Two days ago I took my truck to get the plugs changes I know I show have done it my self but, I had to be to work and the shop said that they can change it in the morning. After paying a ridculous price for plugs, I started driving home before I could get ther my truck just satlled I tried to restart and it sound as if the battery was diying so I turned the key back and it keep trying to start until the battery died. N ow I know you are thinking that its the alternator but I just replaced it three weeks before and a new battery. I also drove to FL and back to north carolina with a full trailer and there after there were no problems. before that I drove from GA to Noth carolina. The oil was changed in feb of 2008. The shop says “ITS NOTHING WE DID”! Can changing the plugs on an older car or truck cause the engine to completely shutdown??
If the battery was weak when you tried to restart after the stall, that means the battery or the alternator is bad. have them checked as well as the battery terminals (for corrosion).
It could be a coincidence that the battery or alternator died at that time.
Are you saying that you turned the ignition key OFF, and the starter continued to crank the engine until the battery got too weak to power the starter? If so, the ignition switch (not, the lock / key part) is stuck in START; or, the starter solenoid is stuck in closed position.
I don’t see a plug change as having anything to do with it. There are other things in the battery/charging system that can affect that system; whether the dashboard alt. light is working, faulty battery cables caused by corrosion, corroded distribution terminals, etc. depending on what kind of vehicle you’re talking about.
Your starter selenoid stuck while cranking and may still work for now if you tap on it and have or install a good strong battery. If you don’t have spark on the plug wires look for anything unseated/ out of place that they messed up while pulling wires, removing something to get to the plugs etc.
Were you having a problem before that prompted you to get the plugs changed immediately? Usually those are just a maintinence item that can be put off a few weeks here and there. Maybe this problem you’re having now was starting to manifest itself before?
What kind of truck are you talking about? This is definetely the shop’s problem. You drove the thing to the shop and weren’t able to drive it away. These days plugs are in such a difficult area to get to, it is not uncommon to accidently hit something and knock it loose. A good shop would have readily admitted that it was their fault. Take it back to them and talk to the top-guy there. Tell them they have one chance, and one chance only to recheck their work to see what they knocked loose (I would say that they dropped a tool on the starter and left it there). If they refuse, tell them you are going to have the truck towed to a different shop and it will be their expense when the problem is found and the matter has been taken to arbitration. Or, if this shop is one of those convenience, corner tune-up chain shops tell them that the car will stay there until they fix it, and if it takes more then a couple of days you will contact the chain headquarters. I used to be a mechanic for years, and would still be working as a mechanic if it wasn’t for arthritis. I can’t stand takeing my cars to shops and then they either assume I am stupid or they try to upsell me. This shop is just pissed at you because you told them exactly what you wanted done and you would not allow yourself to be upselled.
Last thing because this is getting long (Its a good story). I drove around with a bumper sticker on my car that said “Danniels Chevy Body shop Screwed Me.” A couple of months later they picked my car up from work, at their expense, and fixed a crooked bumper and paint run. However, they did make me agree to take the bumper stiker off in front of them. They even supplied the razor blade.