Brownie went on her first "maiden voyage", or rather, short road trip, today. Nothing but problems...
I was initially going to take her out to a spot near the oregon trail sites to take pictures before our huge thunder storm rolled it. I got there to late and it was to dark to get any pictures....
About a mile before getting to the site, the alternator light came on....not good, but not horribly bad either. I had an issue with a broken stator wire and it was the cause before, it was the same this time. Didn't cause any issues keeping the battery charged though.
After pulling into the site and checking the wire (which DID break), I went to head back home, hoping to stop by my parents house on the way back to get the wire fixed. While pulling out of the site, the transmission didn't want to grab, seemed like it was low on fluid. Odd, I thought, but kept going. As I stopped before pulling onto the freeway access, I gave her some gas and she didn't go right away, it took a few seconds to grab. Again, I figured it was just a little low on tranny fluid. Once I started the pick up speed, however, I noticed small clouds of smoke in the rear view mirror, and brownie didn't want to go very willingly! I knew there was a leak somewhere, but she made it up to 55 MPH and held there (while revving like a chainsaw), the whole way to my parents house.
As I got off the freeway and stopped at the light, I gave her some gas and she didn't grab. Once she did though, it was intermittent and would jerk the car back and forth. I kept giving her gas to get her off to the side of the road. Cars passed, honking at me for being so slow, but once they passed she grabbed and started going again. I had to drive in 2nd gear for the last 1/2 mile home, stopping at one light and doing it all over again.
I got to my parents house and she was leaking tranny fluid like crazy! I jacked her up, checked around and found tranny fluid dripping from all over!
Now the source of the leak...
The 1/2" aluminum tubing I used for the feed line to the cooler was apparently resting against the steering coupler. Well, that thing has some jagged edges! It cut a hole in the side of the tube allowing the tranny to empty itself!
I was able to repair it by cutting out the damage section and using some of the extra 300 PSI tranny cooler line I had from all of the work earlier in this year. I made sure that after reassembling everything, none of the hoses or tubing were touching anything. I strapped down the hoses and tubes as well.
After a trip to walmart to pick up some Type F fluid, I filled her up and drove her down the road. All is good again!
On the drive home I spoke to brownie, telling her she had done good through it all, and that if we take care of each other, things will end well by the end of the day. We'll see if she was listening or not! :)
Dave,
I'm glad it all worked out okay... a leak like that could have had a disastrous effect on your transmission!
Dwayne :smile:
Quote from: dave1987 on June 23, 2011, 02:19:20 AM
On the drive home I spoke to brownie, telling her she had done good through it all, and that if we take care of each other, things will end well by the end of the day. We'll see if she was listening or not! :)
I talk to mine too, they need encouragement at times, you're just getting started and Brownie will let you know when she needs somthing...
Brownie is looking great btw, love the new shine :D
Hey, "Stormy" and I have talks all the time. Sometimes she actually answers. I am sure that a LOT of people on here talk to their cars but are afraid to admit it.
Glad things are not as they could have been
Heck, I talk to all my Pinto girls! Ruby got lots of pettings and pats on our epic trip. She earned them and then some! ;D
What I would say to mine isn't really repeatable on this site lol.
I hear you there Matt. My 78 gets a thrashing sometimes, while Brownie (the one I've had for the least amount of time) gets babied.
Well, Brownie is the senior member... ;D
Quote from: r4pinto on June 24, 2011, 12:17:32 PM
What I would say to mine isn't really repeatable on this site lol.
I've experienced a few moments like that myself, Matt! :lol:
Dwayne :smile: