MacGregorSailors.com

I'm having a bad day today,
While passing St Augustine Florida on our way to South Dade Marina yesterday, the fan belt on the Jeep came off the pulleys.
Turns out an idler pulley had seized. I changed it, but now it runs rough. I am now in St Augustine at a garage, and I have a seized camshaft.
I guess it took a while before I noticed the guages lit up.
Anyone now about a place to rent a truck to get the boat to the marina?
I need some time to decide what to do, the cost for repairs is more than the value of the Jeep

If the camshaft is acually seized the engine would not run. Probably just lost somthing in translation however you may want to try another shop.

Good piont,
I'll have to ask some more questions, it is running, just as if it is mis-firing

Ok
I just talked with the mechanic and he had a look withe the borescope,
It turns out one roller got stuck, and it ate the cam for that valve.
So it is a big job.

When I first went looking for my I considered just renting a tow vehicle instead of buying one. Enterprise has a rent a truck group that will rent you a tow beast.

Jeff

I would check out U-Haul. Others have used them to tow their boats.

Just be careful when you rent a tow vehicle - many times their insurance will not cover your trailer and may not be valid at all if towing a trailer. Not all rentals are contracted like this, but it bears checking.

I would check out U-Haul as they rent pick up trucks as well

Norca wrote:Ok
I just talked with the mechanic and he had a look withe the borescope,
It turns out one roller got stuck, and it ate the cam for that valve.
So it is a big job.

Not sure what motor you have but if it isn't overhead cam pull the valve cover and pull out the two pushrods for that cylinder and run on the remaining cylinders. Just be sure the only damage was the lifter.

I was pulling a motorcycle trailer back from a race in Illinois when I was much younger with a 53 Chevy straight 6 and it dropped a valve in farm country on a 2 lane road. Pulled the head off along side the road and pulled the valve out of the cylinder and put the head back on and made some cardboard gaskets for some that were ruined (not the head gasket). Started it up and went to a farm house to fill up the radiator and then drove it like that for a month or two before fixing it,

Sum

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1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Oh man, those were the days. Actually being able to fix your car on the side of the road! I used to carry tools and spare parts around with me. I don't missing having to do it, though! It sure is nice to not think i'm gonna break down now...

Norca wrote:Ok
I just talked with the mechanic and he had a look withe the borescope,
It turns out one roller got stuck, and it ate the cam for that valve.

How in the heck??

Sumner wrote:
I was pulling a motorcycle trailer back from a race in Illinois when I was much younger with a 53 Chevy straight 6 and it dropped a valve in farm country on a 2 lane road. Pulled the head off along side the road and pulled the valve out of the cylinder and put the head back on and made some cardboard gaskets for some that were ruined (not the head gasket). Started it up and went to a farm house to fill up the radiator and then drove it like that for a month or two before fixing it,

Sum

You made an straight 5. I love my straight 5!!!!!! And I did not have to take a valve out

I know this isn't much help...... but You could be stranded in much worse locations I agree about the U-Haul pickup truck. Best of luck....wish I lived closer , Maybe I could be of some use/help. Ron. Dauntless.

Hi everyone
Thanks for all the good advise,
Here is the story so far:
I first noticed the battery warning light was on, so I pulled over at the next exit, then, no power steering, and then I chek the other gauges, and engine temp in the red.
When I stop, the engine runs rough.
I open the hood, and there lays the fan-belt on top of the engine
One of the idler-pulleys is melted and warped due to a stuck bearing. I managed to have a new pulley delivered to a trucking-company across the street (they only deliver to comercial account)
When I start up again, it still runs rough, but I drove a few miles to a garage that are still open(8:30PM Fiday night)
Next day, the borescope reveal the damaged cam.
So I rented a U-haul truck to pull the boat to South Dade Marina as we have some shore activitys planned in Fort Lauderdale until Friday
Now the garage will come up with some prices for repairs, rebuilt engine and mabe an old engine from the scrap yard.
I am tempted to let it go for scrap, as the repairs will be about same as the vehicle is worth.
Problem is I am in a foreign contry, and our dollar is only around 0.70$ US, so bying a vehicle here could be complicated as well as importing the old one to the US so I can sell it here.
We will have to figure something out, but at least the boat is ready to go, so our cruise is still on, and I have the best admiral of all, she is still game to go sailing

Is there any Canadians with experience in importing vehicles from the US?