So Shirley, Mercy & I were driving to Costco, we got to a light which was prior
to the street light to turn into the Costco lot. I was going to make the left, but we
noticed that we needed to go to the next street light and make the next left.
The truck was half in one lane & half in another. I had the wheel turned sharp
and was getting ready to bring it back into the correct lane. (<==This is what I think
caused the problem). Anyhow, the light turned green, and I started going to
the next turn light. As I was approaching the light, the steering began getting
extremely tight. I made the turn with some effort and Shirley seeing that I was
struggling to hold the wheel says to get to a parking spot quickly. I barely turned
into a spot while turning the wheel with everything I've got. I could not straighten the
wheel out after I stopped the car. So we went into Costco thinking that well maybe a line
got kinked or the strain at that 1st light didn't let the fluid get circulated. I don't know
I'm not a mechanic, so it seemed logical. I figured we do dinner and I'd go out and
check it afterwards.
We ate, I went out and no such luck, it was just as tight as it was. There was no
way we were going home. We called one of our Col. friends who speedily showed up
to drive us home. I got home and started researching the symptoms on the internet.
From everything I read, I decided that it was the power steering pump. Various people
mentioned that the 'shaft' just broke in the pump on their avalanche out of the blue and the steering
like mine just locked up. I went to autozone; told the guy what I was thinking I needed
and he asked me a bunch of questions. Then he took me out to his car popped the hood
and pointed out a couple things which I answered yes/no on and we narrowed down what
I needed. He said it would be easy. (haha... not for me) He gave me some tools and said
I would get my money back for them after I returned them. Then He said: "I'm not supposed
to do this, but if you can't figure it out here's my number call me after six that's when I'm done here." I said
well it'll be dark then. Him. "That's ok, I'm a mechanic with the military and I work best with
flash-lights in the dark! lol."
We leave stop at the house and I load up with snacks (never leave home without them) and some
other tools thinking you never know. BTW, we used every tool I took with me. We got to the car
and I unhooked the battery, you never know. I was looking at the motor and simply prayed.
"Lord I really need help, pleazzzzzz! I went to look at some instructions I printed out off the
internet and hear this voice. "Hey, we saw the hood up and want to know if you need some help"
I thought. Thank you Lord! and also This guy doesn't know what he's getting into.
BTW, the keys were in the Avalanche, everything unlocked. The says; "Let's hook the battery
back up so I can start it and see what the symptoms are." We hook the battery back up to the
car and what do you know the sudden connection of power coming back on pulled all the
door locks shut. So... We spent the next hour breaking into my truck with a coat hanger.
The door opens up and we open the windows take the keys out and start looking at the
task at hand again. It then starts snowing & raining. The windows go back up and we put
the keys in my pocket. Shirley left to go get the kids from the church and ends up taking
Mercy to the ER (long story).
The guy working on my truck says, "OK, we need a pan to collect the steering fluid. Can you
go buy one?" My first instinct is no I ain't leaving you hear with all my stuff. Then I think
Ok, If the Lord answered my call for help then this guy is not going to run off with all my
stuff. I just need to Trust Him (the Lord). I leave to get a drip pan and come back
and the majority of the things needed to come off were already done, he needed the pan.
I asked the guy working on my truck what he does & he says I'm a certified mechanic.
He starts talking about karma etc etc. I stop and say. "Listen, I don't know anything about
karma, but I know the Lord Jesus Christ and I asked for help right before you showed up
and you were His answer to my prayer and I wouldn't have left you here with all my stuff,
go to Home Depot if I didn't believe He sent you here to help." The one dude's mouth kind
of drops as he recounts
how they ended up in the parking lot. The driver did not want to come in the lot, he wanted to
drive past and go to his house which was a block away. The mechanic had this sense he needed
to turn into the lot. Either way they didn't have a choice. the other cars in the lane forced them into
the turn lane wouldn't let them go straight past Costco and that's how they ended up seeing my
truck with the hood open.
It was a total of 5 hours to fix my truck and it is working good as new again. BTW, my sugars
managed to make thru w/o a glitch the whole day.
Thank you Lord!