510 had me take the day off

[a.d._510_n_ok]

got off work Saturday and parked the 510 on a really steep angle in the front yard. usually park it in the back on level ground. when I fired it up I noticed it was running a little rough but it was kinda wet yesterday and today so I thought a little moisture might have crept into the distributor cap but I wasn't too worried, figured by the time engine hit operating temp it would all be dried out.

 

It would only run about 45mph and about six miles north of my house/twelve miles south of my work she died. I called everyone I knew buuuuuut they were all at work  too. Finally, I got a hold of buddy who was off but not really awake yet. He said he had to get dressed but would come tow me in.

 

I called my work, told 'em the deal and told 'em just to mark down for a PTO day (I got like sixty hours of 'em + I worked sixty-nine hours last week :/ ).

 

While waiting for my bud to show up, I slowly ran my battery down trying to get the thing to fire. Right about the time the battery was getting really weak the engine burped and tried really hard to fire but the electric juice was just not there. I waited another fifteen minutes, hit the key and the engine didn't crank two seconds and fired up smooth as silk.

 

Right about then my phone rang and it was my bud calling to tell me he was headed my way. I told him not to worry about it.

 

I drove the thing home with nary a hitch though the idle was still a little rough.

 

I think the weird angle it was parked at all weekend + a low fuel level + a weather change from 80' to 35' in a day caused trash and tank sweat to to mess up my fuel filter. I also checked my maintenance notebook and realized I hadn't put a new distributo cap on it since right after I bought it in the fall of '08. Glad I keep a record because I was convinced replaced the cap recently but I guess not. I have to replace a fuel filter at least once a year - gotta have a bunch of crap in the tank!

[Hermistonkilla]

With my diesel I have to change fuel filters every 3 months because of all this corn in my fuel!