Turkey Bay ORV Area, Kentucky - August, 1999

In August, 1999 the Wolverines decided to travel to the Land between the Lakes recreational area, a finger of land between Kentrucky Lake and lake Barkley near Paducah, Kentucky. Among the recreational facilities at Land between the Lakes is the Turkey Bay ORV area, which is the site of an annual Jeep Jamboree. The area also provides plenty of camping by RVs, tent, and cabin, including a large area for horse campers. Wolverine Rick, whose vehicle was ailing joined Lee for the trip. Rick is standing behind the Jeep in the photo below.

Just prior to the trip Lee had a 3" Teraflex lift kit and 33" tires, and this was his first real chance to try it out. The drive from the Detroit area was a long one, and the TJ's original equipment 3.07 gears didn't help. With the larger tires, the TJ didn't like 5th gear at highway speeds on even the slightest grade or with any head wind at all. It was not long after the trip that the new 4.11 gears were installed.

The ORV area was moderately challenging with several mudholes, a shallow bay, and rocky trails. Especially interesting was a "bowl" with short trails up the surrounding hills (see above). Another interesting feature was a very narrow winding trail down a dry creekbed filled with large gravel.

At the end of the day, the TJ was very muddy, and Wolverine Rick was driving. He decided to demonstrate how to do a "four wheeler car wash" in a shallow lagoon in the lake that bordered the area. He drove back and forth through the water, splashing the underside to the TJ. Shortly thereafter the TJ developed a random miss, and it continued on the return home despite attempts to dry and clean the distributor. A query posted on the Jeep+Willys newsgroup provided the answer. The TJ has a throttle position sensor (TPS) that is vulnerable to water. If it gets wet, it can be ruined and must be replaced. The Jeep dealer replaced it under warranty, and the miss disappeared. The TPS and other sensors on the carburetor have now been waterproofed with a dielectric silicone.