Arcade vehicle breakdowns

Zinfer

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I usually like to depart first thing in the morning on arcade trips. The 2004 Chevy Silvarado has done an amazing job with absolutely no mechanical problems. The Ebay auction was won at about 6pm Sunday and the seller immediately contacted me. Found out that he didn't get off work until around 6pm through the week. So there was little difference if I left now or anytime through the week. I wouldn't get back until late. Didn't feel like waiting for the next weekend to roll around - what with Ohio weather.
So we loaded up, stopped at BK for a delish Chicken club for a drive-through supper. Stopped at the bank for some cash at the ATM.
Drove an hour and a half for pickup. On the way down a heavy, heavy smell of gas. I thought maybe it was the vehicle in front of me. I finally ended up rolling up the window and that seemed better.
This thing has been getting some rotten gas mileage but half a tank for an hour and a half drive?
We arrived and loaded our treasure. Commented to the Seller that the truck had a heavy fuel odor and he agreed. Paid the man, he and a friend helped me load it up, which was great. I thanked the man and departed. Got a call about 5 mins later. Seller called me to let me know that there was a puddle of gasolene under where the truck had been sitting. I thanked him and pulled over to take a look. It was dripping like rain under the drivers side and I was like, oh crap. 11:00pm on a Sunday..I'd better get my ass down the road and quick.
It was a long, quiet, nail biting drive (counting the city exits) back, contemplating how long a walk it would be from x. Fuel gauge falling to below half a tank to 1/4 tank. Memories of a guy with a Sarge cabinet broken down in Illinois come to mind. Thoughts of buying a fire extinguisher for the truck. I should gather all my crap, the phone, camera, reading glasses, in one place for a pull over and jump out. Why didn't I bring my dogs' leash? How quickly could I get the cabinet off the back of the truck?
After all these thoughts raced through my head, we finally made it home. Pulled in the drive, checked underneath. Nothing. Unloaded the cabinet, checked for a puddle..just a slight one. I have an appointment with the chevy dealer tomorrow at 11:00am.
www.zinfer.com/jungleking.htm
Anyone else have any harrowing stories of vehicle breakdowns while on arcade runs?
 
Not a breakdown but when I went to go get my $100 Ms Pacman the seller's back door was down about a 35 degree or more sloped grassy hill. Needless to say my 1995 Dodge Caravan that I use to haul games got stuck. Me and the seller spent 30 minutes trying to pull it up the hill with his F150.
 
I was driving west across North Dakota into about a 50 mph headwind when my fuel line popped off the intake manifold. Pouring about a half gallon of gas on my red hot y-pipe convinced me to carry a fire extinguisher from then on.

I would have tried to patch the fuel leak somehow. Maybe hose clamps and a piece of rubber? Did you ever find exactly where the leak was coming from?
 
This winter, I hit a deer in my new Civic, so I was driving my Mazda B4000 hauler while it was in the shop. One day I was driving it and the windows started fogging up, so I turned on the defroster and hear a loud "WHEEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHHEEHH" and the engine stalls and I am sitting dead at the intersection. Hm, that was odd....I start it back up and try the defroster again and sure enough, another loud screech and before I had a chance to shut it off, I head a big snapping/thunking noise and I was unable to start it up again. Oh shit.

So after some good samaritans helped push me into the nearby AM-PM, I popped the hood and all my belts were just strewn about, with my AC compressor belt completely missing. Turns out my AC compressor (which runs the defroster) clutch seized, snapped the belt, and that belt fell into the other belts and wreaked havoc. Pretty effing cool.....
 
LOL That happened to me on tuesday! Im lucky though, my van has 3 separate belts, so i just lost AC and the van still runs without the belt!

I was watching that auction zinfer, i was wondering who would overpay for it lol :D

This winter, I hit a deer in my new Civic, so I was driving my Mazda B4000 hauler while it was in the shop. One day I was driving it and the windows started fogging up, so I turned on the defroster and hear a loud "WHEEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHHEEHH" and the engine stalls and I am sitting dead at the intersection. Hm, that was odd....I start it back up and try the defroster again and sure enough, another loud screech and before I had a chance to shut it off, I head a big snapping/thunking noise and I was unable to start it up again. Oh shit.

So after some good samaritans helped push me into the nearby AM-PM, I popped the hood and all my belts were just strewn about, with my AC compressor belt completely missing. Turns out my AC compressor (which runs the defroster) clutch seized, snapped the belt, and that belt fell into the other belts and wreaked havoc. Pretty effing cool.....
 
Driving back from the Broomall, PA auction to Quakertown, PA... Truck was running like poop the entire ride. Got off the PA Turnpike, stopped at the light, wouldn't go again. Stalled out, tried to start, nothing... Some good samaritans (Boy Scouts, really!) pushed me off of the road... I asked if there was a badge for that.

Finally got it started again, decided to limp into one of the PA Turnpike service roads to get out of everyone's way. Stalled, got it started again... Finally gave up about 300 feet down the road.

The result: (I've posted this on the forum before, sorry for those who've seen it.) Edit: Towed to a mechanic I don't usually use because they are open on weekends (who will go ::cough::pEP::cough:: nameless ::cough::BOYS::cough::). I figured it was the fuel pump. Very common on Sonoma's of this vintage (1996) with about 100,000 miles on them. Pep Boys (whoops, wasn't gonna drop names) decided it was oxygen sensors due to engine codes. Dumbasses, I told them that wasn't it. 12 hours later, $700 (which was ultimately refunded to me), it stalled on the way out of their parking lot. I limped it home, took it to an actual mechanic (and my regular one) who promptly confirmed it was the fuel pump... Get this, with a simple fuel pressure gauge. Imagine, using diagnostics besides the engine codes to fix a vehicle! Anyway, used the refunded money from Pep Boys to pay for my mechanic's work on replacing the fuel pump. Oh, and the oxygen sensors were temporarily throwing a code due to the bad fuel/air mix. Yah, great job Pep Boys.

SonomaSad.JPG
 
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I had 2 trips back and forth from Harrisburg, PA to Elkridge, MD from an auction because I over bought. It started raining on the second trip back. Look back and saw what looked like smoke coming from the one wheel on the trailer so I pull over, everything looks good, equate it to rain. Get back on the road and make it home and unload. Look at the trailer and the wheel is sitting cock-eyed. Lift the trailer and the whole wheel wobbles. Turns out bearings were shot and ground down to nothing. Lucky I didn't lose the wheel, especially full of games.
 
My appointment is tomorrow at 11:00am to have it looked at. Crossing fingers it's not something major. Maybe a cracked/cut fuel line.
If I was a half-assed auto mechanic I'd be more capable, but I never got into working on cars. Bikes yes, about 30 years ago. I'm sure alot on those has changed too.
I was just darned lucky to get back ok. Makes me re-examine some kind of AAA membership thing for these arcade road trips.
 
fuel stuff is scarry shit.. I bought an 88 fiero gt new and when it was maybe 6 months old, all of a sudden my car was out of gas. Called the dealer and it turns out pontiac had a recall for it(cars catching fire). Pretty bad design, fuel leaks out onto the exaust system. The installed a diverter and I think some clips to fix it.

I think on a 8 year old vehicle sounds like cracked fuel line hose. You should have them check all the belts and hoses while they are at it.
 
My worst travel story

Here is the story of a trip I took to pick up a Star Wars Cockpit, and a Tempest cocktail. I posted this years ago, can't believe I still had it in my files. Still funny, and probably the worst bad luck trip I have had. To make it even worse, the games weren't even for me!

Enjoy.............

It started out great. My friend BIll got to my house around 9:30, with his
pick-up and a u-haul covered trailer being towed behind. We were going from
South Jersey to New York City to pick up a Tempest cocktail and a Star Wars
Cockpit. We leave my house on time, hit Dunkin Donuts for morning feast with
the required huge cup of coffee. Nothing like drinking 20 ozs of coffe before
a 2 hour road trip. So, we get onto the highway, I glance over at Bill..I am
driving cause BIll hates driving. I don't mind driving...actaully, I like
driving. So, anyway, I glance over and say, "Ya got the directions..right?"
Reply, "NO, you always know where we are going!" OK, no problem, I just
figured we would call the guy when we got closer to NYC, no problem. Anyway,
get the guy on the phone, he says take the Holland tunnel, and gives us fairly
simple directions. He is also laughing hysterically when told that we are
driving a vehicle about 30 feet long from front of truck to back of trailer,
and are going to proceeding to attempt navigating the streets of Manhattan
during lunch rush.

We get to the entrance to the tunnel, and are stopped and told by a police
officer, "No trailers through the tunnel!" Oh shit..now what do we do. He
gives us directions to the Lincoln tunnel. Meanwhile I wonder why we can go
through that tunnel with a trailer but not this one. Anyway, we go through the
Lincoln tunnel, somehow find our way to where we are supposed to be. It was 2
blocks from Grand Central Station, 1 block from the Chrysler building. 2
Blocks from Park Avenue. We pull up on the corner, we actually found a parking
place for the behemoth, in front of a starbucks..hmm..thoughts of possibley
more coffee. We call the guy, it is about 12:30. He says we are on the wrong
side of the street, we need to be on the other side for loading of the game,
unless we wanted to be like George on Seinfled, and maneuver 2 games across a
very busy 4 lane street. So here we go around the block...20 minutes later due
to "Thru Streets" where you are not allowed to turn off of..grrrr. We get back
to the other side of the street, and miraculously find another parking spot,
just a scant few feet in front of the door to the building. We call the guy
say we are ready for delivery! We are very excited..I mean this is a Star Wars
Cockpit we are talking about!!!!! Bill spent a lot of money on this, the least
I could do is be excited for him! The phone call goes something like
this....."We're here, should I come up to the 21st floor to pay and get the
games, or are you just going to bring them down?" "We can't use the freight
elevators, they turn all the elevators into people only during lunch, from
12-2." Short silent pause on Bill's end. "What?" he finally says. So,
bacially we have to sit in front of this building, in a loading zone, for over
an hour. Did I mention that Bill's truck does not have a bathroom, and we each
had LOTS of coffee. Well, what choice do we have. We take turns going into
Starbucks and using their bathroom. The guy behind the counter gave me a funny
look for using his bathroom but not buying a $13 cup of coffe..but screw him!


So, after a couple of slices of very good pizza, it is now 2 o'clock. We call
the guy and Bill heads upstairs to pay and collect his games. Meanwhile, I am
waiting in the car in case a cop happens by and notices we have been in the
loading zone for over an hour in a non-commercial truck. 30 minutes later,
Bill calls and says we are heading to the elevator with the first game, down in
a few minutes. 50 minutes later, I call Bill and wonder if this is the slowest
elevator in the known world. Finally, they come out of the building, Bill, the
seller and some additionally needed muscle. We open up the trailor, 2 people
in front to lift, 2 in back to push. Place the front of the game on the
trailor, lift the back, push and SON-OF-A-BITCH! The game is about 1/2 inch
too tall to fit through the door of the trailor. Now what do we do? We turn
the game around, thinking maybe the laws of physics do not apply to a Star Wars
Cockpit and that the game is not as tall when placed into the trailer from the
opposite direction! Well, needless to say...physics won. OK, we sit the game
in the street as they go and get the Tempest cocktail. I stand guard and
answer the queries of about 50 people about the game, including two very pretty
girls who state they love video games. I tell them where I am from and they
say its a shame you live so far away. So, here they come with the Tempest
cocktail, up that goes into the trailor. No problems with getting this in
there. Close up the trailor, and muscles has to leave and meet with a client.
So, 3 of us left to lift the game up into the bed of the truck, while still
attached to the trailor. This was going to be fun! We basically kidnap
someone and force him to help us lift. He really did not want to do it.
Apparently this guy was not originally from NYC because he didn't simply give
us the finger and continue walking, he actually helped. We get the game into
the bed of the truck thank the guy who helped, said bye to the seller, and
hopped back into the truck for the return trip.


It is now about 3:30, and I have 2 hours until its time to pick my daughter up
from daycare. We can do it!!! Head back to the Lincoln tunnel, and hop on the
NJ Turnpike for the trip home. About 30 miles into the trip, I glance into the
mirror, then turn to Bill and say, "Does your truck always emit lots and lots
of white smoke?" Now, I borrow his truck all the time for moving my own games,
and I knew that this was not normal. I just figured this was a nice way to
bring up the fact that we might have to get towed home. Bill suggest pulling
over so he can take a look. I agreed that this was a prudent thing to do
especially since Bill is a mechanic, and knows about these things. So, Bill
crawls under the turck, tells me to rev the engine, does his stuff. He hops
back into the truck, looks at me and says, "Drive slow!" He tells me that we
will either make it home, or not. So, away we go. The truck actually stopped
billowing white smoke, and we continued our leisurly pace home.


We got to my house around 6, unloaded into my gargae, cause there was no way in
hell I would have been able to go to Bills to unload there, because my wife was
already upset about the fact that I had to call her at work and ask her to pick
up my daughter, cause I was gonna be a little late. My wife was not surprised
about this little fact either. I mean, I don't think Bill and I ever made it
back at the time we said we would on any of our other adventures!


Hopefully we will have an easier time moving it into Bills basement..anyone
wanna help?!?!?!?


Mike
-----------------

Good memories!!!

Mike
 
Water pump in Chip's Jeep. Spent the night in a ho motel.

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Shredded tire on the trailer.
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Left the games on the trailer under a tarp on the interstate.
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Returned the next day with a tire.
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Fuel lines cracked on a 2004 Chevy Silvarado. Said that if I'd waited any longer the lines would have seperated. Have to drop the transmission down and remove the fuel pump, and a few other parts I can't remember. 8 hour job. 3 metal fuel line replacement parts cost: $300. Total $1080.00
OWCH $#%(@

I guess I was just lucky to get back without being stranded. I was actually kind of hoping it was just a cut or crack in a fuel line (thinking they were just rubber hoses).
 
Great timing for this thread ...

Saturday night, my buddy Rob and I drove about 2 hours down the road to pick up a Cruisin USA, a Journey, some Megatouches, and a Q-Bert. It was a late start for us leaving my house around 5:00 PM. We got down to Orlando around 7:00 PM and started loading things up.

As we are leaving, I hear Rob mumbling about someone following us too closely. Not more than 30 seconds later, we start to slow as we approach an upcoming red light and .......................SMASH! No brakes, nothing! A 4 Door Kia Something or Other just slammed right into the back of us. I am guessing the lady was texting or something and never realized that we were slowing down for the red light.

To our surprise, she went right under the tailgate and smashed into the bumper of the truck, so no damage to the games.

Rob's truck was not so fortunate ... OUCH! At least we were able to drive away. The lady was cited for reckless driving and her car won't be going anywhere for a while.

Steve
MM
 
Great timing for this thread ...

Saturday night, my buddy Rob and I drove about 2 hours down the road to pick up a Cruisin USA, a Journey, some Megatouches, and a Q-Bert. It was a late start for us leaving my house around 5:00 PM. We got down to Orlando around 7:00 PM and started loading things up.

As we are leaving, I hear Rob mumbling about someone following us too closely. Not more than 30 seconds later, we start to slow as we approach an upcoming red light and .......................SMASH! No brakes, nothing! A 4 Door Kia Something or Other just slammed right into the back of us. I am guessing the lady was texting or something and never realized that we were slowing down for the red light.

To our surprise, she went right under the tailgate and smashed into the bumper of the truck, so no damage to the games.

Rob's truck was not so fortunate ... OUCH! At least we were able to drive away. The lady was cited for reckless driving and her car won't be going anywhere for a while.

Steve
MM

I've lost two cars to idiot drivers(Not necessarily things that haul arcade games tho) who don't pay attention :(
 
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