I flew to Wellywood yesterday to collect my new (old 1996) commy wagon and drive to back to Papakura. Yes a road trip
. Was passing thru Plimmerton and saw a O.E tourist hitchhiking thought why not empty wagon and all, turned out to be a young lady from Germany
and she has been in NZ for 7months. She didn’t know where to start for her OE and heard so much from her extended friends and family about NZ
she decided to start here and is have a blast except for our crap summer weather
. talking away and missed the SHway1 turn to Waiouru
and found myself in Whanganui
looked at map and as the las was heading to Hamilton to meet with friends I suggested that we head into the Naki area rather then the supper windy SHway4 option. all good but as we approached Patea a noise developed
. sounded like exhaust mount loose, stop to investigate but could not find anything. carried on and as the noise disappeared thought no more it come back at Hawera so concluded it was something to do with slowing down to city speed limits and possibly coming from transmission
Stop again but all fluids were still all good etc and with no tools on board and with still 400+ ks to go carried on. In between yaking and what not the German las was talking to her mates and found that they were heading to New Plymouth on Monday to catch up with others who were already there. I mentioned the story about grey clouds with silver linings and said I was able to drop her off at Inglewood were its only a 10 minute ride thru to New Plymouth
By this stage the noise was coming and going so I was on the phone to mates up home to maybe start out a Rescue Rohan Operation (RRO)
After saying fairwell to my traveling companion and good luck for the rest of her stay I started to concentrate on my own problems
with the thought of having to transverse the Mt Messenger ranges and Awakino gorge infront of me
. the noise was now only developing under hard excelaration so with gentle throttle I was able to get over the mount and onto Te Kuiti
.
With many progress reports to my missus on how I was travelling, I limped back to Papakura. Just glad the RRO did not have to be engaged.
When I collected the car the tank was on empty and I filled it with 61ltrs of 91 gas.
I travel just under 700ks over a 9 hr straight drive and the tank needle is just above empty some where between E and 1/8th mark. With an average open road speed of 90 to 95 ks
Quick math is around 9ltrs per 100ks with isn’t too bad as I was expecting to travel at around 13 to 14ltrs per hundred, I must take into account it was all open road travelling and no city work but the figures are still looking impressive to me
Now I have to get her onto the hoist and find that noise
), doing a 4wd tour around the island while i stay there for 2 nights, heading back to the Sunshine coast and might have a look at some 4wd shops (arb, tjm etc), try find some goodies for the jeep to bring back!
it needs alot of work.
