MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: lilstookie on May 24, 2012, 03:27:23 PM
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For those that are aware and following our adventures on the road. We have been rained out, we have been bogged in mud and had electrical gremlins.
On overcoming the gremlins, getting out the bog and making it to cairns the car developed a strange metallic noise.
On investigation it seems the timing belt has jumped a tooth and buggered the valves.
For old jack this is probably the end of the road.
Or is it ............
After spending $1500 getting all the belts and bearings done at the Holden dealer we are now in heated discussions due to their poor workmanship and failure to replace the tensioner. They have accepted its a mistake on their part and will look into what can be done.
We are now stranded in cairns camped up in a mates back garden with no tug.
We are lucky we made it here otherwise we would be really stuck.
Unfortunately a winch won't help here "LOST" lol
So for the wandering jocks trip of our lifetime it looks like we are in limbo to wait on the outcome of the car.
For the tech heads.
Both heads are ****ed and it needs a reco on the top end.
But after calling and discussing with Holden in my best Scottish accent we may be getting them to cover a reco.
Fingers crossed or blood may be spilled. ;)
Stookie
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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That really really sucks :( bad luck guys. Hope they sort it for you & you are back on the road in no time. Don't they say bad things happen in threes? If that's the case you should be right after getting this sorted.
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Bigger!
More dodgy dealing with dealers!
I know how you feel. Remain calm and don't let the stress ruin your trip.
You will regret it later if you bail out now. I know I did.
my situation was a bit different, but not much, quite similar.
Kick myself now I didn't stick it out and attempt to carry on.
Keep us updated.
Hoping all goes well.
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Darn it. Stuck in the tropical north in Winter ... with nothing to do? That sucks ... NOT! You could be back here working your chops off.
And ... umm ... where is the COMPLIMENTARY REPLACEMENT CAR FOR ALL THE INCONVENIENCE? >:D
Just a thought ...
Kit_e
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After spending $1500 getting all the belts and bearings done at the Holden dealer we are now in heated discussions due to their poor workmanship and failure to replace the tensioner. They have accepted its a mistake on their part and will look into what can be done.
thats phukt.
You should telll them your stuck in a $200 a night motel, and they should pay for it...
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thats phukt.
You should telll them your stuck in a $200 a night motel, and they should pay for it...
If I can get them to pay to repair I think I be doing well. You know how they have a way of wriggling out on some clause.
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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The mechanic looking at the car said that the Holden dealer in warragul is lucky I'm 3,000 km away as he was not keen on giving me the bad news in case I went mental.
Lol you gotta wonder why people think Scottish people are crazy deranged angry people.
I was cool calm and collected. ;)
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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Thats sad to hear guys, hope it works out for the best for you.
We where in Cairns yesterday doing a cleanup of the car and camper after the Cape, was wondering where you may have been and if we'd cross your path.
:cheers:
Nomadic
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Sorry mate I spent the day in oil and grease working out what went wrong.
Lil is a bit gutted as an I but we have a spot and it's all going to work out.
Get some work and fix it or buy another tug. Lots go cheap up here
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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Hang in there guys, there are a hell of a lot of worse things that can happen. You'll work something out, and in a week or two it'll just be another story!
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Listen, this could have happened in somewhere much less pleasant, like Queanbeyan or Guyra. The setback is regretable but it's part of your adventure. I hope it works out for you soon, and cheaply.
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She'll be right ;) thanks for the support guys.
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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I can't believe they changed a timing belt and never changed the tensioner ???
Sorry to hear that mate. Keep at them >:(
:cheers:
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If this had happened last week, we wouldn't be as cool, calm and collected. We had the belts done at a Holden dealer just in case something went wrong...our $100 or so insurance policy (ie. spending a fraction more with the dealer) should look after us. If not, the family lawyer and mad Scot should be a big help ;)
The plan was to stop in Cairns for a while to top up the bank balance. We may be here longer than planned now but, as already mentioned, there are worse places to be stuck!!
Lil :)
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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Bugger......Hope all get sorted with minimal fuss......
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Things could be a lot worse such as stuck half way up the Cape and it happening. In time you will look back and say what a bummer while sitting on the edge of a beautiful creek having a wine and taking in the serenity :cup:
Mark
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If it all goes to pot and the dealer wont ante up the reco, you only need say two words-
" Current Affair"
They jump on this sort of injustice.
Good luck with the Jack though. I had a V6 rodeo, about an 04 model. Sent it into the dealer for a service where someone filled the engine sump with transmission fluid. From there until the engine was replaced 5000km later, it was using 5 litres of oil per 1000km. They replaced the engine, no questions asked.
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There is always the fallback option.
Bagpipes and claymore.
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Things could be a lot worse such as stuck half way up the Cape and it happening. In time you will look back and say what a bummer while sitting on the edge of a beautiful creek having a wine and taking in the serenity :cup:
Mark
X 2 :cup:
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Mate, seriously, sing out if you need anything. Us local FNQ's are always happy to help our fellow Southerners.......Good unseasonal rain we are getting at present.......:-)
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I will second that Teabag, although I am not to happy about the rain though, the grass is green enough already, it will just mean I will have to mow it again.
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Our mates in cairns reckon its our doom and gloom cloud that's following us.
We where expecting no rain and a nice 28.
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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Mate, seriously, sing out if you need anything. Us local FNQ's are always happy to help our fellow Southerners.......Good unseasonal rain we are getting at present.......:-)
+1 - hope it works out quick and painless for you. As the others have said, it's disheartening now, but it's all part of the adventure to look back on later. Your options are good, just need to work through them and go from there. As you've found, there's always heaps of 2nd hand 4WDs in the yards up here, as a worst-case scenario.
Hope the dealership can get it fixed - I'm assuming it's in at Irelands?
Good luck guys!
Matto :)
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I hope it all works out for you.
If your looking for another car, Cairns is not to bad a place to be in. A lot of backpackers end the trip in Cairns. Sometimes you can pick up a bargain. Like mate picked up GQ diesel wagon for 3k, Not a cracker wrong with it and he has done another 50k kms with it.
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Some good news. The car is in at the reco centre on spence st with Keith.
He seems pretty decent.
After discussing direct with dayco who make the timing belt kit they will be sending up a kit free of charge.
The mechanic said that the timing belt tensioner that the dealership failed to replace has sh1t itself and the belts jumped a tooth. Due to it being a big isuzu engine no valve damage has occurred so a new tensioner and belt will be fitted and we should be on the road Tuesday.
I will be discussing with Holden to pay for the labour on fixing and a masdive thanks to david at dayco for donating the parts for something that was not their fault but the idiots at holden.
We are so relieved at the outcome and I'm feeling quite pleased I managed to diagnose the issue without all the wiz bang gadgets at the workshop.
Stookie.
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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good news dude..
bad things happen in 3's, your in the clear now
http://www.notgoodenough.org/ (http://www.notgoodenough.org/) if you are so inclined on the dealer.
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I spoke to the dealer principal today.
He got the nice and calm jay then when getting a bit pushy because we got the bit for free he got the nasty scot.
So they will pay labour charge and we are back to normal with exactly what we paid for.
Mother in law is a lawyer and one of those ones with a sting too.
Especially when it's family.
God help em if they don't come through.
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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Keep pushing ... Well done. :cup:
Mark
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being a big isuzu engine no valve damage has occurred
I was a bit confused when they said the heads could be knackered. The 3.2 and 3.5 Izuzu engines do not have piston/valve clash even if the timing belt breaks. The engine will just stop. Not changing the tensioner with the belt was just dumb. They wanna hope they didn't charge you for a new one when they did the belt. I'm sure they will cop a Bravehearting if they have.
I hope the rest of adventure is hassle free.
:cheers:
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Glad you have had some good news, hope it all continues to go well.
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Hey Stookie,
Sounds now like things are on track. Hopefully you'll be on your way come Tuesday and you can enjoy the rest of your holiday incedent free!
Look forward to reading the rest of you adventures once they happen - this has just been one of them :cheers:
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Yes indeed this is something to write about. Just another adventure
The Isuzu is a free spinning engine sp the shouldn't or couldn't ever be valve damage. But me being a hack and him being a mechanic I didn't want to argue.
I was right anyway ;)
Will let you know how it goes.
Thanks everyone for the support.
Stookie
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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The mechanic got the parts and put the car back together.
On doing his final check of the belts he cracked the timing belt pulley and snapped it.
These bits are no longer made and he is trying to locate one from a wreckers.
One did arrive from a wrecker and it was damaged in transit.
So here we are almost a month on.
No car.
However ! Stookie got a job working for Honda so we may as well make some money whilst we wait.
Sent from my brain using my fingers.
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There is a lot to be said for getting a Toyissan I suppose, they may not in reality be more reliable, but at least parts are everywhere.
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Well the weather is fantastic so there is a positive.
Mark
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Hope you find the parts soon, well done on getting employment at least that will top up the traveling fund.
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SO the jackaroo is back on the road.....new metal cam pulley so its not going to snap.
New belts and tensioner, new pulley and seals.
Dayco in Melbourne have supplied all the bits free of charge.
Holden in Warragul have offered to refund the money we paid for a cam belt and the labour approx $484.
After paying another $1039 to get the car fixed after their F**kup Im not happy with that.
I had hoped they would have paid the bill in Cairns but out of sight out of mind.
So I wrote an Email to Holden customer service and got a call from a girl who was pretty disgusted that I knew more about the Holden engine than the dealer working on it.
She is going to discuss it with the area manager and see what else can be done, but she cant promise anything but she does understand our point and is on our side.
It took me 10min to locate a kit with seals, tensioner and belts.
Holden said it didnt exist and would only use genuine parts and then fitted Dayco belts (aftermarket)
TWATS.....!!!!!
anyway will let you know how I go.....Ive not lost my temper yet so Lil is very happy.....
Stookie
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So now you're motor-vated again what's next?
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Good to hear the 'roo is back in action, hope Holden come thru for you and hope the rest of the trip in uneventful vehicle and camper wise that is ;D
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So now you're motor-vated again what's next?
LOL! Yes ... what's next?
Kit_e
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You will be able to head to the cape now with the Myswag crew.
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You will be able to head to the cape now with the Myswag crew.
As much as we planned for it I think we will go another time when our luck is running higher.
After all the good Karma we have put out its surely going to come back soon.
Im working now to catch up on what we lost staying in cairns and paying all over again.
Top up the bank and take it easy for a while.
There are worse places than cairns to be stuck.....like townsville...... ;D
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There are worse places than cairns to be stuck.....like townsville...... ;D
With that attitude, you'd pretty much pass for a Cairns local. :cup:
Glad to hear it's all better. I hope Holden come to the party for the costs. Still, even if it doesn't get any better, at least the truck is fixed and you have recouped some of the costs.
Despite suffering through the mould and flooding, you've had some of the best Cairns weather to enjoy over the past month! Pity you had to get jobs - I wish I didn't have mine at this time of year.
Good luck!
Matto :)
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Have some or the Cairns locals stopped by to keep your spirits up?
Any myswaggers been to see if they can help you settle in a little easier after your recent issues?
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Have some or the Cairns locals stopped by to keep your spirits up?
Any myswaggers been to see if they can help you settle in a little easier after your recent issues?
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Good to see it has gone well mate
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Hello Hello Cruisindub Cruisindub what happend there ? what happend there ? lol lol ;D ;D
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We met teabag, barrabart has offered to go fishing and mcgirr ( cape tours) has also helped out with advice when needed.
Good bunch of guys in cairns but everything has been via myswag so far in way of communication.
Since lil is a supermodel and I'm Scottish meeting people often end in them falling in love with lil and hating me.
Lol
Stookie.
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Hello Hello Cruisindub Cruisindub what happend there ? what happend there ? lol lol ;D ;D
Dunno what happened there.? Two posts the same within 2 hrs of each other(to the absolute second) might be a myswag issue?
anyway, at least my message got through.