10-28-2021, 03:53 PM
Sheesh, thats what ya get with deferred maintenance! (Just kidding!) I am a New Yorker and we have to be sarcastic at times 
The good thing is that you are familiar with your rig and you are mechanically inclined to do emergency side of the road repairs. Reminds me years ago my wife and I were traveling in my restored 1970 Triumph TR6. Left AZ for a rally in Niagara Falls (Canada side). Trip was perfect. On the way home, I needed fuel and could only find 85 octane in the middle of the night in some small trading post place in Oklahoma. My car was mechanically modified with a supercharger. 40 miles down the road, the engine lost #2 piston rings and began blowing oil out of every gasket. I just kept adding oil as we went. 4 hours into the trip, the engine was really clattering. The roller rockers failed. I had a spare stock set I tossed on the engine with Marie holding a flashlight at some truck stop along I-40. Got it put together and used a dollar bill to set valve clearances and called it good enough. Made it home to Chandler Arizona some 10 hours later with the engine on its last breath into the garage. I had since rebuilt the engine with custom forged pistons and later sold the car to fund our new house renovations in Mesa. The new owner still has the car and it has been trouble free for him. As mentioned above, what's a good trip without some adventures along the way?!
The good thing is that you are familiar with your rig and you are mechanically inclined to do emergency side of the road repairs. Reminds me years ago my wife and I were traveling in my restored 1970 Triumph TR6. Left AZ for a rally in Niagara Falls (Canada side). Trip was perfect. On the way home, I needed fuel and could only find 85 octane in the middle of the night in some small trading post place in Oklahoma. My car was mechanically modified with a supercharger. 40 miles down the road, the engine lost #2 piston rings and began blowing oil out of every gasket. I just kept adding oil as we went. 4 hours into the trip, the engine was really clattering. The roller rockers failed. I had a spare stock set I tossed on the engine with Marie holding a flashlight at some truck stop along I-40. Got it put together and used a dollar bill to set valve clearances and called it good enough. Made it home to Chandler Arizona some 10 hours later with the engine on its last breath into the garage. I had since rebuilt the engine with custom forged pistons and later sold the car to fund our new house renovations in Mesa. The new owner still has the car and it has been trouble free for him. As mentioned above, what's a good trip without some adventures along the way?!
--Simon
1993 8v92TA #312