Lilstookie and life on the road gone wrong.

[lilstookie]

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.

[Sicilianmama]

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.

[cruisindub]

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.

[Kit_e_kat9]

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?   

Just a thought ...

Kit_e

[Bird]

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...

[lilstookie]

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.

[lilstookie]

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.

[nomadic]

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.

Nomadic

[lilstookie]

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.

[heath74]

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!

[BigJules]

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.

[lilstookie]

She'll be right thanks for the support guys.



Sent from my brain using my fingers.

[sol]

I can't believe they changed a timing belt and never changed the tensioner 
Sorry to hear that mate. Keep at them 

                                                           

[lilstookie]

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.

[Teabag]

Bugger......Hope all get sorted with minimal fuss......

[McGirr]

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

Mark

[Jon]

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.

[Estelle]

There is always the fallback option.

Bagpipes and claymore.

[becboo]

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

Mark

X 2

[Teabag]

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.......:-)

[jclures]

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.

[lilstookie]

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.

[Matto]

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

[outbackjack]

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.

[lilstookie]

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.