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The Lincoln Highway National Museum & Archives 102 Old Lincoln Way West Galion, Ohio 44833 (419) 462-2212 Voice |
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Number 68
Not Again
Kids,
When I pulled out of Felt's parking lot,
I took one look left then right.
If I turned left,
I'd have to go all the way around the block
to get to my next destination.
If I turned right,
it was shorter, but questionable
if I could make the turn without backing up.
Casting caution to the wind,
I turned right.
I turned the wheels as hard as I could,
but it was not meant to be.
Just as I stopped at the apex of the turn,
there was a loud noise and the steering locked.
Oh God, what now??
Did I break a tie rod or blow out a ball joint??
The Fellows at Felt's could only point.
I jumped out of the cab.
In the middle of the street
was a huge puddle of ATF.
I couldn't believe it,
the high pressure line
on the power steering pump had blow out.
There was a hole the size of your thumb
about a foot from the pump.
Remember,
I'm still blocking three lanes of traffic,
so I hopped back in and tried to "Man Handle" it,
back and then up again.
Minutes later I was parked in front of Felt's.
Now I could survey the damage more closely.
One thing I knew,
I wasn't going to call Brett's again,
even though he was the next stop on my list,
and I sure couldn't drive it the 7 blocks back to Dean's
without burning up the Power Ssteering Pump,
So, what to do???
In a blinding flash of inspiration,
I decided to wrap the hose with a blue paper shop towel
and lots and lots of duct tape.
Felt's made an on the spot donation
of the finest duct tape known to man.
In case you were wondering,
without the paper towel,
the ATF would have turned the
adhesive on the tape to goo.
So the towel actually served two purposes,
it plugged the hole
and gave the tape something to bond to.
Later, another solution accured to me...
Just take off the fan belt driving the pump, duh!!
But then that would require a 3/4 wrench.
In any event,
I opened up the Power steering reservoir
and guess what??
It was bone dry,
so three quarts of ATF later,
I was off to the races.
As luck would have it,
I kept running into red lights
and slow drivers.
I was sweating bullets knowing each delay
resulted in loss of precious ATF
and the possibility of burning up the PS Pump.
You should have see the look
when I pulled up to the door at Dean's.
"We thought you left??"
Yea, well...
One thing about Ogden,
they have EVERYTHING you'd ever want,
and within a stones throw of Dean's.
You couldn't ask for a better place to break down!!
So, once again,
I put on my "Grease Monkey" clothes and
quickly took off the damaged line along with three others,
just in case they were next in line.
Kelly called C-N- R Hose and told them of my plight.
It was 4:45,
they said they'd wait.
Here are the old and new lines as well as,
my excellent wrap job.
I think the evidence speaks for itself.
When I drained the lines there was maybe a pint left in the pump,
that's it on the floor in the first photo.
And so the Lincoln Highway Saga continues...
BACK-67
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Designed By: The Starman
You are Visitor #
Since January 19, 2002
When I pulled out of Felt's parking lot,
I took one look left then right.
If I turned left,
I'd have to go all the way around the block
to get to my next destination.
If I turned right,
it was shorter, but questionable
if I could make the turn without backing up.
Casting caution to the wind,
I turned right.
I turned the wheels as hard as I could,
but it was not meant to be.
Just as I stopped at the apex of the turn,
there was a loud noise and the steering locked.
Oh God, what now??
Did I break a tie rod or blow out a ball joint??
The Fellows at Felt's could only point.
I jumped out of the cab.
In the middle of the street
was a huge puddle of ATF.
I couldn't believe it,
the high pressure line
on the power steering pump had blow out.
There was a hole the size of your thumb
about a foot from the pump.
Remember,
I'm still blocking three lanes of traffic,
so I hopped back in and tried to "Man Handle" it,
back and then up again.
Minutes later I was parked in front of Felt's.
Now I could survey the damage more closely.
One thing I knew,
I wasn't going to call Brett's again,
even though he was the next stop on my list,
and I sure couldn't drive it the 7 blocks back to Dean's
without burning up the Power Ssteering Pump,
So, what to do???
In a blinding flash of inspiration,
I decided to wrap the hose with a blue paper shop towel
and lots and lots of duct tape.
Felt's made an on the spot donation
of the finest duct tape known to man.
In case you were wondering,
without the paper towel,
the ATF would have turned the
adhesive on the tape to goo.
So the towel actually served two purposes,
it plugged the hole
and gave the tape something to bond to.
Later, another solution accured to me...
Just take off the fan belt driving the pump, duh!!
But then that would require a 3/4 wrench.
In any event,
I opened up the Power steering reservoir
and guess what??
It was bone dry,
so three quarts of ATF later,
I was off to the races.
As luck would have it,
I kept running into red lights
and slow drivers.
I was sweating bullets knowing each delay
resulted in loss of precious ATF
and the possibility of burning up the PS Pump.
You should have see the look
when I pulled up to the door at Dean's.
"We thought you left??"
Yea, well...
One thing about Ogden,
they have EVERYTHING you'd ever want,
and within a stones throw of Dean's.
You couldn't ask for a better place to break down!!
So, once again,
I put on my "Grease Monkey" clothes and
quickly took off the damaged line along with three others,
just in case they were next in line.
Kelly called C-N- R Hose and told them of my plight.
It was 4:45,
they said they'd wait.
Here are the old and new lines as well as,
my excellent wrap job.
I think the evidence speaks for itself.
When I drained the lines there was maybe a pint left in the pump,
that's it on the floor in the first photo.
And so the Lincoln Highway Saga continues...
BACK-67 |
Email-Index |
NEXT-69 |
HOME |
Designed By: The Starman
You are Visitor #
Since January 19, 2002