The White Lion Lives!

 I was walking Yuma around 10:30 this morning and received a phone call from Kay.  She heard a big engine start and went outside to see Jason and a running MH.  The White Lion roars once more.  BUT 😰

There is lots of smoke coming from the breather pipe.  The first thing Jason recommended was to let it run for awhile and see if it is just junk from sitting for months after many attempts at trying to start it.  The other cause would be oil bypassing the rings and this would not be feasible to fix.

Kay is a real sweetheart.  She is planning to be out of town for a week, but when she returns, she will take it on a hilly drive in the area to see if the smoke clears under stress.  Hopefully , it cleans the engine out and anything stuck comes free.

Enjoying the summer!

It is wait time for now, but fortunately, I'm not planning to head out till late October.  Just need to remain patient.

See you later.

Tomorrow is the Day!

Last year driveway boondocking in Vail, Arizona

Received a call from Bill at Empire Power Systems this morning.  He said the two trips out and replacing the IAP (Injection Activation Pressure) Control Valve should do the trick.  This valve is part of the the CAT 3126B HEUI engine system.  I am placing an overview of the HEIU engine system video in case someone with this system is having engine starting problems.  We are looking at approximately $3,000, mostly in travel and repair costs.

Plans are for Jason to make this repair tomorrow, so I'm anxiously waiting.  I am so pleased with the communication I'm receiving from this company and highly recommend them for anyone in the Phoenix area.  

See you later.

White Lion Status - Good News or Bad News?

 

Probably wondering what happened last week.  NOTHING!  Empire Power Systems called prior to last Friday wanting to reschedule to the following Monday, BUT.  Kay was scheduled to be out of town all last week, so the testing was rescheduled for today, Monday the 29th.  

Kay sent a pic of Jason's truck and the White Lion

Jason from Empire Power Systems called this morning to verify I still wanted them to go out and of course I said "with bells on".  It is now afternoon and all is quiet, so I'm still hopeful all is going as planned.  I strongly want my White Lion back on the road, so I'm impatiently waiting.

Got a call from Jason, the Cat mechanic around 3:30.  He checked it out and believes a high pressure fuel control valve needed for starting the engine is bad, thus it does not start.  He is going to pick one up tomorrow and put it in sometime this week.  Estimated cost is $3,000.  Much better than a $15,000 engine replacement estimate I got from Midway Diesel!  I will know the total costs and exact problem, when it is done.  I will keep you updated.

Nick may be going to Ireland this winter with his Irish friend, so may not be coming along this time.  Every year, I think it is my last year, but as Summer turns to Fall, I get that urge to see the deserts and mountains of the southwest one more time.  

Hopefully, the White Lion will be waiting for me.  I appreciate Kay allowing me to store the MH at her place in Apache Junction and recommending the nice people at Empire Power Systems.  Without her and my commenter friends advising me to get a second opinion, the White Lion may have been sold as scrape.

Keep you posted as we proceed through the next phase of the Miss Adventure Travels.

Finally, something is happening!

 

Been warm and quiet here in Bloomington, Illinois this summer.  Dolly and I have been staying in the AC and Nick went with a friend to Homer, Alaska for the summer.  He's working at a hotel there.

The White Lion has been spending the summer in Apache Junction, Arizona at a friend's property while I decided what to do next.  I knew I wouldn't be going out there before October, so wasn't in a hurry to spend a lot of money.

Today, I made a call to my friend Kay and said I was ready to do something.  She recommended Empire Power Systems in Phoenix, so she contacted them and they called me.  They plan to drive to Kay's place and check it out on Friday, August 19th.  I should know if it is worth fixing or if I should cut my losses and sell it as is.

Let you know in a couple of weeks.

Home at last!

 We arrived at the Days Inn in Joplin, Missouri at 10 o'clock, dead tired.  Ordered a pizza, took a hot shower and gave Yuma a quick bath.  By the time I finished the blog, it was 12:30.

Slept in till 9 o'clock and we were on the road at 10 o'clock.  We had a seven hour drive ahead before getting home.

When we pulled into the driveway at nearly 7 o'clock, we were surprised by the welcoming committee.

Dolly welcoming Nick home

Tracie and Steve, Nick's Mom and Dad

So glad to be home.  Yuma raced around smelling everything.  I think he's happy to be home too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Longest day

 Last night after leaving the Roadrunner rest area we drove down into Las Cruces and then took hwy 54 north towards Santa Rosa on I-40.  We drove until around 2 o'clock and then like dummies thought all three of us could curl up in the Jeep and get some sleep.  Well, it's impossible!😫

After 2 hours of laying there and being miserable because of the cramped space and cold wind.  Oh yes, did I mention we had not put the top on the Jeep or the side windows, so the cold night air came blowing in on us!  We decided to keep on moving.

Jumped on I-40 around sunrise and drove east.  It was around noon when we stopped at Cadillac Ranch just west of Wichita.

Selling cans of spray paint.

Dolly and I have been here before, but now it is Nick's turn to see the cadillacs partially buried in the sand.  Visitors are always stopping by and I guess they get a thrill out of spray painting them.

Soon on our way again.

We had a goal of reaching Springfield, Missouri by nightfall, but because of our stops along the way and time changes, we had to settle reaching Joplin, Missouri, just across the border from Oklahoma.  

We finally arrived at 9 o'clock.  Poor Nick drove most of the day because I could not keep my eyes open while driving.  Longest day for both of us.  We are very tired.  Staying at Days Inn and after hot showers and a quick pizza for dinner, we are calling it a day.  It is now 12:30 and time for some well deserved sleep.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Moving east

 Up early this morning at 7 o'clock anxious to get the 5% left packed and on our way.

See Dolly!  Plenty of room.😁

Skipped breakfast and we were ready to leave at 9:30.  Had a short visit with Kay to finalize things and give her the keys.

We were on the road at 10 o'clock, heading for the Road runner rest area in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  First stop at 2 o'clock in Texas Canyon, east of Tucson.

Not the picture we wanted, but what we have to live with.  No nice rest in a comfortable White Lion this time.  Then off toward the New Mexico line.  It was 4 o'clock Mountain Time, so we lost an hour.

We stopped in Deming at 5 o'clock to pick up dinner at the Subway in the Walmart.  Then off in a hurry to the Roadrunner rest area an hour down the road.  Don't want to miss the sunset pictures.

Just made it!

My office at the rest area.

Decided we would do a little night driving.  Nick is not ready for bed, so we will mosey on down the road a little more before calling it a night.

Thanks for stopping by.