Friday 27th March - Bolivar to Gawler
It's going to be a warm day for travel today. A top of 31.1 and a low last night of 13.2. All packed and ready to leave by 10.30, so off we go. About 30 minutes in to the trip the Jeep starts to lose power and the engine sounds rough. Clive managed to pull over off the road, but we're in a 110km/h area. Tried to re-start it and all it does is turn over and over. Looks like we are not going anywhere. It finally stopped so Clive gets onto the RAA. Someone will be here in about an hour he is told. Clive noticed diesel on the ground so it looks like a fuel leak. He put a towel over the windscreen on my side of the car to try and help keep me cool, as it was quite warm and the sun is coming in directly through the glass. Nearly an hour later the service car arrives and it appears it's the pre-fuel filter that has done something and no fuel is getting through. He can't fix it. They advised him to ring the RACQ direct as our Ultimate membership has more benefits then their standard 10km towing. He was told that if he rings the 13 number he'll just get the office in SA. Clive hunts for the RACQ but can't find it anywhere, only the 13 number. So he rings that again and explains that he needs to talk to RACQ and they out him through to QLD. We then get put through to the Ultimate area and they see all the details. They arrange a few things and call back. Time is marching on and it's hot. Clive rang Mary and she offered to come and pick me up, but I told him I wanted to wait with him. Eventually the RACQ ring back and a few more calls back and forth. They have arranged a tow truck and will also tow the caravan to the Gawler van park. They've booked us in there for four days as it's now unlikely that they will be able to do anything today as the approved repairer is very busy. Seems our plans are going astray. By now I'm starting to feel sick from the heat, so Clive tells me that I am going. He rings Mary and she calls Theresa who came and picked me up so I left him to wait for the tow truck. We also had a phone call from Denzil who said, " Tell me that's not you pulled off the road with bonnet up." Sure is. He was driving past on a work job. We told him it was all under control. The tow truck arrived and the Jeep was loaded up. The van attached and because of the virus they are no longer allowing anyone in the cab with the driver. While loading Clive noticed that the driver was wearing a shirt with the garage name of where the van was going. He explained the issue of what had happened with this filter back in October and asked him to pass it onto the mechanics. Theresa came back and picked him up and took him to the van park. Everything sorted there as it's all being paid by the RACQ. If it can't be fixed withing seven days then we do have the option of flights home etc. Good but not good. Went and plugged the van into power and water and then off to Mary's for KFC for lunch. I was resting in the cool lounge room when they got here. Jude was off to the school to get one of the girls, so he kindly dropped us off at the van park on the way. Theresa told us how her children had loved the blankets Clive had made for each of them. They all even made their owns beds the next day, with their blankets on top. Expected to be here for four days, but around 3.30pm we get a call that they had found and fixed the problem by bypassing this filter. We'll get it fixed properly when we get back home. Turns out to be what Clive thought. A fuel hose line had blown off. $160.00 later and we have the Jeep back. So tomorrow it's now take 2. Advised the RACQ of everything, so now they will only pay for one night.