We are currently in Gladstone, or should I say 'stuck' in Gladstone. We arrived here just under a week ago for the Cruiser to have one of its regular interim services (every 5,000 kms whilst we are towing). We chose Gladstone on the basis of the fact that about this time last year, when we detoured off The Bruce to have a fuel filter problem rectified, the staff at Bill Robertston Toyota here in Gladstone were so obliging that we were more than comfortable to give them more business.
More indeed!
Apart from replacement air filters (which did not surprise us), then came the nasty little revelations (which is precisely why we have these interim services done....it's a form of mechanical insurance) which have kept us here.
On Friday last our front right hand shock absorber was replaced, but that is only the beginning. The service inspection had revealed a suspicious oil leak at the rear of the engine. For those of you mechanically minded, I suspect you may have already guessed the problem.....our main rear seal is shot and must be replaced before we can safely continue further north.
So??? This task, for which the replacement part is a mere $95, will set us back nearly $800. What??? Sadly, to get at and replace this offending little circle of rubber, the engine and transmission have to be separated. This is a two day job which will require over 7 hours labour!
And, with Murphy's law to the fore, our good friends at Gladstone Toyota just happen to be flat out at the moment. In fact we were lucky to have had the service done when we did. The upshot of all this is that, whilst they have most obligingly rescheduled some work, we'll not be out of here until Thursday next (25 May), so our planned two day stay has now morphed into nine!
But needs must, and the thought of having toddled off regardless to later come to grief somewhere north of Rockhampton does not bear thinking about. Towing the rig to the nearest place of repair would have been a distinct probability, a decidedly unpleasant prospect.
So here we are. Having sat out the recent big rain which battered the better part of Queensland for a couple of days, and taken the opportunity to not only dry out but make some running repairs and alterations to the van (new carpets etc), we'll spend the next couple of days doing some serious Gladstone sight-seeing in the loan vehicle to be provided to us.
We are still on track to arrive in Bowen but a day later than planned and, after a week there shall be heading on to Forrest Beach (near Ingham) before making our way further north to stay with friends at Mission Beach and thence on to Kurrimine Beach for the 'winter'.
Our arrival date there remains unchanged at 12 June (at this stage!!!)
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