Ok, I know driving an 11 year old car with 175,000 miles on it on a trip 588 miles one way is kinda asking for it but I didn't expect this! Checked everything out before we left... little oil leak I haven't been able to fix is still annoying me but it won't stop me from going on this trip. My 2000 Grand Prix GT I bought new is my baby but I actually looked into renting a car to go from south Mississippi to Pigeon Forge TN for the annual Shades of the Past Rod Run (car show). Decided we didn't have the money. The trip up wasn't bad. I thought I needed to run so engine oil stop leak half way there so we stopped at Autozone and bought some, along with some Lucus fuel injector cleaner. We put the stop leak in and went on. We got to Pigeon Forge and drove around a couple of days before we needed gas again. We filled her up and added the fuel injection cleaner and processed on our way. Up and down the mountain to and from our cabin was an experience,(it's the 5th time my GP has been there) but I guess the injection cleaner worked too good.... my GP died in the middle of town and I had to be pushed off the road. My dad and mom where up there too so I called my dad to bring me a fuel filter. He did and I changed it in the parking lot of the gas station we had filled up at a few hours earlier. ( I had my tools just in case) It worked and we went to buy another fuel filter, because you never know! We drove about 20 miles and it died again! This time going up hill! Called my dad to tow me out of the drive way of the CVS and I changed the fuel filter again. I wouldn't start back this time. UGGGG! 588 miles from home and it's dead! So we called U-Haul and rented a tow dolly..... $166! Mind you the rental car would have only been $180! Soooo.... we get back to the CVS parking lot and just by chance I wanted to see if it would crank. IT DID! So I drove it onto the tow dolly and we took it back to the cabin. We rode around with my mom and dad for the next two days until time to leave. On the way home, with the GP on the tow dolly behind my Mom's 07 GMC truck, we went through Alabama and section of road they were "repairing" that was like a wash board for about 10 miles! We pulled over at a gas station after the road work and the GP was pouring antifreeze out of the front of the engine.... ON THE TOW DOLLY! What the.....! Well, at least we weren't driving it right? We got it home and put water in it and drove it off the tow dolly to the garage. Water was spraying out the front of the engine! Not the elbows, they are about a year old, as is the water pump, but a missing bolt in the front of the block. We had never put a wrench on that bolt! Why did it back out now? Why on a tow dolly in Alabama? I don't know why it happened but I believe everything happens for a reason. We replaced the bolt and filled it up. No leaks! Not even the oil is leaking now! And the fuel filter.... no more problems there either. I drove it to work and back 50 miles a day the last 3 days. Everything happens for a reason? I think so!
Originally Posted by dknight
