A BUSTED LANDCRUISER : PART 2

 

 

HELLO + WELCOME to Part 2 of A Busted Landcruiser. We have now had the Troopy fixed and everything is running just fine.

 

 

Our bush mechanics worked. We made it all the way to the next major town called Tsumeb. We headed straight into the Toyota dealership to see if they had the parts we required. It was to no avail. No one had anything in all of Southern Africa. Shizer. The only option was to install a cheap $30 chinese aftermarket pump… to us, that wasn’t an option.

The Toyota service manager said we might be able to re-drill some new holes in the water pump pulley and flange. He knew an engineer guy in town that could help us. Phew!

We drove through the small town to a place called Ongara Motors. Greeted by a rough looking, chain smoking Namibian guy called Walter. Pronounced VOLTER. He was in his 60’s and still working for the love of it. We explained the issue and at 1230pm on a Friday afternoon, hoped that he would be able to help.

Walter looked at the problem that had others shaking their heads and within seconds had made a plan ‘Leave it with me, come back in a couple of hours’.

It seemed too simple. Kirst asked ‘Really? Do you think you will actually be able to fix it today?’ in disbelief.

He replied he must have it done today “Because I don’t work tomorrow. I play bowls on Saturdays”. Sweet. We headed down the street in the search for lunch and came back an hour and a half later to find the water pump out and some obvious progress being made on the car.

 

:: The water pump pulley and the damage (elongated holes) from the sheared off studs.

:: New studs re-tapped into the water pump flange.

:: The fan,  coupling + water pump pulley ready to be put back in hopefully for the last time on this trip. Note the hand crafted gasket.

Another hour later, Walter and his guys walked out with a re-tapped flange and water pump pulley. He was very confident it would work and not affect the strength of the flange or pulley. It did work and to this day a month later we have had no issues at all. Onya Walter!

 

:: Putting it all back together

We feel so relieved to have it sorted. This one problem, that turned up in so many ways, now feels sorted.

Onwards and upward from here!

 

 

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Cheers,