Another holiday stuffed JGC sprung a coolant leak.

[Ed..]

Been planning a road trip holiday to Airlie beach and Cairns on my wedding anniversay for over a year and a half, hit the road and stopped at Rockhampton overnight, took off in the morning heading to Airlie Beach, just before we reached Sarina where we parked to have a break and a coffee, got back to the car and noticed several litres of coolant under the drivers side.

At that point I realized my holiday was trashed. Pulled the bonnet and found the coolant reservoir was half full. Made it to the dealer in Mackay, their Jeep specialist mechanic had a quick look at it and said, they were booked out for two weeks so can't fix that issue any time soon plus will need to order the parts. Didn't know what parts were required as they will have to start pulling things apart to find the leak.

So we found a hire car, unloaded all our gear from the Jeep and stayed overnight in town. Headed out at 5:30am next morning and arrived home about 10 hours later, unloaded the hire car, stayed overnight and took off again at 5:30am to drive back to Mackay to return the hire vehicle. (Due to the school holidays, we couldn't get a one way hire).

Hopped on the train to go home but all the bed seats were booked out so spent the next 10 hours overnight in an upright awake position. To say that I am stuffed would be an understatement.

Now have to repeat when the car is fixed and go back by train to Mackay to pick it up and drive back home again. Jeeps legendary reliability has shown up again.
Not happy Jan!!!

[FARWEST]

Bugger....more than a bit late now, but, there are a few very handy diesel shops in Mackay...may not have 'JEEP' on a stick out the front...but...a car is a car.
Sorry to hear it let you down in full.
Have seen 'umpteen' newish Patrols on the back of tray tops or 'hooked up' with a van in tow to a tray top since I got home from my 'adventure'....not sure why so many ???...most had a BIG off road van attached

[Jeeper6]

Really sorry to read that your holiday was trashed...though in reality it could have been any 4wd that let you down.

Too bad you weren't able to get a second opinion as it may have been some thing that could have been sorted fairly easily, but Dealers of any make don't care much...just join the queue as far as they care.

Thing is too, Mechanical Workshops anywhere are just flat out making it almost impossible to have work done within a day or two...

Maybe you could get a lift with some one going to Mackay when you need to head back up instead of taking a train?

[drover]

Bugga of a trick and I feel for you, I do think its piss poor that they couldn't tell you what was leaking, its not really that difficult..... Of course Jeep will have to order parts even if they are sitting on the shelf at Repco, they seem to never have stock on hand...
Keep us up to date as to how you get on.

Just pulled up by nice flowing river for a few days, bonnet up and torch inspection of suspect places, no matter what the vehicle I like to keep an eye on things....

[Ed..]

They did mention that it may be the turbo coolant pipe or the hose in the motor valley, I am hoping for the former as that should be easier to fix, anyway I will find out in due course. Fortunately we have the wife's car at home so not totally wheel less while we wait.

Is there a list on here of good mechanics in that area?

Actually it would probably be handy if a sticky thread was started up with locations Australia wide, showing a list of good mechanics/shop names and numbers so that anyone else in a similar position could just look them up and head towards them. So if anyone knows of any good mechanics they could just add them to the list.

[drover]

I hate to say it BUT the turbo coolant pipe and the hose in the valley are one and the same, if it is I would be finding elsewhere to get a fix as Jeep will want to replace the same part, not just replace with a superior bit of hose but with the whole very expensive line making the job very expensive and of course time consuming..... It could end up being cheaper to get it on a truck and dropped at 7 Slot Offroad at Ormeau, at least if it is the valley hose they will replace the hose with a better bit ...

https://sevenslot.com.au/contact/

While I have never used them they do have a good rep, don't know anyone up Mackay way though but sure to be someone if not there at least around Rocky that a good spanner man.

[bjm]

Originally Posted by drover

I hate to say it BUT the turbo coolant pipe and the hose in the valley are one and the same, if it is I would be finding elsewhere to get a fix as Jeep will want to replace the same part, not just replace with a superior bit of hose but with the whole very expensive line making the job very expensive and of course time consuming..... It could end up being cheaper to get it on a truck and dropped at 7 Slot Offroad at Ormeau, at least if it is the valley hose they will replace the hose with a better bit ...

https://sevenslot.com.au/contact/

While I have never used them they do have a good rep, don't know anyone up Mackay way though but sure to be someone if not there at least around Rocky that a good spanner man.

As my old mate Richard Cluely in Jeeps R Us in Coffs says a good week is one
without doing a leaking WK valley coolant pipe. .!Probably doing threea month,
got it down pat !