesn't lend itself to be good in deep snow. Between the full snows and very heavy weight of the RAM itself, it's damn near unstoppable in the snow as it is. Add in those chains, and it's just a beast.
You're lucky you just rubbed some paint. It's hilarious to see the lowered/stance crowd throw chains on and then beat the ever loving shit out of their quarter panels causing severe physical damage. Not only is there no clearance, but they drive way too fast, increasing the angular momentum of said chains, and causing them to flay around even more than normal. Again, chains aren't magic!