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

[gvee]

 

[gvee]

Thanks chaps
It feels good to feel good :mrgreen:

Another late night drive tonight. Lots of fun. Sadly she did cut out on me at one point though and I am still trying to work that one out.

Also, my fuel pump wiring ain't quite right. The relay is switched by the alternator, which I don't think works on turn over as expected? Hmmm. Good job I fit an override switch too!

Did I mention that I installed some lights in the engine bay?

Neat, huh?

 

[junglefacejake]

Yeah, digging the illuminated engine bay.
Have you got a couple of 1000w halogens mounted in there?

 

[trebor]

If your headlights pack up you'd still be able to get home in the dark, just reverse home

 

[gvee]

Yeah, digging the illuminated engine bay.
Have you got a couple of 1000w halogens mounted in there?

Just a pair of cheap, LED, DRL (Daytime Running Lights) strips wired up to an ignition live feed with an inline switch. Total cost: less than£10.
I am considering another switch on the engine lid (so that they can't be on when the thing is shut).
They have proved invaluable already during the engine install(s) - highly recommend the upgrade.

If your headlights pack up you'd still be able to get home in the dark, just reverse home

It's miles better than my headlights 8)

Am thinking of using a couple more stealth-mounted on the underside of the vehicle/bumper as "reverse lights" but afraid that it will just end up looking like a chavvy, boy-racer mod! :lol:

 

[gvee]

Half a mile until the destination, pootling uphill on a dark, twisty, high-walled, country lane when sudden loss of power...

Bugger!

Slowly backed it downhill about 200m to a safe spot. Massive thank you to the folk in the Golf who helped with lighting, traffic management and even the offer of a lift somewhere! Faith in humanity restored

Managed to salvage the situation using an electrical chocolate-block and gingerly driving the 20 mins home.

 

[sparkywig]

Just a clutch cable snapping, and running out of fuel and you've completed the list of breakdowns George.


Good news on the ticker though.

 

[Haveacamper]

Glad you are up and running.

I've seen quite a few engine bays with that choc block in place

loving the effectiveness of those engine bay LED DRLs. any pics of where you installed them and links to the ones you bought?

Definitely a something on the list for mine

Nath

 

[gvee]

Just a clutch cable snapping, and running out of fuel and you've completed the list of breakdowns George.

So I shouldn't bother replacing my clutch cable at the same time as my accelerator cable then... just so I can win at Breakdown Bingo? :lol:

loving the effectiveness of those engine bay LED DRLs. any pics of where you installed them and links to the ones you bought?

Hi Nath,
They were cheapuns off ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151304493440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I bought the longer, white ones.
My dad was sceptical about how bright they would be. Needless to say his worries were ill-founded - they're bloody marvellous!

I have them cable tied to the boarding at the roof of the engine bay (the one with all the holes in it that holds the insulation up). They have some 3M tape on the back that would probably be enough to do the job alone to be fair, just tied for extra peace of mind. The wires are also routed above the boarding and come out to a switch that is mounted on the thing on the upper-right (where the diagnostics stuff on a late bay is mounted. Not sure what it is on a '71?).

I'll try get some pics of the install over the weekend.

 

[gvee]

 

[gvee]

Lots of little jobs completed yesterday.

The universal accelerator cable I bought wouldn't fit with my linkage so just ended up pinching the spare end from the packet and using that to replace the second chocolate block. Not happy with this overall, because it's not clean, but it does work so I guess I shouldn't complain.

Didn't get any ramp time so haven't fitted heater cables yet, so just cable tied the buggers open. I also fit the exchanged to body connections (thanks MarriedBlonde!). Very impressed with the fit. No need for any jubilee clips or anything!

Took the bus for a drive and can feel the heat coming though! It's not a blast, but it's there! Just need to fit the plastic bits behind the dash (thanks for the bits, Jake!).

Last thing I did was fix an issue that has been bugging me for way too long - the steering wheel position! After narrowing and getting alignment done, my steering wheel was out by 90 degrees, which makes reading the speedo when at 30 a real pain! Used a pair thick U ring, washer things, bought from NLAVW in conjunction with a 3-legged puller, a cut down bolt, a washer and lashings of penetrating fluid to get the f**ker off! That thing was stuck fast!

Did about 20 miles in the bus yesterday. Ticking down to the magic 300 where the new engine gets its first oil change! Going to try get it booked in on a rolling road early next week before buggering off on holiday!

 

[junglefacejake]

Heat...Mmmmmmmmm

 

[sparkywig]

Did about 20 miles in the bus yesterday. Ticking down to the magic 300 where the new engine gets its first oil change! Going to try get it booked in on a rolling road early next week before buggering off on holiday!

Rolling roads won't usually tune an new engine unless it's got about 1k miles on it, George, it needs to loosen up completely.

 

[gvee]

It is more about getting the carbs set up correctly.

 

[cunning plan]

Up-to-date with this now, great work.

The lights in the engine bay are brilliant!

opcorn:

 

[Hilly_70]

Lookin good there George!

.. The other bus still around?



Hilly

 

[gvee]

Up-to-date with this now, great work.

The lights in the engine bay are brilliant!

opcorn:

Awww, shucks
Cheers :mrgreen:

Lookin good there George!

.. The other bus still around?



Hilly

Sold Lily to a friend (do you know Martin?). It's being restored this winter!
How are you getting on with your bus now?

 

[Haveacamper]

Thanks for the link and pics George. cant believe how effective those lights are! nothing worse that having a torch (or any single light) in the engine bay and trying to a) position it where you want, and, b) the shadows created by the single bright light source.

Definitely something on the list when I get back

 

[gvee]

Not updated in a while, but that's mostly because I haven't really spent any time with the bus since the Christmas Diner meet!

About 2 miles from the Diner, after a trouble free 100 mile journey, we heard a backfire followed by some very weird noises (metal on metal, almost?) and the temperature gauge going nuts... Pulled over and Andy and I popped our heads in the engine bay but there wasn't much being given away. Andy did point out that we'd left a little trail of droplets on the road behind us though!

Because we were so close I decided to just make our way there, gingerly. Less than 500 yards later the noise had disappeared, but the bus was underpowered and just didn't feel quite right. If memory serves correctly I think I had lost my servo assistance on the brakes at that point too.

After a hot dog and a good old chin wag with our fellow Early Bayers it was back on the road again. We made it home without much of an issue, cruising at 50mph most of the way. Sadly the hills were a lot more strenuous than on the route down but she made it.

To top things off though my accelerator decided that this journey was a nice time to start sticking. Joy.

Since then the bus has been sat on my folks driveway awaiting my attention. Next weekend, weather permitting I hope!


Big thank you to Andy for being a gent and keeping me company all the way back to my house in Leeds and getting his Mrs to pick him up from there. As he pointed out: if there were an issue between his place and mine, at least we would have two sets of hands to try sort it out! I owe you one mate, thanks


Merry Christmas everyone arty0041:

 

[gvee]

I miss my bus. Been far too busy recently to spend any time on it.
My daily has been causing me problems which is stealing my remaining free time too.

Anyone have a solid, reliable, beetle/type 3 they want to sell me to replace my crappy French motor?