What a bummer...

I got a WhatsApp call this morning (Tuesday 27 Mar) from friend Michael (Conchscooter) from where their Promaster van had broken down in Mañazo, Peru. The last I heard their van had been loaded aboard a flat bed transport truck (it barely fit!) and was headed back to Arequipa, Peru- about 140 miles in the reverse direction. 

GANNET 2 strapped down and ready for the 140+ mile trip to Arequipa, Peru.

The issue? The tranny had stuck in 3rd gear, they had very little power when they were trying to move, and the engine overheated as they worked their way to a small town in Peru just North of L. Titicaca. They arrived safely in Arequipa and this morning talked to a transmission mechanic (Wed, 28 Mar), scheduled the repairs, and will be towed there to have the transmission removed, inspected and repaired/rebuilt. 

Once the transmission is out of the van they'll have the towed van back to the campground where Michael and Rusty will hang out till repairs are complete. While those repairs are going on, Layne will take her previously scheduled flight back to the US as planned. She'll visit with family & friends in the US for a bit, then return to Arequipa, Peru to a (hopefully!) once more functioning van.

I'm exhausted just thinking about all the "i's" to be dotted and "t's" to be crossed let alone getting it all done & dusted and returned back in working order to the campground. And do it all in time for Layne's return from the US. Yikes! But the repairs while on the road are normal stuff for an Overlander I suppose.

I think I'll stick with roasting coffee once each week! 

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The 3 travelers safely arrived in Arequipa last nite (28 May). 

They located a transmission mechanic this morning thanks to recommendations from those who helped back in Mañazo. They arranged to have the van repaired. A tow was arranged and they delivered the van to the mechanic 29 May. The engine/transmission assembly was removed from Gannet 2, then the engine-/transmission-less van was towed back to the campground the next day where it will serve as home till the transmission can be repaired and reinstalled. An encouraging comment from the mechanic was that the parts should be available.

In the transmission shop today where they removed the engine/tranny as a single unit. So far the torque converter needs repair/replacement but I suspect there's more coming.

The tranny torn apart in the shop

Like any good Overlander they have a reserve set aside for repair emergencies. So no panic. And the timing is good with Layne's travel plans already set.

Conchscooter now has it all properly recorded on his site where you can read all the details as work progresses. 

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