LC 80 VX recovery

Departed Venus Bay and the Newton's 'SHACK' early - 0630hrs on the road and it’s raining – great the wipers are working!! Thanks to Clarrie's time and effort to source the fault. Arrive Minnipa 0740hrs, 0750hrs outside Cookeys welding – 0755hrs Cookey arrives. 20 minutes to get chine bar and lock nut on Hayman Rees done = $50 

Local tourist attraction plus the Concrete Silo's

Cookey welding up the Chime bar

Great friends by the time we left

Top up with fuel and visit Minnipa Ag Ctr on the off chance our cousin Linden was around – yep! He was in and wrapped we dropped by, coffee and biscuits then a brief tour.  Visit another rock we had not previously seen YARWONDUTTA ROCKS .

A by-gone era, and Sue did not fall OFF! 

Lower tire pressure to 30psi all round, soft ride, 60k’s from Mt Ive check bearing as I had adjusted whislt at Venus Bay, with right rear van very hot, must be the brakes, safe park on the road and adjust the brakes off 1-1/2 turns, 30k’s down the track check again and all’s well, cool hubs.

Arrived at Mt Ive around 1430hrs. Nick and Vera still onsite. Meet some new folks, Terry and Wendy – meet Terry when Brownie and his mates at Mt Ive on our 1^st visit in 07. (Googs Track tour) 

Happy hour turned into nearly 3 hours, Len arrived back from town.

Up early and used the stations WiFi – King Ash Bay road impassable according to the NT road conditions report.

Cherio’s station folks and a cuppa at the homestead with Len & Joy, one used Coopers tire & 6 packs of 8 KGW fillets – off in the rain at 1100hrs. Vehicle stopped just down the road, then again at the Submarine, started again okay.

Terry and his team constucted the SUB' If you happen to past, check out the small identifying plate on the sub.

 (Hint the Greenies and Traditional Owners will leave it alone!)

PMB 16 = Private Mail Box

Yardea Station sheep carting contractor stopped to assist

 Stopped again at 38 & 78k pump up fuel noticed air bubble under primer pump head – not sure what’s going on – sucking air thru the fuel filter and or dirty fuel?

Kinggoonya at 1645hrs – pub drinks $9, departed in the rain again! Vehicle hard to start and stopped again once more.

Finally camp 500mtr from the Sturat Hwy just on dark!

Early AM change out fuel filter, and vehicle running sweet, top up with fuel into main and sub tanks, no problems with either tank to Coober Pedy = 200k’s.

Cober Pedy = full fuel and off to Alice for supplies. 28k’s down the Hwy, vehicle stops again, same problem, rang Whiteheads – may be air sucking in thru the priming pump – yep!

Return to Coober Pedy – RAA guy not at his depot – rang back Whiteheads – got Barry, air or the fuel pump solenoids, told me where to look and give them a tap to open, plus wrap the priming pump with greased string to stop the air sucking in. All done and vehicle starts and runs sweet, off Again!! To follow-up with repairs in Alice, before the Easter shut down.

9.8k’s up the road again – pinging and engine slows, black smoke, bang and stop! Engine ruff as guts- BLOWN?  Remove oil filler cap, start engine and pumping air etc big time, off the engine quick, no oil in the air cleaner.

Called RACQ – got things moving – 20 minutes local RAA guy on site, yep! Done deal blown engine, truck returning from Port Augusta at Pimba about 3-1/2 hrs away.

Our 1st recovery vehicle - this OPAL miner kindly stopped to assist, but alas his winch would handle our LOAD!!

The flies will not BUGGER OFF! Even at this hour!

 Contact  RACQ again – vehicle recovery, and transport to Port Lincoln arranged, we have to pay caravan relocation cost - $880. Stuart Range CV Park overnight arranged.

1920hrs Patrick arrives with flat bed truck, 45 minutes to load vehicle and hook up van, had to use our hitch etc.

2044hrs – camped and a BEER /WINE!!

A falorn site - no vehicle, we had lot's of enquiries from the park residence why we where towed in etc. Yakked for several hours with various folks over the the day and half we were on standby for the rcovery vehicle . One fellow is running his 80 series on cooking oil / diesel blend and love's it!

0830hrs Kerry our recovery vehicle from Adelaide, arrived with some minor mod’s to the 7 pin plug for van lights. (camera clock out an hour)

 We departed at 0900hrs.  

65ks from Coober Pedy  another break down, sheared off wheel studs. I checked my supply but smaller as 6 studs not 5. Lucky to not roll the car with boat trailer, ground down brake backing plate and suspension.  

Fuel dip! Yep plenty! She'l be right, I have got 40 litres in Jerry can's and 135 in our tank.

Johnny from Taiwan pulled into the rest area 102ks north of Port Augusta on his 20” bicycle – loaded at least 50kg. Topped up his drinking water and gave him a cold lemon solo. Cycling from Melbourne to Darwin. 

 1630hrs arrive Port Augusta – refuelled in a very literal sence. Then off to camp at #550 – half way between Augusta and Whyalla. Cooked up KGW for us all. 3 beers with Kerry our driver and crashed 2100hrs.

All off loaded and parked at my brothers place in

 Port Lincoln

Start the task of finding out what the damage is. More than my tools will handle. Meanwhile is it econmical to repair? Found a 200 series on the net with all the extra's at a good price- sorry sold!

Geoff Whitehead Motors to busy pre-Easter to do anything. So chilled out, and still looking.

21st April - Thursday / Friday 0100hrs on the net (can't sleep)  Found 2008 VDJ78R GXL Troop Carrier on the net, just been posted 1830hrs on the Thursday with all the extra’s and more.  Rang the guy 0800hrs in Adelaide and booked 1^st viewing after Easter.

 Sneak preview!

Could not wait until after Easter - Saturday between Tiff's (my niece) wedding and reception, we booked flights to Adelaide for early Sunday and confirmed with Rob he was able to meet us at Adelaide airport - an hour later after checking out the vehicle and EXTRA'S we took it for a test drive down the West Beach.

DONE DEAL!!

All will be revealed in another BLOG

Surprise Birthday dinner at the Grove. Neil, Anthony & Tammy.

So much for my differential breather on the rear diff. - this hole about 6" from the insertion point into the diff.

Decision made! Uneconomical to repair, de-reg the vehicle at least get a few $ back as only just renewed the rego.

Removing the Gas tank - diesel gas system.

Wreckers want the vehicle for NIX! 6k if your lucky and only 12 - 16k for a good condition 80 series. Dismantle and aution on E-bay. Done a deal with my mechanic brother ( motor bike)  to dismantle and I will do all the research work and posting on E-bay.

Brother Ashley and Ali off to Western Australia looking for 'BULLION'

Tag along with the hunt club. Neils wife Teresa is a keen horse rider. We get to see some neat country and access to otherwise private property.

ROCKY & Teresa

Rocky in action & Teresa's flying

Borrowed some serious tools from my brother all single hex and a breaker bar 30" long. Ah! want need that, famous last works, I was still swinging on the breaker bar to break the manifold and head bolts.

On draining the oil we had an excess - like 5 litre's more than I ever change out. Now what's going on - Fuel injector pump seal? Filling up the sump with diesel, hence the lost of power and pumping air = damaged pistons - diluted OIL!

Advised by Barry Kotz to get the injectors checked - and sure enough the injectors stuffed, not attomising the fuel.

Magic!

More magic!  

All the jewlery is out of the engine bay. Whitehead Motors will pull the block and tranmission out

At 90 deg. without jack knifing, fantastic turning circle considering it's 800mm more than the 80 series. As we now have room in the Troopy for the Generator etc. The rather large box on the 'A' frame has gone giving us better access.

Yes, we have the Troopy and this is how tight it will turn in Ashley's back yard.

Boston Island sheep to market

Happened to on the Whalf when some salmon were around. Sue landed one!

Our cousin's Chris & Faye 'CHILLI' plant Sue raid's on a regular basis when we past thru

Its all out. A few minor bit's to get off to attach to the block and turbo.

Another Hunt Club meeting - Teresa's sister Tara also partakes

On a property near Arno Bay, and very wet. Got to use 4wd in manual - where's the AUTO!!  

Sue got to feed one of the lambs - Skinny I think this one's name.

Auto transmission cleaned up and ready for E-bay, the block under the trap.

Relocating stuff to Neil's place

All layed out. The tinnie and trailer will return to the Troopy.  

All ready chnged out the new Tires and put on some skinnies. Vehicle ready to roll down the hill into the new shed / car port when it's completed.

Our beloved 80 series VX final resting place