There is still hope in this world!

[6]

Yesterday we where headed home from ma to pa. We had to stay an extra day because Kristens dad ended up in the hospital.

Somewhere around halfway home, probably 3 hours from Massachusetts 3 and 1/2 hours from home, dead middle of nowhere, all of a sudden I looked down and there's a check engine light.

That's not good. Look over the left temp gauge is pegged.

Pulled over to check the coolant level, milkshake in the overflow tank. Immediately I think head gasket. Check the oil, oil's clean.
Weird
Firstst thing I do pm JD like "how do I diagnose this one, I'm stumped?" Hahah, then fill it back up and keep on trucking.

After about 3 hours of adding water and driving and adding water and driving, I realize this ain't going to happen or if it does we are going to need WAY more water.

Pulled off the highway in search of anyplace I can get more water and find an OLD SCHOOL but busy mechanic shop. Walked in and asked to fill my jugs. We started talking about the problem..

"Is it pink" he says
"No, well....mmhmmm. maybe?"

We go look. It's pink. Not engine oil, it's tranny fluid.

The radiator and the trans cooler are one in the same in that 4 Runner..

Good news!!

I'm pretty broke. I ask the dude if I find a radiator, some tools and a parking lot and I get it swapped if they will flush the tranny for me today so I can get home.

"Sure" he says.

I find the Rad, it's 15 miles away and dude advised I don't drive that distance. Save the trans at all costs.

He calls someone, I don't know who. Puts in the order through some parts system tells the guy where the radiator was that I found, adds 10 gallons of trans fluid and ask the gentleman to deliver it to his shop.

I'm like awesome!!!! But in the back of my mind I'm thinking, your parking lot is unplowed and I can't go borrow AutoZone tools to do it if I don't drive, I also would rather make a mess in a strangers parking lot, not here.

Order goes in, dude shows me his COST and asked me if I had that much. I did. He said "alright they will be here in a bit"

I walk to the bank, come back and ask "what do you want me to do while we're waiting? I'll sweep the floors, shovel? you're helping me out put me to use till the parts get here".

I said "I'm sending Kristen to go get tools but I can help till then"

Dude said, "pull around to that bay, I'll let you in. Don't send her anywhere"

I pull in, he opens the door, his brother roles me over a tool cart, fully loaded, and dude says "see if you can get it pulled out before the new one gets here"

I could play by play the rest of this and every bit of interaction with these guys was just as amazing as the first meeting, but in the short. They let me use their shop, their tools, get parts at their cost, use their trans flushing machine.. the whole deal.

He stayed late till probably about 6:30 to help me get wrapped up before we left and he went home.

Now, for the most part, asking a mechanic to use his tools is like asking to use his girlfriend.. I'd never ask and I didnt... but here. Just a mechanic wanting to help out a stranded mechanic. Can't beat it and I'd like to think I'd do the same...

We rolled out of there. We are home before midnight and the truck is in good shape.


These things don't happen everyday, but when they happen it gives me hope in humanity

(I sent them a couple pizzas for lunch today)

[hawkati]

That's quality. Decent people are out there.

A lifetime ago when I knew Nothing apart from enthusiasm for riding when i started despatching i got sort of adopted by Oxford Motorcycle Engineers. An eccentric bunch, over the years they taught me loads and I barely paid for any work, just did extra stuff for them in return for use of a workbay. Great people.

[bones]

That is pretty rare these days.
So glad you found those guys and they were all above board and really went out of their way to help you get on your way.
I plan on moving somewhere this kind of thing isn't too rare.
If I was you, I'd promote the heck out of that shop every chance I got.
I'd have grabbed business cards and spread them like manure everywhere.

[SPA]

Good Karma Rules ... pay it foward

[Maritime]

Send that guy a case of Yeungling!

[6]

That's quality. Decent people are out there.

A lifetime ago when I knew Nothing apart from enthusiasm for riding when i started despatching i got sort of adopted by Oxford Motorcycle Engineers. An eccentric bunch, over the years they taught me loads and I barely paid for any work, just did extra stuff for them in return for use of a workbay. Great people.

That's awesome. That's the type of thing that holds a life long love of motorcycles and motorcyclists.

Very cool!

[6]

I plan on moving somewhere this kind of thing isn't too rare.
If I was you, I'd promote the heck out of that shop every chance I got.
I'd have grabbed business cards and spread them like manure everywhere.

let me know when you find that place.

I'm leaving a good review google, but that's about all I can do. I live almost 4 hours away. Not much I can do telling people about them locally.

Send that guy a case of Yeungling!

I sent pizzas, don't know if it what they drink haha

[Fastmongrel]

Similar thing happened to me once. Throttle pedal broke managed to drive very slowly to the nearest town using the manual choke. (That tells you how long ago it was and how old the car was) Asked at a small garage if they could help they said if you get the broken part out they would weld it for me. They lent me some tools and after the usual contortionist act working under the steering wheel I got it out. They welded it up for me but it was closing time so they said just push the tools under the main door when you're finished. I went back a week later and bought a box of cakes to say thank you.

[bk94si]

Awesome! Nice to get a reminder that there are some nice people out there.