Well, that was the shortest hunting trip that didn't include hunting I've ever suffered. As I went past the Monarch Lodge in Garfield yesterday on my way to elk camp, I smelled a bit of wood smoke; bluebird clear skies, no visible fires. As I went past the ski resort, the smell was getting stronger; thought maybe one of the cars in front of me was causing it, until I passed them. As I was approaching the last S turn leading to the summit of the pass, the smell was quite strong. No visible smoke, no change in the gauges, but there's a need to see where that smell is coming from. So I pulled into the parking lot at Monarch Crest and off to the side of what's been snowplowed.
As I exited the truck, I could see smoke wisping from the wheel well. Crap. Popped the hood and had smoke rolling. Except for the smell, it looked like what an overheated engine blowing steam looks like. After the initial billow blew off, I could see the smoke coming up from behind the motor out of the firewall liner. Thankfully, I had a fire extinguisher in the trailer. Dug it out and applied my own cloud of really nasty tasting yellow dust. Old extinguisher, but it still worked!
Somehow the bolts for the exhaust manifold for the rear most port were gone. The hot gas from the gap directed at the liner from 2"-3" away were enough to set the liner smoldering. The extinguisher kept it from being a really bad day. Much PITA and some $$ later, the truck is at a repair shop waiting to be diagnosed, and the trailer and I are back at home.
The only real positive of the day, besides my truck not burning up, was I contacted the Salida office of DOW and they stayed open a little extra to give me time to get there and swap my 2nd season elk tag for a 3rd season tag. Unfortunately, my deer tag couldn't be returned to keep my point, or exchanged for the 3rd season. But at least I'll have another chance! (for hunting, not burning a vehicle)
Hunting is always an adventure; this kind of adventure I could do without....
As I exited the truck, I could see smoke wisping from the wheel well. Crap. Popped the hood and had smoke rolling. Except for the smell, it looked like what an overheated engine blowing steam looks like. After the initial billow blew off, I could see the smoke coming up from behind the motor out of the firewall liner. Thankfully, I had a fire extinguisher in the trailer. Dug it out and applied my own cloud of really nasty tasting yellow dust. Old extinguisher, but it still worked!
Somehow the bolts for the exhaust manifold for the rear most port were gone. The hot gas from the gap directed at the liner from 2"-3" away were enough to set the liner smoldering. The extinguisher kept it from being a really bad day. Much PITA and some $$ later, the truck is at a repair shop waiting to be diagnosed, and the trailer and I are back at home.
The only real positive of the day, besides my truck not burning up, was I contacted the Salida office of DOW and they stayed open a little extra to give me time to get there and swap my 2nd season elk tag for a 3rd season tag. Unfortunately, my deer tag couldn't be returned to keep my point, or exchanged for the 3rd season. But at least I'll have another chance! (for hunting, not burning a vehicle)
Hunting is always an adventure; this kind of adventure I could do without....