I own a wheeled toilet! Vent about automotive nightmares

I just don't understand it, Smitty. The body on my truck is good. Engine is good, 4wd is good. She runs good. Being a 13 year old truck it needed some work to get it ready for inspection in July and I'm basically told that I can't because Chrysler felt it was, 'too old' to support anymore. I see the same year and older trucks on the road all tje time. Clearly they are still in use. I think Chrysler should buy my truck back and put me in something that they still support for free. They after all are they ones who decided I can't fix my truck. Yeah, I know. Not gonna happen. And I'm only kidding. I'd like to meet the jackass who decided to cease production on this one part so I can slap him. I find it odd I can still buy all the other parts but can't get a simple fuel filler neck/tube...so stupid.

Aftermarket is the way to go. I never buy anything from GM for any of my GM vehicles. After 10 years, even the jap motorcycle manufacturers discontinue alot of parts.

They want you to buy new every 5 years or sooner. That's why most vehicles built today self destruct around that time frame. They want you to get so sick and tired of failing inspections & breaking down that you give up, walk into the dealership grabbing your ankles, ready for a $500/month raping. It's an ingenious system they've devised with the governments help (inspections). Like I said - It ain't about safety or clean air. It's all about money. More tax dollars coming in from unnecessary repairs. The EVAP system is the biggest racket ever devised by the automotive industry.

I can't count the times I've fallen over dead from one whiff of gas fumes ....

I PM'ed you a source for that neck, btw. Stay out of any dealerships.

I couldn't afford a new truck even if I wanted to. I've been buying used for the past few years. I got the link I'm going to order it since it's listed as, "special order".

*EDIT*

Just called Advance to order the one you pm'd me with.





NOT *censored* AVAILABLE, DISCONTINUED!

What the *censored*? Guess I'll try a cardboard paper towel tube and some duct tape.

What I would do is find an upper or lower radiator hose shaped in a way that's close to what you had. Clamp it on & run with it. In a couple years (or maybe 10 - all depends) when it hardens up, cracks, & starts to drip when you fill up, your check engine light & nose will warn you ahead of time to replace it.

I'm with ya, IOF. Screw these damn systems & the car companies that made them. If they won't make the parts, we'll make our own! ( < middle finger smilie > )

I'm with Smitty, a piece of rubber hose and maybe a short length of copper will work just fine. My F350 has been setup that way for years...almost looks factory.

I'm going to look at it this weekend if I get the truck back tonight. It's supposedly going to be ready today. Hopefully it doesn't rain like they say it's going to.

Rob R. wrote:I'm with Smitty, a piece of rubber hose and maybe a short length of copper will work just fine. My F350 has been setup that way for years...almost looks factory.

Just be aware that most, if not all radiator hoses are EPDM rubber of some sort for glycol resistance. Unfortunately, EPDM and gasoline do not get along well. You'll need something made out of Buna-N/nitrile to live any length of time in gasoline.

You can probably find something local if you have any large earthmoving equipment repair facilities nearby. Low pressure hydraulic hose (typically used for suction and return lines) would work well. You can also order hose by the foot from McMaster-Carr for rather reasonable prices. I've attached a chart of suitable hoses:

Chris

^^^ Even better.

Good point Chris. I should have pointed out that I used a piece of hose made for pumping chemicals, it is rated for petroleum.

I'm actually really curious to know what the difference between the (discontinued) California filler neck and the still available non-california filler neck. I'm wondering if that one would work.

Picked up my truck this evening. The check engine light is not on. They didn't fix the fill tube though. But, with all the stuff they did fix it runs great and the front end isn't squishy anymore. It also stops when I hit the brakes. I'm still going to look for some way to fix the filler neck.

What they charged me for all the repairs was very reasonable I feel. $1072. Especially considering the original price I got for just the front end work was, $2800.

I don't know if it will help/work/ or is something you would consider....
I had a freind with an '89 f150 with a rotted out filler neck. He used a product call JB weld on it and it worked well. (it may have been where the filler hose connects to the tank...I don't remember) I've used the same stuff to repair the top of a leaking radiator(plastic) and a cooling passage on an intake manifold(an old guy drilled the wrong spot when he stripped the bolt on the themostat housing that needed drilling out on a '85 caprice)

Yeah JB weld is pretty good, but I prefer Quicksteel. JB is really thin when you mix it together and tends to run off of anything not horizontal. Quicksteel is thick, and you just cut off a chunk & knead it for a while until the color is uniform. The activator is already in the center, so no measuring equal amounts & mixing with a nail. Both harden about the same, but I've found Quicksteel to be even stronger than JB. Used the stuff all the time before I bought a welder.



IOF, go get a sticker NOW while the light is off! Might be your only chance! At least that will get you through this year, and you can worry about it next spring if the funds are tight.

Smitty, I drove right past inspection about an hour ago. My wife was complaining to me that we had to be at her cousin's house that everyone was already there. I wasn't home quick enough and she left without me anyway. By the time I get back over to inspection they'll be closed now. So, I'll take it over next weekend.

I've used JB Weld on the transmission for my Neon. I had to grind out the case to fit the locker and ring gear spacer and ended up going through the bell housing. It worked great. Never had any leaks. Like Smitty, I bought a welder a few years ago but have absolutely no idea how to use it. I welded a few hooks up so I could chain my generator to my deck so no one would steal it and my welds are not pretty. I'm not sure JB will work on the filler neck, it's pretty rusted/rotted. I'm going to crawl under the truck here in a few and see what the filler neck looks like. I'll take a few pics and post 'em here.

So, my wife and I spent around $2k to have our Subaru fixed. Then we took it in for an oil change. We asked several times, 'We're going away, road trip. Car is going to be OK for it right?'

Dealer says, 'Yes, Yes. It'll be fine.'

Now I'm in Stafford Virginia. I've got coolant pissing out of my exhaust. Dealer said the heads were fixed.

I'm stuck, my wife, my 12 year old son and my two year old daughter.

Tow truck is 2+ hours away. Taxi is 20 minutes away. All the Enterprise rental places are closed.

This was the first vacation since 2008, my honeymoon. Now all I wanna do is go home.

What pisses me off the most is that I now have to pay for not only the towing and taxi but to have repairs done a second time. The dealer who did the repairs says they'll pay me back. But what money I had for this vacation is going for repairs. Again. WTF?