Healthy Sleep

Botswana 26 April to 3 May 2022

Bugger
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#46

Post by Bugger »

Don't worry the end will arrive soon
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BushWacker
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#47

Post by BushWacker »

… vasbyt min dae … ?
Last edited by BushWacker on Sat Jun 18, 2022 3:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
... Famous Fiver VoorLoper ...
... Veni Vidi Vici ...

Bugger
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#48

Post by Bugger »

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Saturday morning 7 May 2022
Was awake most of the night for obvious reasons
Got up early and started to.drain fuel out of the Long range tank with a 5L bottle to fill in main tank as main tank was low on fuel and my Fasset pump also packed up pumping fuel from bottom to top.
So when I get the bus started it is 1 way to the Border.LOL

After I moved 35L I started to get stuck in to engine bay to get the bus running again.
Gone through everything again
Got Spark out of the coil
And if Renay switch the ignition on there is fuel pressure. But engine will not start.

Cleaned out the Airfilter that was very cloged with dust and even removed the air pipe at the Throttle body.

The Starter relay also started to pack up from the salty water it got in so I just bridged the wires to give power to the Starter solenoid and crank the engine.

Andreas walked over to "Hold the Torch" and I showed him spark is there when cranking the engine
And fuel pressure when ignition is switched on.
He held the Torch for me and we checked for power with test light on all the major items.
Even said to him it is looking like he is going to tow me to Palapye to get my PCR Results and then to the Border just to get out of Botswana. Then from there I'll make a plan to get home. Stupid thoughts hehehe

Sprayed some Quick start in the intake pipe and engine wants to come to life.
So it points out it needs fuel.
Andreas the Torch bearer and I decided it could be the fuel pump not giving enough fuel pressure.


I jumped in under the bus with my spare fuel pump and started to loosen the clamps holding the pump.
Then my eye spot what I immediately knew what the problem was.
From the Silicone sealer I applied in the beginning of the trip on the Positive terminal
Touching the pump body and with the high salt contents of the pan mud the wire was corroded completely off with the the green acid slime found on a vehicle main battery terminals.

Barely touching either side so if Renay switch ignition on there is just enough power to run the pump and I get fuel pressure. But when we try and crank to start the engine the movement prevent the pump from getting power to pump fuel.

Man o man o man when I saw this I knew I'm driving the Syncro home.
Removed the Silicone and old wire. Extended the wire and a new push on terminal on and the engine Fired up.straight away.
Luckily I had a spare 4 pin relay in my spares and I rewired with new lugs on the wires and starter button worked again all fine.

Had to reconnect the air intake pipes and get everything secured in the engine bay in one hell of a hurry as the rest of the group were ready to leave Kharma Rhino sanctuary direction Back home.

Most of our stuff we just tossed back in to the bus from unpacking it to the Chalet.
2 ticks and we were mobile on the road.

I lead the convoy direction Palapye at a nice casual 80km/h and the bus feels good.
I called ahead and our PCR tests papers were ready at Palapye.
While the rest of the Group stopped for a quick WIMPY breakfast while Renay and I collected our test certificates and filled Fuel. Drove back to meet the group at Wimpy and get our French fries ordered where they basically just finished there brekkies and off we go to Martin's Drift Border post.

By now I was confident the engine would start if switched off and just before the border post everyone else topped up.there fuel ready to get home.

Got to the border control at Botswana side ant it was a breeze to get stamped out of Botswana.
Then to SA side and had to fill in COVID docs and I was first finish and took my paper to the "tent" to get checked and the guy ask how many in your group?
I said 6 and he gave me a torn off piece of paper that he just wrote the number 6 down this was our covid clearance for 6 people without even checking any ones info.

I was actually peed off going through all this shit the previous day and the morning to get the PCR certificates.
But all good we all sailed through in a heart beat and back in SA.
Man it is awesome to visit neighboring countries but just as nice to be back in your own.

We took the more casual via Lephalale stopping at the fancy new garage for biltong again and at Kranskop Engen we waved every one goodbye.
I stopped and did a quick vehicle check and Manny for some Roomys and off we are on the way home with actually very little traffic.

Arrived home with a surprise welcome from the kids in our bedroom with chocolates and balloons. They obviously missed us as much as we them. Then unpacked everything out of the bus that I can take the bus for a proper chassis pressure clean and inside vacuum and wash Sunday morning. And do a proper mechanical check and repairs and upgrades.
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Bugger
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#49

Post by Bugger »

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Sunday 8 May
Early morning I was at the car was around 8am it took the guy with the pressure cleaner about 45 minutes to give the chassis a decent wash. The whole time I left the engine running as the starter was not sounding to happy aswell as my Alternator bearings from the pan journey.
This was now the 2nd mud wash the bus recieved with the mud turning in to liquid cement running in to the separation oil catching tanks.
Gave the bus a decent wipedown and vacuum inside.
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Bugger
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#50

Post by Bugger »

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9 May Monday
The morning i removed the Alternator and sent it back to Auto electrician for new bearings.
Re installed the Alternator and engine noises were gone and engine sounding good.
I had a Autovilla on my personal hoist so I could not put my Syncro on it straight away.
Eventually Friday my hoist was open and I wanted to start the bus to move it and put my syncro up un the hoist to remove all the protection skid plates as I knew there would be alot of Mud still hiding away.

Starter dead as a door nail.
Pushed the bus to the hoist and jacked it up to have better access to pressure clean more.
My one guys got stuck in with the pressure cleaner and Holy Moly I could not believe how much mud he managed to pressure wash out again.
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#51

Post by Bugger »

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Monday 17 May morning we removed the dead starter and my one guy removed all my skid plates to reveal alot of Mud stuck just above where the skid plates were.
On the pics you can actually see the abuse the one front skid plate took bent backwards
From being the lead vehicles and in a rush hitting holes and jumps.
Again I instructed our cleaning guy to get stuck in and pressure clean again.

Pictures attached tell the story.

So boys and Girls the wet season in the salt pans is no playground for a volksie bus unless you want to make alot of work for yourself.

Thanks for our group kamaraderie sticking together and helping one another with challenges as that is actually what makes the trip Special.

I'm busy going through my bus prepping it for the next adventure and doing few upgrades

Over and out
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Paul#25
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#52

Post by Paul#25 »

Thanks for your reports and photos. I suppose the moral of the story from your last posts is to stay out of the mud. As much fun as it might be to go spinning and drifting in the salty mud, it's going to cause you lots of work to get it cleaned off and stop the bottom of your vehicle rusting away.
The humble person makes room for progress; the arrogant person believes they’re already there.
2004 Disco 2 Td5

Bugger
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#53

Post by Bugger »

Paul#25 wrote:Thanks for your reports and photos. I suppose the moral of the story from your last posts is to stay out of the mud. As much fun as it might be to go spinning and drifting in the salty mud, it's going to cause you lots of work to get it cleaned off and stop the bottom of your vehicle rusting away.
Correct to say fun when you drifting in the mud but causes so much unnecessary headaches

If you look at the picture of the Brand new starter installed 5 days before the trip how rusted it is
That alone tell you a story

Other important fact is to drive a casual speed without pushing and damaging your Vehicle

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#54

Post by Bugger »

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Syncro Cox Camper
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And a few VW Air cooled Toys

Bugger
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#55

Post by Bugger »

https://youtu.be/nR1hRm83ylo


Alternator bearings rumbling

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#56

Post by Woolf »

Nice report! Thanks

Where did you get your chassis cleaned?
Are you planning to treat the underneath of the bus with anything? Tectyl, strip and paint, old oil?

Bugger
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#57

Post by Bugger »

Woolf the first clean was down the road from VdubTech

The other 4 is on my hoist at the workshop with our pressure cleaner

I have lubricated most open areas with Q20 spray

I want to.give the chassis another 2 pressure cleaning
Then I'll decide what to treat it with

I don't just want to spray it with chassis black
I need something rust preventative

Let's hear what the other guys suggest

Give me your options

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Paul#25
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#58

Post by Paul#25 »

Bugger please will you start a new thread on the subject. I think we can learn a lot from this with prevention and how to treat affected areas after the fact.
The humble person makes room for progress; the arrogant person believes they’re already there.
2004 Disco 2 Td5

AndreasR
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#59

Post by AndreasR »

Thanks for the comprehensive trip report Bugger.

Bugger
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#60

Post by Bugger »

AndreasR wrote:Thanks for the comprehensive trip report Bugger.
Happy birthday for Today Oom Andreas
5 Sept

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