1st update on the BIG TRIP
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:17
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Member - Andrew(WA)
Hi crew
Into the 4th week of the 4 month trip. Its been a wet, cold, dry and hot start!!!!
got drenched across the Nullabor late Sept and early oct. Had to dry out the camper in
Ceduna for a few days.
That wasn't the worst of it!. Left
Norseman heading East and made it about 50k's before the engine management light came on the car slowed down to @75km's/h.
To cut a long story short, it took me 4 days to cross the nullabor in squalls of around 50kn head winds at times and hail near the Nullabor road house!
The problem with the car turned out to be dirty fuel (Diesel for the GU 3.0TD)
I must have drained the filter 20 - 30 times before getting it replaced in
Ceduna. It was full of crap.
Anyway...all good now. Have done
Adelaide, the hills, Barossa,
Grampians, Great Ocean Road and the
Otways (fantastic)
Melbourne and currently in
Seymour.
It's all good.
the GU TD3.0 is towing a 1.2 ton Camper van, 3 kids and a load of of crap in the back. Wind direction is a huge factor in economy with this much weight. Worst fiqures would be around 650k's for both tanks. The best i'm not sure but I was surprised to get 830km's out of 106 litres with a combination of towing and not.
Towing was for the stretch from Warnambool to
Queenscliff on the GOR.
Off to
Canberra on Friday and then up to Fraser and beyond.
More later.
cheers
Andrew
Reply By: brian - Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:43
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:43
Tyre pressures ok ?????
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew(WA) - Sunday, Oct 26, 2003 at 14:44
Sunday, Oct 26, 2003 at 14:44
tyre pressures seem good. 40psi while towing.
Have Poly air bags in the rear coils and they have been worth their weight in gold. Stops all the bouncing and keeps a level ride. Strongly recommended,
Only trouble with the tyres is the Coopers being so 'directional'. They follow all cambers of the road and find myself always correcting the steering wheel to keep in straight. On the cement highways between Wadonga and
canberra..no worries. Nice and flat. anything other than perfect, the tyres really pick it up.
cheers
FollowupID:
25394
Reply By: Member - Bob - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 13:22
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 13:22
Sounds great Andrew.
Canberra though? At least by Friday the bloody FA18s will have stopped circling. We had one going all night last night. I don't know how it contributed to George W's security. I only hope it kept him awake too.Bob
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew(WA) - Sunday, Oct 26, 2003 at 14:46
Sunday, Oct 26, 2003 at 14:46
Arrived
Canberra 25/10.
Relatives here told about the F18's but they're gone now. Good timing!
Wish the rain would bugger off.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Alan - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 15:32
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 15:32
Life is not fair - I'm sitting at a desk working , you are cruising OZ !
Interesting your comments about the weather and head winds on the Nullabor- heard a story recently about several vehicles having transmission problems when towing caravans into head winds on the Nullabor - It appears they have set the "cruise" control and headed off , the head winds played havoc resulting in lengthy stays at the border until spares could be obtained. (Not sure what failed the cruise control or transmission - must have been transmission to stop them continuing) Many years ago I buggard the overdrive on my VL Commodore towing a boat - I now use the auto as a manual when towing and stay away from O/Drive.
Lunch break has finnished so its back to the grindstone , keep up with the reports and have a good trip.
Regards
Alan
AnswerID:
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Reply By: mick - Saturday, Oct 25, 2003 at 15:31
Saturday, Oct 25, 2003 at 15:31
Good to hear your off and running.
Hope to hear more about your trip as we are from
Perth and heading over east next year this time as
well towing a caravan. Be interesting to hear from you regarding fuel, etc etc as I have a 3.0TD as
well.
How bad were the head winds and are they normal this thime of year?
Anyhow Andrew enjoy it mate.
Mick
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew(WA) - Sunday, Oct 26, 2003 at 14:49
Sunday, Oct 26, 2003 at 14:49
Mick
keep reminding me. I am keeping a fuel log so will be able to give you a pretty acurate assessment when I get
home (around late January 04)
cheers
FollowupID:
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Reply By: mick - Monday, Oct 27, 2003 at 22:24
Monday, Oct 27, 2003 at 22:24
Andrew,
Which way are you going, and where.?
Love to get those figures of you and any other tips.
Enjoy
Mick
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew(WA) - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 17:58
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003 at 17:58
From WA headed across Nullabor to
Adelaide.
Did a bit of SA then into Vic.
Grampians and Great Ocean Road. Had a look around
melbourne then stayed with relies in
Seymour. Then went to Wadonga and had look around. (Nice spot)
Now in
Canberra off to
Sydney later in the week.
After that making our way to
Townsville for around 1/12. Stopping along the way of course at fraser and other attractions. back to WA late Jan 04.
I'll have all the figures for you then.
cheers
FollowupID:
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