funny thing about the challenges, only maybe 4 people knew what was going on.... I figure everyone has troubles, they don't need mine
two of the problems have one source. I didn't realize that the headlight motors could draw 30 amps. I have a 30 amp breaker on the headlight motors AND the fans. Fans are 13 amps each.... still no answer on the EFI... but I have a fun time ahead of me rewiring a bunch of stuff.
to recap.
1) put dog to sleep night before
2) got no sleep, so had to stop on the way
3) my wife's dog took off looking for him - didn't find out until I had crossed the border to California
4) dog found after substantial effort (though I suppose it's funny - but dog got 1/8 mile away, someone captured her, took her to the local vet... dogs don't get away with anything around here
) but it was 8 pm before someone who might know someone mentioned the impoundment and the vet closed at 7. Thankfully the next morning (while still on my way) found out dog was fine.... Old dame dog decided she didn't want to eat because of the stress.... (did I mention they're both Search and Rescue trailing K9s, so a lot of time and money invested in them both?)
5) Everything worked fine when I took the car through tech
6) but there was the start of the cascade of problems.... in tech they checked the lights, which caused the fuse to blow which powered the lights and the electric fans
7) car got warm-ish on the lap.... that probably overheated the computer.... which it shouldn't, but pictures tonight tell another story
8) computer went, took 7 hours to resolve and missed 3 events
9) car ran fine that night but didn't warm up
10) tuned IAC, went to the autocross to walk it, car was overheating.... no fans.
11) spent a lot of time wishing I had a bunch of stuff here in the shop - the guy with the silver C4 was a hero, he did have all sorts of parts.
12) hot wired the fans..... alternator took a dump
I probably could have fixed that but by then I was done.
However
on the plus side
1) I made a number of new friends
2) I got to go around Big Willow at 70% in my C3
3) My friends here dropped everything to help find my wife's dog
4) I got a lot of love about the car.... and 5
5) I'll fix it all and learn while doing it.
Sure, I wish it'd worked perfect, but I wasn't the first to go down or leave. And my goodness is my car fun to drive at even 70%.