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The 4th and final installment. (Did I hear a sigh of relief 
)
Welcome to the Memorial Day holiday!
After the excitement of recovering Nate's drowned crusier and returning at 3am, it was hardly time to be setting up a tent. David and Stacie had a sleep over at my place (FlyNdrive's Taj Mahal), with their two puppies - I'm usually not that easy :wink: . Sleep came easy. Still, the birds were happy to greet us by 6am :shock: ... it's difficult to appreciate the wildlife at times like this.
Today, we were to pack up and visit Steven Toyota, (that's the name of the dealership in Harrisonburg, VA), where the drowned FJ Cruiser was left to dry out. This was a public holiday, and the Toyota service department was normally closed. Thanks to forward planning by FlyNdrive, they opened their service department as a special favour.
I wonder how many Toyota dealerships in Australia (or for that matter anywhere else in the world) would be as accomodating as Steven Toyota. The rest of this story still blows me away...
We arrived at their service department to find the lead mechanic ready and waiting. There was not another sole in the entire service department.
Both cruisers were quickly hoisted...
Father and son remove the body protection to access sump plugs:
Now there was considerable mechanical talent amongst the FjBruisers; David's impressive resume included recovering many many (I think the number was 75) vehicles from flood-water and restarting all but two of them. He was able to give us a blow-by-blow description of each step involved. I'll lay it out here as best as I remember it. Also Nate is a helicopter mechanic, recently returned from Iraq, so he was also no slouch with the considerably less complex 1GR-FE DOHC V6 engine.
Your guide to drying out a sunk cruiser:
It didn't start!
Replaced the ECU. It didn't start! Replaced the body computer... (a couple of days later) ... It started!!!!
One blue FjCruiser, barely used, no off-road, for sale
.
Ok, that was Nate's truck taken care of. Whilst all that was going on, we also had FlyNdrive's truck on the hoist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BtDJqmJ0t0
Replacing the transmission oil required tapping into the sealed system (not unlike a blood transfusion):
Fresh oil is pumped in, which displaces the old oil. When both guages show a clean reddish colour, the job is done...
Miscellaneous:
Let's not forget the tour of Steven Toyota:
In need of a lift:
Just cause there's a hole, doesn't mean you should use it as a recovery point:
Ottelia and Stacie in their limousine:
David and FlyNdrive - two happy mechanics!
We had the run of this magnificent workshop. Last time I set foot within 10 meters of a workshop in Australia, I was read the insurance policy riot act... then again maybe they saw the wet-behind-my-ears
Whew! I think that brings it to a close... 'till next year (you must be dreeeeeaaammmmin')
LFaR.
)- Day 1[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Day 2[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Day 3 (part 1) [/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Day 3 (part 2) (you're reading it)[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
Welcome to the Memorial Day holiday!
After the excitement of recovering Nate's drowned crusier and returning at 3am, it was hardly time to be setting up a tent. David and Stacie had a sleep over at my place (FlyNdrive's Taj Mahal), with their two puppies - I'm usually not that easy :wink: . Sleep came easy. Still, the birds were happy to greet us by 6am :shock: ... it's difficult to appreciate the wildlife at times like this.
Today, we were to pack up and visit Steven Toyota, (that's the name of the dealership in Harrisonburg, VA), where the drowned FJ Cruiser was left to dry out. This was a public holiday, and the Toyota service department was normally closed. Thanks to forward planning by FlyNdrive, they opened their service department as a special favour.
I wonder how many Toyota dealerships in Australia (or for that matter anywhere else in the world) would be as accomodating as Steven Toyota. The rest of this story still blows me away...
We arrived at their service department to find the lead mechanic ready and waiting. There was not another sole in the entire service department.
Both cruisers were quickly hoisted...
Father and son remove the body protection to access sump plugs:
Now there was considerable mechanical talent amongst the FjBruisers; David's impressive resume included recovering many many (I think the number was 75) vehicles from flood-water and restarting all but two of them. He was able to give us a blow-by-blow description of each step involved. I'll lay it out here as best as I remember it. Also Nate is a helicopter mechanic, recently returned from Iraq, so he was also no slouch with the considerably less complex 1GR-FE DOHC V6 engine.
Your guide to drying out a sunk cruiser:
- Remove the oil Filter
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - Drain all the water/oil
How much water do these things hold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK-38pmuIwY
Eventually, the oil/sludge starts flowing:
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - Disconnect battery (if it is not already)[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Dry out the computers (ECU and the body computer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqpjzqFjEZo
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - Remove the spark plugs
Sometimes it requires a little more concentration :wink: (Stacie also has a wealth of mechanical experience)
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - Remove the coils
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - Reconnect the battery[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Stand back (or close the hood/bonnet if you want to spoil the fun )[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Crank the engine - water explodes (figuratiely speaking) from the cylinders[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- New spark plugs, new oil filter
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - Replace the coils[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Refill the oil
[/*:m:3pvt91dl] - A moments prayer[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
- Start the engine
The first time we did this the bonnet was closed, so water did not spray all over Toyota's nice clean workshop. We tried again later, and still a little water bubbled out of two of the cylinders. Also notice the wipers, headlights, etc were going crazy... electrically, things were quite screwed.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXtHyumikwM[/*:m:3pvt91dl]
It didn't start!
Replaced the ECU. It didn't start! Replaced the body computer... (a couple of days later) ... It started!!!!One blue FjCruiser, barely used, no off-road, for sale
.Ok, that was Nate's truck taken care of. Whilst all that was going on, we also had FlyNdrive's truck on the hoist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BtDJqmJ0t0
Replacing the transmission oil required tapping into the sealed system (not unlike a blood transfusion):
Fresh oil is pumped in, which displaces the old oil. When both guages show a clean reddish colour, the job is done...
Miscellaneous:
Let's not forget the tour of Steven Toyota:
In need of a lift:
Just cause there's a hole, doesn't mean you should use it as a recovery point:
Ottelia and Stacie in their limousine:
David and FlyNdrive - two happy mechanics!
We had the run of this magnificent workshop. Last time I set foot within 10 meters of a workshop in Australia, I was read the insurance policy riot act... then again maybe they saw the wet-behind-my-ears
Whew! I think that brings it to a close... 'till next year (you must be dreeeeeaaammmmin'
)LFaR.
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