Broke down 3 hours from home on I-20

family xj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Location
Jacksonville NC
Well here is the story. About 8 months ago I did a turbo rebuild on my 01 Excursion (7.3). I put in the wicked wheel and all new internals. Yesterday while driving back from Gastonia across I-20 towards Florence I hear a strange sound coming from the intake. Sounded weird and only heard during acceleration. When I say accelration I mean like boosting the Turbo some, like passing a vehicle. I was driving about 65-70 (1800 rpms) pulling my New 53 Jeep Willys truck on a trailer and heard the noise again. I told my wife to listen and she then heard it as well. I let off harder acceleration and it went away. So then I was passing a truck and heard it and then BOOM a big cloud of what looked like black and white smoke. I got off the interstate onto the side of a road just past an exit ramp and it wasn't smoking at all. I tried to back up to the Exit ramp and it really smoked bad. White smoke. Got out and it smelled like Burnt oil. So my assumption was that I blew the turbo. I took off the intake hose and the impeller was still there in one piece (good sign I assmue). Truck ran and idled fine.

I had the truck and trailer towed to Mike Reichenbach Ford in Florence off I-95 exit 164. Truck is there to be looked at Monday/Tiesday and I had someone drive 3.5 hours to get me and my trailer. Both the tow truck drivers and employees said its a bad part of town to be in.

I got lucky and the Mechanic was still there and I asked him what he thought and he pretty much said he wouldn't know until they looked into it. At least with him being there I was able to put the truck inside the Fence.

So does it sound like a Blown Turbo?
If it is blown what kind of Damage might it have done?

Does anyone know how good their Diesel mechnics are?

Lastly, since it is so far from home I can't work on nor do any diagnoses so any idea what its going to cost IF its only a Turbo?

ai93.photobucket.com_albums_l64_Maysville1990_Willy.jpg
 
OK we got USAA to tow the truck and trailer to The ford dealer in Florence just off I-95. Cost about $150. Cash only He toild us if we didn't get a ride before dark to let him know and he would come and pick us up and we could hang out at his place until our ride arrived. The neighborhood wasn't safe. I got lucky and the mechanic was still working and I found an open door to go into the shop. There is a 6' fence with razor wire around it. I asked the mechanic if my truck would be safe over the weekend and he went and opened the gate so that the tow truck driver could drop the Ex off. We then walked to the sales department and asked if there was someplace close we could walk to for food and they said it's not safe to walk in that area at that time of night (6pm). They called us a cab and we went to a local bar/food place to eat and get drinks while we waited for our ride 3 hours. The tow company and Ford guys were all very nice and Helpful.

As for my truck the Turbo blew like I suspected. They even rushed to do my truck but found the wastegate was damaged and had to order a new one. I had it back in a week though. So I was more than pleased with Ford and my tow truck driver.
 
Someone please delete this thread so it will stop coming up. OP broke down in May, he could have walked home by now.
 
Back
Top