Problems in Paradise

I left Dawson City on August 6th and was traveling right along enjoying life going back down through Whitehorse to Watson Lake on the Alaskan Highway to the junction with the Cassier Highway to head south. At the junction, I stopped for diesel and noticed smoke coming from my engine and smelled very strong diesel fumes before I even started pumping fuel. I looked underneath and sure enough, I had a leak :(

Luckily it happened here before I got on the very remote Cassier Highway with very few services and there was a mechanic just up the road a quarter mile. He confirmed my diagnosis, but stated neither he nor anyone else in Watson Lake could work on a German diesel engine. 

So, I placed a call to my emergency roadside service and they arranged for me to be towed back to Whitehorse (from whence I just came) to a shop there. But, it wouldn't be until tomorrow (Friday) and he would be coming from Whitehorse so it wouldn't be until around 11:00 am. Sure enough, he arrived on time and got me all loaded up to go back the 250 miles to the tune of $2100. Thank God and Coachnet for unlimited towing!

We arrived in Whitehorse around 5:00 pm and my new buddy John got me all unloaded. However, it was quitting time at the Freightliner shop Coachnet set me up with. So I had to hang around until Monday for them to look at it. But they hooked me up with electric and wifi for the weekend so I could stay in my rig.

Come Monday, the diesel mechanic there looked at it and said he was not used to working on the Sprinter engine and I would need to go to the Dodge dealer. Fair enough. He said I could drive it a short distance, but don't let the engine get too hot or it could catch on fire! I drove it over there and they looked at it right away and determined I needed a new fuel injector pump. I had chosen to pay the extra to have it shipped from British Columbia via air instead of truck so it would be here in the Yukon in 3 days. 

Well, 3 days came and went and no part :( It was now Friday and still the part had not arrived and we were heading into a long holiday weekend here. It turns out, the folks who shipped it sent it by truck in error instead of by air which takes 7 -10 business days! 

So here I sat for yet another weekend. I checked myself into a nice quiet RV Park. I did my best to occupy myself while I waited until Tuesday for any further news on the part.

Sunday was a nice day, so I took my day pack and walked to town about 3 miles away. There are paved walking paths along both sides of the Yukon River heading into town. 

I did a little geocaching and hiked up to what's known as "The World's Largest Fish Ladder". They had to put this in for the salmon because they can't get over the damn that was built to produce the town's electricity.

The salmon swim upstream through this to get back to their native waters to spawn.

Then, I had to walk back, which was mostly all up hill. So needless to say, my legs were a tad sore the next day ;) But the view of Whitehorse was worth it and it took up a good part of my day. At least it was a beautiful place to be stranded :)

Come Tuesday, I was really praying for that part to be there so I could be on my way. My new best friend Colin in the service department was awesome. He put up with me asking him everyday if it was in yet and he felt as bad as I did when he had to tell me no, not yet. He also kept a pending appointment with a mechanic every day in the event that it did so he could get me right in and back on the road again.

Finally, Weds Aug 22nd it arrived! Colin had my rig in within seconds and three hours later it was fixed, tested and ready to go! So after being stranded for a total of 13 days and almost $3000.00  lighter, off I went back down the Alaskan Highway! :) Still time to get home before I have to be back to work on Sep 3rd.