irowiki wrote:Fortunately I had a spare distributor...
I think this is what separates the average T4 owner from the average American .
I really have to thank Peter though, as he was the one who gave the wise advice to carry certain parts on long drives. I carry a distributor, fuel pump, timing belt, starter (she's an auto) and sometimes an alternator. Of course, my tool box too
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)
Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!
when you drive around a car that is 30 years old, you have to decide what parts that can leave you stranded.
It would be costly and foolish I think to just replace everything with new, some you can not buy new and the remanufactured assemblies are often junk right out of the box. so to get maximum range out of the 30 year old components, than you drive them until they fail. which means you have to carry a spares.
I started doing this a long time ago. I had an '86 GMC Diesel van I only paid $100 for it. the early starters were not very durable and it would go through one a year. I looked into the newer gear drive starters for that engine that everyone says is more durable, but it cost $475. So instead I just carried a spare starter with the tool kit. Replacing it was easy, from under the van you remove three bolts and the wires and it swaps right out. You did not even have to jack it up since there was so much ground clearance. I had to do that field repair more than once. but it keep me on the move.
Hah! I just returned from PicknPull half off sale. And I picked up some spares; two alternators, a carburetor, and a steering knuckle/hub with good bearings and seals. My right side is bad and needs to be replaced, buying new bearings and seals is about $40, and it is a PIA to replace them, so it is easier and cheaper to just buy and swap out the hub at about $22 on the half off day. I even already had an extra set of steering knuckles with good bearings in them, so this way I still ave them as "spares". Seems I have been replacing quite a few front wheel bearings in the last couple of years.
.
