So you expected things to have gone smoothly with my summer car since the fuel pump replacement?
Well, kind of. At least the car was still running.
The very same day I got my summer car back from the maintenance, this part fell off.
The part was located under the engine to protect it from water and rocks, not that there was much to protect. The oil consumption was up to 1,2 litres / 2000 kilometers and I had realized that a rattling noise heard since The Killer Locomotive Memorial was that the protective rubbers of the engine had worn out making the engine shake against the body of the car.
Two hours later another soul left the body.
This part was used to protect my legs from the sharp edges of the rails where the driver seat was attached. It wasn’t important, but it started to look like the poor thing was now seriously falling apart.
And only a couple of more days had passed, when I realized that the engine didn’t sound normal anymore. The sound was metallic and sounded like it was coming through a pipe. Then this happened.
The brakes had issues ever since I bought the car and the ABS hadn’t functioned in a while. The second light indicates that the Lambda sond has failed. This had its consequenses.
Fuel consumption went up from 7,8 to 9,6 litres / 100 km. I started having serious doubts about actually being able to complete my challenge.
So here I am cruising through the beautiful scenery of Kainuu, when the inevitable happens. The automatic transmission fails. I am left with only three functioning gears of four. The fuel consumption instantly goes up to heights I can’t sustain.
This holy trinity is such a beautiful sight. The gearbox, the engine and the brakes have all failed with 50 kilometers to the nearest town. What else do you need to run the car?
I managed to drive to the town, parked my car, ripped the front licence plate as a trophy and ordered the scrapman. The following morning a local guy arrived, asked what I wanted for the car and bought it for 50 euros to use as spare parts. He allowed me to wait for my friend to pick me up at his place, cooked lunch and asked if I wanted a drink.
An here is my poor summer car ready to become a parts donor while I head towards my former home town. We had been drinking all day with the buyer, and I passed out as soon as I boarded my friend’s car.