Got off to a bad start at 5am, maf dead, was working fine last night, so changed it over quickly and although better, a bit lumpy but the engine was knocking a little at the top end. Checked the oil and topped up half a litre. Waited for the 6am ferry only to be told it was cancelled and the next one was 7am due to the mezzanine deck on another ferry collapsing last night, hence delays and backlog.

Got off the ferry, stopped for fuel and started my journey, as i got up the M3 the knocking was getting worse and the power was very poor, so i pulled in at tesco service station at the bottom of the A34, where the car died and wouldnt start. Had to wait for RAC to come and diagnose what i already knew, before arranging a low loader to take up back home, however thats where the rest of this nightmare day gets worse.

 

I get a phone call from RAC head office, stating that my policy, through my insurance would not cover me to get back to the island and home, so would cost £150 plus about £250 ferry fare to get home. No bloody way was i paying that, so after sitting for a couple of hours i went to start the car and although rattling away it started, i then decided as the engine was now already foobarred i may as well head back south to Portsouth and see if i cant make it under my own steam.

I got to the bottom of the M275 when traffic was gridlocked, now bear in mind if i stop the engine tries to die and if it dies i cant start it again, so decided to pull into the slip road, stopped behind traffic at the lights and it died, im now stuck in the middle of three lanes of traffic and it wont start, so had to use the starter to get me out of harms way and push it when the battery gave up into the bus lane.

 

Another phone call to RAC to come out, thinking i was closer to home it would be cheaper to get a low loader home, wrong! So after 2 police cars and a highway traffic patrol car stopped to see if we were ok the RAC van turns up only to tell me what already knew ffs, they would use a local company to recover me and it would charge me £451 to get me home.:thumbdown:

After sitting in the sun at the side of the road for 3 hours i told them just to get me to the ferry and i will worry about how im getting home, now the only problem with this little plan was that its now 3pm and my return ticket was not till 9pm, not a chance in hell of getting one earlier due to he earlier backlog and they will not allow non booked vehicle into the terminal until at least one hour before. I got the tow truck to drop us into the carpark opposite the terminal and managed to get the last remaining space, put a ticket on the car and went for some food and ended up shopping to kill time ( had the other half and 2 kids with me also)

 

About 5:30pm i decided to go and face the ferry terminal manager to see what my options were of getting on, as a car either has to make its own way on board or be on a flatbed, they will not allow it to be towed or dropped off onto the ferry, bear in mind he battery is now flat and car stuck in a carpark across the road. As luck would have it i knew the manager quite well and he was really helpful, lent me one of their power packs to start the car and allowed me to park in the terminal layby facing the ferry, where i then left it for 3 hours and went off for a drink and more shopping in Gunwharf Quays:yes:

 

The time was now 9:40pm and ready to board an already late running ferry and was to be last on and last off, just incase it didnt start. I did need the starter pack again to just scrape onto the ferry as the prow was to be raised, got out the car and sighed with relief that i had made it this far.

Then came the departure and my worry now was, is it going to start? luckily the guys on board knew the situation and had another power pack at the ready, but luckily it started, sounding like a bag of spanners got off the ferry and limped home the lat few miles, tring to avoid any stops, luck was on my side for once and all the traffic lights i had to pass where green and now ive just got back:thumbup1:

 

The engine is knackered, definite cam lobe knocking, like the proverbial fat kid knocking on the sweet shop door lol, but for the racket the engine was making im surprised it got me back, so a testament to how good these engines are, even in a dire state:thumbup1:

Sounds like oil starvation to the right bank and of course you could hear it suffering.

 

For now im either going to take off the heads from my spare engine or maybe just the cams or do a TT swap, however if it is oil starvation im looking at a total strip down to find the culprit.

 

So apologies for no making Coventry, im a totally gutted by both outcomes of the day and also apologies to Paul and Zedracer who had some bits for me.

 

End of an epic, never ever to be repeated road trip from hell, i thank you :thumbup1:

Seems im not the only one who has had a bad deal with the RAC lol, AA it is i think from what ive heard and been told :thumbup1:

 

I have the spare engine i took out a couple of years ago and will take the heads off that and refurb them, then see if i can clear the check valve in the block without having to tap the buggers out. Im making a start after the coming weekend, got too much on, then will spend a good constant week on sorting it out.