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Travelling on the road from Cook to Vokes Hill Cnr in the 2010 150 GXL Auto, 143000km, towing the TVan, when I noticed a strange noise coming from the engine bay after driving through some water. The water was 6 - 8 inches deep and we were travelling quite slowly. The noise sounded something like a high frequency flutter, lasted long enough to get the bonnet open and then disappeared.
We were travelling in convoy and the driver in front was a mechanic and TAFE teacher. After the next large puddle, the noise reappeared and lasted until he got back to listen to it. He suggested then that it sounded like the waste gate of the turbo was fluttering. It all sounded innocent enough, especially as I have recently fitted a new OEX alternator and had read of other PP members experiencing noise coming from them. The noise disappeared and off we went again, getting into Vokes Hill for 2 days well-earned rest.
Over the next couple of days, driving west along the Anne Beadell Hwy, my wife noticed when she was doing her driving stint between smoko and lunch that the noise only occured after we had driven through a puddle. There was no other symptom, other than the noise.
Day 3 (after the first occurrence) we drove through some unavoidable water, and the noise was back with a vengenance and we had no boost. This was quite alarming. We pulled up off the track and got under the bonnet and under the car looking for where the trouble might be. The noise at this stage sounded like a power steering pump in the last throes of a painful death, however it seemed to be coming from the transmission. There was nothing more that could be done where we were so we decided to keep heading towards Serpentine Lakes and then on to Ilkurlka Roadhouse. After the stop annd having had the engine idling, my companions noticed some blue smoke emerge from the exhaust under acceleration. Oh dear! Driving along with the noise not getting any better, I activated my torque-converter lock up and then deactivated it. Amazingly the noise vanished and we had turbo boost again. The day turned all bright and sunny and we camped at Serpentine Lakes.
Next morning was a frost and after heading off over the lakes there was no strange noises and all was good. We pulled up at the WA/SA border for a look around and got back going again only to be confronted by the noise again and no boost. Just started up a sand hill with a sinking feeling in my stomach that we weren't going to make it over, when all of a sudden the noise goes away, the turbo cuts in and we are up and over the sand hill like a dog shot in the bum! The day proceeded as per normal with the wife doing her daily driving session with us avoiding water or if unavoidable traveling at less than walking pace. My wife also found that very gentle acceleration after water work didn't get the noise back. After lunch I resumed command and following my wifes advice played the softly softly approach with the loud pedal. Approaching another sandhill the noise reappeared, the boost disappeared and just as suddenly the noise disappeared, the boost reappeared , we crested the sand hill and I was informed by my companions that it appeared the the car was on fire! It had blue smoke billowing out from the exhaust pipe and under the car which was in fact a crack in the exhaust. I immediately shut the car down and got out to be confronted by the acrid smell of burning oil and oil dripping from the exhaust. 53km from Ilkurlka this was not good. In the confusion that then ensued unhitching the TVan we managed to get the brand-new recently-replaced rear door of the Prado jammed against the spare tyre on the TVan. Goodness gracious me! Thankfully we were travelling with a 79 series Landcruiser that was able to tow us to Ilkurlka while another vehicle in our party towed the TVan.
Long story short - we get to Kalgoorlie on Honest Con's Tilt Tray Service and deliver the vehicle to Goldfields Toyota where we had booked it in for repairs. They dismantled the turbo charger and found the turbine sitting in the dump pipe. They then did a compression test and found that the motor was OK (25,24,25,25), a new turbo duly arrived overnight from Perth and was fitted. They then had a diagnostic chap from Toyota WA look at the car and he could find no faults either in the history or current. A day later the mechanic gets it all together, washes down the motor and takes it for a test drive. Alarmingly he thinks he hears the dreaded noise. So great is his concern that he checks the diagnostics all again and there are no fault codes. He takes the dmp pipe off to check that the turbo has not dropped the turbine again and after all that I am summoned from the customer lounge where I had been cooling my heels since 11:30am to have him show me that everything was good but he was worried about what he had heard. Obviously ther was no noise while I was there and there was no oil blowing through the turbo - let's get this back on so I and my travelling companions can get out on the track again and resume our trip through the Gibson Desert and surrounds.
back to the caravan park, quickly re-organise car gear out of the TVan and vice-versa and let's roll.
We're not 50km out of Kalgoorlie and we encounter a shower of rain. Turn on the windscreen wipers but there is a stick lodged under the passenger side wiper blade so I turn them off and attempt to drive without using them - RainX to the rescue. Very shortly after that we got a sudden short sharp shower and I had to turn the wipers on to see. As soon as I turned them off - wait for it - we got the dreaded noise, no boost and blowing smoke! Deary, deary me! On the phone to Toyota to advise that the car will be back there tomorrow, Honest Con Wallace is called and comes out to pick us up while the others return to the caravan park.
Next day we deliver the Prado to Toyota and I have the chance to talk to the service manager about my theory that there is an electrical problem - sender or connection or wiring associated with the waste gate that is being affected by moisture. At this point they have no clue - actually at no point did they have any clue as to what has caused the problem, so they at least heard me out.
That afternoon, late, they ring me to tell me that they have found copper flakes in the oil and that they suspect that the main big end bearings are U/S and these have cosed the turbo to starve and fail. My water theory has been counted out and dismissed as additional load on the engine as a result of driving through water.
Help me please. I'm stranded here in Kal and I need some ammunition to get this sorted
We were travelling in convoy and the driver in front was a mechanic and TAFE teacher. After the next large puddle, the noise reappeared and lasted until he got back to listen to it. He suggested then that it sounded like the waste gate of the turbo was fluttering. It all sounded innocent enough, especially as I have recently fitted a new OEX alternator and had read of other PP members experiencing noise coming from them. The noise disappeared and off we went again, getting into Vokes Hill for 2 days well-earned rest.
Over the next couple of days, driving west along the Anne Beadell Hwy, my wife noticed when she was doing her driving stint between smoko and lunch that the noise only occured after we had driven through a puddle. There was no other symptom, other than the noise.
Day 3 (after the first occurrence) we drove through some unavoidable water, and the noise was back with a vengenance and we had no boost. This was quite alarming. We pulled up off the track and got under the bonnet and under the car looking for where the trouble might be. The noise at this stage sounded like a power steering pump in the last throes of a painful death, however it seemed to be coming from the transmission. There was nothing more that could be done where we were so we decided to keep heading towards Serpentine Lakes and then on to Ilkurlka Roadhouse. After the stop annd having had the engine idling, my companions noticed some blue smoke emerge from the exhaust under acceleration. Oh dear! Driving along with the noise not getting any better, I activated my torque-converter lock up and then deactivated it. Amazingly the noise vanished and we had turbo boost again. The day turned all bright and sunny and we camped at Serpentine Lakes.
Next morning was a frost and after heading off over the lakes there was no strange noises and all was good. We pulled up at the WA/SA border for a look around and got back going again only to be confronted by the noise again and no boost. Just started up a sand hill with a sinking feeling in my stomach that we weren't going to make it over, when all of a sudden the noise goes away, the turbo cuts in and we are up and over the sand hill like a dog shot in the bum! The day proceeded as per normal with the wife doing her daily driving session with us avoiding water or if unavoidable traveling at less than walking pace. My wife also found that very gentle acceleration after water work didn't get the noise back. After lunch I resumed command and following my wifes advice played the softly softly approach with the loud pedal. Approaching another sandhill the noise reappeared, the boost disappeared and just as suddenly the noise disappeared, the boost reappeared , we crested the sand hill and I was informed by my companions that it appeared the the car was on fire! It had blue smoke billowing out from the exhaust pipe and under the car which was in fact a crack in the exhaust. I immediately shut the car down and got out to be confronted by the acrid smell of burning oil and oil dripping from the exhaust. 53km from Ilkurlka this was not good. In the confusion that then ensued unhitching the TVan we managed to get the brand-new recently-replaced rear door of the Prado jammed against the spare tyre on the TVan. Goodness gracious me! Thankfully we were travelling with a 79 series Landcruiser that was able to tow us to Ilkurlka while another vehicle in our party towed the TVan.
Long story short - we get to Kalgoorlie on Honest Con's Tilt Tray Service and deliver the vehicle to Goldfields Toyota where we had booked it in for repairs. They dismantled the turbo charger and found the turbine sitting in the dump pipe. They then did a compression test and found that the motor was OK (25,24,25,25), a new turbo duly arrived overnight from Perth and was fitted. They then had a diagnostic chap from Toyota WA look at the car and he could find no faults either in the history or current. A day later the mechanic gets it all together, washes down the motor and takes it for a test drive. Alarmingly he thinks he hears the dreaded noise. So great is his concern that he checks the diagnostics all again and there are no fault codes. He takes the dmp pipe off to check that the turbo has not dropped the turbine again and after all that I am summoned from the customer lounge where I had been cooling my heels since 11:30am to have him show me that everything was good but he was worried about what he had heard. Obviously ther was no noise while I was there and there was no oil blowing through the turbo - let's get this back on so I and my travelling companions can get out on the track again and resume our trip through the Gibson Desert and surrounds.
back to the caravan park, quickly re-organise car gear out of the TVan and vice-versa and let's roll.
We're not 50km out of Kalgoorlie and we encounter a shower of rain. Turn on the windscreen wipers but there is a stick lodged under the passenger side wiper blade so I turn them off and attempt to drive without using them - RainX to the rescue. Very shortly after that we got a sudden short sharp shower and I had to turn the wipers on to see. As soon as I turned them off - wait for it - we got the dreaded noise, no boost and blowing smoke! Deary, deary me! On the phone to Toyota to advise that the car will be back there tomorrow, Honest Con Wallace is called and comes out to pick us up while the others return to the caravan park.
Next day we deliver the Prado to Toyota and I have the chance to talk to the service manager about my theory that there is an electrical problem - sender or connection or wiring associated with the waste gate that is being affected by moisture. At this point they have no clue - actually at no point did they have any clue as to what has caused the problem, so they at least heard me out.
That afternoon, late, they ring me to tell me that they have found copper flakes in the oil and that they suspect that the main big end bearings are U/S and these have cosed the turbo to starve and fail. My water theory has been counted out and dismissed as additional load on the engine as a result of driving through water.
Help me please. I'm stranded here in Kal and I need some ammunition to get this sorted
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