Project What has two seats, a mid-mounted 6 cylinder engine, and a turbo? Windscreen number 6 now - two in a year!

[mat_the_cat]

About that engine oil leak...I couldn't just ignore it, so took a closer look. Bugger.

Thanks to several years running without any undertray, the sump has rusted and pinholed through! With the oil cold, it's too viscous to flow anything noticeable, but when warm it's a significant drip. Magnified by the heatwave we've been in!

Now I quite enjoy a bit of tinkering time on holiday, but even I draw the line at the time taken to drop the sump on a campsite, and then cycle to try and find somewhere who could weld it back up again. So I admit that I've bodged it.

One metal roofing screw (with built-in rubber sealing washer) later, I think it's a success! It's amazing what you can buy in a French hypermarket, right down to car batteries and filters. I guess it says a lot about how many folk still DIY on their own vehicles compared to the UK...

A few more car spots from when I wasn't driving or stuck under a van:

@puddlethumper on tour?

Some fantastic scenery - it's the first time we've been to the Morvan national park and would recommend. 

As usual in France, there are many scenic spots for a picnic. This one by a river was probably one of the best.

We crossed back to the UK yesterday (and were spotted by @NorfolkNWeigh) and it really brought home how much I prefer France, even taking off the holiday rose-tinted glasses. Driving is still a pleasure over there - here it felt so much more frantic and stressful. Even on the motorways it's not difficult to find a nice place to stop, whereas with the exception of Tebay perhaps, there's not many services you'd actually want to visit!

[mat_the_cat]

We've just had a 'not a weekend' away down in South Wales. Perfect weather, and an ace little campsite with great views.

Basic facilities, which suits us fine. We could have camped in the lower field, right at the top of the cliffs, but all the levellable spots were taken!

https://www.nantycroiholidays.co.uk/

Not the ideal vehicle for the tiny lanes, but we managed. I am wondering about a future project for the van though, and that is engine-driven AC.

The electrical system I installed 5 years ago works well for when we're parked up, but marginal whilst driving (fighting the heat from the engine) in the recent heatwave temperatures. I reckon it knocks off 10°C from the ambient temperature, which is welcome but not cool, plus takes a while to bring the temperature down on a hot day. So I'm thinking of fitting an engine driven system and building it into the existing heater system. This would have in the order of 5x the cooling power.

First stumbling block is compressor mounting, as the only reference I can find to an factory fitment has the compressor in place of the optional PAS pump, which I don't want to lose. I don't know whether that was simply more convenient in production to offer an either/or option, or whether there's difficulties in mounting elsewhere...

I reckon though, that if I re-route the coolant hose, I could mount it here.

I already have an evaporator, which was too big for the Stellar installation. With a bit of luck this will be suitable for the LT. Condenser should be easy, unless I choose not to mount it in front of the radiator where there is plenty of space!

[cobblers]

What about converting to electric PAS and ditching the hydraulic system? 

Or maybe just use a Saxo electric PAS pump mounted somewhere convenient?

[Asimo]

9 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

 

[Asimo]

9 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

First stumbling block is compressor mounting, as the only reference I can find to an factory fitment has the compressor in place of the optional PAS pump, which I don't want to lose. I don't know whether that was simply more convenient in production to offer an either/or option, or whether there's difficulties in mounting elsewhere...

Where is the compressor fitted on these engines in Volvos? They will always have had PAS as well.

[mat_the_cat]

2 hours ago, cobblers said:

What about converting to electric PAS and ditching the hydraulic system? 

Or maybe just use a Saxo electric PAS pump mounted somewhere convenient?

 

1 hour ago, Asimo said:

Where is the compressor fitted on these engines in Volvos? They will always have had PAS as well.

Couple of good ideas there, thanks!

[mat_the_cat]

At the top of this page you can see the rust damage to the sump, and my temporary repair. To my surprise, I've done 6000 miles since the service in February, so time for another oil change and makes sense to repair it properly at the same time. Or so I thought...

What started as a planned half day or so to whip the sump off, weld it up and replace turned into a whole world of pain, and about 18 hours work. To start with, the rearmost two bolts of the sump are recessed into the flywheel, but eventually I worked out that if I rotated the engine, two slots came into view enabling every single one of my 1/4" hex extensions to loosen the T30 screws.

The next hurdle was the fact that the oil pickup pipe prevented the sump being moved rearward, and the crossmember prevented it from dropping downwards. The method is supposedly to remove the 5 screws holding the pipe in place, allow it to drop into the sump, and then tilt/slide the sump out.

Little by little, working only by feel through a slot between sump and block (and hampered by the crossmember, I loosened the screws with an open-ended spanner. Dropped the pipe into the sump, and imagine my joy at realising there was still not enough room to wriggle it out. And now the pipe was inaccessible,  there was no chance of simply giving up and bunging a new gasket on.

So the only solution was to raise the engine, but access to the (now immobile) van was not wide enough for my engine crane. So I had to dismantle it and carry it through in pieces. Passenger seat out, and crane in through the door took the weight of the engine, and lifting it an inch gave just enough clearance to miss the crossmember.  And foul on the anti-roll bar

Still, that was relatively simple to remove, and finally, after 11 hours, the sump was now off!

The inside was immaculate - absolutely zero sludge, so a testament to 51 oil changes over 290k miles. Welding it up was the quickest part of the job, although I'm running low on steel sheet and had to do it in two patches, covering up any pitted metal. I leak tested it with WD40, so confident it will be oil-tight. 

Replacement is the reverse of removal, and refitting the pipe was slightly easier given a 2 inch slot between sump and block. Although balanced out by the fact I had to get 5 screws started by fingertips, without dropping them, whilst holding the pipe up and aligning the gasket where the pipe attaches to the oil pump.

I got the sump on around 2am this morning, but left it until today to refit all the other bits and pieces, and carry out the service.

Yes, the air filter really is that big! Which reminds me, I still need to fit that. But all else is done, and it fired up fine with no evident leaks.

[chodweaver]

Good work!

I've read elsewhere that sump-off is a bastard of a job. If i ever recommission mine, sump repairs may be on the agenda - a very helpful MOT tester warned me that Euclidean cooling* is responsible for the pinhole leaks these spring, and the Volvo fitted engines don't share the same sump.

Will be following any and all PAS/AC developments with interest

* No, I'd not heard of it either 

[mat_the_cat]

Euclidean cooling doesn't make any sense to me, as I thought it was a system of geometry! I think the biggest factor in this case is that the van has been run without the undertray for many years, and the 'box' on the side of the sump bowl appears to be in the line of fire of road spray, without getting the benefit of any oil leaks or misting from the engine. There was only one spot which was breaking through, so the screw repair would likely have lasted for a good while longer - with hindsight I'd have left it or repaired it in situ!

Next step with the AC is to find a compressor, and see where I can mount it. I'm not in a massive rush, so keeping my eye out for a bargain. 

[mat_the_cat]

Possibly the last trip away in the van this year has now been and gone  We've just returned from southern Volvoland, which was beautifully scenic and much quieter than North Wales.

We stopped overnight near Lancaster on the way up after emailing a pub to check it would be OK to stay in their car park.

We had a great evening there with a nice meal Everyone was really friendly - it felt more like walking into a friend's sitting room than a pub! Several people asked us whether we were the ones camping in the car park, and they all loved our dog (who fell asleep on the carpet).

Once in Scotland we found a few nice camping spots, and unlike Wales this doesn't seem to be frowned upon, with several car parks saying you are OK to park up for the night. This was probably the best.

In other news, it's clicked over another mini milestone.

We were in a bit of a hurry so I just got my wife to take a snap rather than stopping, but the speedo needle is in just the wrong place!

[cobblers]

12 minutes ago, mat_the_cat said:

In other news, it's clicked over another mini milestone.

We were in a bit of a hurry so I just got my wife to take a snap rather than stopping, but the speedo needle is in just the wrong place!

I know it's a big lad but surely you've been 50mph before 😄

[mat_the_cat]

I haven't forgotten the AC install on this, I've just been thinking about it (and spending the money on Land Rover parts instead!) Pretty sure I will go down the route of fitting an electric power steering pump, and mounting the compressor in its place. It's just going to be so much easier that way, rather than trying to cram it in. So I'm on the lookout for a suitable electric pump with a pressure of 100 bar. Ideally with an M16 outlet thread, so I can just swap over the existing hose.

No great rush, as I'm skint, and I've probably left it too late for this summer anyway given my work rate! But if anyone knows their pumps, any leads would be useful...

[Talbot]

There's a Saxo with an electric PAS pump sitting in the FOD at the moment.  You're welcome to it if it will fit or can be made to fit..

[cobblers]

Yup, 106/saxo or merc A class are the usual suspects. The merc pump is better, the saxo ones cheaper and easier to wire up.

[mat_the_cat]

6 hours ago, Talbot said:

There's a Saxo with an electric PAS pump sitting in the FOD at the moment.  You're welcome to it if it will fit or can be made to fit..

Ooooh, that might be handy, thanks. Others I'd been looking at were Volvo S40 (although I think shared with many others) and Toyota MR2 Mk3. All just 3 wires to get the basic functionality, but the Toyota one seems to drop into a standby mode if you're going in a straight line. Useful to minimise electrical load. But Saxo pumps seemed to be a fairly common mod. I will check specs!

[artdjones]

Or you could do a similar conversion to a lot of Talbot Expresses and fit a Clip electric column.

[mat_the_cat]

I did wonder about that, but it seems simpler to fit an electric pump and just swap the hoses over. Easier to trial with temporarily, and revert to the engine-driven pump if there was a problem. Not ruled it out though, mind.

[cobblers]

43 minutes ago, mat_the_cat said:

I did wonder about that, but it seems simpler to fit an electric pump and just swap the hoses over. Easier to trial with temporarily, and revert to the engine-driven pump if there was a problem. Not ruled it out though, mind.

Everyone I know who has fitted a Corsa EPAS to some old van has complained that it made the steering terrifyingly vague. I have bolt in epas kit to go in my t25 that has been sat on a shelf for a year because I have never heard a good word about them (other than from people who wouldn't know what steering feel was if it hit them in the face), so I reckon you are definitely on the right track sticking with hydraulic PAS if you can.

[mat_the_cat]

From my limited but growing understanding, the Corsa arrangement has 3 levels of assistance depending on vehicle speed. Obviously there's not going to be a speed signal on an old shed so I'm guessing it defaults to parking mode which must be horribly over-assisted at speed. I'm fully expecting a bit of trial and error (mostly the latter probably!) so I like the idea of just putting the PAS belt back on and swapping the hoses back - rather than sawing my steering column in two and finding out I don't like it

[mat_the_cat]

This has been in regular use this winter; I've tried to keep it out of the salt but sometimes get caught out

It does get thoroughly washed off afterwards though, and dried off with a large fan. Bad news is that it suffered a sudden and catastrophic component failure recently!

To be fair, it had been hanging on for a while, hence the zip ties. And the other side is little better. Replacements are NLA, although ones for a T5 chassis cab are almost identical, and getting towards the age where dealers seem to be clearing out unsold stock at a discount.

Just need to get round to fitting them now...

...and the same with the AC install. Seeing as I don't think space will be an issue (unlike the Stellar install) I've gone for a much bigger compressor. 7 pistons instead of 5, and 150cc versus 90cc. It does have a bigger space to cool down, obviously!

[mat_the_cat]

For the first time in nearly 100,000 miles I've had to call out recovery. I'm stuck near Northampton with a failed clutch

The gearbox arm is moving when I press the pedal, but it's not disengaging. Not sure what's the most likely cause at the moment. Annoyingly it's not the cable, as I carry a spare!

[RobT]

Have you been recovered yet?  Hopefully a Monday night isn't too busy and they get to you in good time.

[mat_the_cat]

Not yet...Good job I'm in a campervan, although wonder if that pushes me down the priority list somewhat. Annoyingly I've not been able to collect what I came for, so have to make the journey again anyway! 

[Back_For_More]

Hang on..... 12hours and not recovered yet.... WTAF! 

Was it a sudden cease of operation or anything noticeable beforehand? 

*edited for stupid remark removal*

Hope you're on your way home soon fella. Good luck.... 

Got enough cuppas available? 

[mat_the_cat]

Some positivity, apart from the fact it's an Iveco.

Engine management light on at less than a year old and 46k miles, but we're not too far from home now.

[Asimo]

[mat_the_cat]

2 hours ago, Back_For_More said:

Was it a sudden cease of operation or anything noticeable beforehand? 

Got enough cuppas available? 

No warning whatsoever. Which surprises me - I've always been very confident that there's very little on the van which could fail suddenly, but seems I was wrong.

Fortunately OK for food and drink, just the inconvenience of it all.

[Back_For_More]

I removed the comment earlier about the arm failing - the behemoth that Asimo has a pic of - just next to the push point from the slave cylinder..... 

Hope it isn't that bad..... But I've probably jinxed it now - sorry

[mat_the_cat]

There still feels like resistance to pedal movement, and the same at the arm itself - not floppy as I'd expect if the arm had failed. But I can't think what could have failed. New clutch on order, as whatever the fault there's no sense putting a 300k mile clutch back in.

Back home now but it was touch and go at times! What a heap of shit the truck was. Iveco have been out 15 times in a year to try and solve the ghost EML, but no fault found. We had a random 'check trailer lights' warning, as well as a speed sensor fault knocking out cruise control. Then with about 20 miles to go the clutch started slipping

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, mat_the_cat said:

Iveco have been out 15 times in a year to try and solve the ghost EML,

Fuck me, that's a slow recovery! 🤣