Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: TheBoy on 02 June 2012, 14:12:50
-
Another thread prompted this. Only breakdowns that have required the indignity of towing home/garage, or that have caused the vehicle to stop, and not restart for ages.
Here's mine.
My own cars:
Acclaim - lost all power (racing another car ::)). Dried out with Fospro, restarted 15m later
Belmont - pistons and valves had a chit-chat due to Vauxhall's shitty gearboxes. New engine needed. Mate towed home.
Astra GTE - Fuel Pump relay failure. New relay.
Rover 216 - Ignitor unit. A spare fell off the production line into her pocket a few days later ::)
Nova 1.2 - Brake caliper seized. Several buckets of water required every mile ::)
Rover 25 - Fuel pump failure, replaced under warranty.
MV6 - crank sensor, outside Dijon, France. Car came home a few days after me ;D
TB1 - waterpump seal. Limped home as I luckily water carrying water and oil.
TB2 - Knocked the sump plug off at speed :-[. MV6 towed it home.
Golden Nugget - "Something broke" after a high speed run, let go at an ABS meet. Indignity of using Tunnie's Towing Services
TBE - "TBA"
Cars that weren't mine, but I was responsible for.
Dad's Escort - hit signpost and tree. Drove home, got a thick ear ;D
Ital van - wheel overtook me under heavy braking for a bend. Tow truck back to garage.
Ital van (different one) - engine fell out when going flat out. Towed back to garage.
Escort van - hit a lamppost, drove back to garage. Only left garage 15m earlier, after being towed in earlier for running out of fuel :-[
Escort van - hit a Capri. Drove back to garage.
Escort van - hit a tree. Drove back to garage.
Transit - oil filter fell off. Only been serviced 2 miles before. Tow truck.
Transit - fuel filter came undone. Only been serviced 12 miles (and 15 gallons!) before. Towtruck.
-
Forgot one.
Transit box/Luton type van. Hit a house. Drove home.
-
Car:
None.
Bike:
Not really a break down, battery feked, knew it was. But thought it might have enough power to crank, turns out i didn't ::). Got a jump start.
-
My list only has a couple:
Ford cortina flipped it on a roundabout (on a first date and hands not where they should have been)AA to scrap yard
Bmw 3 s drivers side front wheel fell off.AA. to garage to repair
ford granada engine seized on way to a wedding. rac lorry to wedding then AA man home again 150miles. Thanks to the groom who had his AA card with him.
bmw 5 dropped its heater matrix in the middle of acton high street I thought the car was on fire. 10 mins later pushed it to bmw to fix.
-
Only one, VW Polo, clutch cable snapped.
-
Oh yeah, bike....
Ate some gravel, after some old duffer decided he was going to give way to fresh air at a roundabout. Choice between hitting him or sliding past him, I took the latter. I was given a lift home, a mate rode my bike home for me, with molegrips for a gearchange. Oh, and no clutch lever ::)
-
Only one...
Astra 1.6 LS. Huge tree got in the way (who put that there!?) car was towed... not home but somewhere ready for scrappy :'(
-
Can't remember all of them that's ford sure but the most recent ones I can remember is:
Ford Sierra - Flat battery
Montego estate - Clutch
Rover 214 SLI - Gearbox
The same Rover 214 SLI - Clutch - 3 1/2 years old at the time >:(
Astra Estate - Gearbox
Combo van - fuel pump ecu
Peugeot 405 - Complete and utter engine failure
Omega - Cam sensor & a horrible misfire
Omega - Cam sensor
Audi A6 3.0 TDI - problem with the Cat
Mercedes S320 CDI - Problem with the DPF resulting in 3 MPH
Astra Van Sportive SE - Gearbox
Astra Van Sportive SE VXS - Injectors x4
BMW 730Ld - Injectors x3
-
Sapphire - snapped clutch cable
Cavalier - as above
Cavalier - the front wheel overtook me and landed in a farmers field
Volvo 440 - paggered
Land rover - a few kgs of Iranian shrapnel won a fight with it
Nissan pathfinder the proper one not the crappy one in Britain - got it wedged under the front of something very big and heavy after playing Colin mccrae!
Senator 24v - fell to bits, gave it to a Chilean
Senator 12v - the rotor arm destroyed itself
Volvo fl6 - snapped accelerator cable
Dennis fire engine - starter motor just about fell off, then snapped accelerator cable
Elite - dodgy battery clamp
-
erm none really.
Ive had the AA change a tyre for me on a very busy Dual carriageway as there was no way I could safely do it.
Thats been it.
/me hopes he is not tempting fate.
-
Mini Cooper S . Front RH suspension collapsed at 100mph Lincolnshire
Viva HC Master cyl failure. Prior to that front brake pads caught fire in Italy,replaced in Geneva.
VX Carlton cam sensor Chatelreaux
VX Omega auto gearbox Malaga
Vitara clutch Granada
-
erm none really.
Ive had the AA change a tyre for me on a very busy Dual carriageway as there was no way I could safely do it.
Thats been it.
/me hopes he is not tempting fate.
actually, guess the brand new cambelt kit letting go after the head rebuild qualifies...
even though the car did coast back to Mark's under its own steam...
did have to get a lift back to Chester though....
-
not sure i'll remember them all
ford escort 1.3gl--thrashing down a country lane and somehow welded points together
volvo 740 gle--on m62 near hull on way back to London alternator failed towed to my dad's in Rotherham
volvo 740 gle--on m6 near birmingham going to London somehow cracked the radiator lost all the fluid and boiled the head
xr4x4--.knacked head gasket..then 2 months after repair blew up
seirra 1.8--went kaboom on the m40 between oxford and london
rover 620 ti-- major engine explosion on the m1 at ridiculous speed spreading bits of metal for 2 miles..after 1 week of ownership..dealer fitted another engine which i later found out they had sourced from a scrappy which after 2 months went bang again..was told by dealership after i made them fit a recon engine that there was a hole in a turbo pipe so was overboosting..thats how it had managed to kill 2 engines(don't know if it was dealer bolox or what)
citroen c8hdi --was only about 12 months old stopped outside a shop on a steep hill..left it in reverse with handbrake on when i returned 10 mins later i couldn't get it out of reverse...towed to garage who fitted a new clutch
saab 2.0t cabriolet --blocked oil pick up with sump sludge and knacked the engine due to oil starvation
all i can remember apart from countless punctures
-
Been luck I guess as I have always managed to nurse any car back home or to a garage, the only exception was in 1984 in a Ford Transit Crew Bus with about a dozen Cub Scouts in the back, threw a little end and seized solid about solid, managed to coax it in to a Pub car park. Rang a couple of parents with estate cars to come and collect the kids, I was slightly puddled by the time the Recovery truck arrived :D :D :D
Oh and called the AA to change a wheel and on another occasion the tyre was flat, office car park near to a tyre place so simply got them to come and take the wheel off, fix and replace..... :y :y
Like Jimbob, I too hope I have not tempted fate........ ::) ::) ::)
-
These are the ones that have stuck in my mind, there are probably more that I've forgotten about.
Roughly in chronological order...
Triumph Dolomite - It was my Mom's car and it tried to kill me by the lower ball joint letting go which caused the front wheel to become detached and lodge it's self under the sill, luckily I was only going slowly otherwise I reckon the car would of flipped.
Mk. 1 Astra - Drive shaft popped out on the M54 whilst I was on my way to work, had to pay to get the car recovered off the motorway and then pay again to get it home again. I'd only just purchased the vehicle and knew nothing about cars but decided then that I should probably start to learn!!
Mk.1 Astra, again - I managed to let the coolant water freeze in the engine block and then tried to start it, did my self a favour really as I took the opportunity to replace the cam and followers which were badly scored.
Transit Van (work) - clutch exploded on the way back from oop north, I blame Ford, fancy designing a gearbox that allows you to select reverse whilst going forward. The mechanic said it was the first time he'd ever had to scrape a clutch out of the bottom of the bellhousing.
Transit Luton (work) - just stopped, no idea why but it was a pain as I was in London and due to the van being too big for the A.A. to recover I had to wait ALL DAY for the Boss to come from Wolves to tow me back along the A5.
Alfa Romeo - I crashed it, t'was my Mates car and I was going too fast to avoid the van that pulled out in front of me then stopped to turn onto his drive.
Transit Van (work) - An accident in London where a Ginsters van rear ended me and pushed me into the car in front, resulting in all my coolant over the road...
Maestro - I had a few Montego's too (they were cheap and comfortable, in my defence) The Maestro would just stop every once in a while and no amount of fiddling with the carb or wiggling of wires would convince it to start again for at least 1/2 an hour, then it would decide to start and all would be well for the next few weeks!
Mk. 2 Astra CD - Flat battery, caused by loose earth wire to alternator, spotted it after being towed home by a Mate.
Vectra CDX - Two broken wheels after an incident involving a dislodged kerb stone.
Omega 3.0 Mv6 - snapped auxiliary belt.
Omega 2.6 Mv6 - Flat battery due to duff alternator.
-
only one ford taunus let go of its oil new engine fitted :y
-
Only this Omega has been towed/low loaded - crank sensor failure on M5 over Christmas holiday 2009. Cam belt tensioner slipped in October 2008 resulting in catastrophic collpase on dual carriageway - this was the fault of VX service - not the Omega - new engine fitted at their expense.
Racking my brain for my other cars but cannot recall other instances.
-
The ones I remember
MK1 Escort (with 2.0l OHC engine)-
Smashed clutch racing a 2.8i Capri - fitted better clutch
Tore gearbox apart racing 3500 Rover - new clutch survived - fitted escort van gearbox which survived for years
Dynamo fell off (in France at 80mph) - crappy custom made bracket snapped - refitted (and worked after it's tumble) with big washer to hold bracket and new belt - finished trip to and back from the south
Renault Thingy (cant remember it was borrowed) -
prop shaft fell off on way back from Blackpool
Audi A6 Avant estate -
Drive coupling, RHS, disconnected as all bolts fell out. Company car that had been to stealers for new clutch ::)
Blew open top radiator hose
MKIII Cortina - Drove over a rock in lane on M6 and split open petrol tank (fire brigade had some fun with that)
1st MIG 2.6 CDX Auto - Blown head gasket - It overheated and I pushed my luck - Although I did drive it back (Auto no tow) but was followed by my mate just in case
Porche 911 turbo - Bro's car - I towed back from Southport with blown turbo with the MKI Escort - couldn't pass me that day ;D
-
Kdx 125, numerous occasions, due to pethetic tank range. Buggered kips valves.
Cbr600. too many to list, although crashes don't count I guess? Punctures mostly. Wrapped round a telegraph pole eventually.
Cavalier. Spun it through a fence. In no small part to rock hard and old Michelin tyres.
Omega 2.5 cdx alternator failed. Crank sensor failed. Bloody inferior car!
Only issue I've had with the far superior face lift is an hbv failed, and a puncture. Neither of which where a show stopper. Oh, and a scrap with a range rover. Undriveable after that.
-
ME!! mental breakdown,owning 3 Omegas and not being able to part with any one of them :D
-
1. Young muppet run into my senator the senny written off he bent both chassis legs and boot floor pan. He ended up with severe whip lash and wrote off his dads car and finaly got a pasting from his dad ;D ;D.
I wasn,t to bothered as the engine was breaked anyway so he done me a favour as I bought my first 3.0 24v with insurance dosh.
2.Hit an old coffin dodger in a pug 405 after he forgot to stop at a round about and claimed he didn't see me. :o :o
I was driving a 24ton bin lorry with beacons flashing, no damage to the truck but the pug had the shape of the hydraulic pump imprinted in the drivers door.
-
Capri 3.0 ghia prop shaft snapped also front spring snapped ripping through tyre
Capri 2.8i prop shaft snapped
Capri 3.0s have a guess its to do with the prop shaft
Omega alternator died
Cortina head on with a truck driver asleep at the wheel
-
Let's see 1975 to present day.
1. Mk2 cortina, bonnet catch gave way going through Plymouth main street, RAC came out and fixed the bent bit with a hammer so it would shut again, same day, heading for Exeter on the A38 diff caught fire, well smoking really then a little fire that soon went out, same RAC man out and was recovered back to Stonehouse barracks.
2. Suzuki GT250, heading home to Crowthorne on the A303, got sideswiped on a corner, went into ditch, broken kick start and gear lever and tank all bent, RAC recovered to local bike shop there and fixed after a month.
3. Suzuki GT750 heading up to Leyland from Plymouth for 77 jubilee, ran out of 2 stroke and semi fried the engine, M6, somewhere just south of Manchester area, let it cool down and completed the journey in 50 mile hops. Got it repaired with over size pistons and a small re-bore overa that weekend, nice chaps doing that work then.
4. Same Suzuki GT750, on holiday down in Cornwall, heading back to hotel after getting pie and chips (sober) chap stepped out in front of me, nowhere for me to go, hit him and I went over the top losing me front top teeth and a bit of lip
5. Lightweight landy, ran into a big oak tree in the fog on Woodbury common, didn't call anyone out, just got the tow rope around the tree and front bumper and reversed, fast! Did the trick, got back to camp and got the paint out, no-body knew the difference.
6. Mk3 2.0 cortina estate, fell asleep on the M5 just prior to seatbelt law becoming compulsory, I cleared the car, it was a total write off
7. Mk4 2.3 Cortina, heading down to see me dad in Buxton, got just south of Dundee and the crankshaft pulley wheel came off, recovered back to Arbroath and there it lay for a year until I could get it on base and have a VM work on it.
8. Saab 99 turbo, rear shock top mount broke away down in Fife, didn't get recovered but had to bodge it and drive back, very bouncy and not much fun, did get it welded up and then sold it.
9. Carlton 2.3D estate non turbo, long journey with the family Arbroath to Cornwall, on the A309 with no warning and no noise, just stopped, managed to coast into a layby, on trying to start clouds of white smoke... recovered to nearest garage who lent me a seirra sapphire to complete the journey, in fact I had that car for the rest of the trip and the journey back to Arbroath, the recovery firm brought the carlton all the way back to arbroath where they took the sapphire back to Cornwall (it was Green Flag by the way) because the garage couldn't fix it!
10. Carlton 1.8 estate, local roads, early evening in the winter, wet leaves, iced over, no response from steering wheel, straight into plantation of young fir trees, not so bad until I encountered the stumps of the mature trees that had ben cut down years previous, both front wishbones snapped! Recovered and taken away, written off.
All good for a few years until:- Feb this year
11. Going down into Roquetas to fill up, stopped at a crossing to let 3 lads cross (you have to stop over in Spain) the young lady behind must have thought she could fit in the boot of the Carlton estate and didn't stop! All been repaired now and wating to be put back together.
-
2009 to 2012 in time order.
1.0 Corsa.
- Throttle body died 3 days after getting it so it would only tick over. New one fitted under warranty.
- Gear linkage gave up whilst driving, leaving me stuck in neutral on a motorway sliproad. Towed off and new linkage fitted.
- Oil pressure switch gave up. Drove home in clouds of smoke.
2.2 DTi Vectra C.
- Boost sensor clogged forcing the car into limp home mode. RAC came out and cleaned it. Resumed journey.
- Boost pipe split the day before I was driving it to Santa Pod and back. Duck taped it and drove anyway. Tape gave way about 100 miles in but limped it there and back. Covered the back in soot. Replaced the pipe.
- Random limp home mode issues all the time to do with EGR valve. Cleaned and checked it was working which it was. Started getting fuel pump pressure codes. Got rid of the car with the thought of a new fuel pump looming on the horizon. Fixed by new owner - was a 40 quid vaccum actuator.
2.2 Omega.
- Valve stem seals gave up. Drove everywhere smoking for a couple of weeks until I could afford to fix it, including 2 pulls by Traffic Police. Seals replaced.
- HBV died 3 days before I was due to take it to southern Ireland, dumping coolant everywhere. Replaced by Vauxhall dealer who cracked my windscreen.
- 3 cracked windscreens in total - 2 didn't seal properly. Tip: never use Auto Windscreens if you live by me.
- Head gasket went. Replaced after a head skim. Still drove but smoke out the exhaust everywhere.
- Exhaust rusted through. Replaced with stainless steel custom one.
- Half a million rocker cover gaskets.
I've had the Omega since October last year. It's caused more trouble in 6 months than the others caused in a year each!
-
Mk2 escort brakes failed and ran into dads fridge in the garage :-[
Mk1 astra blown oil seals ..towed
Mk5 cortina front wheel came off at 60 ...fix at roadside
Capri gearstick came off in hand ..fix at side of road
Carlton x 2 Nothing
Vectra 2.5 Nothing
Vectra 2.0 estate Blown head gasket
Astra estate Melted stater motor .. towed home
Omega 1 blown crankseal ..towed home
Omega 2 blown camcover gasket .. aux belt and pulley snap at 70mph >:( car trailered 250 mile
Omega 3 Coil pack..duff plug..bridge seals..rad..thermostat..leaking windscreen..phantom sunroof..sqeaky brakes..cutting out..tramlining..ball joints..drop links.. Kept me busy for a week ::) ;D
RD250E Select first gear and went backwards ::) stupid electric points ..trailered home .
-
Been luck I guess as I have always managed to nurse any car back home or to a garage, the only exception was in 1984 in a Ford Transit Crew Bus with about a dozen Cub Scouts in the back, threw a little end and seized solid about solid, managed to coax it in to a Pub car park. Rang a couple of parents with estate cars to come and collect the kids, I was slightly puddled by the time the Recovery truck arrived :D :D :D
Oh and called the AA to change a wheel and on another occasion the tyre was flat, office car park near to a tyre place so simply got them to come and take the wheel off, fix and replace..... :y :y
Like Jimbob, I too hope I have not tempted fate........ ::) ::) ::)
Reading on another thread reminded me on another recovery, in about 1977 I had a 1965 Humber Sceptre Mk1 and fitted wheel spacers to the rear wheels, the studs snapped leaving the car wheel arch sitting on top of the tyre, that could have been nasty if it had happened at speed.....we live and learn..... ::) ::) ::)
-
Car:
Only one in 32 years of driving :)
First car, Austin 1100. I braked hard at a roundabout and the whole of the front end lifted off, the old tin worm had destroyed it...
I gently pushed it back on and drove to the scrapyard and got rid of it. Does this count as a breakdown??
Motorbike:
I visited a friend. When I came to leave my bike had gone. My RS100 was found a few days later with about £200 of damage to it. It was my first bike and I loved it. I used to race a Suzuki 100 along the A19. Both of us lying flat over the petrol tank :y :y The bike were completely matched for top speed. Those were the days ;D ;D
-
Austin Princess (don't ask) - front suspension collapse
Mk1 Fiesta - sheared end of rear axle after ****wits at ATS or similar (cannot remember) overtightened hub nut after fitting new wheel bearings causing wheel bearing to melt.
Mk3 Granada - 1 of the alternator bolts sheared causing belt to slip and so no power after a while - on a dark night on French autoroute
Ford Sierra - Through Paris near a market ran over a bin liner. Got caught in fan belt and subsequently cambelt causing it to snap. Expensive bin liner, but not for me. Lease car.
-
Just one for me.
Bmw 525 - buckled wheel after hitting unknown object and not having a spare wheel :-[
-
1. 1L Corsa b, on the way to Carmarthen to pick up my brothers new car the crank sensor decided to fail in lane 3 of the busiest roundabout in Carmarthen in rush hour traffic, car was pushed off roundabout, taxi to get new car then towed back through the back roads.
2. Same Corsa, the oil pressure sensor decided it wanted to give out and dumped a load of oil on the road, pulled over and my father came and towed me back with the Omega, towed so easily I'm sure he forgot I was attached to the back of it with the way he was accelerating at times.
3. V6 Vectra SRi nearside front wishbone snapped at 50mph through a narrow stone bridge, was a scary moment trying to avoid the bridge, raised the coilover suspension to get the arch off the wheel and creeped home pulling over when ever a car came behind me.
-
To many car ones to count so I thought I'd do my bike get offs.
1/ Suzuki x1 50. Wet manhole surfing on a roundabout. Little lad thought i was waving to him and waved back. No damage.
2/ Suzuki x1 50 roundabout front end loss with company cash takings of over 4 thousand pound in various donations which exploded all over the road on impact. Helped by the general public to collect money and wasn't a penny short when I arrived at the bank. Damage bent peg bruised palm.
3/ Honda CB 125 Wet dream. Blinded by on coming mk3 Cortina GXL (it's funny how you remember these details) slid into ditch. Damage indicators, side panel bruised knee.
4/ Aprilia RSV-R. Hit by tractor. Damage bike distributed over a 20 yard radius. Left foot hanging off and ruptured artiary. Left arm broken. Right shoulder broken and nerve damage (brekial plexus). Most of my front left ribs broken. Back broken. Spleen mashed. Large intestines ruptured. Small intestines ruptured. Bowl ruptured. Right kidney ruptured. Leathers removed by scissors. Lid covered in mud. Slight dent in tractor wheel rim. Telegraph pole nicked on impact. Heart attack for wife when Police turned up to rush her down the hospital (Holby city style) to say goodbye.
I'm sure I've forgotten something. ::) ::)
-
auto box failed on my 2.6 on first day of a camping holiday in cornwall.car and trailer both recovered home.
-
Mk1 Escort estate - Engine seized on the A5 near Dunstable (lack of oil) ::) Walked home
Morris Ital - Hit central crash barrier, skidded sideways, rolled a few times, up the embankment and stopped. Got out and walked home. 3am on sat morning.
Omega mv6 - Bottom of the engine blew out at 60mph....sounded like a load of nuts n' bolts being thrown at the underside of the car. RAC takes car back to garage
Kwak Zx636 - oil on roundabout, low speed low slide. Scuffed panel & broken peg. Back on & rode home
Omega Elite - After a cambelt change by Mr Wellung, LPG not working and car running rough. Gas pipes & electrics burning after being trapped under the plenum >:(
Omega Elite (same car) - Failed to start at home, crank sensor
-
I hate breakdowns and I hate people smiling at you when you are left with a donald car.. >:(
my father was a very bad car owner and everytime all faults hit me first as he doesnt hammer the car..
so, after having my own cars I dont let anything critical mechanic or electronic stay on the car for long!
as far as I remember my breakdown cases were:
2 crashes, a tire with a big hole, a complete dead battery (alternator stopped charging) and an immobiliser fault (keys)..
ps: I dont count going to service in omega with only 3 cylinders :P
-
posting on another thread just reminded me that the wife's Signum had to be towed following dmf failure. What I forgot was that although I drove it home without clutch - the next day it had to be towed to the main dealer.
-
Thinking about it the only time, over the years, a car stopped working for me was when I’d been driving a Volvo.
The first (of a Christmas Eve many years ago) was just after I fuelled a 131 (2 door Amazon with the B20 engine) the car stopped stone dead quite a distance from the service station (as they were called then). It was towed home and during the course of the Christmas morning examination, water was discovered in the fuel tank.
A clear out of the tank, a blow out of the lines, carburettor, cylinders and a pre-lunch sip of fuel from the siphoned contents of a donor car, order was soon restored.
The second Volvo inspired trauma happened in a 240 saloon that decided to stop in a place it definitely should not have - given the nature of my then employment.
Following a strategic extraction the fault took a long time to trace but it eventually was discovered in burnt out wires in part of the loom running across the bulkhead at the back of the engine.
The fix was quite straightforward but a lot of time was wasted on it.
The final let down was in a 760 (the one with the delightful PRV V6 engine). The engine temperature level went teats-up on the Brompton Road (at the point where it joins Knightsbridge).
I had to let the car cool off for what seemed ages while fending off parking wardens before getting it to safe parking territory.
I eventually had to do a top end job on it in the front garden of a colleague’s house in Sunningdale (where it normally stayed as there was no requirement to have a car in central London) - and what a bastid that engine was to work on; it was rather like the idea that coalition government can actually be a good thing - you know, the inevitable result when too many idiots (no, not of the word filter variety) try to get their oar in during the consultation and design stage – just all oppsed up.
-
1. At 16 on my first motorbike, a 1930 James 250cc twin port, hand change, 2-stroke, http://www.simplywizard.co.uk/folders/pre1940/prewarl3/30b8250.htm, it stopped. I was completely clueless, and sat disconsolately at the side of the road. A chap on a Norton combo stopped and asked if I was OK. After telling him, he had a look and held up the spark plug dangling from its lead. "I think this may be your problem!" :-[ :-[ :-[
2. Mk1 '53 Austin A40, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Austin_A40_Countryman.jpg crankshaft broke. (It only had a 3 bearing crank) Trailered to garage for engine change.
3. Mk1 '53 Consul, dynamo failed, yes dynamos in those days. I bodged the brushes at roadside.
4. '59 Beetle brake master cylinder failed, thumbed a lift to VW agent, got a seal kit, replaced at roadside.
5. '59 Beetle, clutch cable broke where Tunnie has just been, near Durness. Drove 150 miles home complete with family, with no clutch, and carefully judged gear changes!
5. Jaguar XJ6 at 80mph on M1, the fan went AWOL and drove into the rad. Trailered home.
6. Filled the TD with petrol. :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ Drained and restarted at roadside.
I suppose that's not too bad after nearly 60 years of motoring. 8) 8) 8) ::) :y
-
Saab 9000 aero - Piston decided it liked the tarmac more than the engine. Modified power caused this lol
2.5 Elite - aux belt pulley gave way
Current 3.2 elite - Flat battery due to alternator
Oil leaking onto manifold when gasket seals leaked. drivable but my god there was some smoke.
-
Yam FS1E, dirty petrol clogged fuel fitler, long push home
same bike, piston melted, another long push
1964 mini 850, fan belt snapped, lots of stopping and letting it cool down
same mini the following day, dad decided I hadnt tightened new belt enough so took over, pulled bearings out of dynamo
1964 Vauxhall Victor FB estate, dizzy shaft bent and rotor arm eat the cap. Pushed home by dads old Merc
1974 Ford Carpi mk1 facelift, broke rear leaf spring, limped home
1979 mk1 Cav, gearbox main bearings exploded, limped into work
1979 mk1 Cav sporthatch, modified motor, too much power for gearbox, ate three
Same car, coil failure, as I got to work, coasted on to carpark
1973 Reno 12 estate, brakes stuck on after new master cylinder fitted. Kit came with wrong size spacer to go between servo and cylinder
1975 mini van, loom went up in smoke
1984 MG Montego EFI, kept stopping and not restarting. Turned out to be faulty alternator
1987 Mk2 Cav 1.8 GLSi AA called to change wheel after it put on car by tyre centre and torqued to over 200lbs! snapped wheel brace and socket set "T" bar trying to remove
Same car, centre of preasure plate pushed out
1981 Opel Commadore "C", engine let go just after exiting Dartford tunnel, recovered home
1996 2.5 manuel Calibra, clutch cable snapped, kept starting up in first and limped home
2000 Omega estate, front came off air con pump, wiped out every thing accross the front of the engine. recovered home. Got second hand rad and hoses off TB following day
2000 Omega estate, leak off bung blew off no.6 injector and sprayed diesel all over rear of engine and hot exhaust on A14 at Stowmarket, recovered home
Same car, 80 mph blow out on rear earlier this year, got car accross to left lane and up slip road. changed it in turnoff at top and endured stinking ,smoking flat tyre in back alway home
Thats mine to date that I can remember. Keith, B
-
Lots, but my most impressive story was 4 of us in a Trans Am, driving along a cobbled street, bottomed out and cracked the trans pan. We didn't realise until the car ground to a halt, by which time we were on the main road right outside the town hall. Two gallons of ATF makes quite a mess. The AA had to tow us home. We were in Belgium, quite a long way from Grimsby...
-
2.5 CDX sprung a leak on the last day of holiday in Devon, £600 recovery quote (I have AA cover now!), nursed it back to just past Salisbury filling up just over 6L of water every 20 miles. Finally dies when the layby I planned to stop in was blocked and had to carry on to the next, coasted into that one with no power and I discovered later an oil cooler plate with a 2" diameter hole burned in it! Recovered home for a much more reasonable £120.
Mk2 Capri burned out the clutch towing a scrap Beetle to the yard, pushed both back home.
1 week later the same Beetle had both nearside wheels fall off while on its 2nd tow to the yard, watched the first overtake me thinking "haha someone lost a wheel" ::) Finally got it to the yard.
Mk2 XJ6 lost a con rod through the block on the M40, covered all 3 lanes in a huge wall of smoke as it dumped its contents onto the exhaust. Recovered home.
And the icing on the cake.... MK2 1.1 Escort estate had the exhaust blow on the M3 just past Fleet, still mobile so decide to go to the next junction. Didn't realise that the gearbox gater was missing under the centre console and got gassed in the car, woke up heading up the bank of a bridge, steered it back down but just run out of space and ended up driving it down the middle of the crash barrier protecting the bridge. It then leant to the left and and dragged along the concrete with me finally veering into lane 1 and then bringing it to a halt on the hard shoulder. End result was a split sump, split gearbox casing, split petrol tank, split diff, front to rear brake lines ripped clear off and it looked like someone had taken a cheese grater to the entire passenger side. 3 fire engines, 2 police cars and 1 ambulance in attendance, the fire engines apparently spending most of their time trying to clear the mix of fluids as my car had none left in it!! Recovered to the yard, following week I went down picked up my sunglasses and walked away from it, nothing at all worth saving.....