Thread: Keithys P38 Cape Trip update

Keith I see you are now down in Cairns so likely able to source needed parts but I have enough engine bits of usable condition to get a 200/300 to go up and down round and round??? Likely you coulda diverted to here and sorted the classic out... anyways.

If you need anything give us a hoy but Im heading up west of Coen tonight to chase 'toga and barra will be back Monday night. Old man will be driving down to Cairns Tuesday morning and could easy deliver bits that may be needed?

by this

We travelled back through Lakefield National Park as the developmental road is hardly worth calling a road.

Im guessing the PDR is a little more chopped up than a month ago when it was sweet... It might be a slow trip tonight.

S

Grrrh!! I wanna go!!

Quote:My mate in the classic was traveling along the table drains at 30kmh for most of it and I simply overtook him and sat at 85kmh on the corrugations.

I had the same issue a couple of yrs ago... Cooper H/T tryes, new (std) shocks, standard airbags ...and the corrugations damned near gave me chipped teeth! So I took to the drains also....

The extensive corrugations are an excellent test Obviously your GenIII bags are proving their worth for absorbing the bumps..

what shocks and tyres have you matched with them to diminish the harshness from the vibrations?

Safe travels!

Keith,

Good to hear about the coolant situation . Too bad about Kynan's 200 tdi . I hope you guys make it back in 1 piece. Go the 4.6! I am getting converted as we speak..

Cheers,
Brian.

Thank you for the offer roverrescue! We have all we need here, will certainly keep you in mind if things don't pan out like we expect!

DiscoTd5fan, those figures are GPS kilometers and full fill at the fuel bowser. I've logged every fill and every kilometer as I went. Have done no mods to the motor! NGK BPR5ES spark plugs (gapped to 1.1mm), good quality leads, clean air filter. Just the usual things any old rev head does to get more bang for their buck! I have a snorkel now too but I don't believe I've gained much if anything from that in terms of fuel consumption.

Hoges, I'm running standard shocks that are a few years old! They were old when I bought the Rangie! They did well!

Hahaha...that female driver was none other than myself ! Not sure if the fine specimen is referring to the car, lol . I must say that I slowed down to have a chat with you Keithy but you disappeared in a cloud of dust

I'm only a second rate Telstra customer (kogan) so I have no Internet to post my trip so far...only getting this reply in on a Thursday Island ferry with their free wifi. More details of my travels will get posted later. Enough to say that the P38 is underrated in its off road ability...apart from needing a snorkel, they're up to any challenge.

Regards,

Lani

I thought it may have been you! I would have pulled up but I feared I'd cop a Nissan or Big Rig in the rump and we were two hours behind as it were! I do apologies for not stopping!

Hope your trip is just as good as mine was!

Let me know when you are in Townsville next, might be able to catch up then!

Cheers
Keithy

I am home now so I guess I should put up a few final details!

To end our trip we spent 4 nights in Cairns putting another 200tdi into my mates classic. What appeared to be the problem from a quick visual was the turbo lost vanes, seized, and bits of the turbo made the journey into a few cylinders and ended with a bang!

In the trip my P38 covered 3,295km via odometer (3,304 via GPS) from Townsville to the tip and back, cost just over $1,050 in fuel alone, travelled fully loaded the whole time (at a guess I'd say 3t, I have not actually measured the weight of my gear), travelled through Lakefield National Park twice, the OTT once, the Frenchmans Track once, towed a 2.6t Classic, towed the same Classic on a 1.3t car trailer up and down a steep rainforest range, started first time every time, hit potholes/bumps and millions of corrugations, and pulled me up safely every time.

I averaged 16.7L/100km for the entire trip, best of 13.6L/100km and worst of 21.6L/100km. The trip computer was generally within 0.2L/100km of the actual usage, except for the OTT where it told me I was much worse.

I passed 3 P38's (only one actually doing the cape, the other two were towing caravans up north).

Standard shock absorbers did great! Arnotts did great too! I met Razzasrangie in Cairns while repairing the classic, Goldiloxgirl near Coen (although I was a prude and didn't pull up).

Did not use my faultmate, did not use any coolant/water, used about 500ml of engine oil, plenty of fuel.

Two things that peeved me off were the low brake fluid alarm (first day on the tar this started - I suspect something to do with my recent brake system flush and caliper/pad renewal), and the bonnet open alarm on cool mornings (which I worked out to be the latch needing some lube).

Used the air locker only once (Palm Creek on the OTT), traction control came on maybe 4 or 5 times, not really major obstacles.

That snorkel - Cow Bell, best money ever spent. Same for my $1.50 tarp that went on for the bigger water crossings. Could have completed the trip without the snorkel easily, the bonnet only went under twice briefly, however, there was one crossing that I would not have driven if I didn't have the snorkel.

Cheers
Keithy

Keithy

Welcome home. All in all it sounds like a successful trip. No doubt lots of pics? It was also great to hear that all the main problems you were having just prior to leaving did not resurface.
I reckon the p38 is one of the most underestimated vehicles for off road use. Trips such as yours certainly reinforce it!

Gary