Canada eh? - Now: Blowed up real good...

[roccit_53 at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca (C Boyko)]

On 6:40:34 pm 06/08/06 "Mark F." <mk1mark@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/8/06, Spewey <spewey@comcast.net> wrote:
> > >  that damn bottom A/C compressor bracket bolt back in wasn't fun
> > >  though...
> >
> >  But surely you loved the cool air inside?
> >
> > >  back on the road w/ a grin...
> >
> >  Cuz of the nice cool breeze.
>
>
> I wish...  The A/C blows warm air...  :(
>
> I needed every last horsepower for forward propulsion anyways...
>
>
> > >  Judging by the white smoke coming from the tailpipe a
> > >  couple times when I topped up the rad, I'm guessing it's the head
> > >  gasket or a crack in the head...
> >
> >  Yep.
>
>
> Confirmed today.  The upper rad hose blew spectacularily on the two
> block drive to my job site this morning.  I've never heard a hose blow
> like that - it was way louder than any backfire I've ever heard...
>
> Here's a pic of what's coming out the tailpipe now:
>
> <http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/uh_oh.jpg>
>
> There's also smoke coming out the coolant expansion tank, along w/ a
> pretty forceful stream of air.  I'll get on removing the head as soon
> as I figure out the R&R procedure on a diesel - it's all new to me.
> Time to get a new Bentley I guess...
>
> Whats really freaking me out is that this happened less than 2km AFTER
> getting home from a 1700km trek from GA yesterday - talk about good
> timing! (yes, I'm considering a blown head gasket a good thing!  I'm
> just glad it didn't happen somewhere in the middle of nowhere on the
> trip up here.)
>
> Here's a pic of the first "breakdown" of the trip:
>
> <http://home.cogeco.ca/~mardak/breakdown.jpg>
>
> I was approached at many of the fuel stops by curious people who had
> no idea VW made a truck, and a few who had stories of owning one
> (including a guy who had a dutch/southern U.S. accent - a combination
> I've never heard before, and I've been around a lot of dutch accents -
> my parents are from The Netherlands.  I just let the guy ramble on
> because it was so cool to hear!  He also saved me an hour of driving
> by showing me a shortcut around Charleston WV (Hwy 19), so not only
> did I get a smile out of speaking w/ him, it saved me time!
>
> It's the people I meet along the way that makes these trips so
> enjoyable for me.  I wish I could spend more time, but I'm usually in
> a hurry to get back for one reason or another.  Last year I spent a
> few days in Purcell (a small town in Oklahoma) while getting an 81
> ready for the trip home, and hung out w/ a mechanic friend of David
> Utley's.  It was a neat experience going to lunch at the same small
> local BBQ restaurant for breaks, lunch, or whenever we'd happen to
> drive by, and observe/interact w/ the locals...  Driving around town
> is usually done w/ one hand on the wheel and the other out the window
> waving to a good 20% of the population...  It's these insights into
> different local cultures that I really love about road trips.  Every
> area is unique - from accents, foods, and traditions, to mindsets...
> Despite the difficulties I had a really good time on this trip - maybe
> because it was more of an adventure than I'm used to...
>
> Later,
>
> Mark.
> 75
> 82
> 82 Caddy x2
>
> 

People always make the adventure fun, no question. Just FYI, Adam has one
of those deflection guages for pump timing if you find yourself in need
(Welland's not that far), and I have the Bentley you'd need too. Or I can
call the guy I got the TD from, and see if he has another. TD, come on, you
know you want boost...(okay, in this case, need it..)
cathy