Roxy the '71 Panel - So That's What's Wrong With the Engine

[gvee]

The van didn't join us on our trip to Devon.
We were supposed to leave at 10am on Thursday but I was still working on the bus at 4pm :msn4:

Nothing we tried worked. We were chasing leaks for 3 or 4 days. I lost count of the number of times we stripped the thing back and re-did it. Tried a number of products but if they didn't blow straight away they blew after a couple of minutes.

So the engine has been in and out a few times more and has been taken to be welded. I think it has been back 3 times now? The last time there was only a tiny leak on the hardest to reach side of things and the guy reckons he has finally got it. The job is ugly as sin, but it might just work!

Unfortunately, when the engine came out a couple of the clutch plate bolts were loose... they were all correctly torqued up when they went in and the gearbox had yet to be engaged, so this was a bit concerning. What was worse was that when the torque wrench was put back on them, one of the bolt heads sheared off! :evil:

So out came the drill and stud extractor and that f**king thing snapped off and I have blunted every drill bit under the sun trying to re-drill the hole (through the hardened stud extractor).

So I'm going to have to take the flywheel off and try from the other side.

One step forward, three steps back :roll:

 

[trebor]

Is your engine case aluminium or has it magnesium in it ? Only asking because I thought you couldn't weld a magnesium case :?

 

[gvee]

I posted the numbers on my engine case up at some point but wasn't able to find out the material.

Engine number (on a plate under the alternator pedestal): B5545 AD/AS 293894
Under cylinder 1&2: 13 11 (or IL?) 1602
Under cylinder 3&4: 10 11 6 1601 601 A
Near flywheel: 50M and 24

Ideas?

 

[trebor]

I did have some alloy weld wire somewhere, you use it like silver solider but it has a lower melt point than alloy. Turns out stronger too.

 

[gvee]

I don't want to jinx things but things are looking good... Test drove it and got it up to temperature and speed. Throttle needs some fettling as it wasn't opening on the first 1/3rd of travel.

Fingers crossed!

 

[gninnam]

I don't want to jinx things but things are looking good... Test drove it and got it up to temperature and speed. Throttle needs some fettling as it wasn't opening on the first 1/3rd of travel.

Fingers crossed!

Crossed and double crossed

 

[*Sam*]

George, glad your back on the road, did the engine bar arrive ?

 

[gvee]

Cheers chaps - I'm not uncrossing my limbs until the next oil change (~280miles)!

Yes, the bar arrived whilst I was away - thanks! I nearly used it over my existing one as it is in better nick on the lower edge but then realised the middle mounts were fubar'd Just welded up the lip of mine again, but made a much better job of it this time!

Not sure I have any time on it this week, but might try at least give it a short run out at some point.


Has anyone got a set of the tubes that go from heat exchanger to body? I hate the cold!

 

[gvee]

And in other news...


...Had my follow up at the hospital on Friday and they've told me to stop taking the last of my heart meds as I seem to be all fixed : :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:



HELL YEAH!

 

[woz]

Good news on the engine and really good news on you!

Really pleased for you

Woz

 

[gvee]

Thanks Woz

Realised all my recent van pics are from it sat on my folks drive so I did take a quick, cheeky one after checking things half way round the test drive...

New engine lid on
Unfortunately the tailgate wasn't a good enough fit, so stuck with the old one that I've just shoved some silicon on to stem the tidal leak.
I also knocked a few of the dents out of the bumper - think it looks pretty spot on straight now! Re-fitted with freshly coated splashpans too!

The light at the end of the tunnel is quite warming :lol:

 

[gninnam]

Great news on the van - looking good too 8)

Very good news on you :mrgreen:

 

[junglefacejake]

Did you dent the bumper then? :roll:

 

[gvee]

The lower edge had a couple of strange dents that went opposite to the way you'd expect. No idea how that could have happened, but there you go.

I have "parked by feel" in my garage twice, but that's with overriders fitted at about 1/10mph

I've clouted the moustache bar more times than I'd like to admit though, so it might be from one of those moments :lol:

 

[gvee]

Pleased to report that the van is not marking its territory at all - not a single drop of oil (or fuel, ahem) beneath.
Went to take it for a spin last night but about 2 minutes after I stepped indoors it started belting it down with rain :roll:

 

[gninnam]

Fingers crossed then

 

[gvee]

Went for a lovely drive late last night.
Was going to say that the drive was aimless, but in reality it was an hour of trying to find big hills and fun roads :mrgreen: Would you believe me if I told you that I overtook someone whilst going uphill? 8) I also found a hill so steep that I scraped the bumper corner when I entered the road... oops!

I am really pleased with what we have achieved with this engine! I had a smile on my face the whole time, even after the feeling in my fingers started going in the cold

It's not perfect yet, but it is still really nice. I think the carbs are slightly out of balance, I need to adjust my pedal a little more and the timing needs perfecting (my timing light has no advance option, so it is done by eye). I'm going to try get booked in at a rolling road soon to get it spot on!

I have fallen back in love with my bus :msn4: :lol:

 

[subheatadey]

And in other news...


...Had my follow up at the hospital on Friday and they've told me to stop taking the last of my heart meds as I seem to be all fixed : :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:



HELL YEAH!

arty0003:

 

[ozziedog]

Now that`s what I call a bucket load of great news George mate. I hope to see you at the diner complete with bus and without medification :mrgreen: Bet you still can`t hack a Scooby Snack :shock: :shock: :shock:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just be there!!! I`d sooner take the piss in person :lol: :roll: :roll: :lol:

 

[trebor]

I do like your van, its all good when you fix it yourself