recovery - just in case!

[Velocette]

Yes But !!!! if the coolant has dropped through a burst hose (or whatever) and you pulled over as soon as the alarm sounded.....no damage will be done at this point....But...if mr RAC then tops up a empty tank there will be air trapped in there and starting/driving can cause loads of harm.....So I say....never TOP up a empty tank without bleeding it properly afterwards...
If the tank was not empty ...then fine.

If the Rac / AA man tops up you header tank and he doesn't notice its pouring straight out of the burst hose ( or what ever )then he really shouldn't be aloud within 500 metres of a tool box or any broken down vehicle , without topping up how can he diagnose ? what would be the point of having breakdown cover if your not going to allow them to investigate and diagnose by the roadside, would you not be properly hacked off if you just got a straight recovery 200 mile home wrecking your holiday plans only to find that your v6 petrol missfire was caused by a loose electrode cap that could have easily been sorted by the roadside ? i went to a peugeot 406 one friday evening that the exhaust had corroded through and broke in half, the family were on there way from hull to exeter for a wedding so rather than put them on a slow recovery truck i mended there exhaust with a baked bean tin and 3 jubilee clips and sent them on there way with a tempory repair

I say have faith in the recovery guys they are trained and regularly updated and know all the little tricks to get you going where they can and its safe to do so with a tempory repair they do the job day in and day out, as for the guy with the T4 2 doors up i can honestly say that when i was roadsiding we had to recover way more vw's than we did Mazdas

I've got a baked bean can wrapped in a piece of Fosters can covering the rotten end of my tailpipe. Waiting to see if it passes the MOT!

[haydn callow]

M 8ONGO
I think there is a misunderstanding here.....I have no problem with recovery guys and in general I have aways found them very helpful and go out of there way to help..
But
Let me put somthing past you that happened at the bash last year.

Bongo on the way to the bash.....Top hose "radiator to metal pipe" burst.......recovery man called.....going that bit extra ...he replaced the top hose with a peice of "flexable" pipe he carries for just such cases.......he then refills the system and "bleeds" it via the expansion tank allowing the engine to tick over......sends the Bongo on it's way......20 miles further on it arrives at the bash in spitting out coolant mode......at the bash it was bled correctly and all seemed well....went for a test spin....all coolant spat out so recovered from bash back home on a low loader.

Now ...the first recovery man did what he thought best...the owner knew no better....but lack of knowledge caused that Bongo to require a new head....

So I still say ...never top up a empty tank unless it is properly bled afterwards

[westonwarrior]

I agree we hear far too many storys of Garages not knowing about bleeding properly and causing more damage so its no wonder that recovery patrols may get it wrong too.

Trouble is any one that reads this will know that bleeding is essential and those that havent read it wont, so if they need a rescue it may cost dearly.

I have storys of where a rescue service could have cost me dear if I had not known a little of how a car is put together(and I do mean a little)

we can't all know everything and the smartest in any profession are the one that accept that and are not afraid to ask for help

However I do think the recovery service personel do a fantastic job in 99.9% of circumstances

[Velocette]

I agree we hear far too many storys of Garages not knowing about bleeding properly and causing more damage so its no wonder that recovery patrols may get it wrong too.

Trouble is any one that reads this will know that bleeding is essential and those that havent read it wont, so if they need a rescue it may cost dearly.

I have storys of where a rescue service could have cost me dear if I had not known a little of how a car is put together(and I do mean a little)

we can't all know everything and the smartest in any profession are the one that accept that and are not afraid to ask for help

However I do think the recovery service personel do a fantastic job in 99.9% of circumstances

I'd agree, I've had fantastic service over thirty odd years but there are things they won't know about. How many would know how to adjust a Velocette clutch or how to even start one? One in a thousand, if that.

[westonwarrior]

I agree we hear far too many storys of Garages not knowing about bleeding properly and causing more damage so its no wonder that recovery patrols may get it wrong too.

Trouble is any one that reads this will know that bleeding is essential and those that havent read it wont, so if they need a rescue it may cost dearly.

I have storys of where a rescue service could have cost me dear if I had not known a little of how a car is put together(and I do mean a little)

we can't all know everything and the smartest in any profession are the one that accept that and are not afraid to ask for help

However I do think the recovery service personel do a fantastic job in 99.9% of circumstances

I'd agree, I've had fantastic service over thirty odd years but there are things they won't know about. How many would know how to adjust a Velocette clutch or how to even start one? One in a thousand, if that.

never even heard of one here

[haydn callow]

Used to have a Venom.....fishtail pipe....lovely

[Velocette]

Used to have a Venom.....fishtail pipe....lovely

I've got the remains of one. I had a Viperised MAC too, regret selling it to this day.

[campergeek]

really useful thread

I've generally had very good experiences with both the AA and RAC - my last van was a 28yr old T25, so got to meet quite a few of them

However, it only takes one mediocre mechanic with a big ego to insist they know what they're doing to cause £1600 damage (unlikely, but possible), so I feel a bit more confident to keep check on them and stand my ground if I think they're about to do something they shouldn't.