Rescued By A Mate

[Shane1989]

Once again having a friend that owns his own mechanics shop has paid off. I was on my way home from dropping my girlfriend off to school got to a bridge, and the car just died. I was stil going about 20KPH so I tried to clutch start it. Did'nt work. So I waved everyone by and then pushed the 1.4 tonne car 500 meters across the bridge then pulled off onto the side of the road. Checked under the car first, saw nothing, checked under the bonnet, saw nothing... at first. I called my mate Carmello, he said he would bring out his emergency kit and tow me to his shop. I decided to have one last look, and you will never guess what I saw... The timing belt tensioner pulley's stud that holds it to the block snapped off inside the block. So he towed me back, he did a trade secret and pulled the broken stud out thank god. Saved me about $800 in transportation and machining costs. Then I went to see my mate at the wrecking yard and pulled a stud from a motor he had lying around and he did'nt even charge me because I pulled it myself. Got back to the shop and got it in and everything back together, the car runs smoother, power deleivery is smoother. I think the timing was out on it. Point being you know when you got a good mate if they are willing to go out of thier way during work hours to help you. The car broke down at about 9:00 A.M. we had back on the road at 4:30 P.M. that day. Minus the 2 hours it took to get the stud from the other motor, cause I had to walk there... It only took 5 hours to get it back on the road...

[Sabby]

keep that mate lol
sounds like a top bloke

[harry3]

are you talking about the camshaft drive belt? is it a 6?

[Shane1989]

Yea mate, the pulley that the timing belt sits on and its between the cam gear and harmonic balencer. Its a RB30 6cyl... The pulley I am talking about sits, I think, just below the water pump...

[warney]

i think he means the tentioner :S

[Gavin_LP]

That'd be quite dangerous to, braking down on a bridge. Luckily, no one was hurt. Kudos, to the mate who helped you out.

[Shane1989]

Well, it broke down at the last 500 meters of the bridge, so I had to push it to the end and through a roundabout to a place *safe enough* to stop it and wait. I don't know what I would do if I did'nt know that guy. It would probably have the motor ripped out and down at Ross Engineering having the bolt machined out and the hole rethreaded, and a new bolt made up from scratch... Now way in hell, would we have gotten it back on the road and running sweet in the same day had he not gotton that stud out. So now every weekend I help with the rally races for free. Not a bad way to repay him, I get to watch and participate in rally racing using a 1979 Toyota Corona Wagon 5 speed manual. The car is totally stripped inside with two racing buckets * seeing as my girlfriend rides with me sometimes* and a 8 point rollcage. with simpson 5 star racing harnesses...