[Vwdiesel] stranded

[Tad]

Lets see:
81 AMC Concord: blew a torque converter seal and dumped all the fluid
78 rabbit gasser: plastic radiator tank exploded due to disco radiator temp
switch (no cooling fan)
86 Audi 4000: end broke off the coil wire
01 Golf TDI: air leak in the fuel system (lost prime), gelled fuel filter
(biodiesel and unexpected early cold snap), pulley broke off alternator
(that wouldn't technically be a stranding except I was afraid to drive it
with the pulley and serp belt bouncing around) and the coup de grace, shift
linkage came apart because I had put a short-shift kit in several years
earlier and the nuts had gradually been getting looser - I thought it was
just getting worn but actually it was just loose and gradually stripping
out. :)  That one was more my fault for not checking...

As for flats, more than my share of leaks/punctures but no strandings I can
think of.  In a pinch that fix-a-flat stuff works miracles, just don't
expect to be able to salvage the tire.  Back in high school I had a buddy
who fixed a tire with fix-a-flat and then proceeded to wear through all the
tread and two steel belts in one spot before the tire finally ruptured with
a thumb-sized hole... fortunately not at high speeds.  Don't try this at
home kids. :)

On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 1:05 PM, Chris Geiser <cfgeiser at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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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