Gearbox Meltdown & Chinese Takeout
A Landcruiser Adventure in CoonabarabranPicture this: cruising down the dusty outback highway, the sun blazing, a belly full of adrenaline from a weekend of racing at Bathurst. Then, a frantic call over the UHF shatters the serenity. My mates in the car behind are being showered in a geyser of oil, and the air is thick with the unmistakable stench of mechanical failure.Yep, my trusty 1988 Landcruiser had sprung a leak. A big one. The gearbox, after 510,000 kilometers of loyal service, had finally decided to give up the ghost in spectacular fashion. All forward and reverse gears refused to engage, leaving us stranded on the side of the road like a beached whale. RACQ to the rescue! The Landcruiser was unceremoniously towed to Coonabarabran, where it would languish in a dusty impound lot until I could arrange transport back to Brisbane. Defeated but not deterred, we checked into a motel and headed straight for the nearest source of comfort: a classic small-town Chinese restaurant conveniently located a mere 10 meters from our doorstep.Over a feast of spring rolls, sweet and sour pork, and copious amounts of Crown Lager (the peak of 90s Aussie sophistication), we pondered the fate of my gearbox. It was a victim of wear and tear, exacerbated by the relentless heat of the outback. Clearly, a cooler was in order. The Quest for a Solution: From Expensive Rebuilds to Shed-Find GoldGetting the Landcruiser back to Brisbane was going to cost an arm and a leg. The idea of a full gearbox rebuild was equally daunting, with quotes pushing $8,000. Time for some bargain hunting!After weeks of scouring online marketplaces, a glimmer of hope appeared: an original auto gearbox from a wrecked Landcruiser with only 70,000km on the clock, languishing in a shed in Canungra for the past 28 years. A quick road trip later, and I was the proud owner of a near-new gearbox for a mere $1,000. Score one for the tight-fisted adventurer!Preventative Measures: Enter the PWR Transmission CoolerWith a new gearbox in place, it was time to take preventative measures. I wasn't keen on another roadside breakdown.After extensive research, I settled on a PWR transmission cooler. These guys are the real deal, supplying cooling solutions to everyone from weekend warriors to Formula 1 teams. Their coolers are designed and tested right here in Queensland, so you know they can handle the Aussie heat.The Installation: A Breeze Compared to the Turbo DebacleThankfully, installing the cooler was a walk in the park. It's a simple aluminum heat exchanger that mounts in front of the radiator, allowing the gearbox oil to shed some of that excess heat.The Results: Cooler, Calmer, and Ready for More AdventuresThe PWR cooler has made a noticeable difference. The gearbox runs cooler, and the gear selector no longer feels like it's about to melt through the floor. I'm still keen to add some proper temperature monitoring to get a more accurate picture of how it performs under load.The Verdict: A Worthy Investment for Any LandcruiserThe PWR transmission cooler is a well-made, effective piece of kit that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to any Landcruiser owner. It's a small investment that could save you a lot of heartache (and towing fees) down the road.So, if you're planning on tackling the outback or just want to give your gearbox a fighting chance, consider adding a PWR cooler to your arsenal. And if you happen to find yourself stranded in Coonabarabran, be sure to check out the Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant. You won't regret it. Link: PWR Transmission Coolers * this is not affiliated or endorsed by PWR. I just thought its bloody good and wanted to share for other passionate 60 Series owners.