Well it's been awhile. Hoping someone will be able to help me solve this one. When these old girls are well maintained and running good they just haul the mail day after day, until one day.....time catches up and:
So I'm taking the family camping on Hontoon Island near Deland FL, about 100 miles up I-95 and west on 44 through the city. Pack the car to the gills w/ camping gear. Two kids in the back seat, wife riding shotgun, canoe (stuffed w/ life jackets, paddles, beach chairs) on top. After a slow acceleration she (the car), runs like a champ all the way up I-95, probably 75-82 mph most of the way, just cruising in her grove, no sweat, then stop and go almost through down town Deland and then - car hesitates on acceleration after a stop light. Does it again half way to the next one. Then at the next green light it just dies right in the middle of the intersection, no rough running, just like the battery was stone dead. Push into parking lot, pop hood, got headlights, don't see anything obvious. Crank up car, starts right up, after a minute then dies. Repeat. Wait awhile, call tow truck, somebody stops buy to offer help. Crank up car, runs fine, but then I notice a bunch of smoke or something coming out of the tail pipe. Check oil - clean, just changed it. Coolant is clean only has a slight pst when I take the cap off, dont' see anything there. No vacuum hoses loose. Tried wiggling the CPS wire to see if that helped or hurt - nope. It's too far to try to limp back home so we have the car towed $50 + 3 clams/mile; it's getting dark, I've got 2 hungry kids + the Mrs. So we drive across the street to Dobros Chicago Pizza, if you're going to break down, try to pick a place with a delicious pizza place.....ended up getting home by 11.
So last time I blew a head gasket (different brick) it ran really really bad, but with the smoke or whatever coming out of the tail pipe it's pretty high up on my list, maybe a small leak just starting. Other possible culprits - cat? MAS? Sorry this is long but maybe the details will help solve this mystery. Thanks in advance BB for you help and feedback. JP