timothyr1014
Full Access Member
All I can say is wow….If I didn’t love my IDI so much it would be over…….
850 total miles in 48 hours…and here is the quick lowdown on what all went on. The amazing thing is it came home on its own power, I am stunned I did not have to have it pulled home; and I will say it makes me appreciate my “emergency kits”…
1. The PO’s version of stereo wiring gave up the ghost...emergency kit: compact LED flashlight (runs forever on 3AAA batteries and is VERY bright) $7 harbor freight multimeter, wire cutter, 3’ of wire with 20 amp fuse, butane soldering iron, and electrical tape…result, bad wiring cut, dash lights wired to ignition, no music, but I can still watch my gauges
2. Put the hammer down pulling out of a truck stop…smell of coolant….heater core (fortunately leaked outside the truck)…emergency kit: 5/8” coupler – result: bypassed
3. Round of crap fuel started stalling on the freeway 50 miles from civilization…emergency kit: strap wrench, fuel filter, 1 gallon of ATF…Result: got it to a truck stop 75 miles later, added a crap load more of ATF to what was left in the tanks and made lemonade from lemons…true smoke style.
4. Ignition cyl took a crap in the “Run position”…emergency kit: same tools from item 1, and a 20 amp toggle switch…result: switch on the red/green wire to shut it down.
5. Slammed on the brakes, the motor sitting in the bed had an accessory that had just enough reach to destroy my back window (second one this month…time for a headache rack). Emergency kit: duct tape…result: cant see out the back window, but without a heater on a 35* night no vision is better then cold wind
6. And finally, ½ mile from the freeway exit for home (and 7 blocks of surface street) had an injector return line (looks like) give it up totally (as I am passing a highway patrol officer no less)…smoke screened an entire 4 lanes of freeway…diesel running out from the valley pan and down the front of the motor. Emergency kit: duct tape and fuel line….result: a slow drip, crappy fuel pressure, almost no power, and limped it home letting it cool down for 20 mins 3 times over a 6 mile stretch…yes driving with a rigged and leaking fuel system is not smart, but I wanted to get home, and I have a decent fire extinguisher on board and there weren’t many other cars on the road…so we rolled the dice
$200 into emergency supplies that always stay in the truck, and wireless internet (thanks to all who responded to my pleas for info), and we rolled home safely for thanksgiving. In as much as it was stressful and frustrating it was nice to have something so freaking simple to work on
850 total miles in 48 hours…and here is the quick lowdown on what all went on. The amazing thing is it came home on its own power, I am stunned I did not have to have it pulled home; and I will say it makes me appreciate my “emergency kits”…
1. The PO’s version of stereo wiring gave up the ghost...emergency kit: compact LED flashlight (runs forever on 3AAA batteries and is VERY bright) $7 harbor freight multimeter, wire cutter, 3’ of wire with 20 amp fuse, butane soldering iron, and electrical tape…result, bad wiring cut, dash lights wired to ignition, no music, but I can still watch my gauges
2. Put the hammer down pulling out of a truck stop…smell of coolant….heater core (fortunately leaked outside the truck)…emergency kit: 5/8” coupler – result: bypassed
3. Round of crap fuel started stalling on the freeway 50 miles from civilization…emergency kit: strap wrench, fuel filter, 1 gallon of ATF…Result: got it to a truck stop 75 miles later, added a crap load more of ATF to what was left in the tanks and made lemonade from lemons…true smoke style.
4. Ignition cyl took a crap in the “Run position”…emergency kit: same tools from item 1, and a 20 amp toggle switch…result: switch on the red/green wire to shut it down.
5. Slammed on the brakes, the motor sitting in the bed had an accessory that had just enough reach to destroy my back window (second one this month…time for a headache rack). Emergency kit: duct tape…result: cant see out the back window, but without a heater on a 35* night no vision is better then cold wind
6. And finally, ½ mile from the freeway exit for home (and 7 blocks of surface street) had an injector return line (looks like) give it up totally (as I am passing a highway patrol officer no less)…smoke screened an entire 4 lanes of freeway…diesel running out from the valley pan and down the front of the motor. Emergency kit: duct tape and fuel line….result: a slow drip, crappy fuel pressure, almost no power, and limped it home letting it cool down for 20 mins 3 times over a 6 mile stretch…yes driving with a rigged and leaking fuel system is not smart, but I wanted to get home, and I have a decent fire extinguisher on board and there weren’t many other cars on the road…so we rolled the dice
$200 into emergency supplies that always stay in the truck, and wireless internet (thanks to all who responded to my pleas for info), and we rolled home safely for thanksgiving. In as much as it was stressful and frustrating it was nice to have something so freaking simple to work on
They are old trucks but they will work hard and hopefully they are paid for. Happy Thanksgiving
