Plan 'A' was to head to Cox Penisular, just as well we are very flexible and go with the flow!
After 9 days at Port Roper it was time to top up the water tanks. Good fresh filter water at Toll Gate Creek was perfect. Rigged up our 12 volt pump and 40 minutes later full tanks.
Cruised up the Roper Hwy, meet Barry & Heather at Mt Price rest area they were returning to Port Roper from a delivery and shopping run to Katherine. Barry being an ex- diesel machanic Ihad him have a look at the air con. compressor. He picked up on the oil around the air filter inlet and outlets, which I had noticed a week before. Any way he reckoned to get it checked out in Darwin.
Now how did we end up at Cutta Cutta Cave's? Small world, we were going into the Post Office in Katherine and who should be there but my cousin Ian from Port Lincoln. "Yeah we are working here, Nola is at the local hospital and I am a camp ground yardy" So we stayed two days and visited the caves.
Nola, Ian & Sue. As Nola's niece's husband is working at Victoria River Downs it was a great opportunity to go visit the area and get access to the station.
So here we are on the WICKHAM RIVER 5K's long the navigable section, with small rapids each end.
Still water's! You don't realise it's flowing water until you get to the rapids.
We put our pots out for Cherabin 9fresh water crays) but just catching turtles so agve up.
We had to push the tinnie under to log to get to the rapids.
Great swimming hole, no Croc's they tell us!
Jackie Camp - the black fellow's had a camp here, well above flood level, we are camped in the river bed.
See what I mean, a lot of water come's thru here in the wet season.
Trying our luck at Pigeon Hole, black bream.
Shower, we got caught by a boat load of tourist, plus the family where from Port Lincoln would you believe it!. Their son is working for Heli Muster.
Carla & Peter's kids - Connor & Bec. Over for a BBQ
Connor had collected a mountain of fire would so we just had to burn it!
Old abandon F250, got some useful hose clamps!
Great having a camp fire!
Peter's work hangar, they service all their helicopter here, they have 30 odd spread over the top end, including WA.
Leaving VRD The "BIG RUN", it used to be the largest cattle station in the world!
Joe's Creek - on the Victoria Hwy, a real neat area and rock formations and palms.
Sue's favouites - BUG's!
Local art!
Leave it to your imagination ______!
Well we had taken Barry's advice, plus the Land Cruiser was running a bit rough that morning anyway, thought it would warm up and be okay. Had Humpty Doo Diesel's look at it, he undid the fuel line, unable to determine which cylinders were crook, but reckoned there was imminent problems with rings. Checked out an Engineering firm he use's for engine rebuild's. Yep, rings we can start Thursday a week to re-build. (This was Tuesday)
So went and hooked up our Bushtracker from Hughes Air Field a WWII strip 50k's from Darwin to relocate to the Shady Glen Caravan Park. As it happens, the rebuilder was just around the corner - literally. We were over the last long incline into Darwin and 15k's from our destination and klunk, pop and no more engine!. Got RACQ on the line, they soon got the ball rolling. Repco (AANT Rep.) confirmed the engine blown. Not much longer and "Citywreckers" to the rescue.
______ It sure could have been a lot worst. We could have been out in the middle of no-where, or stuck blocking a track somewhere, the mind boggles.
The thankfull thing is it was only the engine damaged, not US!
Engine damage - three pistons, 2 cracks in the head, one bore required a sleeve all the other's bored out 1mm, the bearings where okay.
The only thing they could find that may have contributed to the engine failure was the o-rings and grommets were missing from the AIR CLEANER, thus sucking in DUST! That will do it for sure on the dusty roads we have traversed over the last two years.
Don't ask about the bill, "It's only MONEY"!!
No this is what a Turbo 4.5 ltr diesel engine looks likes in bit's. One week later (working days) it was all back together and just needed a fine tune on the Dyno Machine - six weeks should give them time to get it fined tuned.
Stayed tuned for the next installment!
Cheers
