Took the kids to Big Bear Lake this week for some water fun and a little mild wheeling. Didn't want to do anything agressive since we were by ourselves, just some moderate trails so we could get the truck dusty and see the scenery. Since I wasn't going to do anything crazy, I figured I could get away with being lazy and not fitting my skids. (Hint- this is what Hollywood writers call foreshadowing)

We got done with our last trail on Thursday night and was almost back to camp when I noticed the engine getting warm--2/3's up the gauge. Crap. Sure enough, when I popped the rad cap, it was dry. Added water back in camp and saw water leaking from the bottom of the radiator. Decided to limp back to town to see about getting it fixed. No problems coasting down the mountain, but heat started to build as soon as we got to town. Not willing to take any more chances, I shut it down just about the time the town shut down. Checked into a hotel to wait for morning.

Friday morning comes and out comes the cell. Nobody in Big Bear fixes radiators. Double crap. Didn't have the luxury of extending my stay to fix it myself, so I had to tow the truck down to San Bernardino 40 miles away, drop it off at the rad shop, rent a truck to go back up the mountain pick up the kids, pack up camp, then high-tail it back down the mountain to pick up the Monty and drop of the rental truck before they closed for the day.

The guy at the shop (Automart Radiator Co. in San Bernardino, great service, see them if you need rad work in the area) says the radiator was in great shape, it just looked like something flew up (hmm, like a rock maybe, stupid?) and made a hole in the radiator.

$100 for the hotel, $40 for dinner, $260 for the tow, $70 for the rental truck, $40 to gas the rental back up, and $170 to fix the radiator. Total cost for this misadventure--$580. Expensive lessons are the best learned--don't freakin' wheel without full skids in place.

But I have to say, the Monty took care of us. It could have overheated half way up the last trail about a 4 hour walk from the nearest road--nope, he picked the best time to teach me a lesson without making it ugly.

Made the two hour drive back to San Diego without a hitch. Running strong and cool all the way back in 90-100 degree weather.

you got lucky.

Amen, brother!

You hear that Don? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

...you talkin' to ME ???!!!



(Yeah, I heard it, it's kinda like running with scissors...)

Yup.



<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Our V6 rigs seem to handle cooling problems alot easier than its 4cyl brothers. My 89 LWB has a broken water jacket on the head gasket. It was polite enough to let me finish my 2hour drive home from work a few months back. Damn I miss driving her... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> Glad to hear you weren't stranded! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Reckon I need to finish beefing mine up and get them on.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

So, you were out without the Mitsu-equipped skid plates?

You went on Crab Flats? Holcombe Valley Trail? Or just trail riding around? I decided to ditch college one sunny Spring day, went up to Big Bear, toured the gold mining areas of Holcombe Valley and ended up closed in to the drift mine. The portal was closed by some falling rock after a small temblor. Only about 20 minutes of moving rocks, just as the Ranger arrived to see whose car was in the parking lot. My Buick GS400 had no skid plates either.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

You know guys what we need is like what we have over on the TurboDiesel Register called the Travel Companion. What it has is a bunch of members phone numbers and what services they can provide, stuff like welding towing and so on.
Sorry I can't show you since it's a member only deal, but I think you get the idea.

So if you had this info you could of called me and I could of gave you a hand. I'm near the Victorville area.

Rory