No Steven Tyler references here (although I do dig the song very much). FINALLY, after 11 months, the Pineapple hit the road. From sitting a long time this year due to life getting in the way, we headed out to my happy place on the Prairie.
As you may recall from the last sortie in December of 2021, she developed a water leak and a phantom power draw. You'd think in 11 months I would have dealt with both of them, but no, she got ZERO love all year.
Beyond starting it and running it a few times and disconnecting the batteries I did nothing. Like I said life got in the way and I won't bore you with the details.
Anyway back in October it became apparent that Thanksgiving this year would be different and we'd be on our own for the holiday. I looked for sites and everything was booked up. I backed up a week and the same, I went back to Veterens Day and boom the Prairie had one spot left. A quck check showed I wasn't on call that weekend, so I booked it, WOOOO! we are going camping.
I started prepping the old girl as she hadn't been out much (once or twice around the neighborhood all year). As we had a hurricane IAN kind of threatening us in the beginning of October, I got her all gassed up and took her for 20 mile drive to air her out. Everything was good mechanically.
Luckily, that storm missed us (my friend Mark was not so lucky and lost his cars and home). The day before our departure, here comes another late hurricane, Nicole. It's a small one, but the center of the storm goes very close to the park. The storm hits the park early pre-dawn on Nov 10. We are booked for the 11 and 12th!. It's not bad and the park calls us the next day.
Not to confirm our reservation for the site, but for the buggy ride Sunday! We say we are still in. We head out.
We are humming along the Beeline Highway, about 16-17 miles out of Okeechobee when I hear a change in the engine. I ask Lucy if she hears it. She doesn't. Next thing I know I got my foot in it and I'm losing speed. Uh-Oh! WTF now........ I continue to lose power with my foot down. I have no idea but I'm sloooowing down and the cars are stacking behind me (it's a 2 lane and we are in a no passing area). There is a passing zone coming up, but another mile down I see a paved driveway on my side and dive off the road (I"m going 30 in a 60 by this point) and all the cars whizz by.
I had said I'd stop by and meet my buddy for a few in Okechobee. I call him and he asks how we are. "Bad" is the reply and explain how I unexplicably lost power. He suggests I change the fuel filter. Ok its easy and I have one (need to buy another now). I pull it off and thats not the issue. I poke in around under the engine cover and find the oil pressure sender lead vibrated off, but that's not it.
About 15 minutes has gone by and I twist the key. It fires right up and I put it in gear and have about 20 feet of room, so I push the gas and it feels normal. Ok here we go! I make a 5 point turn and get us pointed out on the highway and wait for looooong gap (just in case).
It rolls up to 60 (speed limit and happy speed for the coach on this 2 lane road). and hangs there. The next 15 miles are uneventful and we arrive.
Mike tosses me a new Ignition module and I'm tearing into the distributor and have it swapped out in about 15-20 minutes or so. Many profuse thank yous (not the first time his advice has saved my ass).
We leave and head straight for the local liqour store (I didn't have time to show before we left), then gas and the final push for about 40 min to the park.
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