Well, the trip home didn't go quite as planned: At about 5PM yesterday, 120
miles from home, the water temperature shot up to 150*. With the oil temp
& pressure looking normal, I continued 1/4 mile to a car wash. There I
sprayed the radiator to clear the steam. Examination showed the water
pump's serpentine belt loose & slipping. After tightening that I checked
the fan clutch to be OK and refilled the radiator. When I started the
engine there was an intermittent squeal which I chalked up to the we belt.
So we headed home.
About 8 miles later, the water temp shot up again and the oil temperature
also started climbing. I turned onto the next cross road to clear the
4-lane heavy traffic and shut down on the shoulder of the road.
The serpentine for the WP was missing, so I dug out the spare. Then I
found the original hanging loose, so reinstalled it. Turned out, it was so
damaged and stretched that I couldn't tighten it. So, I cut it off and
installed the spare, with the same part number. It was also too loose to
tighten! Baffled, I started installing the other spare, marked "1/2 in too
short". When it quickly proved to also be too loose, I finally shook the
fan again, it was VERY loose - shot WP. It was also covered with oil,
source still unknown.
With roadside repair out of the question a I called RVRoadHelp. After
about 3 hours and 4 operators, I finally had them convinced that "Beaver
Racing Engines" in Americus is the closes CAPABLE repair facility - they
refuse to take me home, which is 3 miles closer (and where I intend to
land). Then the fun began:. After contacting MANY tower who refused the
job, they called the local police to come to me, expecting them to find
someone local.
After the police dispatcher tried 16 different services, without luck, the
cop and I backed the GMC onto flat ground for the night. And there we
slept.
This morning I dumped the problem back on Allstate, with a couple of
suggestions from the tower in Americus. After another 45 minutes with me
holding the phone, they found someone 75 miles away. He just called,
saying he'll head this way as soon as he get gas. He should be here at
about 11. We MAY be home by 3:30 PM EDT.
Keep your fingers crossed for us.
Ken H.
miles from home, the water temperature shot up to 150*. With the oil temp
& pressure looking normal, I continued 1/4 mile to a car wash. There I
sprayed the radiator to clear the steam. Examination showed the water
pump's serpentine belt loose & slipping. After tightening that I checked
the fan clutch to be OK and refilled the radiator. When I started the
engine there was an intermittent squeal which I chalked up to the we belt.
So we headed home.
About 8 miles later, the water temp shot up again and the oil temperature
also started climbing. I turned onto the next cross road to clear the
4-lane heavy traffic and shut down on the shoulder of the road.
The serpentine for the WP was missing, so I dug out the spare. Then I
found the original hanging loose, so reinstalled it. Turned out, it was so
damaged and stretched that I couldn't tighten it. So, I cut it off and
installed the spare, with the same part number. It was also too loose to
tighten! Baffled, I started installing the other spare, marked "1/2 in too
short". When it quickly proved to also be too loose, I finally shook the
fan again, it was VERY loose - shot WP. It was also covered with oil,
source still unknown.
With roadside repair out of the question a I called RVRoadHelp. After
about 3 hours and 4 operators, I finally had them convinced that "Beaver
Racing Engines" in Americus is the closes CAPABLE repair facility - they
refuse to take me home, which is 3 miles closer (and where I intend to
land). Then the fun began:. After contacting MANY tower who refused the
job, they called the local police to come to me, expecting them to find
someone local.
After the police dispatcher tried 16 different services, without luck, the
cop and I backed the GMC onto flat ground for the night. And there we
slept.
This morning I dumped the problem back on Allstate, with a couple of
suggestions from the tower in Americus. After another 45 minutes with me
holding the phone, they found someone 75 miles away. He just called,
saying he'll head this way as soon as he get gas. He should be here at
about 11. We MAY be home by 3:30 PM EDT.
Keep your fingers crossed for us.
Ken H.
