So much went wrong in three weeks I thought I would share in hopes that this will help others facing a vacation going down the tubes. The first episode is probably the longest.
The over all idea was three to four weeks travelling from San Antonio to a few spots in Colorado (Durango around to Leadville). We would be visiting some old spots and seeing some new. For those that do not see the signatures I am driving a 2013 F150 SCREW with a V8, it has 130,000 miles on the odometer and no issues in a couple years. My regular mechanic took a look over everything and pronounced it fine for the trip. I did replace the shocks and struts and had new tires installed on my 21QB TT.
Cue Jaws theme music.
Day 2. Travelling down highway 40 in New Mexico. Beautiful open spaces, rolling hills, truck is purring up and down the bigger hills. Great conversation with my DW, and thinking about Santa Fe and one of our favorite restaurants for take out. Cooler weather. Relaxing . . .
"Crap (or similar) we're overheating."
We have AAA Plus RV. We were on the phone with them and they were asking questions that we really didn't have an answer for. Really hard questions like where are you? and where do you want to be towed to? It took a while and a half mile walk to find a road sign. Did I mention it was about 103 degrees? No AC. We finally figured out we were between Clines Corners and Santa Rosa.
We finally decided on Ortega's Wrecker and Towing (
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ortegas-wre...e-santa-rosa-2) back in Santa Rosa. Seriously if you are going to be traveling through NM save their number to your phone.
While we were waiting and looking at miles and miles of nature, nothing man made, the very nice dispatcher at AAA asked if we had masks. We said yes. My DW kept asking if the driver would be wearing a mask and not getting an answer. During a pause in the conversation I pointed out we were 30 miles from any town and really couldn't say no to the tow so she could probably stop asking about the driver's mask. After so many years of marriage I should have known to shut my mouth. Live and learn.
Then AAA mentioned that they could only provide one passenger in the tow truck and that we would have to provide our own transportation for the second person. They suggested a friend or Uber or Lyft. Yeah . . . about that . . . we're 800 miles from home and ride sharing would be two on a horse. Ortega called as I was about to panic and said they would never leave someone on the side of the road and they had plenty of room for everyone. Still, something to consider.
Ortega's F650 arrived my F150 went on the flatbed and the TT was towed behind. It was a sad, sad moment. The driver was friendly and loaded my stuff with professionalism and care.
We arrive at the shop, they unhook the TT and bring the truck over to the shop. Mr. Ortega and two of his mechanics came over and immediately started looking it over while I filled out a little paperwork with Mrs. Ortega who made every attempt to make us feel welcome. About ten or fifteen minutes they called me over to show me a ^%&$ plastic part that split causing coolant and water to spray over my engine.
Bad news, it's a dealer only part that would take two days to arrive and necessitated removing the dash to route it back to the heater.
Good news, these guys are in the business of fixing things not just replacing parts. If I agreed they would use a barbed fitting, some high pressure clamps, and a section of hose so our vacation could continue. I explained where and how long we were travelling and they felt it was 100% solid for the trip. I agreed.
Mr. Ortega told his mechanic to not order over the phone and wait for NAPA to deliver but to go to NAPA and be certain we received exactly what we needed. He was back in about twenty minutes and had the repair completed in about thirty.
Yes! we're getting back on the road.
No! They want to test drive before letting us get back on the highway.
A thirty minute mechanic test drive. While he was gone I'm adding up what I expect the bill to be. I'm adding up about 90 minutes to two hours of mechanic time, parts, plus a "tourist travelling through town emergency surcharge". Anything under $250 seemed OK.
I go to pay after the mechanic comes back -- $80 bill with an apology for the minimum labor billing! I tip the mechanics $20 and tell them to have a beer after work on me, hook up the TT and pull away. Happy as a lark.
300 yards later I was stopped in the median, the engine stalled.
We walk back to the shop. Groans and apologies we drive back, they hook up their computer and the truck throws 37 codes at them. By then it would restart so I drove back, unhitched, and they looked some more. It appeared to be the fuel injectors which had been soaked by the coolant. Thirty minutes of drying and checking, another test drive, and I'm ready to leave again. What do I owe you?
"You already paid. We're so sorry we didn't get it correct the first time."
Come on they test drove it for 30 minutes. How could they have known?
This time we made it to the expressway on ramp before it died again.
Ortega rushed over, towed the trailer and I was able to limp the truck back to the shop. It was about 5:30 in the afternoon. Ortega had his guys move a couple cars and placed our TT next to his 30 amp receptacle and had us plug in so we would have AC, apologized, offered his car so we could go get something to eat, and a dozen other kindnesses that you just don't expect anymore.
After another thirty minutes of trouble shooting and us considering driving out of there and getting to Santa Fe well after dark, I asked if there was an RV park close by and we would just stay the night and have them troubleshoot in the morning. They insisted we just stay there. Again the offer of a car to see the town, get food, etc.
The next morning they removed the fuel injectors, cleaned them, put everything back together, and announced another test drive. I suggested we hook up our TT and test drive ourselves near the shop. We drove about ten miles into town turned around and came back without a glitch. I pulled in, announced the truck repaired and pulled out my wallet. Again all payment was rejected. My entire bill at Ortega's was $80. All they asked was a phone call when we returned home. I asked for an invitation to the next family reunion. I really felt like we were treated like family. Mr. Ortega's father started the business back in the 1970s and the son took it over about 25 years ago. I can't imagine a more honest and caring shop. We left and headed to Santa Fe.
Along the way on a couple mile long uphill stretch my transmission began running really hot, about 235 degrees. I'm not certain how hot it had gotten before but obviously I was hyper vigilant after all the problems. I called a Ford dealer in Santa Fe and booked an appointment for that afternoon. I was prepared to spend a couple days getting everything fixed. Heading into town we were delayed by a 35ish TT pulled by a 3/4 ton truck that was on it's side blocking most of the road. The recovery trucks were in position to raise it and we had a front row seat for the rightening. From talking to the flag tender apparently as the driver reached the bottom of a medium size hill he started to sway, didn't get it under control and flipped. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt. I noticed no antisway or load levelers. When the flipped it onto the rubber the nose was way down, but that could have just been because of the accident. Still a rather ominous sight.
Later at the Ford dealer I learned that 235 degrees isn't the end of the world for my transmission, 250 degrees is the real danger zone so nothing really to do and the repair that Ortega performed was solid enough that the dealership said to not waste vacation time leaving the truck but to go on and enjoy our vacation and have it replaced when we returned home. I reminded him I had three weeks and some remote driving. He estimated the repair would hold a year or two. Off we went.
We didn't have any problems with that repair but this is part 1 of 5.
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