1. Admiral Sails on Home Fleet Duties.
Yes. Embarassing, but Admiral was drafted into the Home Fleet for Homeland Defence. From sailing the high seas he was dragged around the streets of Thane yesterday on internal domestic duties. At the beck and call of the LoH. Because yesterday was a holiday. And we went around picking victuals for the house.
But gave me a lot of time to go through the manual again and check out a few facts that have been bothering me. Shall intersperse these with some snaps taken while sailing with the Home Fleet.
1. At the Talaopali or Masunda Lake:
While going through the manual realised that the Fortuner has all major service activities at 10 K KMs intervals only. This includes oil changes, replacement of other consumables etc & major checks. So the visits in between at the 15/25/35K etc KMs is just for inspection. Now this is a mighty bore, yes ? Just to pay for the washing ! But it is thankfully at 6 monthly interval which ever is earlier. The Scorp used to have a 5K KMs service interval or 3 months which ever is earlier.
2. The old, real old St John's School (est late 1890s):
I have been enquring about the Toyota Alarm System's impact sensor arming and disarming with no clue from any one. Even the senior most chaps if the T-ASC are/were clueless. Till I read and re-read the piece on TDS or Theft Deterrent System (page 27 ) which has the piece on impact sensor cancelling (Page 29). My question was as to how to arm it once you disarm it. The ASC mentioned that there is no impact alarm sensor ! Anyway what apparently happens is that you can cancel the sensor using the method described after locking the door and it stays cancelled till you keep the locking security armed. The next time you unlock the doors using the remote (or disarm it as it is referred to) and lock it again the impact sensor gets activated again. There is no need to activate it again. It is automatically activated. And to test it there is a method described on page 30. I tested it and found it all tickety boo ! So there you are.
3. View around the lake:
For towing the TFort (hopefully that eventuality should never occur) there are two tow hooks/eyelets welded on either side of the ladder in the front. Was wondering whether during a towing activity one needs to have two ropes, one for each eyelet for safe towing - which one has seen on largish trucks. Was relieved to learn that any one of the eyelets can be used safely. Because, I carry only one steel tow rope of 5T capacity.
4. Random shots:
Plenty if DiYs in section 7-3 of the manual. I shall add to it of course !
2. Am I Finicky ? No, No - Just Exacting in my Requirements !
And today was on a day's break. And thought why not attend to the minor stuff which was insignificant but to me it was rather irritating. One was the minor rattling sound from the underbody and the teeny-weeny squeak of the brake pedal.
Called up the Head Technical of the ASC who I got to know sometime ago and keep discussing various technical matters of the TFort and was outside the ASC at 9.30 am. And came the Head - a grizzled old veteran, who knew his Fortuner very well alright and was very nice to talk to.
We went out for a long trial on rough patches. The light rattling sound was indeed coming on and off. It was concluded it had nothing to do with the suspension but with the body line. Every bit of the Admiral was checked and tapped. The suspicion fell on the accessory dept fitted Grill Guard or Bump Guard. It just didn't sound right to me and to him. So it was decided to set it right in the next service. But then I paused and told him that I'd rather get the thing refixed right away. And so it was done in an hour's time at the accessories garage of the ASC where the Wurths action was carried out last week.
The brake squeak was confirmed to be the brake booster noise. Fine.
The service intervals was also discussed and my understanding mentioned above was confirmed.
Now the snaps, as usual, shall talk ! At the Accessories Garage:
1. Admiral's guard is down ! This is how the guard's inner side looks.
2. Bumper overboard !
3. The air dams - reverse flap plastic sections:
4.At work and fixing it !
5. View of the white plastic windshield wash reservoir.
6. No Nudes ! But this is the bare radiator !
7. The real hero of a bumper. The steel behind all the plastic !
8. The fog lamp from the inside !
9. Well guarded bumper. The great union of bumper and guard - no baby bumpers yet !
10. Admiral gets his nose back ! Nose job...
11. Admiral's gets his grand Zodiac Grill !
12. The rear gets a pat too !
13. Sea trials in a rough neighbourhood. But no one messes with the Admiral.
Sea trials went of well and the rattle seems to have vanished.
Final take - again accessories chaps of the ASC screwed up. Big time ! Poor fitting.