Monday, October 15th - A Jasper Jeep Update

I have been biding my time late last week and over the week-end. The machine shop recommended by the mechanic at Goodyear, Rio Machine Shop, could not even talk to me until the completion of the move of their facility. Yesterday, a counter man at the local AutoZone suggested that I talk to the nearby Valley Machine Shop.

This morning, when Rio's line was continuously busy, I drove over to Valley. I was greeted by John, the manager of the repair shop. I told him of my situation (see last week's postings). John said that it would cost me $175 to determine the damage and current status of the Jeep. Sounded good to me so, two of his shop workers followed me back to Victoria Palms RV Resort. They put a strap on their trailer hitch and connected to my front tow bar, used to connect to the coach. And away they went, Jasper Jeep being towed by one worker and steered and braked by the other. In a way, it was sad. I'm sure that Jasper had no idea what the heck was happening. He's used to being directly attached and proudly towed by a 40 foot coach. Now, he was being forlornly "strapped" down the road by a pick-up truck.

About four hours later, John called me and I drove over to his shop. It turns out that the metallic rattling sound we heard as we drove south out of Austin was the engine beginning to seize up, due to overheating. My temperature gauge gave me only a HINT of a problem when it registered slightly OVER one-half rather than the normal slightly LOWER than one-half. As the metallic rattling got worse, we took the first available exit on I-35 - about 1/2 mile and as we pulled into the parking lot of the liquor store, the engine died. The temp gauge was ONLY THEN showing very hot.

As stated last week, the cause was a burst lower radiator hose. Now, the engine damage was being assessed. The result is that I need to have the engine block "rebuilt". That is, the cylinder walls are scored and must be reamed out and the cylinders replaced. The estimate is $1,650 and the work has begun.

Poor Jasper doesn't know what hit him. His engine compartment is opened wide for all the world to see his parts. The head is over on a milling machine. The spark plugs are gone and people are sticking and probing his insides.