Date:         Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:34:21 +0000
Reply-To:     Ryan Shawley <easywind1975@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ryan Shawley <easywind1975@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Don't Leave Home Without Them: Hoses/Clamps
In-Reply-To:  <01703925-9B1E-417D-90D4-4012CDADDC42@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I kinda straddle the line with what I bring for spares on a trip.  If I know something could stand to be changed I"ll do it beforehand if it is just a hose of something.  Don't get me wrong I'm not up the night before doing, I mean a few days before, give me enough time to shake out any issues.  I'll drive the van to work which is a short distance with some nice coolant system testing hills but close enough to not really inconvenience my wife if I need a lifeline.
 
For me it would be irresponsible to head out with my wife kid and dog on a trip and have to make an unplanned stop to fix that hose/line/whatever that I was gonna get to.  They're cool, the roll with the punches, but it isn't right in my situation to add that risk to the adventure.  That said, kucky happens as I found out this summer dealing with electrical ground issues while sitting in traffic rolling into a festival.  Rad fan switch lost ground and wouldn't kick fan on, pa pow.  You have like 0.8 seconds from when that gauge starts climbing to boil-over it seems, just can't get pulled off to the side quick enough!  
 
My wife knew the drill, hopped out started clearing gear from the top of engine compartment while I took the grill off.  I had tools to fix the underlying issue (again a shout out to our electrical Jedi Dave B.), pre-mixed antifreeze and a jug of distilled just in case to top her off, and some cold brews to kill time until things cooled off.  This same trip I had a meltdown of the headlight switch and heater fan switch.  As fate would have it I USED to roll with a spare headlight switch but somehow it got exiled to the garage.  I do carry some heavy wire, electrical connectors, and a crimper.  Made a little jumper for use when driving at night until we got back home.  Mr. Bentley told me where to plug my little jumper in at.
 
Once in Georgia I smelled the sweet gas smell after driving the van a minute or two when cold, yep the firestarter hit again.  Had some line and clamps, 30 minutes later all is good.  Now the fuel lines were on my list but I felt good as they were the BMW lines indicating they had been replaced, no evidence of leakage, but still on my list.
 
So my point of rambling?  I don't know but it sure feels nice to roll out of problem under your own steam without having to call someone to bail you out.
 
Ryan