Ful timers off the road for a couple of weeks.

[TXiceman]

The title pretty much says it all. While in Atlanta, a 5 gallon plastic bucket fall off a truck in front of us, one lane over. We had slowed as traffic was dodging it. As we got clsoer to us, it rolled into our lane and went under the truck. WHOMP it said and the oil pressure on the truck went to zero, smoke poured from under the truck. It hit the oil filter and bent it back enough to break the o-ring seal. The owner of the bucket, stopped as some flagged him down. Called the police and filed an accident report.

It took about 1/2 mile at low speed to get on the shoulder and immediately shut down. Took GS ERS 5 hours to get us towed to a campsite and the truck to a diesel shop. They drained the rest of the oil, took a sample, replaced the oil filter, added oil and restarted the engine and checked oil pressure. Engine sounded fine and had oil pressure.

We did some more sight seeing in Atlanta and drove the truck checking it out. Engine seemed OK, so we hooked up and headed up to the Smoky Mountains. Spent a week sight seeing and running the truck.

We hooked up to head up to Knoxville and over toward Asheville. Just east of Knoxville, the engine started ticking and by the time we stopped on the shoulder it was rattling like a bucket full of rocks and cans. The engine oil was still full.

Two wait from GS ERS to get us to a campground and the truck to a Ford dealer. Called the bucket owners insurance again since we held the calim open until we could get another oil analysis at 1500 miles.. Well, it made about 600 miles.

Finally got the Progressive rep out to the Ford shop and the tech found it threw a rod and the turbo went south.

The truck will need a complete new engine and intercooler. The Ford estimate to Progressive is over $23,000.00...about 1/2 the value of the truck. Now we wait to get the estimate approved by Progressive.

It will take 5 or 6 days to get the engine to Knoxville so we will be here close to two weeks by time the truck is completed and we spend a couple of days driving it and checking it over. Then we will make a couple of short tows staying close to the area.

I guess we are just lucky that the fellow stopped and had insurance.

When you are given lemons, you need lots of sugar to make lemonade.

Ken

[Radio]

I ran over a chunk of metal on the interstate, looked like the skin off a car door. Made a considerable bang under the engine of the truck.

Ran on down the road just fine.

About six weeks later the air conditioning went out. Technician said the compressor shaft was broken "way down inside" and no, it wasn't covered under warranty. And since the bill was "only" $950 and I run $1000 deductible insurance wasn't an option.

At least you'll have a new engine when it's all done.

I'd get an extended warranty on all that work, I think.

What park are you stuck at?

************

Afterthought: I bet it's a long time before that guy drops another bucket off his truck.

[KF5BET]

Oh man that's a tough one.

Once coming home from Florida, it was late and we were west of New Orleans. The car in front of us ran over a truck tread and flipped it up and into our lane. Ran over it with the drivers side of the truck, which flipped it up under the 5th wheel taking out most of the plumbing for both grey and black tanks. Luckily we had empty tanks since we were heading home. The car behind us ran over the tread as well. We both took the next exit and the guy in the car said it was my fault and what was I going to do about it? I took him to the front of our trailer, showed him where all the plumbing used to be and told him I had my own problems.

Tied up the remnants of the lines and got home. Wound up doing all of the repairs myself since or deductible was more than the repair cost.

I do believe your deductible would never come close to your repair. Good luck with that and hope you are back on the road soon. Love those trucks, but man they get expensive fast!

[wa8yxm]

WOW.. The estimate to replace the 8.1L Vortec in my motor home is only 10K.

The good news in your case.. Looks like all you pay is the deductable.

In my case,, that has not yet been determined.

[TXiceman]

No deductible. The fellow that lost the bucket stopped and we called the police and filed an accident report. His insurance is picking up the tab for the whole thing, including the rental car, lost deposits and extra cost for the RV site.

Since Ford is putting a factory engine, we get the balance of our factory warranty and it does not effect our extended warranty.

So we will have a 2-1/2 year old truck with a new engine.

We are at the South Lake RV Park on Maryville Pike in South Knoxville. It is certainly not 4-star park, but it is OK.

Ken