Worst motoring mechanical failures

[YorkshireBloke]

Hi Pals,

Following a really entertaining thread about motoring f@*#ups on the site LOL! I don't want proper injury and serious stuff but what is the worst you've had?

To start off the thread....

OK. Buying a V6 Vectra that had been modified by an RAF fitter for a "bargain" price wasn't the best way to start off... Thing is I needed a powerful car to pull my caravan so the extra oomph the squaddie had put in with a hot cam-shaft seemed just the job!

But I had secured bookings at a Caravan site to take my three grown up kids and partner to the 2012 London Olympics (something that took a LOT of effort) and had to buy a car that would do the job....

On a trial run with the car and caravan I heard a bang on the M1. The AA couldn't find owt so I carried on to Crystal Palace.

At the caravan site I tried phoning round to get a garage to look at the car but they found an actual REPAIR shocking! Oil change yes, gearbox issue, err, "fully booked mate"... Massive respect to the guy who changed hos own gearbox on the way to buy a replacement !

With my heart in my mouth I pulled the caravan home through London and onto the M1 with periodic bangs... by the turn off onto the A57 I had removed all the teeth off the differential....

The good bit is my pal loaned me his cherrished A4 to tow the vam, we had a legendary family holiday and eventually I bought an Audi of my own!

Robert

[jt racing]

Driving down the main road, at the national limit, sunny day, had daughter in the car, just coming round a bend the front left ball joint in the wishbone snapped. Wheel collapses into the arch locking up. Loads of smoke etc. Managed to get in off the road without incident.
The AA then couldn't find my details to recover the car. Big pain in the arse at the time. Teach me to buy a escort.

Had a jap import accord type r that I had just bought. Driving home the dash starts pluming smoke. I pull over and just start pulling **** out, don't know why but then realise the idiot said he put the original stereo back in. Pull that and the loom is smouldering away. Rip it out quickly and luckily it stops. Herself was properly ****ed!


Had a polo blow a hole in its engine too.
Loads of things all when young and buying crap heaps.

[tc4332]

Thanks Robert, comment appreciated. Gearbox drop and refit was not a big deal. Hard part was finding some newspaper to wrap it in so that I could carry it on my lap during the bus journeys.
Back in '58 in Germany whilst driving an Austin gantry wagon in convoy I kept hearing strange noises but being only 18 and very naive just carried on. Some 300 miles later in a farmyard north east of Hamburg I reported said strange noises. It was resolved to a loose, very loose, flywheel. The fitters claimed that the only bolt holding it on was not even finger tight. Phew, hot sweats when I think about that.
There are many more stories in my history book, but then I have driven the odd mile or two over the years in quite a varied amount and types of vehicle.
Dropping a propshaft on the M6, pulling over to the hard shoulder and walking back to recover the shaft. I think it was six cars that hit it and damaged their wheels.
Big end collapsing on a loaded coach whils driving up to the St Bernard Pass in Switzerland, managing an engineless three point turn and carefully rolling down the "hill" and into a Volvo agents there.
Same area but other side of the valley a couple of years later losing al brake systems and managing to ditch the coach with only £21 of damage.
I could go on but it only becomes boring.

[Pug]

Being in the motortrade I get a lot of stories, so some of which aren't my own.

My personal favourite: Unspecified company van driver, driving said 15 plate company van north on the A12. Reported strange noises from the engine, however it's home time so he carries on pushing. Suddenly oil pressure light comes on (and in his own words) put his foot down, so he could go faster and get home quicker. His progress was impeded by the conrod shooting out of the side of the engine.

In my own car, previous 1999 Daewoo Matiz, I started it up late at night and it sounded awful, like a lawnmower, quick look under the engine bay and half the aux belt was missing. Needing to get home, I drove down the road. Within about 30ft, there was several bangs, and the aux belt ended up in a few pieces on the road. Luckily I'd just been visiting someone who had a D3 A8, who could tow me home no problem. That was right up to the point we got stopped by 3 police patrol cars in convoy to London. We got a right ear bashing, but no fines, since they were too busy. Lesson learnt, buy breakdown cover.

[Ameiseuk]

Not motoring, but engine based.......

Stood and watched a supposedly "refurbished" Cummins 6BT turbocharged diesel engine run away by ingesting and running on it's own engine oil. Eventually watch as large parts of block, pistons and con rods fly out of the engine bay. Still have the dent in the block wall outside my office and the remains of piston no.6 to remind me of the incident.

Turns out the supplying company left oil seals out of the turbo so and soon as the oil started down the intake manifold that was bye bye engine.

Needless to say they had to foot the bill and replace.

[Audidothat]

Originally Posted by Ameiseuk

Not motoring, but engine based.......

Stood and watched a supposedly "refurbished" Cummins 6BT turbocharged diesel engine run away by ingesting and running on it's own engine oil. Eventually watch as large parts of block, pistons and con rods fly out of the engine bay. Still have the dent in the block wall outside my office and the remains of piston no.6 to remind me of the incident.

Turns out the supplying company left oil seals out of the turbo so and soon as the oil started down the intake manifold that was bye bye engine.

Needless to say they had to foot the bill and replace.

When in Germany a few years ago I once had the pleasure of watching a 'runaway' engine in an AFV 432 take itself to a noisy end, quite a sight. I remember about 30 of us running across to the REME LAD workshop and then slowly backing away from it until the inevitable happened!

[Goodshot]

First car Morris 1000 running down the M1 the bonnet emblem flew off straight through the windscreen and landed in the back seat after neatly missing me and girlfriend. Breezy trip home!

[YorkshireBloke]

Similar to the Morris windscreen,

I had a piece of thick 3 metre worktop flip off a pickup when driving over Heath Common near Wakefield. I saw it turn length over length at least twice.

As a young lad I didn't understand the sail effect at higher speeds: could have been really bad...

Robert

[David's8]

Had a really nice Sunbeam Alpine MkIV which had a fuel leak which I discovered, after taking off the chrome, pancake filters, was coming from the T-piece delivery pipe to the twin SUs. Needing a new t-piece I had to drive to the shop but was too lazy to put the filters back on. On putting my foot down going around the ABC roundabout in Pompey there was a backfire sound followed by a kind of "woomph" sound. A large, black, blister then started to grow on my immaculate polished bonnet before my disbelieving eyes before I cut the engine.
A bus behind me had the courtesy to offer the use of his fire extinguisher whcih prevented anything worse than a burnt bonnet and gutted feeling. Still managed to drive it to the shop though.