Jeeper6 Cape Trip...

[Jeeper6]

I'm back...but sadly not as I anticipated! (sorry long post)

I did the CREB Track and the whole of both north and south sections of the Old Telegraph Track.
Was bags of fun, though a bit hairy at times with some quite tough and gnarly tracks. Once you are committed there is no turning back.

The Jeep went really well, I had no idea what to expect of their Traction Control system on the muddy gnarly rutted steep ascents on both the CREB and OTT, but it did work well.

At times I could even hear the brakes squeal as they locked a wheel while scrambling for traction. The only let down was the lack of articulation in the suspension which saw regular big wheel lifts with traction loss.
It took all creek crossings without any drama...many of the crossings had a very steep entry in to muddy water before leveling out to drive out in a sandy & boggy wombat hole filled exit.

Palm Creek, the very first crossing after Bramwell was the indicator of what was to come...was all good sliding in, but I had to get pulled up the last few metres getting out as the wombat holes were just too deep for the suspension to handle in the Jeep...that said, plenty of Jap stuff needed to be pulled up as well.
(Same at two other exits, I needed a tow the last couple of metres...3 assisted exits over all 20 odd crossings)

I did get hung up badly at Mistake Creek on a ledge which took an hour with jacking and a winch out to free me...that's a whole story on it's own...lol

I've got footage of the Jeep going down the "chicken" track at Gunshot...which is no "chicken" track! Almost a vertical entry in to mud and water. A couple of crossings see the back end get very light with the rear wheel just touching ground....plus footage of some other crossings, shame I can't post it here. I'll try to put some up on You Tube and post the link over the next few days.

Over all there were 16 creek and river crossings on the OTT, and I think there was 6 on the CREB, with one major one of course on the CREB right at the start being the Daintree River...that was a near floating event!
I read another post here of some one saying Jeeps don't float...well yes they will! The door seals are pretty good at keeping dust and water out.

I have to sadly report, I did have a very major issue though, the snorkel that Murchison had fitted for me leaked water going through the final crossing at Nolan's Crossing at Bridge Creek.

It seemed ok when I left home as I checked that it would stall the engine when the intake was covered...plainly what has happened on the badly corrugated crappy roads heading up the PDR, is something was not properly tightened and has come adrift inside the guard out of sight and allowed water to get in.

The water has been sucked in and likely hydraulic-ed a cylinder and caused a big end to fail.
It started to make a noise as I exited the crossing...like tappet noise as it seemed high in the engine. (Speaking to Anthony at 7 Slot today he said the noise of a crook big end in the VM sounds a bit like tappet noise.)

When I opened the air box after the crossing the air cleaner element was soaked, and the air box was full of water...plus there was water visible in the hose on the turbo side of the intake. Not happy Jan...

Soooo...spent the next day camped at Nolans letting things dry out, I unfortunately did get water inside too as I was stuck in the creek for a couple of minutes. I replaced the air filter element and had dried out the air box and hoses hoping it would be ok...it wasn't.
I threw in some Morey's and started the engine again to drive out on Wednesday morning and the noise was still there...I drove a few hundred metres, it drove OK but the noise was there, so I activated the SRT gauges on to PSI to check oil pressure, and the oil pressure gauge read zero....the end of the line for the Jeep.

I did say I have an aversion to tilt trays didn't I...well I had to be towed out of Nolans by my mate, then picked up on the PDR at the Nolans turn off by a tilt tray which carried me over the Jardine River on the Ferry to Bamaga where the Jeep is now sitting at the RACQ yard.

I rented a crappy Mitsubishi Triton 4wd ute at Bamaga and drove the final 35k's to the tip though with the other blokes....no way was i going to miss that standing at the top.

Lots to do now to get the car back. Waiting for my Insurer to decide whether they'll fix it or write it off. Personally I reckon they'll write it off as the cost of an engine repair on one of these things is nuts being it is either a new crate motor...if you can get one, parts are not available...or fit a pre loved second hand engine...if you can get one.
If they do write it off I have asked already for salvage rights, It might cost me a bit to get it back but there is way too much gear on it to let it go to some wrecking yard.

Would I do it again in a WK2? No problem at all, the WK2 is definitely up to it. You do need a lift and decent rubber, and I definitely wouldn't do it without a winch unless you travel with another vehicle that has one...and, I'd be making sure the snorkel is 100% air tight and water proof if doing the OTT...

[Troutman]

Sounds like an adventure mate, sorry to hear of the terminal engine. Hope it sorted for you ASAP.

[Colm]

Aww mate what a terrible end,
Does sound like it was a blast though and the GC performed quite well overall.

If Murchinson fitted the snorkel and it leaked then it was not fit for purpose, but i suppose that between your insurance company and Murchinson.

Hope it all works out for you mate.
Looking forward to the pics and videos.

[FARWEST]

Now there's a story !!!

[drover]

Mate I feel for you 100%, the leaking snorkel isn't as rare as you may think, son's mate dropped by a week ago after the Canning and his had cracked on his 79 and one on sons trip along the Madison did as well ..................

Now you know why I much prefer live axles and leaf springs, they will leave these independant jobs for dead every time, the Jeep suspension didn't fail you its the same with all of these independant suspension jobbies...............

Proper Landrover on the cards now ????

[Jeeper6]

Thanks all for the commiserations...not sure yet what to replace Larry Laredo with now, I liked that Jeep and it is a bit like losing a First Born having it break.

I do have a van to tow and have plans to travel. No way would I go any where near a Jap dual cab, and I have difficulty considering any Jap 4wd for that matter.

Now that I have done these two "iconic" tracks I don't really need to prove anything more with the WK2.
I was talking to another bloke at Coen who was on his way back with a similar Jeep to mine. He only did the Southern section and did damage the front of his on a drop off...though was overall pretty happy with the way the Jeep performed.

Many don't do the Northern section of the OTT at all as all the crossings on a scale of 1 - 10 are at least a 7 I reckon.

I did see a Wrangler at Nolans, and one other WK2 at the tip...they had driven the full PDR and not the OTT.

The corrugations were a killer, everybody without fail commented they were the worst they had aver seen...even the tilt tray driver!

Within a couple of years the majority of the PDR will be sealed, as it is now there are many sections done...you do get about 10k's of good bitumen road with about 20 - 30 k's of rough gravel between.
There is work at Archer River going on now which will see probably 10k's either side sealed shortly.
The Government was supposed to have sealed at least 10k's South of Jardine River by now but the late WET slowed that down.
There was money available to put a bridge at Jardine River up until recently too, but hasn't been done due to some Bureaucratic bungling apparently.

The 40k's from Jardine River Ferry isn't too bad and that will be sealed soon too.

So the Tip will become much more accessible for all in a few years...

Locals at Bamaga and Seisia don't want it sealed all the way apparently as they like the isolation...go figure.

[humdingerslammer]

Oh shit... that's not good!!

I have read about this thing happening because people believe that the snorkels are air and water tight once fitted. My understanding is to seal them at every join etc with heat tolerant silicone.... can't go wrong with silicone