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Mecanical work and…
Arrived in North Carolina, I quickly began preparations for the export of VLV: modifications and adaptations required for the future registration in Switzerland, maintenance and preventive work, especially to improve the engine cooling which is still difficult as the big 6-liter diesel is confined in the engine compartment…
1. Cleaning the moving parts of the variable geometry turbo.
2. Re-install of the turbo. Contortionist session ensured to achieve some bolts! 😀
3. Taking the front apart.
4. After removing radiators, intercoolers, fans etc, a part of the work is done to reach the front cover of the engine.
5. Here it is, the cover is removed after a day and a half of work! For the record, I will have to repeat it as a big oil leak appears at the restart. Guess why? Ford had delivered the wrong Semmering gasket! What a f..!
6. That damn little joint earn me the removal of all theadmission for replacement. A full more day of work…
7. plasma cutting in the winch holding plate to improve cooling.
8. Removing the front brake for installation of new calipers. In the end, I will go back with the same, the new calipers being too large for VLV’s wheels…
9. VLV in U-Joint Offroad workshop.
10. U-Joint Offroad fair in Asheville “Van Life Rally”.
VivaLaVida had a real success – I could have sold her several times!
After the fair, it’s camping time with U-Joint team.
11. Nice campsite!
12. Davidson River…
13. On my way to Baltimore where I will drop off VLC for its first transoceanic crossing, I drove in Washington DC.
14. Last night on US ground with the wooden wall that will isolate the interior of VLV and thawing the fridge before stopping it for a few weeks…
15. Last picture at the entrance of Baltimore harbor. Have a good journey VLV! See you in Antwerp in a few weeks. 😉
At the time you will read this update, VivaLaVida will be undertaken its Atlantic crossing…
To be followed soon for the “pick up” in Antwerp and the road to Switzerland. 😉
Way to salt Lake City and…
After waiting on a workshop that told me they could do the work on VLV and which finally didn’t, I had little choice but to join a big city to find a workshop that can do the job “on measure “on VLV.
Anyway, before leaving Moab, I went to visit Hans and Madeleine who had so warmly welcomed me at the end of last fall. I found them in their new home in town. Madeleine having been operated of her shoulder four days before, she has no choice but to wear a harness supporting his arm for four to five months at least. But she seems to take it philosophically. Hans was kind enough to advice me a workshop in Salt Lake City, that really helped me.
I therefore took the northbound road and met some nice thunderstorm clouds … Sorry, the pictures of this page were made with my iPhone, the quality is poor…
1. Large thunderstorm cloud.
2. In a few moments VivaLaVida will cross the thick curtain of rain.
Arrived at SLC, VLV wouldn’t start the next morning. It seems there was quind of aa short circuit in the starter system. I finally managed to crank it switching on house batteries and to reach the Ford dealership. They diagnose a bad alternator, only the third in less than two years ..! Above all, I was surprised by the diagnosis because I do not understand why this would prevent VLV from starting since the batteries were ok. After more than 6 hours of waiting, they tell me that everything was ok. I left, stoped less than a mile awayr to buy something and when I turn the key to start again, the symptoms were the same as in the morning! I decided to control the main engine ground and once cleaned and squirt in WD40, VLV starts without worries… I will returned the next day at Ford to request a refund of more than $500 of repairs that wasn’t the issue..!
The next day, I worked in the Advanced 4×4 Vans workshop to relocate the new oil cooler and add a motorcycle fan to enhance cooling when traveling at low speed on the trails. Arrived at 8 am, left at 18h, a big day of mechanic but a positive result with the oïl cooler now vertical on the passenger side allowing cool air to reach the tranny and water coolers.
3. A quind of oldschool workshop with competent people…
4. Relocation of the new oïl cooler, vertical in left side of the picture..
Here is a breaking news which will undoubtedly surprise some of you. For family reasons, I’m gonna interrupt VLV’s journey and return to Switzerland for an indefinite period. This blog will thus stop with this update and will reanimate when I will find VLV back, probably not before fall. I found a storage where I can leave VLV sheltered and safe not far away from SLC airport. While you’ll discover this, I’ll probably be on the plane that will take me back to Europe …
I want to thank you all for your loyalty during the almost two years I tried to animate this little diary, sharing quite a few images that the places VivaLaVida went to explore inspired me. Your regular comments constituted a kind of friendly link that kept me company throughout the trip. Thank you all for your loyalty…
D5 Creation