[Vwdiesel] stranded

[Val Christian]

Don't know if I am better looking or smarter, but I have only been stranded
with one mechanical problem:

-injector pump failure

I don't count it as stranded but in 82 my wife called me from outside
Buffalo with a failed alternator. She had left to see her sister in 
Cleveland, and had the problem south of Buffalo.  Due to some bizzare 
heavy metal concert at (Rich) Stadium, no one would let her make a call 
from their house.  No cops stopped, etc.  I got the call at 10am, and 
had parts tools, and the other diesel Rabbit rolling and to her by 12:30.
20 minutes later, she was again rolling to Cleveland.

The other strandings were due to bad fuel, which was the principle problem 
in the late 70's and early 80's.  Not much of a problem at all today.

Other stuff has happened within walking distance of home, but I don't call 
that stranding.


> 
> With all the talk about what to carry on a trip - got me to thinking that
> despite logging upwards of a million miles in vw diesels thus far, I've
> been stranded very rarely - how about everyone contribute what has left
> them dead stranded on the road and maybe what they learned to deal or
> prevent in the future?  That can help people calculate the cost / benefit
> ratio of carrying extra stuff:  Here's what I've got:
> 
> 05 Jetta - last weeks catastrophic turbo failure (nothing to learn that I
> know of)
> 92 Ecodiesel: CV joint failure (now I no longer ignore clicking CV's for
> very long!)
>      Heater core failure (no way that I know of to spot or prevent; maybe
> carry a precut by-pass pipe to stick between, cut and connect heater hoses
> to get you home?)
> 82 diesel vanagon: water pump belt (now carry a spare belt and can change
> it in less than 15 minutes!!)
> 
> I guess that seems like a pretty short list given my life in a vw!  I know
> I've driven home (carefully) with broken brake lines and a parking brake,
> duct tape over a leaky hose, or limped home on battery with alternator out
> or without power steering, but very rarely stranded where I sit!
> 
> Interested in what other smarter better looking people have experienced!
> 
> Chris
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