Hello, all.

Last month, I changed the water pump in my wife's rusty (Massachusetts origin) 245. We drove it around a while, and then it died on her. This happened about the time school was starting, so I didn't check it out for almost a month (I teach college - and things have been very busy). I worried it might need a new alternator, or that the problem was more complex (electrical problems frighten me a bit).

Last week, i finally opened up the hood, and noticed that the ground wire was pretty loose and that the positive wire coming out the back of the alternator was bent pretty good at the neck. I clamped down both wires so that the connection would be better. With a jump, the car eventually started up and has been starting OK ever since. Could it have been that simple? Perhaps I loosened the wires when we were trying to jimmy that new water pump into place.

Any thoughts?

thanks.
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((1992 244, 100K)) ((1987 245, 270K)) San Diego