Thread: Are 4WDs too high-tech for the bush?

Originally Posted by bob10

What's a magneto?.......... Bob

What Bob! ... Seriously don't you know?


Magneto - Marvel Comics Database

When looking at the distrust of electronics in the bush, I think it may be instructive to look at the attitude to diesels in the bush fifty or sixty years ago.

"You can fix a carby in the bush, but not a fuel injector"

"No good, you can't crank start it if the battery is flat"

Believe it or not, when I was working in the Simpson Desert in the mid sixties, we had about fourteen or fifteen vehicles, from short wheelbase 4x4s to fifteen ton 6x6s - and the only diesel engines were the camp generator and a stand alone air compressor. (and my Landrover!) At that time Landrover was the only available diesel 4x4, and they were not very popular.

John

**** guys - I take my D4 to places like Emu Junction and Maralinga and don't even take spares...

I have *that* much faith in the vehicle, my diagnostic capability AND my service checks.

And I heard that Tombie is fantastic at getting out and pushing cars....

Originally Posted by garrycol

So - other than an ignition module on a RV8 has anyone actually had electronics fail out in the bush - the sort of electronics that you would not reasonably carry a spare for. Did the failure actually kill your car until fixed or just retard it?

Garry

Does a battery failing because the connection between a couple of cells broke count as an electronic failure?

Does a Series III Land Rover count as a modern hi-tech 4WD?

It wasn't a problem at all. Even with the broken connection, enough current flowed for the engine to run. Starting was accomplished with the crank handle.

So not only did it not kill the Series III, it didn't even retard it.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

When looking at the distrust of electronics in the bush, I think it may be instructive to look at the attitude to diesels in the bush fifty or sixty years ago.

... .... ...

"No good, you can't crank start it if the battery is flat"

... .... ...

John

That was probably a greater concern back then.

I seem to remember that it was a common belief that in an FJ Holden, it was advisable to switch off the headlights before turning off the ignition.

The story was that if you did things in the opposite order, you might not be able to start the next morning.

Originally Posted by Gerokent

A computer controlled engine needs at least 10 volts, but not so a points ignition; it could be 8 volts and still start with a crank handle or push start.

Originally Posted by vnx205

Does a battery failing because the connection between a couple of cells broke count as an electronic failure?

It wasn't a problem at all. Even with the broken connection, enough current flowed for the engine to run. Starting was accomplished with the crank handle.

So not only did it not kill the Series III, it didn't even retard it.

We I don't necessarily agree - has anyone removed the battery on a geny fitted vehicle and actually been able to start it on the crank handle??

On a vehicle with a alt and a completely dead battery I gave used two big 6 volt torch batteries wired together to excite the alternator to start the engine on a push start and it would keep running with the alternator putting enough out into the battery to keep it excited.

Garry

Originally Posted by vnx205

That was probably a greater concern back then.

I seem to remember that it was a common belief that in an FJ Holden, it was advisable to switch off the headlights before turning off the ignition.

The story was that if you did things in the opposite order, you might not be able to start the next morning.

About the time the 48-215 Holden was released, an uncle of mine got a new Vauxhall (Wyvern, I think). It was the first car anyone in the family had seen a car without provision for a crank handle, and all sorts of disasters were predicted. It was a bit disastrous, but nothing to do with as crankhandle - it threw a con rod at high speed about two years later. He was headmaster of Yanco Agricultural High School, and usually made a fast trip to Sydney each holidays. Coincidentally, I am dropping in on his son in Orange on my way to Castle Hill on Saturday.

The early Holdens suffered from a six volt electrical system, and a rather small battery - not much safety margin. And no, they did not have provision for a crankhandle.

John

John