Desert break-down - my RACV experience

Discussion on what, where & how to get there ...
Post Reply
User avatar
pezimm
Junior Member
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: VIC

Desert break-down - my RACV experience

Post by pezimm » Sat Sep 27, 2014 8:37 pm

Hey all,

I will start this tale from when disaster struck my Foz...

The VIC crew was out at Big Desert climbing the dunes to reach Thomson Peaks Lookout. This is a video of Venom going up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGwJmhOC9I4

He got up on his first go. I was next and unsuccessful on my first attempt at about 80-90% throttle. My second attempt was much better at 100% throttle, but still came to a halt about 5m from the top. Third go wasn't so good and to bring insult to injury, a thick plume of white smoke came gusting out of the engine bay when I stopped. Venom was watching and came to assist. We popped the bonnet and found a pretty badly damaged radiator header tank, with a 6-inch crack visible from the inlet hose mount:

Image

Image

There was coolant everywhere! :(

By this time, the car was off and rolling down the dune in neutral. With me were Venom, Dulagarl and subaruby. The guys were great in towing me out to a graded road just outside Big Desert. A big BIG THANK YOU to you 3 (I'm just sorry I didn't have any petrol left in the jerry can to fill subaruby's tank, but I'll make it up to you, mate!).

Waiting for the tow:
Image

As a Total Care member, I contacted RACV on a Sunday 2.30pm with hopes of getting the radiator changed on Monday somewhere in the area. Towing was organised from Pinnaroo, SA (the closest township) and I was picked up by Chris at 4.20pm. He told me he had to take me into town of the night, which I was fine with.

Problems started when we arrived in Pinnaroo. Both Chris and I were on the phone to RACV trying to organise a follow-up tow for the following day. Chris told me the RAA wouldn't hesitate to send a tow truck out for one of its members, but the RACV attendant informed me there was no way I could be towed to Mildura (my initial preference for a quick repair) in a hurry - that was not their "practice" for breakdowns over 100kms from home.

The Pinnaroo Motel innkeeper, Cheryl, was great and very helpful with transport options out of Pinnaroo and even loaned me a phone charger, but given the difficulties with the car my night wasn't great. I had to make contact with RACV the following morning to find out what my alternatives were. They in contrast, were not helpful at all. Basically, the only thing I could do was:
1) Get transported back home by bus from Pinnaroo to Swan Hill, overnight stay and then V-line train back to Melbourne.
2) The car would stay at Chris' depot and be collected by a company organised by RACV on 1/Oct and delivered to me in Melb by 8/Oct

I was not happy about this. I don't think anyone would be happy to leave their car behind for just over 2 weeks! :evil: Having no alternative, I went to the depot to ready the car for transport. Repacked a few things, threw my food away and left the car keys with Chris. I left it after taking heaps of photos of my belongings inside it and the condition of the vehicle in general (I hope nothing happens, but I have to be prepared to argue in case something goes wrong).

This is the last photo of the car as I walked back to the motel:
Image

I got on the bus and headed to Swan Hill, a long and sleepy 4h journey:
Image

When I arrived at the train station in Swan Hill, I collected my ticket for the following morning and headed for my second motel overnighter. I contacted RACV once again to verify my options upon arrival in Melbourne. My expectation was that I would have a replacement vehicle (even a cheap runabout) paid for until my car was returned to me. To my surprise, this was not the case! The ever cranky attendant informed me that they consider me arriving home as the "end of the incident", by which time no further benefits are available. This astounds me as my car has not yet "arrived home", nor have I reached the limit of expenditure on my incident. Is it unreasonable for me to expect a loaner as a TOTAL CARE member??? Apparently yes.

Following day (this is now Tuesday), I jumped on the train and head back to Melbourne, a 4.5h ride:
Image

I finally arrived home on Tuesday, around 1pm. As we only have 1 vehicle in my household, I had no option but to fork out for a car hire until my beloved Forester is repaired. Hopefully I'll get it back on the road sooner rather than later.


SO WHAT HAVE I LEARNED FROM THIS:

1) The mates I made through this forum are absolutely great! I'm very happy to know you all!
2) Country folk are exceptionally helpful, even when they don't have to (I already knew this, but once again got it reconfirmed).
3) RACV TOTAL CARE is passable, but probably needs a new name to more accurately describe the service on offer.
4) Never, ever lose your cool on the phone to these RACV attendants. They are only following procedure and don't have a lot of leeway to support their customers.
5) I think RACV should spend a little less on TV ads and direct these funds to improve its assistance services - after all, that's what it's there to do!

Pedro.
Image

GONE :( - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...

User avatar
taza
General Member
Posts: 1417
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 10:21 pm
Location: Perth, Australia

Post by taza » Sat Sep 27, 2014 9:24 pm

Sorry to hear about the car Pedro, lucky it didn't cost you a motor though. Both you and your car are safe atleast, even with the useless RAA?? (RAC over here..). I too have the highest cover possible which has 'done the job' on both offroad incidents when I snapped both front coil springs!
I would of thought it'd be cheaper for them to freight a new radiator and send someone to install it in this outback location.

User avatar
pezimm
Junior Member
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: VIC

Post by pezimm » Sat Sep 27, 2014 9:34 pm

taza wrote:I would of thought it'd be cheaper for them to freight a new radiator and send someone to install it in this outback location.
It would absolutely be cheaper, but remember, RACV is not about fixing stuff, it's about taking you to your mechanic...

And let me just make a slight correction, RAA in South Australia has indeed been very helpful. I'm led to believe they look after their members much better than RACV.

Pedro.
Image

GONE :( - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...

User avatar
Proton mouse
Junior Member
Posts: 378
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:35 pm
Location: Diagonally parked in a parallel universe

Post by Proton mouse » Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:30 pm

Interesting pictorial, thanks for sharing. Sad about the disappointing outcome from such an old and respected motoring club.

User avatar
steptoe
Master Member
Posts: 11582
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:00 am
Location: 14 miles outside Gotham City

Post by steptoe » Sun Sep 28, 2014 7:31 am

Never ever needed a break down service like these bodies, yet still paid up for maybe ten years. OK, I lie. I needed them once but the second car was not part of my membership and was over so many kms of dirt road and thre was some fine print about dirt roads even if second car was covered. Just needed a correctional tow to get my non subes front wheel out of a blackberry infested culvert formed on the side of the infamous "mineshaft".

OK, I needed them once again, but must have been my own silly fault as I'd just rebuilt a carby - set out on a test run and as it turns out the float sunk and flooded my carby. The walk (of shame) home was good for the soul. The ride back with spare carby was good for the other soles.

Oh, and the other time, was again same car, carby related and my fault again on assembly of a Holley - kept killing things pointing up hills.A tow home behind a Holden was soul destroying.

Then there are a few other times when think it would be nice (ahhhh) to know that membership would be comforting to have when or if things get ugly too far away from home....then I hear of stories like yours. If I kept a special little card account and put in the annual membership fees each year and carried that around would be more than enough to cover impending problems by a long shot...towing, parts, accomodation....

Oddly enough had a no start in the driveway yesterday - lucky was not anywhere else - never set that account up :)

That crack looks like a job for Q Bond and maybe cap off pressure for the ride home?

Hope it arrives just as you left it !

User avatar
steptoe
Master Member
Posts: 11582
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:00 am
Location: 14 miles outside Gotham City

Post by steptoe » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:06 am

Hey Pezimm, that radiator tank crack would be a great test for the Sealwel black blocks for your next disatser way out west. Care to be a test pilot for the good of mankind when you get the beast back home ?

According to the Melbourne supplier, Repco and Bursons ? sell them in pairs of blocks rather than buy his box of 28.

I was given instructions from an engine builder to run it hotter than op temp, but importer says normal op temps are all that are needed, and I guess in your case a completely full radiator to get the stuff up in that crack

User avatar
pezimm
Junior Member
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: VIC

Post by pezimm » Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:07 am

Hi steptoe,

I've never used a radiator repair product that you add to the coolant, but I dare say in my case there is no chance something like that would do the job.

Maybe the photos don't show it right, but the coolant was spitting out through the long crack. More so, the seat between plastic and aluminium broke off too, so there's 2 leaking points...

I would've given something like Q bond a go if I was alone, but still don't think it would hold up.

Pedro.
Image

GONE :( - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...

User avatar
Subyroo
Junior Member
Posts: 686
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:00 am
Location: Sunshine Coast

Post by Subyroo » Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:31 am

steptoe wrote:Hey Pezimm, that radiator tank crack would be a great test for the Sealwel black blocks for your next disatser way out west. Care to be a test pilot for the good of mankind when you get the beast back home ?

According to the Melbourne supplier, Repco and Bursons ? sell them in pairs of blocks rather than buy his box of 28.

I was given instructions from an engine builder to run it hotter than op temp, but importer says normal op temps are all that are needed, and I guess in your case a completely full radiator to get the stuff up in that crack
Just remember that the goo that seals the crack in the radiator, is also glued to your water jacket in the engine as well. :shock:
Peter

Image

User avatar
steptoe
Master Member
Posts: 11582
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:00 am
Location: 14 miles outside Gotham City

Post by steptoe » Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:15 am

ah. OK. Yep. Sealwel is the second one I have used successfully, the other was SilverSeal for old non ferrous radiator leaks, block cracks etc. Not normally one to trust snake oil ) Would be a shakey ride home watching water temps etc

I have used good old araldite to seal in a water elbow fitting, and still in use twenty 8 years later !! Have read araldite will start to soften at temps similar to engine operating temps. Never tried to repair a plastic rad tank disclaimer here anyway.

As for the glue that is in these sealers, needs air leak to set it, so not seen as sticking to block innards. I have found Silver Seal sedimenting up my head drain plugs holes.
I still have Letters to The Editor of NRMA Open Road magazine in my head of thanks to a pootrol man that sourced a new radiator and hoses for a breakdown for stranded members and no charge. If I joined up again, I would be expecting same as what you did !

User avatar
pezimm
Junior Member
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: VIC

Post by pezimm » Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:01 pm

UPDATE:

My car has finally arrived back in Melbourne! It took RACV 17 days to get their tow organised and in the end it was a direct truck from Pinnaroo to Melbourne, so the question remains: couldn't this have been organised on the same week I had the problem?

New radiator is on hand, I'm also getting a new radiator cap, new thermostat and soon enough I'll get some silicone hoses on it as well. Once the new radiator is in, engine will be checked for head gasket integrity.

Hopefully I'll have the car back on the road tomorrow or Friday.
Image

GONE :( - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...

User avatar
d_generate
General Member
Posts: 1529
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:51 am
Location: Back in Perth and SORing it atm.

Post by d_generate » Fri Oct 10, 2014 8:52 pm

I had a similar thing happen to my Liberty once while driving it through the dunes, the top hose mount broke off at the tank and I kept driving it for about 30min, hopefully your heads are ok, mine were shagged.

I finally gave up on old plastic tanks and bought a new copper brass radiator, still going good today ....I hope.

Can I ask why you didn't just overnight a radiator to where you stored the car the next day and then drove it home?
98 Libbo with V3 STI running gear. 13.0 @ 105mph with CAI & 3" Zorst:mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M :twisted:
Image

User avatar
pezimm
Junior Member
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: VIC

Post by pezimm » Sat Oct 11, 2014 3:48 pm

d_generate wrote:Can I ask why you didn't just overnight a radiator to where you stored the car the next day and then drove it home?
Hi d_generate

The benefit of hindsight is always very enlightening...

I guess I was weighing my options and my desire for an upgraded radiator option, given this was the second time I had radiator issues in big desert (last time was a much smaller leak I nursed through). In a way I needed a bit of time to work out which way to go, rather than just fitting an OEM replacement.

Anyways, car's back on the road as of last Thursday :p:p. A total turnaround of 18 days.

I will put a post on my build thread with the details of what I went with and this thread can remain about RACV or similar road side assist providers.

Cheers,
Pedro.
Image

GONE :( - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...

User avatar
d_generate
General Member
Posts: 1529
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:51 am
Location: Back in Perth and SORing it atm.

Post by d_generate » Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:30 am

Fair enough, I joined the RAC WA top platinum membership a few months ago because I know zero about diesels and the Transit would not exactly be an easy tow, I'd say a similar service to yours.
98 Libbo with V3 STI running gear. 13.0 @ 105mph with CAI & 3" Zorst:mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M :twisted:
Image

User avatar
Cliff R
General Member
Posts: 1061
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:07 am
Location: Muswellbrook/NSW

Post by Cliff R » Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:48 am

Sorry to hear about your experiences and glad to hear you now have your car back.
I too have top cover with the NRMA (Nothing Really Matters Anymore) in NSW and have been subjected to a 4 plus hour wait on the side of a major NSW highway between country towns with a wife and 4 kids 8 and under.
Far from happy.
I have used Bars leaks (spelling) years ago when a radiator sprung a leak and ended up tossing the radiator away as it ended up full of sticky crap.
I refuse to use any of these products though, would if I had no alternative.

User avatar
RSR 555
Elder Member
Posts: 6951
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:42 am
Location: ATM... stuck in Rockingham

Post by RSR 555 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 11:59 pm

Sh!t Pedro, that is crap. Glad to hear it's all sorted. How was the head gaskets in the end?
You know you are getting old when the candles on your birthday cake start to cost more than the cake itself.

RSR Performance
Home of the 'MURTAYA' in Oz
Subaru Impreza WRX based Sportscar
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Disclaimer: Not my website but hyperlink here to Subaru workshop manuals

User avatar
pezimm
Junior Member
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:21 pm
Location: VIC

Post by pezimm » Sat May 02, 2015 9:00 pm

RSR 555 wrote:How was the head gaskets in the end?
So far so good, Paul... But touch wood!

New radiator's great. Can't recall ever reaching 100 deg!

I just need to upgrade my transmission cooler now.

Pedro.
Image

GONE :( - Forester XT Auto - MY07 with all the goodies
Now occasionally driving a Ford barge...

Post Reply

Return to “Camping and Travel”