Kidsandall have come to a stop (blown engine)
Submitted: Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 07:48
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Member - Josh (VIC)
Hi all,
Hope everyone had a good
easter. We spent the week in
Nelson Bay with friends. It was good. I noticed the car was using a bit of oil. Topped it up ready to head off to Coffs Habour. Stopped on the way for fuel and checked oil, it was empty. Topped it up, 200kms later oil was down. Booked it in to mechanic in Coffs hoping maybe a seal/bearing in the turbo worst case. Not so lucky. Oil is blowing past pistons out breather hose through the turbo and out exhaust, that would account for the smoke trail all the way to Coffs.LOL. Got a quote of about $6000 for rebuild. It has been slowly using more and more oil over time but I was hoping it would make the trip without anything to major.
Cape york was the "end" of our trip before we headed south to Tassie to settle for a while. Now have to try and work out if we can still make it to the tip. If we do it would mean we made the 4 corners of the country. So close yet so far.
Well , I will keep you posted as to the outcome, meeting with mechanic today to sort out options. We have done a fair bit of work on the car all ready so I tend to think fixing it is better than flogging it off and buying something else. Plus it is set up the way we like it, it has all the gear we need etc. Oh
well..... life is never dull. The girls were a bit upset at the thought we may not make
cape york as it has been the big end to a big trip. We may still make just not sure of the budget. We will see......
Josh
Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 07:58
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 07:58
Hi Josh
As you say, you have done a fair bit of work on the Old Girl and you know what you have on hand. With a motor rebuild, you know that you vehicle will be in top condition again. Buying another vehicle could be like jumping from the fat into the fire, nothing to say you could have the same problem again with your new purchase.
Do not give up hope, you will be on the road again in a shot time.
All the Best
Cheers
Stephen
AnswerID:
359637
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 19:06
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 19:06
Hi Stephen,
Yes I tend to agree, may be buying someone else's problems. The other thing is this car is set up exactly how we want it to fit everything in. To do this to another car, especially when not at
home with my
tools would be very hard. Think I will stick with this one for now. It also has our map on the bonnet of where we have been and this is the car we have done our trip in, kind of sentimental.
Josh
FollowupID:
627693
Reply By: Member - Footloose - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 08:26
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 08:26
Josh, sorry to hear that you have my sort of luck. Not nice. Still, you all seem healthy annd in reasonable spirits, and that's the most important thing. Motors can be replaced, people can't. Good luck with the rebuild and the rest of your trip.
AnswerID:
359643
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 18:43
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 18:43
Hi footloose,
You are right, at least it is only the car and nothing more serious and glad it happened in coffs and not at the tip. No point getting upset over it, just work it out and move on.
tahnks
Josh
FollowupID:
627684
Reply By: LeanneW - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 09:54
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 09:54
Hi Josh,
Sorry about your car. I agree that it would probably be best to fix it than get another that you don't know what problems you will be inheriting with it - better the devil you know!
I can understand how disappointed your girls must be. But on the
bright side, they must have seen and learnt a lot on your trip, and this unfortunate situation is still a learning experience - life doesn't always go the way you want, so you have to make the most of what you have.
Good luck with the rest of your trip, I hope you are able to make it up to the top.
Leanne
AnswerID:
359650
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 18:49
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 18:49
Hi Leanne,
Yes it has been an amazing trip. The girls have seen so much and had so much fun( so have the grownups). This has made them realise how lucky they have been to see what we have so far. We will still try and get to the tip as we were saying we don't want to finish the trip with "we got so close but just didn't make it to the top. We will see what it costs to fix then reacess what we do. It has been incredible to do what we have done already so we still feel very blessed to have seen all we have.
Thanks
Josh
FollowupID:
627688
Reply By: On Patrol & TONI - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 14:11
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 14:11
Josh
Your pain is my pain too, I know only too
well what you are going through mate. Hope all works out
well and the girls get to see the wonderful
Cape York eventually. A reasonable second hand motor may also be a good alternative.
I know it's not the same engine but to give you an example of how reasonable the price may be, I bought a 1HD-FTE with auto tranny and computer and wiring and ignition system for $11,500 with just 25000km on the clock, so a good 80 sr engine only, would be far cheaper than that.
Good luck, Colin.
AnswerID:
359677
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 18:59
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 18:59
Hi Colin,
I looked at the possibility of a second hand motor but how do you know what you are getting. We have always tried to maintain the car so a lot has already been done, Injectors and pump,radiator, glow plugs, water pump, timing belt and alternator. I figure if I rebuild this one then I know exactly what it is like(hopefully). The mechanic seemed really good, dropped everything to try and get it sorted quickly cause we are travelling. Talked about helping out with moving the trailer if we needed it and stuff like that. Seemed real genuine in his attitude which is nice. Anyway we will see how we go.
Thanks
Josh
FollowupID:
627692
Reply By: PradOz - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 19:45
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 19:45
Hi Josh - thats real bad news hey, but there has got to be worse
places than coffs to be stuck in. hope its not karma for not allowing maree enough time to see the sights of
sydney when you were here ;)
looks like there will be plenty of
free camping on the way up to the tip and hopefully plenty of work too along the way.
if you are travelling thru
toowoomba in s.e. qld and looking to stop somewhere, let me know and i will try line you up with my brother who has an acre so plenty of room for you there. they have some interests that are in common with you including hillsong. from memory it may not be on your intended route though??
everything happens for a reason so hopefully its all good news after this. plenty of time now if the budget allows to sail with dolphins, go whale watching, do some fishing etc etc and get that bonnet up to date while you wait for the repairs. just save your cash and dont go on a fishing charter there - thats where we did our dough at xmas. all the family here is thinking of you and hoping its incident free travelling from here on in
cheers mick
AnswerID:
359722
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 07:59
Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 07:59
Thanks Mick,
It would have been a lot worse if it happened at the tip. Thanks for the heads up on your brother. When we come back down that may be an option. We are waiting for the repairs to be done and the final bill but we think we will still make it to the tip. Maybe without some of the side trips though. Hope things are going
well for you guys, thanks
Josh
FollowupID:
627745
Reply By: Madfisher - Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 20:44
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009 at 20:44
Sorry to hear of your bad news Josh. Hope it works out for you. Love your photo of Tassie and tangtantra.We where their(Tangtantra) at Xmas and again in March this year.
Keep your chin up
Cheers Pete
AnswerID:
359733
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 08:04
Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 08:04
Thanks Pete,
We love Tassie, it is a great place. We will be back there in about August (if we make it LOL). It amazes me how many
places there are like tangtantra around. It was great there.
Thanks
Josh
FollowupID:
627748
Reply By: Member - Paul W- Esq (VIC) - Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 21:39
Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 at 21:39
Yup i know exactly how you feel. my Hugs'n'Kisses cried for 3 days when the cruiser blew the motor last year on our way to the Cape, we were all fine but our 6 week holiday was ruined and came to a holt in
Birdsville. maybe dont just patch her up as you may come unstuck much further into the trip and not so easy for a recovery or repairs/rebuild
AnswerID:
359884
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (VIC) - Friday, Apr 17, 2009 at 18:27
Friday, Apr 17, 2009 at 18:27
hi Paul,
The old girl is in the workshop being stripped and rebuit as we speak. Hopefully ready by next wednesday, then I just have to work out how to pay for it LOL.... It is being done properly. I figured the rig is set up exactly how we want for travelling so if we fix it now it should be good for another lap. My wife said today "one day we will say remember when the engine blew up in coffs and we will laugh about it, I'm not laughing quite yet but maybe one day I will.
Josh
FollowupID:
627933