kempers_gramp
Expert Expediter
It's a sun shiny beautiful summer day!!
We were in my FL-80 with a CAT 3126, loaded on our way to Michigan from Del Rio, Texas. A nice light, somewhat financially sustaining load. Cruzing I-30 east at the 135mm in Texas. It's 100 degrees plus outside. All of a sudden on a short, shallow grade........a brief, muffled rattle(like a babys rattle). Am I hearing things? Yup must be. Must have been something causing a slight, yet attention grabbing vibration in the steering? Flat road again, no rattle. Another short grade coming up, hmm, will I hear it again? Hope not! Wishful thinking? Maybe!
Rattle....RATTLE....Clunk. OH CRAP! Shut her down quick! Dropped the clutch, threw on the 4 ways, coasted up the 136 exit ramp. No shoulder, but we'll get to the edge and shut her down. Turned the key off, and it kept running. Set the brake, put it in gear, and killed the engine as it kept wanting to rattle and knock.
As I inspect, while waiting for a service tech, I notice the oil level is up and maybe tainted, the coolant level is down, and from the exhaust, where the flex pipe enters the muffler, there is a drop of moisture. I run my finger across it, and sure enough that greasy, slimy feeling of coolant. I pull the oil cap, and notice that murky gray sludge associated with coolant in the oil.
Eighty Five miles to Texarkana, and a nearly $500.00 towing bill. I have a feeling this is only the beginning of a expedited shopping spree(no pun intended). A very expensive, frustrating, unwanted vacation.
My truck is on the hook behind the big Pete hook-em-up truck now, and out the window the tow truck driver sees a big truck driver passing us waving his cb mike. AW MAN, common, now what? Smoke is rolling off the driver side wheel. We pull over to the shoulder and find the brake is dragging, a couple of twists of the wrench and we're pretty sure the brake is fully released now. I wonder what damage has been done there?
Twelve hours now in the Motel here and no word yet from the Freightliner shop. Imagine that. I guess it will be noon or so before we hear anything. I'm going to bed now, if I can sleep?
We were in my FL-80 with a CAT 3126, loaded on our way to Michigan from Del Rio, Texas. A nice light, somewhat financially sustaining load. Cruzing I-30 east at the 135mm in Texas. It's 100 degrees plus outside. All of a sudden on a short, shallow grade........a brief, muffled rattle(like a babys rattle). Am I hearing things? Yup must be. Must have been something causing a slight, yet attention grabbing vibration in the steering? Flat road again, no rattle. Another short grade coming up, hmm, will I hear it again? Hope not! Wishful thinking? Maybe!
Rattle....RATTLE....Clunk. OH CRAP! Shut her down quick! Dropped the clutch, threw on the 4 ways, coasted up the 136 exit ramp. No shoulder, but we'll get to the edge and shut her down. Turned the key off, and it kept running. Set the brake, put it in gear, and killed the engine as it kept wanting to rattle and knock.
As I inspect, while waiting for a service tech, I notice the oil level is up and maybe tainted, the coolant level is down, and from the exhaust, where the flex pipe enters the muffler, there is a drop of moisture. I run my finger across it, and sure enough that greasy, slimy feeling of coolant. I pull the oil cap, and notice that murky gray sludge associated with coolant in the oil.
Eighty Five miles to Texarkana, and a nearly $500.00 towing bill. I have a feeling this is only the beginning of a expedited shopping spree(no pun intended). A very expensive, frustrating, unwanted vacation.
My truck is on the hook behind the big Pete hook-em-up truck now, and out the window the tow truck driver sees a big truck driver passing us waving his cb mike. AW MAN, common, now what? Smoke is rolling off the driver side wheel. We pull over to the shoulder and find the brake is dragging, a couple of twists of the wrench and we're pretty sure the brake is fully released now. I wonder what damage has been done there?
Twelve hours now in the Motel here and no word yet from the Freightliner shop. Imagine that. I guess it will be noon or so before we hear anything. I'm going to bed now, if I can sleep?
