Please list some things that can leave you stranded, and solutions

[KFunk]

OK, I'm working on making sure my car is rock solid reliable and battle tested before taking it on some long drives (Carolina coast in August, for one).

 

It's been a while since I drove cross country in the '02, and I've done a ton of work on the car since then (DCOEs, engine rebuild, 5-speed, etc.)  I've taken it on one 1500+ mile round trip to Sister Bay, WI and back since the rebuild and 5-speed swap in which the car did OK a couple years ago, but more recently I've had a series of local breakdowns due to pesky weird electrical stuff.  

I don't want that to happen on a long trip, at all.  I've been checking over every potential issue, and beating the hell out of it at every autocross I can, as well as driving it every day.

 

Anyways, I'll start the list of things that have left me stranded, and ways to fix it:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

•  Loss of power to ignition for who knows why:  Easy to diagnose, as its a sudden and complete loss of power while driving down the road, and no signs of firing when you try to fire it back up.  It can be remedied roadside by running a jumper wire from the positive battery post to the coil.  Subnote:  If trouble continues, disconnect tach wire from coil/dizzy.  A short in tach wire can ground out signal from dizzy to coil, and so you get no spark (even if coil has power).  Rest of journey you may need to pop hood to shut off or start car.

 

• Loss of starter power: Roadside repair can involve jumping positive battery post to little post on starter where black/white wire attaches.  THis can be done with some stock style starters by laying a screwdriver across the terminal, but not easily done on the M3 starter.  Easier to run jumper wire straight to battery and trigger it.  If this does not turn engine over, then starter is fried, and you're stuck roll starting it for a while.  Parking on hills is ideal.  In one case I had a cop help me push start it at a White Castle.

 

• Dead battery: push start, drop clutch.  

 

• Fuel leak: might not leave you exactly stranded, but very dangerous.  Keep your nose aware of leaking fuel smell.   Spare hose and hose clamps is ideal to have.  In one case I had a light tear on a hose under the car, managed to wrap a plastic subway bag around it several times and zip tied it into place tightly around wound, and had a car follow behind me keep an eye on it.  No leaks, but questionable.  Do not do with fuel injection.

 

• Guibo:  Inspect before long trip.  Keep a spare, but screw doing it on the side of the road.  Have it towed somewhere to a nice parking lot.  

 

• Exhaust draggin:   Utility wire all the things to keep from draggin.  If it's broken off near header, well then you could be real screwed.  Find some metal to wrap around, some hose clamps, and  ultra copper silicone to use to seal it up.  That'll hold it a while.  

 

• Dizzy problems: spare cap/rotor/points/condenser/plug wires/hotspark/coil/whatever you got.  Small enough.  Just have it.

 

• Fuel supply issue: can of starter fluid or a little gasoline is good for diagnosing.  Put some in air filter and see if fires up briefly.  spare fuel filters good to have.  cheapo facet style electric pumps can be had from Napa.  Not ideal by any means, but good to get you home. 

 

• Steering rag joint:  Most parts store have a one that looks close enough in the 'Help!' section.  Should be close enough.  I've got one spare, havent used it yet.

 

 

Please add to these suggestions, and list as many other things that have left you stranded, and what you could do to fix them.  I'll think of more later.    

 

 

When you are truly stranded:

• AAA Plus will get you 100 miles at no extra charge.  Pay the ~$80/year for it.  Use it whenever however you want.  They don't give a damn if the car is completely trashed, or if you're at the pits of a race track. AAA Premier will get you 200 miles, I think.  I might upgrade soon.  
• These don't do much good 1K+ miles from home.  I keep a directory of Motel 6s in my car, but have never had to use it for a breakdown.  Cheap and decent motel.  One of my backup plans is to try and get AAA Plus to the nearest Motel 6 that preferably has a car parts store nearby.
• When you're really, truly screwed (major engine or body damage 500+ miles from home):

Haven't had to deal with this myself.  But I figure have car towed to safe parking lot.  Figure out how to get rental car for rest of journey if necessary.  Then rent U-Haul truck with tow dolly, and get it home that way.  Not cheap.  

Any better ideas?

 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by KFunk
Formatting.

['76mintgrün'02]

Lost key.

 

Bring a spare.

[markmac]

(Easy) Alternator / Water Pump Belt (Carry a spare and the tools to put it on).  Long time ago, I heard it go and saw my temp start to spike - thought I could nurse it just a few miles back home.....and I did....and cracked the cylinder head.

 

http://www.alpinabmw2002.com

 

Edited June 30, 2015 by markmac

[peterschop]

When I drove to MidAmreica this year, I threw a spare distributor in the trunk in case my Pertronix went out. I didn't need it but the 02 I passed outside of St Louis did. His distributor cap lost the carbon button and the point rubbing block broke off. Quick distributor swap on the side of the road and he made it to MA.

[tzei]

I read about this many many moons ago: mecanical fuel pump dies. single carb car. Guy empties wind shield washer bottle. Fill it with gasoline & routes hose to carb. Made it. Think it was aussie guy in middle of nowhere.

 

Carb gas wire snapped at me once. Had a coil of iron wire in trunk. Wound it 3-4 times and fixed to carb. Hood unlached had the wire come to driver window and hand gassed home some 40 km. Roll made nice handle. It was interesting.

[PaulTWinterton]

Water hoses.  Especially the heater to/from hoses as they are changed less often and overlooked for cracks and age.

[peterschop]

I read about this many many moons ago: mecanical fuel pump dies. single carb car. Guy empties wind shield washer bottle. Fill it with gasoline & routes hose to carb. Made it. Think it was aussie guy in middle of nowhere.

 

 

Wow, I guess that is a good reason to  fix my washer pump.

[KFunk]

Water hoses.  Especially the heater to/from hoses as they are changed less often and overlooked for cracks and age.

 

Ah yes, which gives me an idea.  I have a flex hose (accordion looking thick rubber hose) that came in the back of my truck when I bought it.  I could throw that in with my spares, and in a pinch could be adapted to fit one of the preformed coolant lines for a while.

 

Also, it brings me to overheating-

Turn on heat, crank it to high.  Uncomfortable, but oh well.  A bottle of redline water wetter will bring down temps a good bit too.  If you can only find an empty jug, you can fill with whatever water or freshwater lake or river in a pinch (then drain and fill when you get home).  

[pklym]

Last August on my DC to PNW trip my water pump went out in Tennessee. Cost me a little over a day and way more money than it should have. I would bring a spare since it's not that big of a job if you have the part. 

[kiva667]

Flat tire. You look in the trunk at the tire in the wheel well and discover it hasn't held air since 1983.

[peterschop]

Flat tire. You look in the trunk at the tire in the wheel well and discover it hasn't held air since 1983.

 

Not only should you make sure you have a good spare with air in it, make sure you have the means to put it on the car. Working jack, right size lug wrench and block of wood to put under jack.

['76mintgrün'02]

A roll of toilet paper, in a zip-loc bag... and maybe a pee-bottle, with a lid.

 

In case you do 'get stranded'

[peterschop]

A roll of toilet paper, in a zip-loc bag... and maybe a pee-bottle, with a lid.

 

In case you do 'get stranded'

 

I've got that zip-loc bag stashed behind my  jack. A half roll with the cardboard tube removed so it will set flat. I have not needed to use it yet.

[xferboy]

I've got that zip-loc bag stashed behind my jack.

Great trick for the slo-pitch bag, or the track bag. 

 

Keep a spare fuel filter (small one) in the car to splice the fuel line or replace a bad filter.

 

I keep the distributor that came in the car in my tool box.  Electronic took a dump on me once.  Get one of the $40 timing light that run off D batteries (small and easy to store)

 

I would have to say, the most important tool to have for a long trip and your home garage: some way to access THIS site (tapTalk is pretty good for mobile devices)

 

An electronic copy of the manuals wouldn't be bad either  (mine live on google drive, for multiple cars)

 

just my 0.02 cents

[Mike Self]

For the modell 71 and later cars:  windshield wiper relay.  One of Murphy's many laws is that the wipers will fail during an all-day drive--in the rain--as I had to do from eastern PA back to SW Ohio.  I've been carrying a spare relay ever since--and have never needed it.  Yet. 

 

A spare Bakelite spark plug terminal wouldn't be a bad thing to have on a long trip.  Those terminals get brittle as they age and can (and will) crack and allow the spark to arc to the cylinder head instead of the plug.  Can't find 'em at every corner auto parts store either.

 

mike