yeah Rob......so true.
I only got reception, 2 bars, in Austin.......either side, nothin'.
Lucky me.
I did call two friends, who live in Nevada, when I had signal, and let them
know my route and location.
We agreed, if I didn't check in by a certain time later, they'd come
looking, knowing I had no reception and was broke down.
Good to have backup!!!
Henry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aleph93" <aleph93@ca.rr.com>
To: <diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 8:04 AM
Subject: [diesel_mercedes] Re : road trip disaster......
> Henry,
>
> I haven't been on a more desolate stretch of highways, then those
> through the center of Nevada.
> I'm surprised you had the phone reception to call AAA.
> As others have said, you may have saved this one. We all hope so.
>
> Rob
> '85 300D
> Garden Grove, CA
>
> On 7/30/11 1:09 AM, diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com wrote:
>> Re : road trip disaster......
>> Posted by: "Nate"vwnate1@yahoo.com vwnate1
>> Date: Fri Jul 29, 2011 1:16 pm ((PDT))
>>
>>
>> Aw , dang .
>>
>> Henry , some days you're the windshield , others you're the bug.....
>>
>> You didn't mention any red residue so I'm assuming the cooling system is
>> nice& clean .
>>
>> Didja find any milky crap on the oil dipstick or the inside of the oil
>> cap ? .
>>
>> If not , you may have dodged a bullet this time .
>>
>> You did well turning on the heater , I always do this as soon as I smell
>> coolant or see the gauge rising .
>>
>> -Nate
>> Henry wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi all.
>>
>> so, here's my report on my 2K mile trip, to Durango, CO and back (?).
>> 86 300 SDL 235K miles.
>>
>> the trip out was uneventful, 70 ish mph, trying the "new " PRI-D
>> additive.
>> I'm happy to report, getting 30-32 mpg, highway 50 (mostly two lane),
>> some
>> mountains.
>>
>> but on the way back..........
>>
>> I hit a bump,and the whole front end began to shimmy, much like my old
>> pickup used to, when the kingpins wore out. I applied the brakes, and it
>> stopped.......dang.
>> so, I pull in to a shop, and ask to check the tie rods.....it appeared,
>> one
>> is loose, but, not to the breaking point, and, felt, and was assured,
>> it'd
>> last home.
>> And, it did. The shimmy happened from time to time, but, overall, it was
>> workable.
>>
>> But, in Salida, UT, as I was climbing a long steep (6 miles) hill out of
>> town, I committed a cardinal transgression of driving: "Smell antifreeze,
>> pull over".
>> Well, I was following an old RV and, it was overheating, so, I thought,
>> since my temp gauge was normal, it was just him.
>> But, as I topped said hill, and the road flattened out, the temp began to
>> rise fast.......and, I began to look for a spot to pull over. This
>> section
>> of road is two lanes, no shoulder, and soft sand......so, I had to
>> continue
>> until a safe spot could be found.
>> By then, the needle was pegged on high, and, steam arose from under the
>> hood.
>> I left it idling, and popped the hood.
>> water was squirting on the fan, from the upper hose.
>> So, I got a towel and opened the cap.
>> I had a gallon of water, so, poured that in slowly. It helped bring the
>> temp
>> to high, but, not cool it.
>> so, I did a "u" turn, knowing if I could make the crest of the hill, I
>> could
>> coast all the way back to town.
>> The temp was pegged, again above the red, as I crested the hill.
>> I was coasting at 60 mph, and left the engine idling, for steering and
>> brakes, and, it cooled a little.
>> I got to a parts house, and of course, they didn't have the correct hose,
>> but, we found one close and cut it to fit.
>> The old hose, upon inspections, looked like a chunk had been taken out,
>> not
>> popped, but cut.
>> It was right in line with the fan, but, all the parts on said fan and
>> stuff
>> were intact.
>> We decided, somehow, something flew up off the road, hit the fan and was
>> propelled into the hose, cutting it (very clean edges on the damage, and
>> no
>> loose pieces, but a hole).
>>
>> So, replacing said hose, refilling 50/50 and getting two more gallons of
>> water, we head out.
>> all is fine.
>> I stopped a couple of times, to top up the tank, knowing it probably had
>> a
>> bubble or two from going almost dry. I ran the heater, to make sure it
>> was
>> full, too.
>>
>> We got to Ely, for fuel, and noted, water dripping from under the
>> reservoir
>> tank (plastic).
>> and, it was getting worse!
>> so, I let it cool a little and removed said tank.
>> It had several cracks!! only one was leaking but, the thick plastic had
>> cracked.
>> I guessed, the hot steam from the previous incident, and pressure from
>> the
>> cap, softened the tank enough, to let it expand under pressure and crack.
>> So, I used what I had (to later for parts), duct tape and fishing line,
>> to
>> patch said tank.
>> It held. But, I was not willing to pressurize it at cap pressures,
>> feeling
>> the patch would blow off.
>> So, I called my friend/MBZ mech. and explained.
>> He said, my only option was to run with a loose cap, and refill from time
>> to
>> time, as the low coolant light came on.
>>
>> so, I did that.
>> this worked fine, until just before Austin, NV. Evidently, the low
>> coolant
>> switch decided to malfunction, and, as I was climbing the pass, the temp
>> shot up, again.
>> and, this time, I'm sure it emptied the cooling system.
>> I opened the cap, nothing but steam (I had left the cap loose, to avoid
>> pressure on the patch).
>> It took the whole 4 gallons of water, a little at a time (pour it in,
>> steam,
>> noise, blow it back out, repeat),
>> to get the engine to accept the last little bit of water, and get just
>> below
>> "hot" (I left it idling the whole time), and, limp to the top of the
>> pass,
>> enabling us to coast into Austin.
>> Austin, NV at midnight on a Monday, is closed. Period.
>> no water at the only two gas stations, no one at the police office, and I
>> had no interest in sneaking into someone's yard to get water, and have
>> them
>> think I stealing their daffodils.
>> The one bar that was open, looked inside so much like I'd expect a bar in
>> the movie "Deliverance" to look, as well as the three drunken patrons, I
>> was
>> not going inside.
>> So, AAA, here I come.
>>
>> got towed into Fallon at 4 am, called a friend (indeed) and was home by
>> noon.
>> Went back up with my truck and car trailer yesterday.
>> The car started fine, seemed to run smooth. I pulled onto the trailer,
>> and,
>> it's home.
>>
>> dang.
>>
>> Any thoughts, would be appreciated, referring to things to check,
>> probably
>> causes, and, what I could have done better.
>>
>> Henry
>
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