Hard Weekend (repost for clarity)

"Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness" (long-voyager-2nd-edition)
02/21/2019 at 07:33 • Filed to: Acclaim, Mopar, Fuck

The Rally Van

Weekend started fine, went to work Saturday morning to take care of some things I wanted to get done. Then dad calls asking if I can let their dogs out that afternoon, sure no big deal.

So on the way to dad’s the van starts losing power, no idea what’s going on so I take it easy to dad’s. I pull in to hear it clattering obnoxiously. FUCK! So I pull the dipstick ( which I just checked Thursday when I got gas as I always do ), not only is it bone dry, but it’s rusted like I haven’t pulled it in years. Of course no oil to be found at dad’s so I let the dogs out, then limp it slowly to the gas station. I put 3 qts of oil in at the station, which got it barely in the “safe” zone. Fire it back up, still clattering, although quieter and drive it home. Once home it’s quieter, but still clatters if I get it over 2500, so the van is dead for the moment.

The Car

This leads to needing to drive the car again, problem is, the car has been driveway’d until I can fix a fuel leak.

This leads to emergency “find the car’s fuel leak”. Once I got it in the shop it didn’t take long to find it:

You can actually see it spraying in that pic

So out comes the tank:

Then clean everything up:

So I get the new pump installed, recoat the tank, and get everything back together. Fire it up, problem solved ( or so I think ). I leave it idle while I dig into replacing my turn signal flasher. Get the flasher fixed and go check for leaks, of which I find the return line leaking in front of the rear wheel. FUCK! Out of time to replace all the lines ( which still look new other than this one 6" section in front of the rear wheel ), I cut/flare them and just splice in for the moment. Leaks fixed, so I have a way to work for the week.

The New Van

Supposed to be getting the axle for the new van this week, so I ordered the parts to swap that. I plan on doing that this weekend, so we’ll be back up to 2 vehicles after that.

DISCUSSION (13)

pip bip - choose Corrour > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 07:46

things will get better.

maybe

vondon302 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 07:56

Ugh made my weekend look good.

Well thanks for that at least.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > vondon302
02/18/2019 at 08:05

Glad I could make your weekend.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 08:44

At least the problems were repairable in a weekend. When my stuff breaks, it’s usually down for a few weeks and involves parts that aren’t readily available at the local Autozone. Lately, when my stuff breaks it involves a body shop to get back on the road.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 09:16

You’ll just have to replace the current plant with a two-rotor rotary, right?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
02/18/2019 at 10:03

Thinking on putting a newer 3.8L in it.

Or finally finding a 4.0L/6-speed and swapping that in.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > TheRealBicycleBuck
02/18/2019 at 10:04

Well, the car was at least. The van will probably be down until it gets warm again...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 12:21

I once -- ONCE -- replaced a timing belt, water pump, and thermostat when it was 20F outside. Seeing that white stuff on the ground in your photos make my hands ache, as though they had been handling cold metal all over again...

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
02/18/2019 at 12:28

Thankfully I took it to my friend’s heated shop, so I did all the work in a 65* shop.

I did most of the motor swap on it in the middle of the winter though...

Tristan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
02/18/2019 at 14:12

I once replaced a transmission in my ‘88 Crown Vic wagon while laying on a 6" thick slab of ice INSIDE a shop. It went like this: slide under the car, do/undo one bolt, slide out, stand next to the kerosene heater for 15 minutes thawing my hands. There’s a good reason I don’t live in Minnesota despite the fact that I miss the place.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 15:14

I’m a bit confused... how did the oil all disappear between last Thursday and now?

And how did the oil loss result in a fuel leak?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
02/18/2019 at 16:04

All the oil disappeared between this Thursday and this Saturday afternoon.

The fuel leak was on the car, hence why I’ve been driving the van.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
02/18/2019 at 16:43

Did the oil disappear because of a leaky/damaged pan or gasket or was it because the engine decided “I’m tired of all this gasoline... Hey... This oil is Guuud ... Mmmm... nom nom nom...”