Fuck a duck, no luck with my truck...again

[Tobin S.]

I was pulling mountain grades this morning in Montana near the Idaho border when my truck's motor got really loud and I lost at least 100 horsepower, probably more. I was down to 5th gear and 15 mph at one point coming over the mountains there in Idaho before Cour d'Alene. I made it to my first stop there in Spokane and popped the hood to see what I could see while I was waiting to be unloaded. I was almost too afraid to look to be honest with you. I was thinking serious dollars and when I took a look it didn't do anything to ease my worries. I had black soot everywhere in the right side of the engine compartment and on the motor.

But I took a closer look and got a little hope. There was an extension coming off of the manifold that hooked up to my turbo. There was a gap there and a busted gasket hanging out. Fortunately, there was a repair shop just down the road and I limped the truck in there not even able to get the damned thing up to 60 mph on the highway.

The guys at the shop said I just needed a new gasket and some new bolts and it should be fine. They said it would be 9 or 10 tonight and that was alright with me. I'd still be able to get to my next stop in time if I got out then. Well, they did even better and had me patched up by 4pm pacific. The repair bill was about $270. Still a good chunk of money, but I was thinking things were going to be much worse earlier today when I was coming up over that mountain in Montana.

The people who did the work on my truck were at Freedom Freightliner just outside of Spokane, and if I ever need work done again when I'm around here I'm going straight to them.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Tobin...

Wow, you have had quite a string of bad luck on your first trip. I hope this is the end of it...

But you seem to be rolling with the punches quite well!

I guess it's all part of being a long-distance trucker.

Hang in there!

:hug:

[Tobin S.]

3. Yeah, getting broke down is a part of the deal sometimes unfortunately

It's not unheard for even newer trucks to break down every once in a while. It's going to happen at some point, you just have to be prepared.

This is not my first trip, btw. I've been at it here for about three weeks now.

[Suich]

2. I didn't even want to click on this thread!

Thought the news would be a lot worse! Glad things worked out!

:hi:

[Tobin S.]

4. I thought things were going to be a l worse, too.

Hopefully, this will be the last of my repair bills for a while minor or otherwise. Now I just need to get this thing to a truck wash. I'm going to be overweight if I don't knock some of this dirt off of here.

[Kali]

5. wish I had your luck!

bummer to breaka down but at least it was a fast fix and not too awful on the money
I lost my little good gas mileage car a week or so ago:-(

[elleng]

6. Missed your post yesterday; glad to hear you're OK now!

and enjoying people and scenery.

THINKING OF YOU!

[MajorChode]

7. ...

[bbdad]

12. Doggy want a quacker?

[MicaelS]

8. Well Tobin, I can surely see

Where you post about budgeting ten cents a mile for maintenance are surely from a man who knows what he's talking about.

[rurallib]

9. sounds like you may have dodged a major bullet

and it sounds like you are getting some real on the job training and experience.
Stay away from them mountains this winter.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. I have driven up that grade as well, many times. I 90. I had a similar experience.

I was driving a Pete 377 with a Series 60 and the hot side intercooler tube let go. Went off with a huge BANG! and a whooosh as the pressure let out of the charge-air cooler. Turns out it was the flexible connector from the tube to the manifold.

Just like you said, thing lost all of its horsepower and I had to crawl up that hill about 15 MPH. It let go with such force it spider-webbed the paint job on the hood, as the tube contacted the underside of the hood when it let go.

Glad it wasn't more serious, man.

This was the tractor I was driving - 1990 or 91 or so, headed out to the Vancouver Indy Car race;



The above pic was taken in California, up in the mountains east of Fresno. I took a day trip up to the Sequoias.

[MiddleFingerMom]

11. Consider this...

.
.
.
.
.
.
...your "bad luck" could be considered extremely GOOD luck...
.
.
.
.
.
.
...considering how bad "bad luck" can actually be.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Repairs and breakdowns suck -- but some are hickies
and some are gaping fucking sucking chest wounds!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
With a whole spectrum in between 'em.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Sounds like so far, so good still.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life

Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse
When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble give a whistle
This will help things turn out for the best

Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the right side of life

If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly, chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle, that's the thing

So, always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a counterfeit and when you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's the joke, it's true
You see, it's all a show, keep them laughing as you go
Just remember the last laugh is on you

Always look on the bright side of life
And always look on the right side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
And always look on the right side of life
.
.