Welcome to my vacation recap.
Please put your seatbelts on and place your tables in the upright position as we're expecting some turbulence.
It seems like a month ago, but I rolled out of the garage two Fridays ago at 0500 and pointed the headlights ENE.
My last IN sunrise for a while.
The car was running rich, as it's wont to do. But hummed along like the weird flat grey baby of a sewing machine and a Harley Davidson.
*I was really cursing the clown that decided sunvisors were an unnecessary feature at this time.
Everything was going along at a reasonable pace and most of my fears about the engine ventilating pistons or generally exploding were starting to subside.
A few minutes before 1100, I hit the PA state line and some construction.
After a brief backup and 200' (65m) of actual construction, I had open blacktop in front of me and rolled into the throttle.
First gear, it's alright.
Second gear, hang on tight. (not really. I skipped it.)
Third gear, something that rhymes with 'tight'.
Fourth gear: I'm pretty deep in the throttle, accelerating up a hill and BANG!-clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk
I've been very mindful of what I'd do if I ever lost oil pressure and that always being in the back of my mind came in handy.
About 5 clunks in, I killed the throttle, pushed in the clutch, and yanked the car off the road.
The clunks continued with the engine off which indicated trans/axle/wheel issue and not engine. (during my jaunt across the road)
Out of the car and let's take a look underneath.
No axles out of place.
No windows in engine or trans.
No drips.
No extreme heat.
No smells.
WhatTheFork.
Back in the car.
Clutch in, start the engine. Engine is fine.
Trans in neutral, clutch out. AWFUL NOISES and car tries to move. Sonofabush. Clutch back in.
Engine still running, clutch in, let's try some gears.
First gear: won't engage
Second gear: won't engage
Third gear: won't engage
Fourth gear: won't engage
Fifth gear: will engage
Reverse: will engage
At this point, I decide the trans is full of confetti and shards and I'm not likely to hurt it worse.
So I push it into R and as I start to let out the pedal, the car stops rolling (I'm facing up the hill) as the trans binds. FML
The side of I-80 is not my ideal place for a picnic. But I'm only 100yds (98m) from an on-ramp. So I push in the clutch and let the hill roll me out of major danger of the interstate shoulder over to the spacious shoulder of the on-ramp.
So it's 1100 on a beautiful Friday.
The trans is a spent grenade.
The sun is still ascending the heavens. (shade is a fleeting commodity)
My computer has <15% battery.
My friend Joe is ~300miles (10,000km) away.
And my mobile phone has 33% battery life.
Just put a fork in me. I'm done.
I've called Kelly to let her know I'm having an impromptu picnic and called Joe to request a rescue.
First order of business is to get this phone charged.
My first thought was to just plug it in and set the ignition to 'on'. My 12v-usb adapter thing has a voltmeter on it, so I can monitor the car battery...but there's no reason to have the WBO2, ECU, cam sensor, etc all fired up without the car running. Good thing I wired the car myself and brought some tools.
Now the 12v outlet is [somewhat haphazardly] wired to constant power instead of switched. Result!
Roll out my yoga mat and let's rip a selfie. It's what the kids would do. Plus I wanted whoever found my body to know the body, phone, and car were a set.
While I was ripping selfies (and pouring sweat), Joe was hitching to a trailer, leaving work many hours early, and heading west. Some six hours and twenty minutes later, this happened.
My hero!
Some five hours later, we parked the whole rig outside Joe's shop.
To be continued...