kwindla
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: 3-9-2014
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mechanic recommendation in Ensenada?
Hi everyone,
My wife and I are new to Baja. We are currently on our second trip down exploring from our home in LA. We just had a great week camping mostly in the
Santa Rosalillita area. On the way back North our '86 fj60 overheated just South of San Vicente, so we arranged to get towed into Ensenada.
We called a couple of mechanics that people on these forums recommended. But as it's Sunday we didn't get hold of anybody. Our tow truck driver took
us to a friend's shop, but no dice there, either.
So we are at Las Palmas hotel tonight with our truck. And I figured I'd take the opportunity to post here in case anyone has a specific mechanic
recommendation for us. Our truck may need some real TLC. (And our Spanish isn't great, so working with us definitely requires patience!)
Thanks so much,
Kwin
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Can you give us some details? What happened? Engine? Transmission?
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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kwindla
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: 3-9-2014
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Thanks, Dennis. Definitely the engine. This truck has been a little prone to overheating but we thought we had got it straightened out. We were wrong,
though. This morning the temperature gauge spiked while we were driving. I didn't pull off soon enough. Lots of steam under the hood and antifreeze
everywhere. Car died before I could turn off the engine. Let it cool down before trying to start it again. Won't start. Starter engages but it doesn't
sound quite right. Possibly we blew a seal or gasket. Sort of sounds like there is a lack of pressure somewhere important. Visual inspection doesn't
give me any clues but I don't know as much as I should. Needs a more knowledgeable diagnostician than me.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Wish my mechanic was a little closer to your location. Is there someone in the office there who looks/sounds dependable? You may ask them for a
recommendation.
You aren't far from the Tourism office [probably closed till AM]. They should be able to find someone to help you out. That would probably be a safe
recommendation.
Don't jump to conclusions with cooling problems. It may be a simple fix.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
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Kwindla,
Welcome to the 'hood. Sundays can be a problem finding a mechanic.
Munchie Fernandez 646-118-7655 cell. He is in Campo LaJolla in Punta Banda. Bi-lingual. He works on several Nomad rigs and rescued
WideAngleWandering 2 years ago. Also races and wins SCORE events.
CHEERS.
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bledito
Nomad
Posts: 420
Registered: 7-6-2013
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pull the oil dip stick if it's milky it has water in it get the oil and antifreeze out asap dont try and start. may be a manifold gaskrt then, and
hope the bearings arent washed out.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Ensenada Mechanic
Pablo Buelna
Technica Automotriz
Bahia Magdalena #384
Ensenada
646-173-5745
Bahia Magdalena is just east of the corner of Florista and Pedro Loyola, (first street east of Pedro Loyola) NW corner of Magdalina....next to a bus
yard.
Speaks great English, reasonable prices, highly recommended
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WideAngleWandering
Nomad
Posts: 416
Registered: 3-13-2012
Location: US-Based but traveling
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Monchie Fernandez (contact info posted above) helped me out when I was in a jam. Recommended.
Traveling the Americas via my old land cruiser
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
Monchie Fernandez (contact info posted above) helped me out when I was in a jam. Recommended. |
The car's in Ensenada...dead. Monchie is in Punta Banda, twenty miles away.
Monchie doesn't make house calls twenty miles away. Probably wouldn't make one right across the street.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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kwindla
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: 3-9-2014
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Thanks for the recommendations. We talked to Monchie, who was very helpful. But we would have needed to work out a tow to him. Pablo was able to come
by, take a look, then tow the truck back to his place. We will get new head gaskets on Wednesday. In the meantime we are having fun learning about
Ensanada.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Glad it worked out. Tell Pablo the guy that owns the little blue Chevy Tracker sent you.....he just replaced my clutch, works like a champ!!!
| Quote: | Originally posted by kwindla
Thanks for the recommendations. We talked to Monchie, who was very helpful. But we would have needed to work out a tow to him. Pablo was able to come
by, take a look, then tow the truck back to his place. We will get new head gaskets on Wednesday. In the meantime we are having fun learning about
Ensanada. |
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
Member Is Offline
Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Essential knowledge ...
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