Last week while driving a backroad the van hesitated a little. It was really windy and it only made a slight hesitation so did I really feel that?
Let’s go back a bit. A few months back I began to hear a noise. It was a piercing noise that sounded like it was coming from the back of the van. After sending Tom a video of the sound ( I was up north) he said it sounded like the fuel pump. Oh no but I already fixed that! He said sometimes they will make a noise but be ok. Ok I will live with the noise that was a $1000 repair. So for months I have been turning up the radio. Lol!
Fast forward to last Thursday. On my way to Diane’s I go to enter the 406 highway at Glendale, as I put pressure on the gas peddle to gather speed, nothing. It did not stall but had no power. Feathered the peddle, nothing! Grrrr. Take the next exit and the speed finally starts to build. As I drove all I could think was what the heck was that?? Obviously she was not getting gas. She is fuel injected so not the carburetor like on the 69, she is so beautifully simple. It must be the fuel pump. Went back roads all the way to Diane’s thinking about a $1000 repair.
When I got to Diane’s I gave Tom a call because he is my go to guy. He said maybe with a couple of other strange things that had happened it was not the fuel pump but a ground. The fuel gauge had started bouncing around like it was on some cheap drugs or something. All the other gauges were fine and it only did it once in awhile. Ohhh that sounds cheaper. Lol! Well maybe not.
How does a fuel pump problem turn into a house issue?
After looking at the issue as well as he could he said he had noticed some water dripping onto the tank from the sink piping. He also noticed the top of the fuel tank was jammed against the bottom of the van. There should have been a space as now the top of the fuel pump was against the bottom of the van. There was no way of getting to that ground wire without taking the tank down and the leak must be fixed or it will rot out my tank and cause electrical issues with the fuel pump.
OMG! You have got to be kidding! Ugggg! There is no way for him to do it as we need a hoist to get it high enough to drop the tank. Time to call Thruway Auto in Port Colbourne. They are awesome at not only fixing her but being understanding to the fact I live in her. That is a very big plus. Most places see you pull in and you are in an RV and think oh we can keep it for a couple of days. Not unless I am sleeping in your parking lot! Lol! They made me an appointment for this Tuesday at 8 am and I know she will be the first one in the shop.
Now I have had the fuel pump replaced before and am just glad she did not die on me anywhere, well yet, like last time. Oh that was an adventure! Requiring a tow and then I took it to a garage recommended by someone I trust and it turned into a nightmare.
They kept the van over night, which was the least of my worries it turns out. After I got the van back from them I was working in Woodbridge which was about 2 hours from the garage. I went to put gas in her and could only put $20 in and it would not pump any more in. The gas pump would keep shutting off like.ot was full and since it was not 1969 I knew it should take more than that. What?? I called them back and told them what was going on. They said to bring it back the next day. Ummm I am working 2 hours away and my hotel was a campsite sooo thats a hard no. Turns out they bent the vent pipe. After a few not so nice words I took it back to them and they said they fixed it. I still cannot put the gas pump on high and fill my tank but at least I can put more than $20 in it.
The only thing I can figure is when they repaired the vent pipe they tightened the tank straps to tight and when putting the tank too high they cracked the sinks lines to the grey water tank as the leak had been there for awhile to start to rust the top of the tank. It is not a large leak as I did not notice any dripping water on the ground. It is a seam leak maybe and dribbles along the pipe and deposits on the top of the fuel tank. There is a lot of equipment back there. You cannot fix the sink line leak or the grounding issue without dropping the tank. Also the basement is in the way and you would have to remove the rivets to get it out if the way. I am so hoping that Thruway can fix it and fix it all. After all they are a mechanical shop not an RV shop. But at least I know they will do everything in their expertise to try to solve my issue. I have been to a lot of garages over the years and as long as they are here I will be taking my vans there when they are sick!
They also have this cute Cockatoo that always says hello and rings his bell at me. At 57 I will take what I can get! He is so pretty!
So my worrying about a $1000 repair just turned into worrying about a $2000 repair. Whatever happens as long as I can still drive her and live in her its worth whatever it costs to keep my dream and my home moving!
Check here next Sunday to see what happens! I am as excited to know as you! Lol!
Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure!
See you next week!
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