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Nobadays
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2019 06:53pm
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Last time it was a bad alternator when we were moving back to our primary home.... this time it's a bad fuel pump in our Dakota.
We went to town 4 days ago, just filling up with gas to head back up to the end of our road where we park the snowmobile... truck won't start. Well starts but immediately dies. Had started acting up not long before stopping at the gas station. Called Good Sam for a tow, so happens the tow truck driver that shows up is the guy that fixed our RV last time, really treated me right on that repair! So I had him take it to his shop.
Talked to him yesterday, they got the new pump in (of course they had, had to wait a day to get one ordered in) and it doesn't work... and my gas guage doesn't work either now. This is an in-tank unit that is an all in one thing... pump, filter and gas guage float. So, sounds like an electrical issue. Had hoped they would track it down today but apparently not. Maybe Monday?
We were so fortunate that the day we broke down... one, the only other folks up near our cabin were near their phone when I called, two, they were actually just getting ready to go to town. Nice to have good neighbors! They said they will take us back to town when our rig is fixed.
We have food, water, firewood and even some adult beverages!
This time of year the pickup is just parked at the end of the road anyway, snowmobile is the way we get around here. Life is good!
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FishHog
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2019 08:28pm
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Quoting: Nobadays Life is good!
well if your going to be stuck can't think of a better place.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2019 10:49pm
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Quoting: Nobadays We have food, water, firewood and even some adult beverages!
Plus internet access obviously. Hopefully your fully stocked up.
Then if fate takes over, you may get lucky and your transmission will go out. That way you could be stuck thru Christmas and New Years! ðŸ‘
Quoting: FishHog well if your going to be stuck can't think of a better place.
Ditto that.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2019 11:36pm
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FishHog...darz... yep can't think of a better place to be stuck. Just kind of want our truck back, we would be SOL if we had an emergency. We would have to hope the neighbors are home.... I think there will be a couple more people at their cabins this coming week, but hopefully get our pickup back Monday or Tuesday. I know the wife has some shopping to do, we are having the caretakers and possibly a couple of other folks for Christmas dinner.
Our plan has been to stay through New Year's then start looking for a good weather window to go home around the middle of January.
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paulz
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2019 11:11am
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Doing better than we did when our in tank pump went out up in the Sierras. I was pulled over on the side of the highway putting chains on. 3 hours there waiting for a tow back to town, dropped it off at local auto repair. Of course it was Sunday. Short story, two days and $750 later we were back on our way.
The fuel pump went out on my old carbureted Chevy Blazer a few years ago, close to home. $19.95 at the auto parts and two bolts holding it to the side of the block.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2019 02:41pm
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Paulz... I'm guessing we are going to be in that $700 - $800 range... I can only hope no higher! They have ran into electrical problems so still hoping to have it back Monday. I have to coordinate a ride out with the neighbor.... oh well worse places to be stuck!
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2019 09:06pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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OK, starting up then dying, make sure rubber hose from air cleaner to engine isnt popped off. If it uses a AFM sensor (door type air flow meter) this will do it, the fuel pump is ran by the door being open from engine running, but is over ridden during cranking. Idea is to shut fuel pump off if engine dies. These can pop off if you get a cough or a backfire up through intake. Might be a fuel pump relay but now that gauge doesn't work, have him double check his connectors.
Also, if you ever do get an in tank fuel pump that quits and on domestics, that is anything over 80K, you are on borrowed time, a rubber mallet, a quick thump on the bottom if the fuel take can get them spinning again. But its not fixed, its just working to get you home. A good kick with the tip of a boot could work too.
What year is your Dakota, what engine?
Like other said, if you have to be stranded, a cabin isnt a bad place, but the remoteness and "out of your frends network" can make repairs more difficult.
My biggest fear is car trouble, the last 100 miles is pretty remote with little services in between, well out of my friendship network too, so a tow can be long. I bring so many tools, tubeless tire patches, air compressors, crazy amount of stuff, get AAA and all the RAM dealers numbers along my route. So far, because I am proactive on repairs, I have never been broken down on the side of the road wi th anything more than a flat and I am almost 60, so been lucky. (hope I didnt jinx myself)
RAM is only 44K miles, so lots of good miles left in it I hope. 
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2019 09:19pm
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Toyota...yep the mechanic thumped on the tank and could get it to pump for a bit then it would quit. I think they broke one of the wires when they dropped the tank, now they will have to hunt down the problem. The Dakota is a 2002 with a 4.7L V8. Love the truck! It has only about 140,000 miles and I'm the second owner. I have had little trouble with it. Great pickup.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2019 09:42pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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OK, on the right track then, yeah, the pigtail for the pump/sender can be short sometimes and if they (mfg) left a longer wire, make it way easier for a tech to lower it, then unplug connector. Those engineers never think of us. 
OK, good to know, sounds like he is on the right track. Enjoy the downtime at the cabin.
One of these days I am going to do a winter at my cabin. I never have yet. Wife wants too.
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ICC
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2019 10:51pm - Edited by: ICC
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Winter, at a recreational cabin, with snow on the ground, is cool! You get to see the animal tracks. It is so much quieter too, as long as the weather is not blizzarding.
OTOH, the same snow on the ground, where you must plow a mile or so of road to maintain easy vehicular access as an everyday thing can get to be a drag. Same animal tracks. Same quiet. Sometimes I have to pretend I don't have to plow, that I just want to. Play with the tractor and snowblower, ya' know; rther than work with it. I guess attitude is key.... I do prefer living off the well beaten track.
There's snow, work, play coming Tuesday by the looks of the forecast.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2019 08:17am
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ICC, no excuses for me not to go, we have a snow plowing deal with the association where they keep roads clear all year round, you mark your gate with ribbon if you want winter access, in this case, they wont berm up on your driveway. I have a local buddy who will even clear my driveway for me. I really dont have excuses.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2019 10:39am
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Lots of elk, rabbit and fox tracks, but haven't seen the animals. The association plows about 10-12 miles on the main road but if you want your road plowed you have to pay for it yourself. A couple of folks do but they are down in the valley where it is relatively flat. We are up a mile of rutted narrow track that serves as a water run-off channel in the spring. We are 400' higher than the main road... we love it!
Our snowmobile trail is really packed down now so the riding is pretty easy going, heck my wife drove down yesterday... her first time ever driving a snowmobile... we are both hitting 65 this new year!
Loving it up here... now just have to get to work burning our slash piles. We made one big pile and will drag the limbs/small logs to two burn piles a little distance from the big pile... a lot of work but it will sure look good in the spring with all that mess burned up!
Merry Christmas!
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2019 10:27am
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Got the Dodge back yesterday... worked out great as the neighbor was going to town in the afternoon and got the call the rig was done just before noon.
The new fuel pump was bad right out of the box. Mechanic said they chased down every possible electrical issue to make sure before lowering the tank again.... luckily he said they hadn't put the fuel fill or the skid plate back on.... couldn't find anything amiss electrical so ordered another fuel pump, lowered the tank and installed it. He said it fired up first twist of the key!
What a bummer that it seems so many parts are defective right from the store... I had a caliper for my Dodge 1 ton van last year that was defective. Such a PITA to have to take things back apart again to replace what was supposed to be a new part.
Anyway, pickup is parked at the end of the road and I got my wife's shopping list filled before coming back up the mountain.
Gotta say I think I have found my mechanic for this area... was having doubts when he was having trouble but he can't help bad parts.... the good thing was the bill only came to $540.00. The pump alone was $278.00... gotta love those all in one in the tank units, what happened to the cheap mechanical pumps that hung on the side of the block? Or even the inline electric ones? Still a lot of money but reasonable for all the work they went through to get me going.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2019 10:47am
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Sounds as if it was all just meant to be. The last time I was stranded at the cabin was a couple years back. My beautiful wife n me were going to the cabin for a 2-3 day stay. Well it dropped to 25 below zero outside. Since we also have to use a snogos to get to our cabin we decided the danger was too high. Stayed that way for a week.
So a score for cabin life. Then we got over two feet of snow the day it warmed up. That trip out to the road ended up as a whole nother story.
I glad to see you have embraced the cabin life.
Merry Christmas
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2019 10:56am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: Nobadays What a bummer that it seems so many parts are defective right from the store...
Been in this biz for many years and the old saying is: "new doesnt mean its any good, just means no one got to use it before you did"
Another saying in automotive is "if it has wheels, boobs or an address, its going to cost you money"
Funny, in my household, I am the high maintenance one.
I have a few sayings of my own like "nothing money cant fix" and "I stand behind everything I work on" and then walk to the back of his car and stand there.
And the last one: There aint nothing I cant fix, if I cant fix it, it aint broken if it aint broken, I can bust it" (last 2 are for the customer who is in a good mood and has a good sense of humor)
nobadays, you are good for 80K minimum on that pump, so you can relax for a while on it..
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2019 11:09am
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Just 153,000 miles on the pickup, looking to get at least another 75 - 100,000 miles out of it!
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2019 01:10pm
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Quoting: Nobadays The pump alone was $278.00... gotta love those all in one in the tank units, what happened to the cheap mechanical pumps that hung on the side of the block? Or even the inline electric ones?
Fuel injection happened to them. With carburetors all the pump needed to do was get the gas from the tank to the float bowl. Now they have to supply gas at 50 psi or more.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2019 01:45pm
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NorthRick.... I suppose.... hopefully Toyota is right and this one goes 80k miles.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 25 Dec 2019 07:13am
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That old of a truck I would be cutting a access hole in the bed. I'm sure she owes you no favors and is isn't a beauty queen.
I have a 02 Yukon 2500 with two tanks. One pump went, dropped the tank, second pump went I cut two access holes in the floor. Good thing because 2 years later I had to do the fuel lines. Made it very simple and now a fuel pump change could be a road side repair if needed.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 25 Dec 2019 08:43am
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Brettny... not a beauty queen for sure but believe it or not not dents, really straight.... pin stripe? Yep got lots of Arizona pin stripe!
I had given thought to cutting an access hole. If it goes out again and I'm near my shop... out comes the angle grinder!
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 27 Dec 2019 09:06pm
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Hey Nobadays, me and my cabin neighbor were grooming our trail last night. Since we go all of 5mph and the biggest hazard was clipping a tree with the grooming drag, we had a few beers along for the ride. I was riding my wife's 2015 Skidoo Expedition Sport and you can spin the throttle lever around on the handle bar so you control the throttle with your index finger.
I will have to say that it is much easier to steer one-handed this way. You can wrap your thumb around the hand grip and that allows you to push and pull while having much better throttle control than when you use your thumb on the throttle. I know you like the sled you have, so maybe you can modify the throttle so you use your finger. It really is a significant difference.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 27 Dec 2019 09:34pm - Edited by: Nobadays
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NorthRick.... might have to try that! Been doing pretty good with the throttle lever turned pretty much straight down. This allows me to get most of my hand on the grip. Turning it for index finger pull though is worth a try since it would allow me to wrap my thumb around the grip.
I've got to go out tomorrow and pack trail again. We got 8"-10" today and still light snow coming down. Have had a bunch of neighbors up and down our trail over Christmas so it's in good shape other than the fresh snow.
Yep, I really like our machine! One of our neighbors had a buddy up who is a snowmobile mechanic... I told him with my wife on it was really hard to steer... wandered a lot, wanted to skid in the corners. He adjusted the tension on the rear springs (I guess that's what it is) and wow, big difference! It tracks way better with two riders and didn't really hurt handling with just me.
Hoping to get with the slash burning tomorrow if the weather cooperates... not too much snow!
Thanks!
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