After much consultation with various sorts of people, including a few mechanics and a smattering of group and board members, I forged ahead and got a UHAUL truck to get me and the drums home, and made arrangements for the van to get repaired.
It would have cost almost as much to stay there for the nest 8-10 days as to get home, and there’s Osouji and a few other things I need to do over the next week.
Today I am in Elko, Nevada and just about to drive the final leg home.
One of the funny thing is the U-Haul truck I am driving has the same engine (E350) and it is running somewhat worse than the van’s engine was.
On a wing and a prayer, as they say…