When it Rains it Pours…

  • Comments: 1
  • Written on: December 7th, 2006

The truck situation continues… When I bought my 1991 Ford F150 we had a little chat. I explained how my last truck was babied beyond belief, stored in a covered garage, washed and waxed regularly and oil changes every 2,000 miles. I told my new truck that all I ask in return is that it carry me where I need to be, when I need to be there, and if there is an accident that it keeps me safe. The ghosts in the machine and I had an understanding, and I dutifully started repairing the minor problems on the new-to-me truck.

I mentioned in a previous post that I was still getting a check engine light. I suspected a leaking vaccum hose, but then I discovered an oily substance in my air filter housing. After some quick Googleing, I discovered this was called blowback, and was most likely caused by a cloged PCV valve. I stopped by the auto parts store and bought the $4.00 valve, and put it in the next morning.


After replacing the valve, I started the truck and found no check engine light and a much more stable idle. As an unexpected bonus, my altranator needle stabilized as well! Thinking I had solved the problem I was on top of the world. I departed from Omaha to visit a few of my Lincoln customers that day while listening to my XM radio.

I arrived at the Waverly exit and killed my cruise to get on the ramp. I thought I heard a funny sound, so I turned off the radio and listened to the engine. It was tapping. That was not good. Not good at all. As I slowed to a stop at the end of the ramp, I touched the gas only to hear a rucus of tapping and clanging. My motor was not working right. Baffled, I looked at my gauges and all appeared well, but the sound was getting worse.

I limped into an engine repair shop that Blaze recommended to me called “The Shop” just off of 33rd and Cornhusker. Their technician did not even have to raise the hood. From the sound he could tell that my motor was shot. I won’t go into the particulars here, but needless to say, it is going to cost me as much as I paid for the truck to replace the motor.

The mechanic asked me where I drove it in from. I said Omaha. He looked at me with a puzzled stare and told me taht at least two of my engine rods were blown. He said I was lucky to have made it to Lincoln at all. I agreed as I waited for him to quote me the monsterous cost of a new motor installed. As I waited, I thought back to my discussion with the truck. It had held up its end of the bargain – it got me where I needed to be safely. I smiled to myself and thought I guess I need to keep up my end of the bargain too.

The new motor should be in by Tuesday they told me. I guess I will be getting a BRAND NEW truck after all! (Ok, I am trying REALLY hard to be optimistic here!)

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