Here's Terry!!!

[T1 Terry]

So, we ended up back in the Illawarra area to look at a Winnie that was for sale, then wasn't, then was, then ...... It is some where around a 2000 model with the petrol/LPG Triton V10. The interior is tired, we were spoilt with the Fuso so it's been a real battle to find anything that comes close.
First look and drive, the engine is sick, the interior has countless additional holes where things were once fitted and now gone, the captain's chairs are .... comfortable, but in need of either recovering or simply replacing, they have replacement leather seat covers on them but ...... it's gotta look nice The Shower/Bath is sort of a yellow colour so it doesn't help with the "aged" look.

Margaret and I had a coffee while we talked about, drove back to the Lake Illawarra area and phoned everyone I knew and trusted to check it out for us ...... they have all retired too Only person left I trusted .... was me ..... so we rang him again and explained the situation .... here comes the shock bit .... he said to come and pick it up and do what ever tests you need to do ........

9am I started on the epic teardown to actually find the spark plugs, 3 separate trips to tool places to get enough assorted tools and equipment to take on the task ...... 10 hrs later, 4 cyls with good compression, 2 with "not that bad" compression, 2 with poor compression, 1 with 50psi and 1 with absolutely nothing ...... the song says "two outta three ain't bad", does that calculate out to 6 out of 9 ......

Now here is the problem ..... we spent yesterday afternoon and evening in it, then slept in it last night ....... all those thing Margaret didn't like have gained a new shine to them and she wants to know when she can start packing the cupboards

In the morning, I'll ring the owner and see what sort of price we can negotiate ...... might have to engage "Bernie the wheeler dealer" as our agent and see how much the owner will give us to keep it

Brian (Homeless) sold off his last two motorhomes using the same technique, "take it for the week ....." I guess there is one (or in this case 2) born every minute"
It's not like I can't rebuild the motor, but they must have put the body on over the engine, it's like they poured it into the spot it's in

For all those that had bets about where we would breakdown or run out of fuel, ya done ya dough, the Prius performed faultlessly and maintained it's 5.5ltr/100kms .......

T1 Terry

T1 Terry

[Dot]

UM = no. But I am just a female.

[jon_d]

Walk away.

Buy something that you can travel in immediately.

You're simply running out of time and physical ability.

[bob r]

My thoughts to Jon sounds like a lot of work.

Bob

[VicA]

Hopefully only needs a valve job.
Best of luck
Vic

[RobertNotBob]

And it is a NO from me.

[native pepper]

Yep, I'd buy something ready to go and save some time energy and frustration, as well as future money. You can always refine it as you're travelling, but having a stuffed engine and especially a Triton motor. Had a triton 4x4 dual long tray and the engine just didn't like all the klms we were doing in it daily and dropped it's guts 4 times even after a full engine and gearbox rebuild.

There's some really good buys down here in Tas and great prices, the only problem is you have to fork out over a grand to come over and take whatever you buy back, plus expenses. In the many buses and vehicles I've travelled in over the decades, have found, stick to the most popular brands for the use you need. So have mostly stuck with Isuzu engines in big rigs and land cruisers, which are both bomb proof, reliable and have easily assessable low cost parts around the country.

[T1 Terry]

Yep, I'd buy something ready to go and save some time energy and frustration, as well as future money. You can always refine it as you're travelling, but having a stuffed engine and especially a Triton motor. Had a triton 4x4 dual long tray and the engine just didn't like all the klms we were doing in it daily and dropped it's guts 4 times even after a full engine and gearbox rebuild.

There's some really good buys down here in Tas and great prices, the only problem is you have to fork out over a grand to come over and take whatever you buy back, plus expenses. In the many buses and vehicles I've travelled in over the decades, have found, stick to the most popular brands for the use you need. So have mostly stuck with Isuzu engines in big rigs and land cruisers, which are both bomb proof, reliable and have easily assessable low cost parts around the country.

Not a Mitsubishi Triton NP, a Ford Triton V10 6.8 ltr. An engine that was designed for low down torque for the long haul. My guess (from 40+ yrs in the trade) the exhaust valves have pulled the seats up in the head to the point the hydraulic lifters can't collapse any further and the valve is being held open by the rocker and cam lobe.

The price I bought it for leaves enough $$ room to pay someone to replace the whole engine with a crate engine from the US if I had to, so a mth or so spent getting the parts and the heads serviced to suit LPG and I'll then know for my own peace of mind that the engine is good enough to do all the travelling I have left in me.

Discs brakes up front, heavy duty overdrive truck automatic transmission, hydraulic levelling legs, 7 near new tyres ..... there is a lot to like about this unit ..... I guess time will tell if I got it wrong

T1 Terry

[dream4red]

Terry, I hope this is the dream one mate. You have had enough stress in your lives of late, so time to have an easy ride. xx

[Shirley]

Terry, really think you’re a glutton for punishment, good luck with reconditioning the motor & whatever else needs to be done to the MH project, really hope that you can get it all done sooner rather than later & start enjoy travelling with Margaret, growing old seems faster every year.