On A Roadtrip...Worse Possible Thing Happens

Bigmikelakers

Bigmikelakers

New member
While driving on to my final vacation stop in tucson on interstate 10 crusing at 75 mph I started to hear a rattle like I ran over a pebble then it started getting louder and louder until I stopped on the side of the road. When I restarted my engine the engine road rough like it was misfiring. Had the tow guy look at it and he said it could be the spark plug and coil pack. I'm so fustrated guys. This ruined my whole trip. Everything in this town is closed so the guy will call me in the morning and tell me how much. I pray it isn't anything really expensive.
 
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I told you not changing the oil would be fine. Couldn't have predicted this.

That is a pain in the ass.
 
No, no. In your oil thread I said go on the road trip, you will be fiiiiinnnneeee nothing bad will happen.

And then this happens.

Hopefully the shop doesn't rape you.
 
Yeah that plan is garbage. Not even worth it because in most situations you need further than 3 mi. But now you know.

Ran into a similar situation with the limited tow Friday night. Sucked.
 
Made it back to LA yesterday having to spend 450 bucks. The mechanic said whoever did the last tuneup did a bad one and one of the spark plugs got loose damaging the coil. I notice now my rpm's are a little lower than they were before. Before, at a stop, they would be around 700-800 rpm. Now its around 500 rpm. Another time, I put it into reverse and the rpm's really dropped I thought it was going to cut off. Im going to have my mechanic look over it asap.
 
Any long road trip longer than 500 miles I won't take my own car. Renting a car for a week only cost about $150, why put the miles on your loved truck and bearing the risks?
 
Bigmikelakers said:
Made it back to LA yesterday having to spend 450 bucks. The mechanic said whoever did the last tuneup did a bad one and one of the spark plugs got loose damaging the coil. I notice now my rpm's are a little lower than they were before. Before, at a stop, they would be around 700-800 rpm. Now its around 500 rpm. Another time, I put it into reverse and the rpm's really dropped I thought it was going to cut off. Im going to have my mechanic look over it asap.
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I'm not a mechanic, but I'm having a hard time seeing how that could happen, that the plug could come loose. The plug is screwed in, then held in by the boot of the coil pack, and the coil pack is held down to the engine by a bolt. So the plug is secured on both ends. If the plug weren't screwed in for some reason, I wouldn't think the coil pack would seat properly.
 
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Nashvegas34 said:
I'm not a mechanic, but I'm having a hard time seeing how that could happen, that the plug could come loose. The plug is screwed in, then held in by the boot of the coil pack, and the coil pack is held down to the engine by a screw. So the plug is secured on both ends. If the plug weren't screwed in for some reason, I wouldn't think the coil pack would seat properly.
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yeah and i was thinking $450 is on the steep side for swapping out a coil pack ...... also always go with the plus AAA account, first 100 miles is free, and you really shouldn't need much more then that...

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Only $89 a year.
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that said, yeah no one could have predicted this, this could have happened to you in any car at any time, things just fail and that's part of life,and seems to be your luck, sorry man, better luck next time!
 
I feel sorry for you guys and gals that have no mechanical knowledge at all. You will always just have to bend over and take it up the....

I think I remember the oil post. Honestly, I would never drive a newly purchased USED vehicle outside of my home town area until I had a chance to vet it out. Keep in mind most people decide to offload their car because its coming due for major repairs and the dealer puts a shine on it and 30 day warranty to get it off the lot. If soemthing is going to fail, it'll most likely be in the first 500-1000 miles. If you had ever been under the hood of your car, you'd be able to see if the spark plug was loose. For all you know, the plug wire came loose and you just paid him $450 to plug it back in. You probably couldn't even tell us if he put new parts in. What are they teaching in school anymore?

I hope you have a good job because its gonna cost you a boat load of $$ when you need work done on these trucks or any vehicle anymore. The parts are cheap'ish but the labor isn't. Just my 2 cents.
 
Drcoffee said:
I feel sorry for you guys and gals that have no mechanical knowledge at all. You will always just have to bend over and take it up the....

I think I remember the oil post. Honestly, I would never drive a newly purchased USED vehicle outside of my home town area until I had a chance to vet it out. Keep in mind most people decide to offload their car because its coming due for major repairs and the dealer puts a shine on it and 30 day warranty to get it off the lot. If soemthing is going to fail, it'll most likely be in the first 500-1000 miles. If you had ever been under the hood of your car, you'd be able to see if the spark plug was loose. For all you know, the plug wire came loose and you just paid him $450 to plug it back in. You probably couldn't even tell us if he put new parts in. What are they teaching in school anymore?

I hope you have a good job because its gonna cost you a boat load of $$ when you need work done on these trucks or any vehicle anymore. The parts are cheap'ish but the labor isn't. Just my 2 cents.
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Dude, no need to antagonize the guy. The arrogance is coming from the guy that doesn't understand the difference between open and closed differentials. And why a car doesn't move when it is in park. Not to mention the numerous other threads where you have asked questions that are very short of being mechanically inclined. Such as, should there be oil on the outside of the rear axle seal.

My point is don't try and be so aloof when you yourself aren't a mechanical god.
 
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tbst said:
Dude, no need to antagonize the guy. The arrogance is coming from the guy that doesn't understand the difference between open and closed differentials. And why a car doesn't move when it is in park. Not to mention the numerous other threads where you have asked questions that are very short of being mechanically inclined. Such as, should there be oil on the outside of the rear axle seal.

My point is don't try and be so aloof when you yourself aren't a mechanical god.
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Okay so I was a little rough but we're not talking God status here. Every guy should be able to pop a hood and check the basics. I can wrench my own vehicles once I overcome the learning curve for an entirely new vehicle. I estimate I've saved about $6000 in maintenance and repairs by doing my own work on this truck that I've owned for 6 weeks now. But you're the guy that's more brilliant than all the transmission engineers at Toyota. What other genius advise would you like to share with us today.

Dude you must be some kind of stalker. you must search out my posts. Where ever I post you're right behind me.
 
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Drcoffee said:
I feel sorry for you guys and gals that have no mechanical knowledge at all. You will always just have to bend over and take it up the....

I think I remember the oil post. Honestly, I would never drive a newly purchased USED vehicle outside of my home town area until I had a chance to vet it out. Keep in mind most people decide to offload their car because its coming due for major repairs and the dealer puts a shine on it and 30 day warranty to get it off the lot. If soemthing is going to fail, it'll most likely be in the first 500-1000 miles. If you had ever been under the hood of your car, you'd be able to see if the spark plug was loose. For all you know, the plug wire came loose and you just paid him $450 to plug it back in. You probably couldn't even tell us if he put new parts in. What are they teaching in school anymore?

I hope you have a good job because its gonna cost you a boat load of $$ when you need work done on these trucks or any vehicle anymore. The parts are cheap'ish but the labor isn't. Just my 2 cents.
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WOW. Way to kick a guy when he's down.. asshat.

I do all my own work too, but its not worth tooting my own horn about and belittling other owners. Some people dont care enough about cars to learn about car stuff and just choose to have shops do it, so what? Good for them.
 
Drcoffee said:
Okay so I was a little rough but we're not talking God status here. Every guy should be able to pop a hood and check the basics. I can wrench my own vehicles once I overcome the learning curve for a vehicle. I estimate I've saved about $6000 in maintenance and repairs by doing my own work on this truck that I've owned for 6 weeks now. But you're the guy that's more brilliant than all the transmission engineers at Toyota. What other genius advise would you like to share with us today.

Dude you must be some kind of stalker. you must search out my posts. Where ever I post you're right behind me.
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Don't remember where I said that I am smarter than the "transmission engineers" at Toyota. Understanding basic differential types doesn't make you smart, it makes you knowledgeable about vehicle basics. This knowledge is something you should have before berating a guy because his spark plug fell out, among other things, which I can list if need be.

Don't fancy yourself in the thought that I would search you out. Everything isn't a conspiracy! I know it's hard to believe.

Before you get your panties in a bunch and come at me with some off kilter comment that makes no sense, just think about my original point that no one on here deserves to be berated.

:gun5:
 
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