Dean_T
10-11-2008, 11:01 PM
September 28, 2008:
Departed Ventura County for Seattle with the '78 Fairmont wagon of evil. '87/'88 T-Bird TC spindles, Lincoln calipers, '83 V8 Mustang rear with 3.08 gears, rebuilt C4 with shift kit, rebuilt '78 302 with mildly worked E7TE heads. Engine has Edelbrock Perf. 302 EGR intake and Holley Replacement 2BBL carb to comply with Calif. Emissions.
Noted a minor ticking noise at the front of the engine. Can't be the smog pump, I replaced it with a JY unit not too long ago...
Pinged a bit on the Grape vine but ran like a top even through the hot San Joquin valley.
September 29, 2008:
Left Redding Calif.
5 miles from Medford, OR. Uh oh, Discharge Idiot Light is on.
Replaced Alternator, Voltage Regulator, and Battery in Medford.
Ticking noise in engine bay has become louder.
Albany, OR. Ticking noise gave way to rattling growl. I think I can make it to Seattle.
Some where north of Albany, OR. Red Discharge light is on again. Crud. A command decision was made to forge on.
7 Miles South of Castle Rock, WA. Growling noise suddenly stops and a loud THUNK is heard followed by the smell of burning rubber. Smog pump seized.
Another command decision was made - drive it as is to Chehalis, WA. It's only 20 some odd miles away...
Ended up in Centralia, WA (just north of Chehalis) for the night.
September 30, 2008:
Had the battery charged up by a Shell Gas station. Ordered a replacement smog pump and fan belt from them also. Since the smog pump and alternator share the same belt, it was reasoned that the smog pump while growling was causing the belt to slip thereby not turning the alternator.
Left Centrailia, WA and 20 minutes later, Discharge idiot light lit up again. Crud.
86 miles later made it to Seattle with the idiot light on.
October 1, 2008:
Determined the wire to the Stator terminal lead on the alternator was broken. Must have been too rough with it when removing the lead from the alternator. Replaced the terminal and test drive checked out - no idiot light. Bought an extra VR just in case.
October 9, 2008:
Departed Seattle.
4 Miles north of Roseburg, OR. Discharge idiot light lit up. Crud! Bought a second battery, a charger and some wires and terminals just in case. Popped in the third VR.
Stopped at Medford, OR for the night.
October 10, 2008:
Departed Medford, OR Somewhere before Red Bluff, Calif. Discharge idiot light lit up. Crud!!
Just for the helluvit, reinstalled the second VR that was blown the day before. It works!
Drove it for 150 miles or so until the Discharge idiot light started to flicker. Uh oh.
Second VR DOA at Vacaville, Calif. Another command decision was made. Time is aprox 3:00 pm. It will probably be 7:00 by the time I get to Paso Robles. It will be dark by the time I roll through San Luis Obispo. I'm 365 miles from home. Go for it.
Kings City, Calif. Gas up. Fairmont restarted without problems. It's going to be a little after 7:00pm by the time I reach PR. Next Gas stop is Santa Barbara, about 150 miles away.
10 miles before San Luis Obispo, forced to turn on the headlights, turned the knob so no dash lights. No other accessories are used. Considered disabling the right headlight but decided against.
8:15pm the headlights become very dim. Forced to get off the freeway - but made it to Santa Barbara. Car running fine dispite low battery power. Pulled into a lit area to change batteries. With headlights restored, searched and found gas. 45 more miles to home.
Made It!
Concluding thoughts: Boring is good.
Departed Ventura County for Seattle with the '78 Fairmont wagon of evil. '87/'88 T-Bird TC spindles, Lincoln calipers, '83 V8 Mustang rear with 3.08 gears, rebuilt C4 with shift kit, rebuilt '78 302 with mildly worked E7TE heads. Engine has Edelbrock Perf. 302 EGR intake and Holley Replacement 2BBL carb to comply with Calif. Emissions.
Noted a minor ticking noise at the front of the engine. Can't be the smog pump, I replaced it with a JY unit not too long ago...
Pinged a bit on the Grape vine but ran like a top even through the hot San Joquin valley.
September 29, 2008:
Left Redding Calif.
5 miles from Medford, OR. Uh oh, Discharge Idiot Light is on.
Replaced Alternator, Voltage Regulator, and Battery in Medford.
Ticking noise in engine bay has become louder.
Albany, OR. Ticking noise gave way to rattling growl. I think I can make it to Seattle.
Some where north of Albany, OR. Red Discharge light is on again. Crud. A command decision was made to forge on.
7 Miles South of Castle Rock, WA. Growling noise suddenly stops and a loud THUNK is heard followed by the smell of burning rubber. Smog pump seized.
Another command decision was made - drive it as is to Chehalis, WA. It's only 20 some odd miles away...
Ended up in Centralia, WA (just north of Chehalis) for the night.
September 30, 2008:
Had the battery charged up by a Shell Gas station. Ordered a replacement smog pump and fan belt from them also. Since the smog pump and alternator share the same belt, it was reasoned that the smog pump while growling was causing the belt to slip thereby not turning the alternator.
Left Centrailia, WA and 20 minutes later, Discharge idiot light lit up again. Crud.
86 miles later made it to Seattle with the idiot light on.
October 1, 2008:
Determined the wire to the Stator terminal lead on the alternator was broken. Must have been too rough with it when removing the lead from the alternator. Replaced the terminal and test drive checked out - no idiot light. Bought an extra VR just in case.
October 9, 2008:
Departed Seattle.
4 Miles north of Roseburg, OR. Discharge idiot light lit up. Crud! Bought a second battery, a charger and some wires and terminals just in case. Popped in the third VR.
Stopped at Medford, OR for the night.
October 10, 2008:
Departed Medford, OR Somewhere before Red Bluff, Calif. Discharge idiot light lit up. Crud!!
Just for the helluvit, reinstalled the second VR that was blown the day before. It works!
Drove it for 150 miles or so until the Discharge idiot light started to flicker. Uh oh.
Second VR DOA at Vacaville, Calif. Another command decision was made. Time is aprox 3:00 pm. It will probably be 7:00 by the time I get to Paso Robles. It will be dark by the time I roll through San Luis Obispo. I'm 365 miles from home. Go for it.
Kings City, Calif. Gas up. Fairmont restarted without problems. It's going to be a little after 7:00pm by the time I reach PR. Next Gas stop is Santa Barbara, about 150 miles away.
10 miles before San Luis Obispo, forced to turn on the headlights, turned the knob so no dash lights. No other accessories are used. Considered disabling the right headlight but decided against.
8:15pm the headlights become very dim. Forced to get off the freeway - but made it to Santa Barbara. Car running fine dispite low battery power. Pulled into a lit area to change batteries. With headlights restored, searched and found gas. 45 more miles to home.
Made It!
Concluding thoughts: Boring is good.