MB 1120 Coming to America! Purchase, Build and Now Travel!
- Thread starter VerMonsterRV
- Start date
Sitec
Adventurer
Fingers crossed X2!! Tho by the sounds of it you are onto it!!
VerMonsterRV
Gotta Be Nuts
I think we finally licked the problem. We will go for a drive tomorrow as a test but the coolant system now holds pressure. Since we had a good experience with the shop and mechanic we shared contact info. I texted him to ask what else it might be and to tell him we had a problem. He asked where we ended up and then showed up on his Sunday off to help out. Really good guy and this problem was sort of strange so we are still happy with the work they all did. It is good to know we have new bearings, injector sleeves and all upper end gaskets. Plus was able to check the cylinder walls, crank and cam.
So, if this is really the end of our coolant problem we can relax for a while and start thinking about a power bump. Got the technical details on upgrading the turbo and injector pump changes (I am thinking I can tackle those). But first, we are going back packing!
So, if this is really the end of our coolant problem we can relax for a while and start thinking about a power bump. Got the technical details on upgrading the turbo and injector pump changes (I am thinking I can tackle those). But first, we are going back packing!
lets hope the test drive goes well and that you can now put all this behind you.
VerMonsterRV
Gotta Be Nuts
Since we have a bit of internet thought I would do an update. I finally think we got the coolant problem fixed. Pretty sure it was the threaded plug in the top of the head. Minor thing that caused a lot of money and trouble. Really glad to get it fixed and have the engine opened up to check the condition. Now we feel pretty good where we stand with it. We have 2 more projects coming down the road that may happen. One is fitting a turbo from an Atego, it has a waste gate and gives boost way lower in the RPM range. Stage 2 would be an injector pump adjustment to give more HP overall. Not sure on stage 2 as since the engine work we are getting more power (think this was the valve adjustment, I have since learned these engines, including the OM352, valves need to be checked often). The second project is getting the front suspension a bit softer with more travel but keep the ride height the same. Might import some parabolic springs and shocks from Germany for that. On the topic of front suspension, pretty sure the rubber bushings are shot on the front sway bar. They are probably original. I ordered some replacements from SpareTo and now have them in hand. Just need to find a good quiet spot in the forest to put them in. This is a pic showing the offending coolant passage plug.
We just got back from another 3 night backpack. This time in Rainier NP. We got lucky with the booking as we are doing all this last minute. The trip we could book was kind of lame but when the rangers called to confirm they offered to fix it up a bit due to last minute cancellations. Ended up getting a primo route!
Pretty sure Heather is contemplating on getting some mountaineering training so we could summit Rainier.
Well, that's it for now, time to have some more fun!
We just got back from another 3 night backpack. This time in Rainier NP. We got lucky with the booking as we are doing all this last minute. The trip we could book was kind of lame but when the rangers called to confirm they offered to fix it up a bit due to last minute cancellations. Ended up getting a primo route!
Pretty sure Heather is contemplating on getting some mountaineering training so we could summit Rainier.
Well, that's it for now, time to have some more fun!
VerMonsterRV
Gotta Be Nuts
Hey all, just got back from another 3 night backpack. This time in the North Cascades National Park. We lucked out again with perfect weather. Due to Covid and Instagram (direct from a park ranger), back country permits are hard to come by. We had hoped to get a 3 night loop hike but ended up with a 3 night out and back, which fortunately ended up even better than the loop since we got to camp 2 nights up on the ridge (the loop would have been a single night). Now we are back in the truck planning another 3 night trip. Below are some hike pics, our camera phone (or pic taking skill) does not do the scenery justice.
This was an evening hike after setting up camp.
This was our 2 night camp spot, it was up on "Copper Ridge"
Well, off to do more planning.
This was an evening hike after setting up camp.
This was our 2 night camp spot, it was up on "Copper Ridge"
Well, off to do more planning.
Attachments
Sitec
Adventurer
You are teasing us with those pics! Magic place. I've just added North Cascades NP to our visit list (though I'm not sure how I'm going to go getting an RHD truck into the USA on a TIP...). Apart from obvious border checks, is it fairly easy for you to just drive across borders into South America, and Canada from America?
luthj
Engineer In Residence
The USA is a signatory of the international motoring treaty. With a tourist visa you can temporarily import a vehicle you own for up to 1 year in the USA. As far as customs is concerned, is that the vehicle is legally registered in your home country. LHD/RHD, headlights, mirrors, air bags, etc are irrelevant.
VerMonsterRV
Gotta Be Nuts
Hey Simon, the Darien Gap is in Panama and is a bit of jungle with no roads. Kind of inconvenient for those of us that want to move from North to South America. In my looking around people have shipped from Miami, Houston or Panama to get to Columbia. Since we have already spent a fair amount of time in Central America on the boat we will likely try and ship from a US port.
Today was a couple of fun projects. We added a small shelf near the entry door for wallets, sun glasses and now of course masks. Then the fun really started. We are getting an occasional clunk from the front end. The only thing I have been able to see was the sway bar end bushings were shot. So I ordered up some from Europe a couple of weeks ago and spent this afternoon putting them in. Maybe I was missing a special tool but this job was a bit of a pain and am glad it is done. Halfway thru I was wondering if I should have started this job 6 miles up a single lane dirt fire road in a national forest. Now I just need to do the rears...
Joe917
Explorer
The occasional clunk could be a broken front leaf spring bolt. We had a similar clunk, the bolt had broken and the weight was all on one shackle.
VerMonsterRV
Gotta Be Nuts
Thanks Joe, I will crawl under and take a look.
Sitec
Adventurer
Hi Jon.
I have seen documentaries about the Darien Gap, including a thing years ago where Land Rover managed to drive two new Range Rovers through it, backed by Series Land Rovers... Recon it was in the late 70's... However, I hadn't realised that it was still basically impassable by vehicle. It surprises me that someone hasn't built a paved road through there. I guess it'd bring up a host of problems with illegal border crossings. In my basic internet searching this morning, it did throw up this video, which makes for interesting watching, even just for the scenery they are traveling through. There's no way we are driving through there!
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-darien-gap-a-desperate-journey-to-america/#x