Doris, lucky you were not hurt bad (only your pride ) Maybe that will be the only visit you get from the Turd Fairy for quite a while.

Turd Fairy: 1; Righteousness and Purity: 1

30 miles from home the dash A/C compressor locked up and I didn't catch it in time and it broke the serpentine belt. This is an hour job - 55 minutes for cool down and 5 minutes to replace the belt...simple job, TF only scores 0.5. Hour delay put me into rush hour in Starke, FL and cost an extra ½ hour. TF: 0.5.

However, when crawling under the coach, I noticed the turbo oil return line had a loose clamp, so I tightened it. R&P: 1.

Rusty, you and some of the other guys like Gary and Ed and Steve remind me of the early auto racing teams. They always had two people in the car, one to drive it like heck and one to fix it when, not if, it broke. So, I think that is the perfect Barth set up. One to drive and one to fix. Unfortunately, my driving skills are going south and I'm close to useless under the Barth. But Tere does the best she can with this old man.
Jim

I'm beginning to believe the turd fairy has environmental as well as mechanical powers. I believe it lives with me...

You saw what I went through when I tried to escape to Florida...

Since I returned, it struck again. On one of the cold nights in the last week(!) of April, the turd fairy froze the water valve on the Barth toilet. Made it through the long winter, didn't "winterize" when I got back...

Meanwhile, we had a week of upper 70's. Oh boy, time to install my new fuel injection...

Then today I looked out the window... MAY 11! (This MUST be the work of the turd fairy)



I can barely see across the lake (at least the ice is gone...)





This is getting ridiculous...

That's Pure Michigan!

I'VE HAD A GREAT COUPLE OF WEEKS. OBVIOUSLY, TF HAS MOVED ONTO THE WEST!

You are SO screwed!

Before the Turd fairy left for colder places he visited Deb and I on our way to Talledaga. He some how managed to throw a S/S hose clamp into the fan shroud and the fan played ping pong with it against the radiator core. While the tow truck driver was removing the drive shaft it pumped his arm and he dropped the cups and lost the bearings. The only good thing to come out of this after it left was the repair yard that fixed the bus for us. (Mid Florida Diesel Inc.) in Bartow Florida. They were great! Stayed there for 3 days while the new core and universal joints were installed. Family rub business.

We got back on the Road on Saturday but decided that the 600 mile trip for one night was not in our plans so we headed back south and spent 5 wonderful days in Key Largo at new resort called Point of View RV resort.

The Barth is running better than ever and things are good.

ED & Deb

Can't resist our Turd Fairy story, at least the latest one.
Started just before the Chatanooga GTG. Had the local repair guy over to tighten up belts, install new alternator. Part of changing oil and filters. Got everything together, working well, but wait, wait, don't tell What is that leaking off the bottom of the water pump?. Yep, had to pull everything apart put new water pump on. While at it, put new fan clutch on. Well what the hell, might as well put new battery separator on, too. Course all that led to various new radiator hoses and clamps, new battery cables with proper fittings, lots of new wiring and more fittings, and last but not least, fixing the fuel pipe leak. But, wait wait there's more. The 'Boss' decided to use the son-in-laws sand blaster to clean the air cleaner. Burned out the tip, replaced for $60+, then the sand blaster motor caught on fire, another $85. And found the electric choke wire was all boogered up. You don't want to know the cost since early March but at least it starts and moves. This is a classic case of the Turd Fairy meeting the Fix It Till It Breaks monster. Maybe it will get on the road this summer. Then there's 8 year old tires to think about and and and
Jim

I just ordered a set of tires for the van - Firestone 235/85R16 Transporters (all-season)- $763 out-the-door with my discounts. The current tires are over 8 years old - they owe me nothing.

Think we'll order two for the front and let the rears hang on for a while. A rear blow out is not so bad but don't think I'd want to be driving on the interstate if one of the fronts blew out.
Jim

I did the same thing. Changed the fronts last summer, will go one more year on drive axle. Tag axle tires are about 5 yrs old. Front tire loss would be bad, but even in the back the tire carcass often destroys stuff under the coach.

Watch your pressures, check the sidewalls when you stop.

Well, the van has its new shoes.

Since I have several trips with the van/trailer in the next few months, and much of the trip is on 2-lane roads with limited or no shoulder, the new tires were a no-brainer. Soon, the trailer will get the 2 tires that weren't recently replaced.

The Barth's feet have tires less than 4 years old.

My last trip to GA in the van, the expansion valve on the front air quit about an hour from home; however, the rear air worked, so the dogs stayed comfortable. I planned a trip to my repair place to fix it.

Then came a trip to the dump, and a stop to refuel. Start up, and an A/C hose blew . Got the system repaired (two trips - missed the NAPA delivery for the first day). During testing, the rear air blower wasn't working.

Suspected the issue was with the switch (4-position rotary); it fell apart when I removed it. Installed a new switch from NAPA. Nada - not getting power. There were 2 red wires, and I mixed up the pair. Straightened that out, and still no power. Replaced the breaker, and got it going.

Somewhere I heard, "It's always SOMETHING!"

I may have located the Turd Fairy's abode. After leaving the Cagles' in May, the Barth A/C comp locked and broke the serpentine belt.

In a prior post, I mentioned the van A/C popping a hose (just after a visit to the Cagles'); that, along with a new front A/C expansion valve, fixed it...for awhile.

Thurs, 7/4, I motored from my GA place to the Cagles' for a trip to the free Grovetown BBQ...the A/C worked fine to the Nickster's. Departing, the A/C quit entirely. The boys and I left my place in GA this morning, and are currently at the Super 8 in Douglas, GA, the temps having hit 90° enroute, and that's my max for Casey and Nelson. Not to mention Casey was bitching for the last 10 miles. (Q: Can male dogs "bitch"?)

Anyway, headed out tomorrow around 7AM for the 2½ hours remaining.