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     By Martin Bunn (John L. Bellah)

POB #156 La Habra, California 90633-0156  (562) 301-4507  pfmteched@yahoo.com

The insistent telephone rang in Gus Wilson’s small apartment. “Gus, where have you been?” The caller was Stan Hicks, current proprietor of the Model Garage. “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for over a month.”

“Hey Stan, remember I’m retired. I don’t have to answer to you. For your information I’ve been seeing the USA during the Bicentennial Year. Hunting and fishing in our great country, and even swinging up to Canada a couple of times. I found it interesting listening to the Canadian radio stations commenting on the 200-year birthday of this country. I just got back yesterday.

So, what’s the problem, Stan?”

“Why does there have to be a problem?”

“C’mon Stan, you didn’t just call me to find out if I made the limit on my hunting and fishing licenses. I know you too well, Stanley. What seems to be the problem?”

“Well, Gus, its Mr. Hargraves. He bought a new Cadillac Seville. Starts up fine in the morning, and he drives off to work, parks his car at work. At the end of the day, he gets in the car and it won’t start. Three times he had it towed to the dealer. The Cadillac dealer can’t find a darned thing wrong with his car. Fires up up at the first turn of the key.”

“So where do I come in?”

“Stop by Hargrave Manufacturing at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon. It’s a brown Seville parked in the employee parking lot. I want to hear your slant on the situation.”

“I’ll see you there. Bring the service truck in case we need some test equipment.”

The following afternoon Gus drove his sports coupe to Hargrave manufacturing, which was a newly constructed manufacturing complex located about five miles from town, in between a pair of high-tension towers bringing electricity into our city. Gus spotted the brown Cadillac Seville parked in a parking slot marked; “Company President.” Soon Stan drove up in the Model Garage tow truck.

“Is this the Seville, Stan” asked Gus.

“Sure is, boss,” replied Stan. “Mr. Hargraves should arrive in a couple of minutes.”

“And I’m right here,” Replied a tall, silver-haired man, wearing horn-rimmed glasses clad in a navy-blue suit. “Sorry,  I had a last-minute telephone call I had to deal with.”

“Mr. Hargraves, this is Gus Wilson, the founder of The Model Garage. If he can’t find the problem…”

“Well Stan, I hope somebody can. This is infuriating! I paid over $15,000 for ‘The standard of the world,’ and half the time it won’t start. The Cadillac Dealer can’t help me, Stan tried. I had to bring my wife’s car to work.”

“Okay, Mr. Hargraves,” interjected Gus, “tell me what’s going on.”

“This is a strange one, Mr. Wilson. I start my new Seville in the morning. It starts and runs just fine. I drive the seven miles to work—never misses a beat. I park it in my parking spot. When I leave for the day, it just won’t start!”

“Mr. Hargraves,” Gus interrupted, “exactly what happens? And it only refuses to start here? Does the starter work, turn over the engine?”

“Yes, it cranks and cranks and cranks, but nothing happens. Not a pop. I had to have it towed to the dealer, and it fires up as soon as you turn the key. Its maddening! Dave Skelly, the service manager at Garretson’s Cadillac, suggested The Model Garage. Stan, here, tried, but he hasn’t come up with anything.”

“Well Stan’s a good troubleshooter and mechanic. Let’s see what’s going on. Lift the hood.”

As Hargraves touched the driver’s door handle, he recoiled as if he was shocked.

“What was that,” asked Gus.

“Static electricity, I guess,” replied Hargraves.

“I don’t think so, Mr. Hargraves. Conditions don’t seem right for a static discharge. Seems to me it’s too warm and humid to generate static electricity. Let’s try to start it.”

Settling in the driver’s seat, Hargraves twisted the ignition key. The starter ground over about a dozen times, the engine unwilling to start. Hearing a humming noise above him Gus looked up, to see one of the power lines hanging directly above Hargrave’s Cadillac. Looking at the engine, Gus noticed the Hargrave’s car had electronic ignition and fuel injection, which he read was recently introduced on the new Sevilles.

“Can I use your telephone, Mr. Hargraves?”

“Sure, I’ll lead you to my office, Wilson.”

A few minutes later, Gus Wilson arrived in the parking lot

“I have an idea, Mr. Hargraves. Stan, let’s push your car to the other end of the parking lot, away from the overhead power lines, and let’s try to start it.”

After pushing the car out of Mr. Hargraves marked parking space, Hargraves sat behind the wheel and twisted the key. The big V-8 engine roared to life and settled down to a fast idle. “What’s going on, Mr. Wilson?”

“Here’s the deal, Mr. Hargraves. The Seville came out with electronic fuel injection and HEI electronic ignition, which was introduced a couple of years ago to help control exhaust emissions, increase fuel economy, and improve drivability—especially when cold. It seems the overhead power lines emit enough inductive energy to confuse the electronic brains in the electronic ignition and fuel injection. You can imagine the amount of energy involved when you were shocked when you touched the door handle of your car”

“And the cure? This never happened with my old car, or my wife’s.”

“Older cars had conventional ignition systems and carburetors, which aren’t affected by electronic gremlins. One method is to avoid parking under the power lines or near power transformers.”

Stan interjected; “You might consider trading your car for a Seville powered by a diesel engine.”

“Stan, I don’t think Mr. Hargraves needs that kind of advice.”

“Sorry, boss.”

“As I was saying, Mr. Hargraves, parking away from overhead power lines is one cure. The other solution is Cadillac recently came out with a shielded wiring harness to prevent stray electrons from causing the starting problems you dealt with. Warranty should cover the repair cost.”

As Stan and Gus watched the Hargraves Cadillac exit the parking lot, Stan turned to Gus. “How did you know about the shielded wiring harness fix?”

“I may be retired, Stan, but I haven’t given up my hobbies—hunting, fishing, and poker. I play poker with Dave Skelly on Thursday evenings. I called him up this afternoon and he clued me in on the latest Technical Service Bulletin, describing how to fix the problem.”

“Gus, I supposed I owe you a consulting fee.”

“Well, Stan, I’d settle for a steak dinner. I’m tired of eating fish.

©John L. Bellah, 2025