Breakdown help near car fest!

Hi, haven’t been on here in a while and haven’t really taken my van out until today for well over a year but really need your help. Decided last minute to bring my youngest to car fest north at bolesworthy castle to celebrate her finishing primary school. 71 Dormobile, 1600 twin port. All fine for a couple of hours and then blue smoke- the generator was roasting and burning the belt. Waited for it to cool down and limped off the motorway, engine all fine, just the generator so no charging. It’s now burnt through the belt. I’ve got an old spare one but the generator seems seized. I’ve got 3 miles left to go to get my daughter to the festival, then will have to get recovered home tomorrow. Limited tools and a long shot but anyone anywhere near? Ideally with a generator with fan attached. I will gladly pay in cash or beer, or both. I’m gonna try do a mile at a time and let it cool. Seem sensible? Thanks. Tom

 

^this. You’ll toast your engine.

 

You can’t really change the alternator at the side of the road

Get a tow to the show, big yellow taxi home.

 

Well guys. Thought I would update- there are some lovely people in this world. From the lovely old lady who stopped and told us where the nearest petrol station was, to the guy at the car wash who gave us some rope, to the LOVELY bloke who pulled up and said not only could we park in his garden, but he would run us down to the festival, but mostly, to the amazing staff at carfest who after an email, sent us 3 big lads and a tow truck, who took us all the way to the festival, through security and even parked the van up for us in the campsite. And they wouldn’t even take a cold beer or any form of payment. I have a long ride home tomorrow on the big yellow taxi but for tonight, I finally managed to get my 11 year old to her first proper festival, as promised. And for that alone I am over the moon. Tomorrow I shall order some bits and Monday I shall drop the engine and fix it for a wedding next Friday. Thanks guys!

 

Excellent!

 

Nice one all round , restores your faith in humanity

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

Wow. Lovely people. Your daughter won’t forget this trip.

I don’t mean the breakdown. I mean the embarrassment of your dad dancing this weekend

 

If it is a dynamo type thing rather than alternator it could be time for an upgrade !

 

Feel round the back of the fan housing to see if it’s dragged a rag into the fan and jammed it up, it’s not uncommon

 

When my dynamo failed chunks had gone missing from the commutator, the brushes fell in the holes and jammed it. I removed the brushes and carried on... for months, charging the battery at home. Record was 200 miles with a weekend camping half way. Generators are for sissies.

Fantastic story, I've never lost faith in strangers, people do like to help given the opportunity.

 

Great news...

Have a fantastic weekend...

Send us car pics..

 

And finally on my way home after a brilliant time at the festival. Called breakdown this morning and explained and asked if they could send one early evening so we could have the day to enjoy ourselves and they agreed. Will drop the engine tomorrow and see what’s what. Thanks for all your replies.

 

Tbh ...
The oil won't pick up..
if the bus is like that...

 

That’s a great point. You never said it was an Australian festival

 

So gonna keep plodding on with this update. Engine out this afternoon and stripped the Dynamo out. It’s proper seized- but that did make removing the fan nut a bit easier. Called just kampers and have a new Dynamo, belt and pulley on the way tomorrow. Half the pulley was cooked to the Dynamo and I snapped it gently adjusting it with a tapping stick. I know I should have gone for an alternator conversion but I’ve never had problems with the electrical supply as other than the lights and the engine, everything else runs off the leisure battery and that’s charged by solar anyway and I was rushing for time… untill this afternoon when I’ve been pinged by the covid app so I’ve now got a few days to play with whether I wanted them or not. I might fit the servo kit I’ve had in a box for 2 years at the same time. It sounded fine driving it into the garage but it’s getting a good service when it’s back in as the oil will/may be cooked. Onwards and upwards!

 

What a fab show of help by strangers

 

Nice story ,,
Mostly with my Harley. But The best times of my life was when I had no money,
gps/internet wasn’t a thing .
and I broke down.,,,

You meet the best people,,

 

You won't ever forget that , it's enough to make you want to breakdown again..
Did I ever tell about the time I broke down in a remote hamlet in Wales.