I'm in Kumbia, 30ks from Kingaroy

Happywanderer · The Master

RE: I'm in Kumbia, 30ks from Kingaroy

jack biggles · Senior Member

So when was that oil added, how long ago & how many kilometres have you done since?

Happywanderer · The Master

16th March and I've driven from Victoria on the border, Echuca, to here at kumbia 30 ks south of Kingaroy. If you have read my other post you will see the funny story about the mileage reading. it doesn't always work. Probably about 1500 ks as think its 1800 from home to Bundaberg.

Happywanderer · The Master

The mileage at the time was 194354 ks
Just found another interesting thing on the account. It uses Coolant as 5 litres cost me 45.00

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Check out pricing at KMart, Big W, Supacheap etc - though I know mechanics always charge top dollar, but maybe they could have given you a bit or practical advice with that, eh?

Happywanderer · The Master

How much does a mechanic usually charge by the hour. Just noticed he charged me 14 hours at 60.00 an hour

jack biggles · Senior Member

Ok, so all up since service you've done about 1500km's and now the warning lights on. Need to get some more oil in it, right up to the full mark, note down the miles & see how much oil you have to add over the next few thousand kilometres. Then you will know how much its using.

jack biggles · Senior Member

14 hours - WOW, some service. Must have done a bit.

$60 isnt too bad. My best mate is a mechanic, charges $88 per hour, or was last year, so might have gone up since.

jack biggles · Senior Member

Not necessarily, perhaps he flushed your radiator & replaced the coolant fully, which would explain some of the time spent & also the need for 5 litres of coolant.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

The mechanics cost per hour is pretty typical these days. So the more you can do yourself, the less you have to get them to do - I have to use a stool to check under my bonnet - but I do it, though my grandson or s-i-l will do it for me sometimes. They like me doing it because they get a laugh out of it.

jack biggles · Senior Member

Thats the important thing I was trying to get about milage, if it was 194,354 back when the service was done, whats it say now.

I do remember reading your post about the speedo taking a bit to click over from 999. So approximates will do - LOL.

Happywanderer · The Master

Jack, It was in there for 3 weeks and he did the full road worthy after I bought it to get it registered. and a full service. He is a mate of my SinL and I have always used him for car services. So it could have been mates rates. The total bill was 2,000.oo

Happywanderer · The Master

I can't see it in the dark with it switched off at the moment but would only have done couple of hundred at the most around town before heading off. so say 1700- maybe 1800 all up

Happywanderer · The Master

No use reading it anyhow as it took over 500 ks for it to turn to 195,000 and that was about 10 or 20 ks into the Pilliga. And at each 999 it took at least 5 to 10 ks to turn over. Have no way of working that out.

jack biggles · Senior Member

Okay, get some sleep, try not to worry, that will only make things seem worse by making you tired in the morning.

This, like most things can be fixed & sorted without too much fuss. You can develop a check list for the future and this HOPEFULLY will just become a thing of the past, something you can laugh at whilst sharing happy hour with other campers.

Keep your chin up & have a look in the morning. If theres no oil on the dipstick in the morning, you need to get some as a matter of PRIORITY.

GOODLUCK, sorry, cant do any more than that without being there.

Happywanderer · The Master

So going by that record it says it had done only 645 from time of service till I reached the Pilligas which is way off true.

Happywanderer · The Master

Thats ok jack. I won't be moving till its all sorted and in future will have a book kept on front seat with Myrtles vitals to be checked before heading off. Thanks for all your help and knowledge, and to the others here too.

jack biggles · Senior Member

Happywanderer wrote:
Jack, It was in there for 3 weeks and he did the full road worthy after I bought it to get it registered. and a full service. He is a mate of my SinL and I have always used him for car services. So it could have been mates rates. The total bill was 2,000.oo

Yeah, $60 is a good price. You need to try and keep track of the miles you are travelling (REALLY) not as per her speedo. From there you can work out if you have a real oil use problem.

Most cars need between 1-1.5 litres between the bottom & top marks on the dipstick.

If in your case with a small petrol motor your van is using 1 litre every 2,000 kilometres then thats a bit high. Makes me wonder if the van is leaking some oil & burning a bit, there could be a number of things that you could do to help improve the situation.

ANYWAY, time to sleep & rest & wake up all bright eyed and bushy tailed, more adventures tommorrow & HEAPS OF GOODLUCK!

Happywanderer · The Master

I can go back over the map and right it all down, will do that tomorrow. I have made notes along the way in a book but will get it more organised.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Marj - do you have a GPS - it can do your mileage.
Have a good sleep - all will be well.

Cruising Granny · Guru

It may not be the oil at all. When I was at Bathurst my oil light started blinking - not staying on. Just blinking. I stopped immediately, checked everything and everything seemed fine, yet that damned light kept blinking on the dash.
Knowing everything was good in the motor, I tarried on to Dubbo where I got a mechanic to check why the light was coming on, going off, on, off, on, off - no rhythm to it, no pattern, just an irregular flicker, more annoying than a worry. But it had to be fixed.
It turned out to be an earth wire which was screwed on to the inside of the mudguard under the bonnet. Once I had that little nuisance, but vital screw tightened, (nothing like a tight screw) it was all fixed and hasn't happened again. I'll know what to look for next time.
It's just best to check these things as they occur. Take nothing for granted. That machine we operate is very valuable and deserves to be cared for.
Now my dear, for entertainment, when you reach your next destination of your choice, check out the local tourist office to see what the features are, if you don't already have an attraction in mind. Call in to the deli for a coffee and ask what's going on, if you don't already have an attraction in mind, that is.
Apart from that, find a river, creek, beach or hill and just go for a drive and check out the local scenery. It's free, apart from the fuel, and you may even find a nice spot to camp for the evening.
If you're stretching the bucks, you may need to hang around a place for a week before you move on. Only move on for the extent of half a tank of fuel, and use the second half for your next move, by which time it's pay day again. Take your time. It's not going away.

Travel Bug · Guru

It's good to see that you are feeling more positive Marj.

Try to get a good sleep tonight. Can you wrap your wrist and try to sleep with it resting on a pillow?

just think...one day...probably not too far away...you will be laughing about this smile

Sleep well. Pam.

Firefly · Guru

Hi Marj, hang in there mate. Your son will set things right for you x o

I google mapped your trip from home to Kingaroy and that is 1500 klms mate, hope that helps your calculations. smile

DellieMay · Senior Member

Best to check oil when it's cold mate.
Cheers Dellie

bill12 · Guru

The dipstick is usually on the left hand of the motor looking forward, at the top, and sometimes has OIL written on it .You lift the lid between the seats to look.By the pics,its either a 2ltr or a 2.4ltr, both common motors.I don,t suppose you could take a pic of the top of the motor? Its a bit hard doing longrange mechanics.

yeoeleven · Guru

Hi Marg,

only just logged in and read the thread. I may be able to help in locating the dipstick and getting access to the motor compartment.

Behind the middle section between the front seats there is a metal flange and in the centre there is a rotating handle. Rotate the handle and you will be able to lift the middle section upwards towards the front. Now you have access to the engine compartment.

Looking from the front, backwards to the rear on the left side towards the back there is the dipstick which has been described in the thread pull it carefully out wipe it and reinsert it pull it out again and read the level. On the stick there is nominated L & F so that you can see how much oil you have in the sump.

There is enough information already posted about what to do but I have given information specifically about the Hi Ace. Mine is 1979 so it should be very similar to yours. I bought a Gregories Manual from Repco for mine incase I as stuck or a young mechanic didn't know older vehicles.

I hope with the new day your spirits have risen and you are more ready for the day ahead.

All the best,

John

ozi2 · Guru

Hi HW, well it looks like all the mechanical advice is taken care of.....so that leaves the cosmetic and being the SNAG that I am, could I suggest you purchase a pair of rubber gloves for when you check things like the oil of a morning as old motors are bound to have oil/dirt to mark your hand/clothes and who wants to start the day off badly.

yeoeleven's suggestion re Gregory's car repair is a good idea as these books are very simple and instructive.

good health, good cheer and good luck,

cheers

ozi2

Clare46 · Senior Member

Marj

Sorry about all you woes but Murphy has had his fun now I would think so things can only get better. I donn't know about older Toyotas but in the new ones that I hire for my trips they have a fold down seat in the middle between the front seats and if you reach under the front of it there is a lever that will release it and then it will lift up to reveal all the workings

Good luck despite your troubles I still envy you and can hardly wait untill next Tueaday when I hit the road for western Queensland

patrolst · Senior Member

Hi HW.

Sorry to here about your wrist and travel problems, but I'm sure all will seem better when you reach Biggenden and catch up with your family again.

As you have just had a new oil sensor switch in stalled with all your service work it may be worth checking the wire that attaches to the sensor as the clip may have worked loose and could either give intermittent flashing or may stay fully on this can occur even if you have checked the oil level and it is at the correct level.

Try this link for working out distances you have travelled or need to travel.

You could also calculate a log record for surviceing and just add addittional side trips.

http://www.racq.com.au/travel/Maps_and_Directions/trip_planner

Trust this can be of assistance

Regards Jim

Cruising Granny · Guru

If you paid $60 per hour you got off very cheaply. Standard hourly rate is now $90 according to the workshop I use, and he's a busy private operator on a small scale.
The reference to coolant on the account is a vital piece of information for you. It seems there is some valuable information on your garage bill.
Careful with coolant. There's the concentrate and the watered down version. There's coolant for diesel and petrol engines. It pays to read labels to ensure you have the coolant for your Myrtle. Petrol engine, 4 cyclinder.
As a driver we should all know this sort of information, for our own future reference.
Now that you know all this information we have all inflicted on your, you can relax and read up, have a break from the driving, plan your next destination and why you want to go there, and what you'll see and do when you get there.
You are now an official Grey Nomad. Safe and happy travels.