Drovers New Horse - RG Colorado

Drover

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Hhhrrrrrmmmmmm, I was on my phone lazing on the ocean shore when I started this little bit off, I was actually pertaining to a Working Bee for @DRW , at his new place of residence so he could expedite a gate, which he solely needs........first up he needs a fence to hang it from but might like a house in the paddock before the fence, mere detail though so since @Dobbie can't be trusted to tend Bar or line up a fence he could possibly still be barman as the pub is only 500 yds away, Dave can supervise the fence, @G Daddy is keeping @Dobbie occupied so all we need is some shovel movers, a couple of hammer and nail people and we are nearly there.......................Dave better line up the butcher for some steaks and book a dozen sites in that van park next door.......................we are on a roll here......................and totally off topic, has nothing to do with my Ute....
 

Drover

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So far the logistics seems to be covered very well, what about the construction side ???????? @Bluey is in that game..........and don't look at me I'm retired, remember....
 
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Drover

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:focus:......:drum:......................Had The Ute parked in a couple of carparks, in the sun and have found my little fan vent system actually keeps the temp inside the canopy at ambient,:cool: I'm surprised as I thought I would have needed to add another fan, so now I can go and sort out the wiring better and put a switch in for it, it doesn't draw any juice from the battery either as the solar panel covers it and the battery charge nicely so with the fridge running it won't be any drama..:congratulatory:............though the old 38 yr old Engel is getting near it's time I think, it doesn't want to cut out sometimes and will keep running, fridge is down to temp but it keeps chewing the power and won't stop..............another addition to the list.....:frusty:.
 

Drover

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Job done, added some switches so I can turn the fan or lights off, lights work on micro switches on doors, so if at beach for 6 hours they would be on unless I pulled a lead off, one of The To Do jobs done. Yay.... IMG_20170121_155647.jpg

Used an old junction box to hold all the messy stuff, was also thinking about some rain to test the front vent and bugger me, a beer later it comes down pussy cats and bow wows so went for a derb, confirmed my belief, water enters, not a lot but a revision is required, need a few days for the grey cells to formulate something inexpensive.

View of the reasonably tidy shed solar control room.......
.IMG_20170121_155747.jpg

Note the $7 digital volt meter. Tells me all I need to know............
 

Drover

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The Ute's fuel use towing Big Mal, 22ft, 2.8t on this run is around the 18lt/100km I was hoping for a bit less but over differn't terrain and driving style it remains about the same though I can get it higher with out much trouble...................I'm hoping new rubber in a week or so will improve it slightly but with 110,000km on the clock it could do with a visit to a Diesel Care shop for a good going over......... and I'm going to fit the tranny coooler I have in the shed at home when I get back, stinking hot days does make things work harder and I don't care what Holden says about no need for one, I think like the other manufacturers they are talking rubbish.
 
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Drover

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Yowzers people :o , The Ute was in at the mechanics today, a rare thing to happen, anyway at nearly 130,000km I put it in to get the timing belt changed and the water pump done at the same time, I'm a thousand bucks lighter....Flamin scary really, nearly $500 for parts and the reason why I put it into the workshop cost me another $500 smacka's............................Holden reckon get it done at 150,000km and since I don't follow their service schedule at all I thought a bit earlier might be better...............still I console myself with the fact a dealer would have charged between $950 and $1200 to change the belt but not the water pump and since they are in the same place I thought if I don't replace it, give it 6 mths and it will leak and it will mean pulling everything apart again, no way...............I looked at what had to be done and thought nope, changing the belt is easy peasy but pulling all the stuff off to get to it, skinned knuckles for sure and for me to part with the dollars it must be a icky job..........roll on Saturday night.............the kitty is well and truly empty now..............:couch2:
 

bigcol

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I had a epiphany about your old engel mate
is it chokers
or fairly empty?

if its not chokers, grab the bladder out of a cask wine (any will do) blow it up to fit and take up the room inside
the Engels work more efficiently if they are full as a goog
 
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Drover

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I try to keep it chockers when in use but I like the wine bladder idea, I think full with wine would be better than air though.............

Oh Ho, reminds me from way, way back when carpet was a luxury in a FWD we scooped the wine with a cup from the bottom of the engel to drink around the fire, bladder got a hole in it so pulled everything out and drank the lot in one go, could have used a strainer.
 

Drover

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I can advise that it's a good idea to put a Colorado in to get it's timing belt replaced before the 150.000k mark as stated in the book, 140,000k is a good time also a good idea to get the water pump changed at the same time to save pulling everything off later, I also found replacing the belt tensioner as mine failed a few weeks later, it's a Dayco 132031 and $130 from Repco, good item for the spares box after the 100,000km mark .

Did my belt at 126,000k as later would conflict with things happy to say all was good only normal wear and tear and the mechanic did say he reckons at least 10000km before they reckon is a safe bet....Actually got a mechanic to do it as while the bellt replacement is easy, pulling all that crap off isn't......
 
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Drover

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Removing the engine cover on The Ute when I got it has paid off, if left on I think it the whole lot would have went up in flames when the alternator had a melt down.....Think a bearing collapsed and woof.........in the shop now getting checked out.

Carrying a bigger extinguisher than the normal small size was handy also..............got it all out before major damage.



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Drover

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Could happen to anyone, bearings fail all the time ...............my mate is limping to Ceduna with only the first 3 gears working towing his new Age so I'm sittig pretty I reckon.
 
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