Truck fun, NOT

[MAC]

On my way back from the Cape this morning I hear this odd growling coming from under the hood. Pull over, look under the hood (not that I really know what I am looking for) and don't see anything obvious wrong. Start truck again and listen with hood open, Uh Oh. Water pump is making noises it shouldn't. Pick up a waterpump on way home and commence. Well when I push the belt tensioner in to take belt off it stays there. Another trip to the parts store for a belt tensioner. Well 2 1/2 hrs later and 200 bux it sounds normal again. I don't know how they expect you to remove and replace certain parts. Like that little hose that goes from top of the water pump to the block. That engineer who designed it is a moron. What a PIA to get the spring clamp to move up enough to get pump off. Needless to say that clamp went in the trash can and was replaced with a regular hose clamp. Ok, I feel better now after venting a little.

[Nebe]

thats a bummer mac..... but at least you figured out the problem before the pump plew an impeller.........

[MAC]

Originally Posted by Eben

thats a bummer mac..... but at least you figured out the problem before the pump plew an impeller.........

I guess I should be glad it didn't happen on the way down. I probably would have turned around and headed home. Then I would have to make the trip again for the sticker.. All better now, truck is dry underneath and has a new stickah.

[Raven]

1. you kicked some truck ass....
2.you couldn't have asked for a nicer day to do it.
3.and now it WON'T happen during the STRIPER season.

SMILE MAN and let the wind blow thru your hair with pride...
the old saying is: "be kind to your beast for it bares you"

[BigBo]

Factory clamps suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BigFish]

What??? Stickers are on sale????

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by MAC

What a PIA to get the spring clamp to move up enough to get pump off. Needless to say that clamp went in the trash can and was replaced with a regular hose clamp. Ok, I feel better now after venting a little.

You need the right tool for the job.
Spring clamps rule if you have spring clamp pliers,they won't strip like the POS screw clamps.

[Flaptail]

Ha, that's nothing. Two weeks ago Tuesday I was on my way to the Monomoy meeting at thier HQ on Morris Island and lost my steering pump. Okay I can handle that but then I hit something and don't know it but took out my transmission cooler lines and the truck is bleeding luck a stuck pig. Fine, stop in Harwich on the way home from the meeting and discover the fluid leak and freak. Buy umpteen bottles of tranny fluid and dump them in and limp home. Get it ti the chevy dealers and the steering pump, tranny cooler lines and pump and some tranny work need to be done. It's in four days. Pay that bill ( almost needed oxygen) and drive home. Wicked shimmy develops in the front end. Go back to the chevy dealer and he says ( the service manager) it's your tires. They are old, hard and cracked and there is some belt slippage (belt slippage?). I will make an appointment I tell him. Next day go to get my inspection sticker (waited too long as usual). FAIL! Mechanic says, " you been gettin a shimmy in the front end? Yep I say. Upper and lower ball joints and an idler arm later I am off. Get the rejected sticker off and get ther real sticker. Guess what, now I need a front end alignment and I do need four new sneakers for the thing. How much? $569.00 Total fot the alignment and tires. Almost two grand in a weeks time. I told the chevy salesman who happened to be listening to my dilemma and wanted to show me a new GM truck that I wasn't interested. From now on it's Toyota. I never thought I would say that but part of the american car manufacturers design in modern cars and trucks is based on planned obsolescence. Going Japanese after the season is over ( maybe sooner if the f&*^%$#@ breaks down again or develops another problem.)

[MAC]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Ha, that's nothing. Two weeks ago Tuesday I was on my way to the Monomoy meeting at thier HQ on Morris Island and lost my steering pump. Okay I can handle that but then I hit something and don't know it but took out my transmission cooler lines and the truck is bleeding luck a stuck pig. Fine, stop in Harwich on the way home from the meeting and discover the fluid leak and freak. Buy umpteen bottles of tranny fluid and dump them in and limp home. Get it ti the chevy dealers and the steering pump, tranny cooler lines and pump and some tranny work need to be done. It's in four days. Pay that bill ( almost needed oxygen) and drive home. Wicked shimmy develops in the front end. Go back to the chevy dealer and he says ( the service manager) it's your tires. They are old, hard and cracked and there is some belt slippage (belt slippage?). I will make an appointment I tell him. Next day go to get my inspection sticker (waited too long as usual). FAIL! Mechanic says, " you been gettin a shimmy in the front end? Yep I say. Upper and lower ball joints and an idler arm later I am off. Get the rejected sticker off and get ther real sticker. Guess what, now I need a front end alignment and I do need four new sneakers for the thing. How much? $569.00 Total fot the alignment and tires. Almost two grand in a weeks time. I told the chevy salesman who happened to be listening to my dilemma and wanted to show me a new GM truck that I wasn't interested. From now on it's Toyota. I never thought I would say that but part of the american car manufacturers design in modern cars and trucks is based on planned obsolescence. Going Japanese after the season is over ( maybe sooner if the f&*^%$#@ breaks down again or develops another problem.)

My wifes car is a blazer, hope I don't run into those problems

Just a side note Flap. If you didn't get tires yet check out BJ's wholesale . I got 4 BF Goodrichs with lifetime rotation and balance plus roadhazard for 400 bux installed. NTB wanted 550 for the same thing.

[fishaholic18]

Town Fair Tire + Road Hazzard Warranty = New Tires

[Billybob]

Be glad it's not a VW Jetta, to get to the water pump you have to remove the A/C comp,PS pump,and Alt - what a design and you need midget hands.
On my Dodge Ram when I bought a belt, they told me I should get a tensioner - they typically last as long as a belt - I don't think so.

[MAC]

Thats what my truck is (Dodge). The worst part of that small hose is if it needs replacing you have to remove the alternator and AC pump to get at it. I agree on the midget hands thing

[Backbeach Jake]

My F-250 has that little collant hose, too. We were introduced last summer at Cumby's in P-town. Learned about water pumps, fuel pressure regulators, and idle speed controls the same week, then it was vacuum modulator class. It's getting time for another sled. Wait, it IS another sled, now!

[Bass Babe]

I decided to be lazy and get someone else to change my oil, and thought why not have em switch the fuel filter for me while they were at it. Seeing as this was a regular garage, and not Jiffy Rape, I figured maybe fifteen bucks max for the filter. After an hour and a half, the thing cost me almost 60. Apparently they "had a hard time reaching it and getting it out". Next time I'm using my midget hands and doing it myself!

[Raven]

Bass Babe...reading jiffy rape.... lol....but ya know....sometimes tanks rust internally and the rust flakes off clogging that fuel filter with fine sediment...and eventually that fuel filter begins to clog.... causing you to choke ,sputter and just buck your way to a complete stop and generally it'll happen [according to murphy's law] in the worst possible place imaginable where you find yourself waiting for a tow ...expected to ARRIVE in 60 minutes because its late....or some other excuse... and you'd gladly pay a dollar a minute to get out of there... as soon as possible.... so consider it fail-safe insurance.

[redneck24]

Originally Posted by MAC

On my way back from the Cape this morning I hear this odd growling coming from under the hood. Pull over, look under the hood (not that I really know what I am looking for) and don't see anything obvious wrong. Start truck again and listen with hood open, Uh Oh. Water pump is making noises it shouldn't. Pick up a waterpump on way home and commence. Well when I push the belt tensioner in to take belt off it stays there. Another trip to the parts store for a belt tensioner. Well 2 1/2 hrs later and 200 bux it sounds normal again. I don't know how they expect you to remove and replace certain parts. Like that little hose that goes from top of the water pump to the block. That engineer who designed it is a moron. What a PIA to get the spring clamp to move up enough to get pump off. Needless to say that clamp went in the trash can and was replaced with a regular hose clamp. Ok, I feel better now after venting a little.

you must have a 318 or 360 dodge. that hose sucks even with the right tool.

[MAC]

yep, 360. When ya squeeze the clamp and push it up it has nowhere to go.