AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6035
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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My trooper was resurrected on Easter Sunday
Halfway between Mulege and Loreto, my transmission quit shifting automatically. In fact, all I had was reverse, first and fourth gear. Then when I
shut it down to check things out, the battery was too low to re-start.
About the time I was thinking what to do next, a tow truck stopped to see if I needed help. He already had a rig on his flat bed, but was able to
hook onto my front wheels with another lifting device and we were off to Loreto!
When we got back in cell coverage he called a mechanic who met us at his shop on the highway on the north side of town. (mid day on Easter!)
The problem was not the transmission, but low voltage from the alternator that did not allow the solenoids or whatever that model uses to change
gears.
He found an fixed a few other things that needed attention while the battery was charging, but there were no replacement alternators in town to swap
out with mine.
At least I had enough battery life to get to a suitable car camping spot to spend the night away from the highway. With my dog in the car, spending
the night surrounded by street dogs would not be fun!
The next morning two more mechanics joined the work party. In addition to rebuilding the alternator, I got a headlight lamp replaced, EGR valve and
mass airflow sensor cleaned, and the battery charged again for 1250 pesos. That was parts and labor, and I was on the road in a few hours! The tow
was not so reasonable, it was 3000 pesos for the forty miles, but I wasn't stranded!
Try that on Easter anywhere else!
[Edited on 4-4-2024 by AKgringo]
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Almost
Junior Nomad
Posts: 29
Registered: 1-18-2022
Member Is Offline
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Glad to hear that things worked out well for you. There are some good mechanics in Loreto.
If I had known earlier, I could have offered you my yard to stay in while you were waiting for parts etc. I'm on the south end of Loreto though.
Cheers
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2308
Registered: 4-23-2006
Member Is Offline
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Glad it worked out. Auto repair is one of the last great deals here. Today i pick up my old Toyota. 2 days of work, $2500 pesos, i provided the parts.
I shudder to think what that would cost in the land of the free.
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surabi
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5002
Registered: 5-6-2016
Member Is Offline
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When I used to drive back and forth from Canada to Mexico and had insurance from Lewis and Lewis, I always opted for the extra tow coverage. I used
that twice, so it was well worth it. The tows cost me nada.
Of course, it wouldn't cover some random tow truck that just happened to be driving by at the right time, I had to call the insurance co. and they
sent a tow truck from one on their list.
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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Easter Sunday? "The lord works in mysterious ways." 
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6035
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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There was no phone service where I broke down. It wasn't just my phone, the truck driver had no service either for quite a few miles.
Even with known insurance, I would have made the same decision to take the truck that was there than gamble on just how, and when I could get another
one!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 637
Registered: 2-2-2015
Member Is Offline
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You never know when an alternator is going to go out. I understand there is something called "preventative maintenance" that involves replacing
various mechanical components when they are nearing the end of their expected service life. Things like fuel pumps, belts, various filters... I had
a friend that purchased an old suburban and he actually went to the trouble of replacing all of the things that were supposed to be replaced according
to schedule. What a pain in the ass. Much easier just to drive until something breaks and then fix it!
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