Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » What has left you stranded on the side of the road
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| Re: What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197436 is a reply to message #197434] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 11:46   |
LNelson
Messages: 335
Registered: December 2008
Location: Springfield, MO
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I have only been "alongside the road" twice, actually once, but read on......
Driving from Lower MO to Ft Collins during the winter, I noticed in the mirror that the coach was down on it's haunches. In other words, the compressor shelled out and the bags were down. I stumbled into a gas station and air up the system to get me to the Ramada inn. Whilst there, I bought shrader valves and never had that problem again. Bought a new compressor when I got home.
Then once down in S Padre Island, I couldn't get started, no fire. I had installed a Jacobs aftermarket ignition, remember those? Turns out, after speaking to the tech guy on the phone, they had had troubles in damp climates. So....I reinstalled the OEM ignition, took me about an hour. Never reinstalled the Jacobs.
I think that, as a newbie, you are asking the same question I asked many years ago. I can tell you that if you decided that the GMC was not for you, and bought something more "modern", that you will be sharing your adventures on some other forum, telling about being left alongside the road with your modern rig. Ask me how I know this.
Larry Nelson Springfield, MO
Ex GMC'er, then GM Busnut
now '77 Eleganza ARS WB0JOT
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197437 is a reply to message #197434] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 11:49 |
Ray Erspamer
Messages: 1707
Registered: May 2007
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Karma: -3
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Senior Member |
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1. Distributor before I upgraded to a Springfield. Got to a campground, spent
a week, went to leave....engine would turn over but no fire. Checked for spark,
none. I had a spare distributor, marked where the old rotor was, popped in the
new distributor and aligned the rotor best I could, it fired right up and away
we went.
2. Fan clutch failed. I had a spare and changed it out.
Ray
Ray & Lisa
78 Royale "Great Lakes Eagle"
Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
Email: 78GMC-Royale@att.net
414-745-3188
Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/
________________________________
From: Sean Kidd <fiatkidd@yahoo.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tue, February 5, 2013 11:21:06 AM
Subject: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road
Upgrade priority for newbies like me. Please select an item that has left you
milling about on the side of a highway/road somewhere scratching your head and
mumbling :( . Thanks in advance.
--
73 Canyonlands 26' #317
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Ray Erspamer
78 GMC Royale Center Kitchen
403, 3.70 Final Drive
Holley Sniper Quadrajet EFI System,
Holley Hyperspark Ignition System
414-484-9431
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197438 is a reply to message #197436] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 11:51 |
Ray Erspamer
Messages: 1707
Registered: May 2007
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Karma: -3
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Senior Member |
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My coach had a jacobs ignition when I bought it.......had problems with
it....GONE !
Ray
Ray & Lisa
78 Royale "Great Lakes Eagle"
Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
Email: 78GMC-Royale@att.net
414-745-3188
Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/
________________________________
From: Larry Nelson <larrynelsonarchitect@mchsi.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tue, February 5, 2013 11:47:02 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road
I have only been "alongside the road" twice, actually once, but read on......
Driving from Lower MO to Ft Collins during the winter, I noticed in the mirror
that the coach was down on it's haunches. In other words, the compressor shelled
out and the bags were down. I stumbled into a gas station and air up the system
to get me to the Ramada inn. Whilst there, I bought shrader valves and never had
that problem again. Bought a new compressor when I got home.
Then once down in S Padre Island, I couldn't get started, no fire. I had
installed a Jacobs aftermarket ignition, remember those? Turns out, after
speaking to the tech guy on the phone, they had had troubles in damp climates.
So....I reinstalled the OEM ignition, took me about an hour. Never reinstalled
the Jacobs.
I think that, as a newbie, you are asking the same question I asked many years
ago. I can tell you that if you decided that the GMC was not for you, and bought
something more "modern", that you will be sharing your adventures on some other
forum, telling about being left alongside the road with your modern rig. Ask me
how I know this.
--
Springfield, MO
Ex GMC'er, then GM Busnut
now '77 Eleganza ARS WB0JOT
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GMCnet mailing list
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Ray Erspamer
78 GMC Royale Center Kitchen
403, 3.70 Final Drive
Holley Sniper Quadrajet EFI System,
Holley Hyperspark Ignition System
414-484-9431
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| Re: What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197439 is a reply to message #197436] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 11:56 |
habbyguy
Messages: 896
Registered: May 2012
Location: Mesa, AZ
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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| LNelson wrote on Tue, 05 February 2013 10:46 |
I think that, as a newbie, you are asking the same question I asked many years ago. I can tell you that if you decided that the GMC was not for you, and bought something more "modern", that you will be sharing your adventures on some other forum, telling about being left alongside the road with your modern rig. Ask me how I know this.
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Yeah, but from what I've seen, the parts that are available for a GMC at the local Autozone / NAPA / Pep Boys auto parts emporium cover most of what might leave us stranded, while there are a lot more parts you're going to have to wait for on most newish SOBs.
I know that the only issue I ever had that would have potentially kept me immobile (though it didn't) was the failure of the ignition switch. $17 for an in-stock replacement at the local NAPA parts store (and this in a town of 5,000 in the middle of nowhere) and I'm good to go. The failure didn't stop me on the road however, since it happened at my mom's place, and I was able to force the key cylinder so I could start, and more importantly, shut off the engine (it failed in the "start position" - fortunately I was able to crank on it with just my fingers enough to un-jam the switch enough to disengage the starter... it took a big pair of pliers to force it to the off position, though then I could start and shut off the engine without a key (good news / bad news).
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197446 is a reply to message #197436] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 13:03 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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I have owned the GMC since 1981 so I have havd a few incidents. The more memorable ones were:
In 1985 I lost power. I was able to coast to the side of the road. I checked out the distributor and found it to be the pickup coil on the bottom of the distributor. I hitch hiked to an auto parts store to buy one and installed it within a couple of hours. Since then I carry spare parts for the distributor.
IN 1987 while on a trip to southern NM I was in a town and suddenly my transmission would not upshift. This happened right in front of an autoparts store so I pulled in and checked the vacuum modulator on the side of the transmission, bought a new one and was quickly on my way.
In 2000 while on a trip to Michigan my original engine with about 160,000 miles on it lost a rod bearing. I had it towed to Buskirk and they installed a Jasper engine.
2003 while driving across Kansas the Jasper engine threw a rod rearing (just out of the warranty period). When having it rebuilt in Kansas we found that it had a cracked and welded head, two pistons with higher compression (higher domes), the cheapest rod and main bearings that Jasper could buy, valve seats that were cut too far into the heads and leaking. Made a decision to never buy anything made by Jasper again.
2004 while on my way to the GMCMI Fort Myers, FL convention (of which I was the convention manager) my Kanomata 3.55 final drive broke a gear tooth. I stayed in the GMC for three nights at the transmission shop until Alex Sirum shipped me a 3.07 final drive and the shop installed it. Jim Kanomata shipped a new final drive gear at no charge and he and Alex Sirum installed it into my 3.55 transmission at no charge to me. Jim even offered to pay for the transmission shop charges but I didn't ask him for reimbursement.
2005 while on the interstate between Dallas and Ft. Worth during rush hour my engine stopped. I was in the second lane and had about 100 cars behind me and all four lanes were loaded with cars bumper to bumper. I quickly opened the hatch and determined it was the distributor. Fortunately I now carried spare parts for it. I changed out the module in about 10 minutes and it started up and we were on the way. Not before I had received many, many one fingered salutes from other motorists though.
2006 in Burney, TX, I stopped in town and was parked on its main street in front of a cafe. When we came out the engine would not start. I had plenty of spark but it wasn't getting fuel. Had to explain to a local police officer why I was working under on my motorhome in the middle of town. He wanted mo to have it towed away but I convinced him that I could get it running soon. I drove my toad on a 160 mile round trip to buy another fuel pump for my TBI system. I installed it and quickly determined that the old pump was OK because the new one didn't give me any fuel either. A call to Howell in Michigan led me to check the fuses and wires going to the various components and I found that one wire had broken from its terminal and was hanging down where I couldn't see it. I crimped on a new terminal and the engine came to life immediately. I lost about 8 hours on that one.
2007 while in Texas at about 10 pm on a Sunday night, the engine stopped running while driving down the road. I coasted to the side and found that my rotor and distributor cap contacts were badly burned. Fortunately I had spares of both with me and I got it running again within a half hour.
In 2007 I lost an electric fuel pump alongside a two lane road near Santa Cruz in California which was traveled heavily by trucks. I had a spare with me that I had bought in Texas in 2006 but after trying to keep my legs from being run over by trucks while reaching up under the frame I later moved my fuel pump and selector valve to the outside of the frame to make it simpler to work on.In
2009 while driving up Raton Pass in Colorado after the Pueblo GMCMI convention I lost my switch pitch transmission. Ordered another one from Manny so I had to leave the motorhome for 3 weeks until the new one arrived and was installed.
2011 while leaving for the Shawnee convention and on I -70 about 30 miles east of Denver my engine started reving up but no power to the wheels. Was towed in and after removing the final drive found out that the input bearing had failed and allowed the shaft to wobble. Again, Jim Kanomata to the rescue. He sent me another one at no charge. HOWEVER, the wobbling of the shaft caused the output shaft of the transmission to break just inside of the gear teeth on the shaft that went into the final drive. This destroyed the transmission that I had replaced in 2009. Had it rebuilt and it now runs fine. Drove my car to Shawnee, OK, to the convention and fixed the GMC when I got back. Never want to stay in a motel for 13 nights again!
Over the years I have had a couple of blown out tires. After this happened in Alabama and I couldn't find a 16.5" tire for three days I bought Alcoas and installed 16" tires.
There may have been other small incidents but I don't recall them.
Considering the estimated 300,000 or more miles I have driven it and probably hundreds of trips over the years, there have not been that many problems. I wouldn't trade the adventures we have had for the few problems we have had.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
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| Re: What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197448 is a reply to message #197434] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 13:28 |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Lost the transmission on our very first trip, also ended up with an intake manifold so badly cracked I could only drive a few miles at a time. Towed to the Coop. Spent my first anniversary there. Luckily my wife put up with it.
Lost a rear wheel about two years ago on the way home from a GMCES rally. No warning. Just froze and then came within a hair of rolling off the coach before I could get stopped on the side of an Atlanta freeway. Towed to Southland RV and went back for the coach a week later. New bearings, drum brake, etc.
Limped home after developing problems (massive crack appeared) with the exhaust manifolds and other exhaust problems that left me going no more than 40mph. Headers, new mufflers, new exhaust.
New exhaust incorrectly installed and it disconnected under the door. Heat from exhaust caused vapor lock trying to climb to a campground near Grandfather Mtn in NC. Fixed the next day at Tom Johnson's Camping Center.
Stripped a perfectly good tire on the "curb" wheel and had to limp to a tire shop in Pigeon Forge to get a replacement (thanks Chuck!)Stupid 16.5" tires.
Leaking front brake lines that left me with no front breaks on my way down from Rock City outside Chattanooga. The GMC does not go downhill well without front brakes, but first gear and pumping hard got us safely down. Replaced the hose, bled the brakes (thanks Jim Bounds for walking me through it!), and filled the MC at an autoparts store before finishing the trip.
To be fair, our coach was a complete pile of junk when we got it. Sitting 5+ years, hubcap deep in a swamp, and I paid very little for it. Most of the problems we've had were because I didn't want to take the time to do a full restoration before using it. We started to use it and we fix things as they go bad. We accept that this means we are going to have breakdown issues at times. We have only had two trips come to a complete end on mechanical failure (5 years, over 20K miles), our first and the ride home from the GMCES rally. We've had lots of little problems, but those were the big ones that left us in what I consider serious trouble.
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197450 is a reply to message #197446] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 13:33 |
Ray Erspamer
Messages: 1707
Registered: May 2007
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Karma: -3
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Senior Member |
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Emery.....your "few" incidents are enough to scare a person to death! GEEZZZ!
Ray
Ray & Lisa
78 Royale "Great Lakes Eagle"
Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
Email: 78GMC-Royale@att.net
414-745-3188
Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/
________________________________
From: Emery Stora <emerystora@mac.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tue, February 5, 2013 1:03:50 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road
I have owned the GMC since 1981 so I have havd a few incidents. The more
memorable ones were:
In 1985 I lost power. I was able to coast to the side of the road. I checked
out the distributor and found it to be the pickup coil on the bottom of the
distributor. I hitch hiked to an auto parts store to buy one and installed it
within a couple of hours. Since then I carry spare parts for the distributor.
IN 1987 while on a trip to southern NM I was in a town and suddenly my
transmission would not upshift. This happened right in front of an autoparts
store so I pulled in and checked the vacuum modulator on the side of the
transmission, bought a new one and was quickly on my way.
In 2000 while on a trip to Michigan my original engine with about 160,000 miles
on it lost a rod bearing. I had it towed to Buskirk and they installed a Jasper
engine.
2003 while driving across Kansas the Jasper engine threw a rod rearing (just out
of the warranty period). When having it rebuilt in Kansas we found that it had
a cracked and welded head, two pistons with higher compression (higher domes),
the cheapest rod and main bearings that Jasper could buy, valve seats that were
cut too far into the heads and leaking. Made a decision to never buy anything
made by Jasper again.
2004 while on my way to the GMCMI Fort Myers, FL convention (of which I was the
convention manager) my Kanomata 3.55 final drive broke a gear tooth. I stayed
in the GMC for three nights at the transmission shop until Alex Sirum shipped me
a 3.07 final drive and the shop installed it. Jim Kanomata shipped a new final
drive gear at no charge and he and Alex Sirum installed it into my 3.55
transmission at no charge to me. Jim even offered to pay for the transmission
shop charges but I didn't ask him for reimbursement.
2005 while on the interstate between Dallas and Ft. Worth during rush hour my
engine stopped. I was in the second lane and had about 100 cars behind me and
all four lanes were loaded with cars bumper to bumper. I quickly opened the
hatch and determined it was the distributor. Fortunately I now carried spare
parts for it. I changed out the module in about 10 minutes and it started up
and we were on the way. Not before I had received many, many one fingered
salutes from other motorists though.
2006 in Burney, TX, I stopped in town and was parked on its main street in front
of a cafe. When we came out the engine would not start. I had plenty of spark
but it wasn't getting fuel. Had to explain to a local police officer why I was
working under on my motorhome in the middle of town. He wanted mo to have it
towed away but I convinced him that I could get it running soon. I drove my toad
on a 160 mile round trip to buy another fuel pump for my TBI system. I installed
it and quickly determined that the old pump was OK because the new one didn't
give me any fuel either. A call to Howell in Michigan led me to check the fuses
and wires going to the various components and I found that one wire had broken
from its terminal and was hanging down where I couldn't see it. I crimped on a
new terminal and the engine came to life immediately. I lost about 8 hours on
that one.
2007 while in Texas at about 10 pm on a Sunday night, the engine stopped running
while driving down the road. I coasted to the side and found that my rotor and
distributor cap contacts were badly burned. Fortunately I had spares of both
with me and I got it running again within a half hour.
In 2007 I lost an electric fuel pump alongside a two lane road near Santa Cruz
in California which was traveled heavily by trucks. I had a spare with me that
I had bought in Texas in 2006 but after trying to keep my legs from being run
over by trucks while reaching up under the frame I later moved my fuel pump and
selector valve to the outside of the frame to make it simpler to work on.In
2009 while driving up Raton Pass in Colorado after the Pueblo GMCMI convention I
lost my switch pitch transmission. Ordered another one from Manny so I had to
leave the motorhome for 3 weeks until the new one arrived and was installed.
2011 while leaving for the Shawnee convention and on I -70 about 30 miles east
of Denver my engine started reving up but no power to the wheels. Was towed in
and after removing the final drive found out that the input bearing had failed
and allowed the shaft to wobble. Again, Jim Kanomata to the rescue. He sent me
another one at no charge. HOWEVER, the wobbling of the shaft caused the output
shaft of the transmission to break just inside of the gear teeth on the shaft
that went into the final drive. This destroyed the transmission that I had
replaced in 2009. Had it rebuilt and it now runs fine. Drove my car to
Shawnee, OK, to the convention and fixed the GMC when I got back. Never want to
stay in a motel for 13 nights again!
Over the years I have had a couple of blown out tires. After this happened in
Alabama and I couldn't find a 16.5" tire for three days I bought Alcoas and
installed 16" tires.
There may have been other small incidents but I don't recall them.
Considering the estimated 300,000 or more miles I have driven it and probably
hundreds of trips over the years, there have not been that many problems. I
wouldn't trade the adventures we have had for the few problems we have had.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
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Ray Erspamer
78 GMC Royale Center Kitchen
403, 3.70 Final Drive
Holley Sniper Quadrajet EFI System,
Holley Hyperspark Ignition System
414-484-9431
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197451 is a reply to message #197446] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 13:42 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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I've only put 17,000 miles on the coach in 4-1/2 years, so nowhere near the experience Emery has. I have been stopped next to the road two times.
The first time we were on our way to a Saguaro Jetset rally in Benson, AZ, and had just hit cruising speed on I-10, when the engine suddenly died. There was a nice wide pull-out along the right side that I managed to make into. After doing some simple diagnostics (no spark) I replaced the module in my year old Springfield Ignition distributor with a spare, and the coach fired right up.
The second time we were on on on ramp from the 202 loop S. to the 60 E. in Phoenix, and the same symptom happened. We coasted to a stop inches from the guard rail on the right, and inches from the white stripe on the left, facing up hill. I frantically tried to figure out what was wrong. It couldn't be the ignition module again because I had replaced it with an MSD system that eliminated the in-distributor module. A highway patrol showed up and pushed us over the crest of the overpass to a wide area where I could pull off the highway, and cooler heads prevailed. It turned out to be the MSD box that failed. Fortunately, the guy that installed it for me (i am somewhat electrically challenged, must be a German thing, Rob) had left me with the stock module and harness and it was an easy job to change it out. I finished up and had just started the coach when the tow truck arrived. I sent him on his way and drove back to Tucson with the timing somewhat off, but with the coach running fine.
I pulled the MSD box out, sent it to MSD in El Paso, got it back a few weeks later, reinstalled it, and all has been well ever since.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197452 is a reply to message #197450] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 13:42 |
tphipps
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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You need to see how many years Emery has had his coach.
I've replaced a transmission on the road, had two engine failures, (probably both my fault) and a bad tire.
Check everything twice and daily on the road. This would have saved one transmission and one engine.
Tom, MS II ( has not broke yet)
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197457 is a reply to message #197450] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 14:19 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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NOTE that it is over a 32 YEAR period that I have owned the GMC and over 300,000 miles driven.
Yes, I would call that a few.
Emery Stora
On Feb 5, 2013, at 12:33 PM, Ray Erspamer <78gmc-royale@att.net> wrote:
> Emery.....your "few" incidents are enough to scare a person to death! GEEZZZ!
>
> Ray
>
>
> Ray & Lisa
> 78 Royale "Great Lakes Eagle"
> Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
> Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
> Email: 78GMC-Royale@att.net
> 414-745-3188
> Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Emery Stora <emerystora@mac.com>
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> Sent: Tue, February 5, 2013 1:03:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road
>
> I have owned the GMC since 1981 so I have havd a few incidents. The more
> memorable ones were:
>
> In 1985 I lost power. I was able to coast to the side of the road. I checked
> out the distributor and found it to be the pickup coil on the bottom of the
> distributor. I hitch hiked to an auto parts store to buy one and installed it
> within a couple of hours. Since then I carry spare parts for the distributor.
>
> IN 1987 while on a trip to southern NM I was in a town and suddenly my
> transmission would not upshift. This happened right in front of an autoparts
> store so I pulled in and checked the vacuum modulator on the side of the
> transmission, bought a new one and was quickly on my way.
>
> In 2000 while on a trip to Michigan my original engine with about 160,000 miles
> on it lost a rod bearing. I had it towed to Buskirk and they installed a Jasper
> engine.
>
> 2003 while driving across Kansas the Jasper engine threw a rod rearing (just out
> of the warranty period). When having it rebuilt in Kansas we found that it had
> a cracked and welded head, two pistons with higher compression (higher domes),
> the cheapest rod and main bearings that Jasper could buy, valve seats that were
> cut too far into the heads and leaking. Made a decision to never buy anything
> made by Jasper again.
>
> 2004 while on my way to the GMCMI Fort Myers, FL convention (of which I was the
> convention manager) my Kanomata 3.55 final drive broke a gear tooth. I stayed
> in the GMC for three nights at the transmission shop until Alex Sirum shipped me
> a 3.07 final drive and the shop installed it. Jim Kanomata shipped a new final
> drive gear at no charge and he and Alex Sirum installed it into my 3.55
> transmission at no charge to me. Jim even offered to pay for the transmission
> shop charges but I didn't ask him for reimbursement.
>
> 2005 while on the interstate between Dallas and Ft. Worth during rush hour my
> engine stopped. I was in the second lane and had about 100 cars behind me and
> all four lanes were loaded with cars bumper to bumper. I quickly opened the
> hatch and determined it was the distributor. Fortunately I now carried spare
> parts for it. I changed out the module in about 10 minutes and it started up
> and we were on the way. Not before I had received many, many one fingered
> salutes from other motorists though.
>
> 2006 in Burney, TX, I stopped in town and was parked on its main street in front
> of a cafe. When we came out the engine would not start. I had plenty of spark
> but it wasn't getting fuel. Had to explain to a local police officer why I was
> working under on my motorhome in the middle of town. He wanted mo to have it
> towed away but I convinced him that I could get it running soon. I drove my toad
> on a 160 mile round trip to buy another fuel pump for my TBI system. I installed
> it and quickly determined that the old pump was OK because the new one didn't
> give me any fuel either. A call to Howell in Michigan led me to check the fuses
> and wires going to the various components and I found that one wire had broken
> from its terminal and was hanging down where I couldn't see it. I crimped on a
> new terminal and the engine came to life immediately. I lost about 8 hours on
> that one.
>
> 2007 while in Texas at about 10 pm on a Sunday night, the engine stopped running
> while driving down the road. I coasted to the side and found that my rotor and
> distributor cap contacts were badly burned. Fortunately I had spares of both
> with me and I got it running again within a half hour.
>
> In 2007 I lost an electric fuel pump alongside a two lane road near Santa Cruz
> in California which was traveled heavily by trucks. I had a spare with me that
> I had bought in Texas in 2006 but after trying to keep my legs from being run
> over by trucks while reaching up under the frame I later moved my fuel pump and
> selector valve to the outside of the frame to make it simpler to work on.In
>
>
> 2009 while driving up Raton Pass in Colorado after the Pueblo GMCMI convention I
> lost my switch pitch transmission. Ordered another one from Manny so I had to
> leave the motorhome for 3 weeks until the new one arrived and was installed.
>
> 2011 while leaving for the Shawnee convention and on I -70 about 30 miles east
> of Denver my engine started reving up but no power to the wheels. Was towed in
> and after removing the final drive found out that the input bearing had failed
> and allowed the shaft to wobble. Again, Jim Kanomata to the rescue. He sent me
> another one at no charge. HOWEVER, the wobbling of the shaft caused the output
> shaft of the transmission to break just inside of the gear teeth on the shaft
> that went into the final drive. This destroyed the transmission that I had
> replaced in 2009. Had it rebuilt and it now runs fine. Drove my car to
> Shawnee, OK, to the convention and fixed the GMC when I got back. Never want to
> stay in a motel for 13 nights again!
>
> Over the years I have had a couple of blown out tires. After this happened in
> Alabama and I couldn't find a 16.5" tire for three days I bought Alcoas and
> installed 16" tires.
>
>
>
> There may have been other small incidents but I don't recall them.
>
> Considering the estimated 300,000 or more miles I have driven it and probably
> hundreds of trips over the years, there have not been that many problems. I
> wouldn't trade the adventures we have had for the few problems we have had.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Frederick, CO
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197458 is a reply to message #197457] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 14:36 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Forgot to add that that is one incident about every 3 years and some of them were fairly minor.
It is also one incident about every 25,000 miles. Some owners have never driven their GMC 25000 miles.
Everything is relative - which is why I call it a few.
Emery
On Feb 5, 2013, at 1:19 PM, Emery Stora wrote:
> NOTE that it is over a 32 YEAR period that I have owned the GMC and over 300,000 miles driven.
>
> Yes, I would call that a few.
>
> Emery Stora
>
> On Feb 5, 2013, at 12:33 PM, Ray Erspamer <78gmc-royale@att.net> wrote:
>
>> Emery.....your "few" incidents are enough to scare a person to death! GEEZZZ!
>>
>> Ray
>>
>>
>> Ray & Lisa
>> 78 Royale "Great Lakes Eagle"
>> Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
>> Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
>> Email: 78GMC-Royale@att.net
>> 414-745-3188
>> Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Emery Stora <emerystora@mac.com>
>> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
>> Sent: Tue, February 5, 2013 1:03:50 PM
>> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] What has left you stranded on the side of the road
>>
>> I have owned the GMC since 1981 so I have havd a few incidents. The more
>> memorable ones were:
>>
>> In 1985 I lost power. I was able to coast to the side of the road. I checked
>> out the distributor and found it to be the pickup coil on the bottom of the
>> distributor. I hitch hiked to an auto parts store to buy one and installed it
>> within a couple of hours. Since then I carry spare parts for the distributor.
>>
>> IN 1987 while on a trip to southern NM I was in a town and suddenly my
>> transmission would not upshift. This happened right in front of an autoparts
>> store so I pulled in and checked the vacuum modulator on the side of the
>> transmission, bought a new one and was quickly on my way.
>>
>> In 2000 while on a trip to Michigan my original engine with about 160,000 miles
>> on it lost a rod bearing. I had it towed to Buskirk and they installed a Jasper
>> engine.
>>
>> 2003 while driving across Kansas the Jasper engine threw a rod rearing (just out
>> of the warranty period). When having it rebuilt in Kansas we found that it had
>> a cracked and welded head, two pistons with higher compression (higher domes),
>> the cheapest rod and main bearings that Jasper could buy, valve seats that were
>> cut too far into the heads and leaking. Made a decision to never buy anything
>> made by Jasper again.
>>
>> 2004 while on my way to the GMCMI Fort Myers, FL convention (of which I was the
>> convention manager) my Kanomata 3.55 final drive broke a gear tooth. I stayed
>> in the GMC for three nights at the transmission shop until Alex Sirum shipped me
>> a 3.07 final drive and the shop installed it. Jim Kanomata shipped a new final
>> drive gear at no charge and he and Alex Sirum installed it into my 3.55
>> transmission at no charge to me. Jim even offered to pay for the transmission
>> shop charges but I didn't ask him for reimbursement.
>>
>> 2005 while on the interstate between Dallas and Ft. Worth during rush hour my
>> engine stopped. I was in the second lane and had about 100 cars behind me and
>> all four lanes were loaded with cars bumper to bumper. I quickly opened the
>> hatch and determined it was the distributor. Fortunately I now carried spare
>> parts for it. I changed out the module in about 10 minutes and it started up
>> and we were on the way. Not before I had received many, many one fingered
>> salutes from other motorists though.
>>
>> 2006 in Burney, TX, I stopped in town and was parked on its main street in front
>> of a cafe. When we came out the engine would not start. I had plenty of spark
>> but it wasn't getting fuel. Had to explain to a local police officer why I was
>> working under on my motorhome in the middle of town. He wanted mo to have it
>> towed away but I convinced him that I could get it running soon. I drove my toad
>> on a 160 mile round trip to buy another fuel pump for my TBI system. I installed
>> it and quickly determined that the old pump was OK because the new one didn't
>> give me any fuel either. A call to Howell in Michigan led me to check the fuses
>> and wires going to the various components and I found that one wire had broken
>> from its terminal and was hanging down where I couldn't see it. I crimped on a
>> new terminal and the engine came to life immediately. I lost about 8 hours on
>> that one.
>>
>> 2007 while in Texas at about 10 pm on a Sunday night, the engine stopped running
>> while driving down the road. I coasted to the side and found that my rotor and
>> distributor cap contacts were badly burned. Fortunately I had spares of both
>> with me and I got it running again within a half hour.
>>
>> In 2007 I lost an electric fuel pump alongside a two lane road near Santa Cruz
>> in California which was traveled heavily by trucks. I had a spare with me that
>> I had bought in Texas in 2006 but after trying to keep my legs from being run
>> over by trucks while reaching up under the frame I later moved my fuel pump and
>> selector valve to the outside of the frame to make it simpler to work on.In
>>
>>
>> 2009 while driving up Raton Pass in Colorado after the Pueblo GMCMI convention I
>> lost my switch pitch transmission. Ordered another one from Manny so I had to
>> leave the motorhome for 3 weeks until the new one arrived and was installed.
>>
>> 2011 while leaving for the Shawnee convention and on I -70 about 30 miles east
>> of Denver my engine started reving up but no power to the wheels. Was towed in
>> and after removing the final drive found out that the input bearing had failed
>> and allowed the shaft to wobble. Again, Jim Kanomata to the rescue. He sent me
>> another one at no charge. HOWEVER, the wobbling of the shaft caused the output
>> shaft of the transmission to break just inside of the gear teeth on the shaft
>> that went into the final drive. This destroyed the transmission that I had
>> replaced in 2009. Had it rebuilt and it now runs fine. Drove my car to
>> Shawnee, OK, to the convention and fixed the GMC when I got back. Never want to
>> stay in a motel for 13 nights again!
>>
>> Over the years I have had a couple of blown out tires. After this happened in
>> Alabama and I couldn't find a 16.5" tire for three days I bought Alcoas and
>> installed 16" tires.
>>
>>
>>
>> There may have been other small incidents but I don't recall them.
>>
>> Considering the estimated 300,000 or more miles I have driven it and probably
>> hundreds of trips over the years, there have not been that many problems. I
>> wouldn't trade the adventures we have had for the few problems we have had.
>>
>> Emery Stora
>> 77 Kingsley
>> Frederick, CO
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
> _______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
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| Re: What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197459 is a reply to message #197434] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 14:43 |
russmehl
Messages: 22
Registered: September 2009
Location: Rochester, Michigan
Karma: 0
|
Junior Member |
|
|
#1. I had a NOS distributor that came with coach #2. Put it in, drove to work and back. The night before, I had read a comment about distributors shipped with modules that were not so good. So at mile 27 on the way home, I knew why the engine stopped just short of the top of the hill. I managed to crest the hill and down the half mile, through the light and into the gas station. Had to call my wife to bring the box of spares, which was still in the garage.
#2. Freeway speeds, Driving rain, A/C belt could have been tighter (?), Kapow!
Belt flails around, grabs the wiring harness, locks the fan, and wrecks the other belts. Coasts to the top of the exit, just barely make it over the crest... roll down into the nearest (closed) gas station. Gain serious appreciation of the aux. vac. pump.
Can repair the wires & belts. (if all the spares boxes had gotten in) The stopper was the broken plastic line to the oil pressure gauge. Recommend carrying line splicing material or a plug for the oil pressure port.
Russ
Russ & Linda Mehlenbacher
Rochester Hills, Michigan
'76 Eleganza
'74 Sequoia
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| Re: What has left you stranded on the side of the road [message #197461 is a reply to message #197459] |
Tue, 05 February 2013 15:06 |
George Beckman
Messages: 1085
Registered: October 2008
Location: Colfax, CA
Karma: 11
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| russmehl wrote on Tue, 05 February 2013 12:43 |
#1. The stopper was the broken plastic line to the oil pressure gauge. Recommend carrying line splicing material or a plug for the oil pressure port.
Russ
|
Hey, Russ. I did that too. Luckily I had one fan belt left running the water pump and power steering and enough of the plastic line to kink it back and tie it off with a twistem'.
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George
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. Thanks in advance. 
