[robinson.s]

Dear All,

Let me try and capture as much as I can of our last week OTR.

Location: Mundakayam / Yandayar and Kuttikanam ( Kerala - Kottayam & Iduki District)

Participants:
CJ3B - Bino (cochin)
CJ3B - Satish (Kottayam)
CJ3B - George (Kottayam)
Invader - Sam (Kottayam)
Invader - Robinson (Bangalore)

This pic was taken at 3 noon.



We started off from Kottayam at 9:00am, drive on NH220 from Kottayam to Mundayayam, diverted towards Yandaya (My home town).
Packed our luch from there and started the climb towards the trail.

Its a total stretch of 15 kms, steep climb passing through private rubber plantations and forest land and finally reach the broken dam. The best part of this trail, its a mix of all kinds of obstacle.
Its rocky / muddy / water crossings / challenging climbs and forest.

There were more than 15 to 20 obstacles, and out of which we could try only 4 as others were extreme or impossible and of course the visiability was also very poor.

Attcahing some more pics;

[Jaggu]

Nice, can we have some more pictures and details of the obstacles please. Heard you got a free water wash also done here

[svsantosh]

Hey Roby, were you returning from Kerala on sunday morning (Saw you on the Elevated highway at 12ish). Good pics, need more.

[robinson.s]

Attaching some pics' were had spend the maximum time.

This is one of my favorite stretch, had tried with CJ3B, without major problem. We all thought for a while, and then finally, planned to give it a short.
I was confident, as my vehicle had a snorkel and every possible fuel line was sealed. But I failed to realise the fact that, the air filter casing wasn't sealed.
In few mts, the engine lost its power, and there was white smoke all over. The only way I could get myself out of the water was to tow it back. Satich CJ was behind me, he tried reverse twoing, dint work, then Sam's Invader tried the same way that also dint work.
Sam turned his Invader, strapped my back, jerked more than five times to get me out of the water. By that time, I got my engine killed, water level inside the cabin was till the gear lever. All the food we packed was completely wet. My boots and knee down was submerged in the water.

I HATE WATER.

After the recovery, we disconnect the air filter which completely wet, drained the silencer and got the vehice started.

I was so happy to see my vehicle alive, and we rested for a while, ate what ever we could, and continued our drive.

[robinson.s]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Hey Roby, were you returning from Kerala on sunday morning (Saw you on the Elevated highway at 12ish). Good pics, need more.

Hi SVS,

You right, I drove back from Kumli around 3 in the morning with leaky transfer case. Stopped at Namakal, opened up the oil line of TC and pore engine oil, as thats all I had.
That's the reason I got so late.

[Jaggu]

Woaah isn't it the same old spot or is this different? And please drain out all the oil and refill with new.

[robinson.s]

Never thought, the water would pass through air filter casing.

[robinson.s]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Woaah isn't it the same old spot or is this different? And please drain out all the oil and refill with new.

Its already gone for full check up. Gonna replace the packing and drain out the oil from engine / gear box / both dif and TC.

[IronWolf]

Originally Posted by robinson.s

Never thought, the water would pass through air filter casing.

Ouch! Sounds bad. What was the damage?

[swastikviji]

Thank god, we missed kuttikanam are else we will be in Robi's position. towing my jeep for 600 kms is a nightmare.

Robi what is final damage as of now.

[4x4 cruiser]

Hi Robinson,

Sorry if i sound a bit naive, but in the video you had cleared the obstacle and were planning to come out of the water then why did you reverse it back again? or that was the way it was planned?

[robinson.s]

Originally Posted by swastikviji

Thank god, we missed kuttikanam are else we will be in Robi's position. towing my jeep for 600 kms is a nightmare.

Robi what is final damage as of now.

Viji Sir,

You will have to try this stretch some time. Will plan when the water level is little low.
The damage is not much. The TC packing is gone. Need to change the dif / gear box and engine oil. Thats all I can figure out now.

Drove from the trail to banaglore, before reaching home, went to the workshop and left it there for check up.

[robinson.s]

Originally Posted by 4x4 cruiser

Hi Robinson,

Sorry if i sound a bit naive, but in the video you had cleared the obstacle and were planning to come out of the water then why did you reverse it back again? or that was the way it was planned?

Good question, I was suppose to move forward, but I lost complete traction as I went ahead, so thought to reverse a bit and take a turn.

[robinson.s]

YouTube - 4x4 extreme

[mjothi]

Nice location.

Btw, the depth of the water seems to be more. I am sure you would have checked the level before attempting. Right? Or was it other way

Originally Posted by swastikviji

Thank god, we missed kuttikanam are else we will be in Robi's position. towing my jeep for 600 kms is a nightmare.

Sir, THE right excuse