Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[dollywobbler]

Fair enough. Still think it's a bit choked up and the timing advance curve is rather limited. Does the 2CV have vacuum on the ignition?

 

Phil

 

Nope. All done on weights only.

[dollywobbler]

Realised it wasn't raining. Fed up with sofa time, it was gardening time!

 

Look at those lovely blue shades. Such a pretty colour.

 

Heavy-handed brutality got the rear drums off the spares car. That enabled me to turn the driveshafts so I could disconnect them, and remove the transmission.

 

There are no photos of the swearing necessary to get to this stage. 

 

TWC was roped in to transport tools and the transmission once it was out. That has gone under the 'one day' workshop bench, along with the broken engine. And the stripped original engine of Elly the 2CV. 

 

So, spares car should be a lot easier to move then, which is good, as the plan is to load it into a van and send it to its new home.

[Zelandeth]

Aye, that should make it a *lot* easier to manhandle I would think.

 

I still reckon this probably takes the award for "oddest shaped final drive assembly I've seen in a while" too.

[dollywobbler]

It's a right sod of a thing to move on your own! Bits sticking out all over the place. Gear selector is seized solid on this one though, so I'll have to hope I don't really need it...

[Zelandeth]

It does look like a good example of the dictionary definition of awkward!

[PhilA]

Just watched the trip to the seaside. Looks like a proper day out!

 

For the sake of a bit of oil, on a hot day like that again after an oil change, see if it's doing the oil pressure light Fandango. Looks like the oil is getting a bit thin with fuel ingress, particularly with the little cough of blue at the end of the video?

 

Phil

[dollywobbler]

I've been hammering about plenty, including some serious hillclimbs, with no repeat of the oil pressure light woes. The raised tickover helps, I'm sure. I have no plans to do another oil change for a bit, but I'll certainly keep an eye on it. Level is always dropping slightly rather than going up, and never smells of petrol.

[dollywobbler]

I'm going to have to update the title of this thread. Now I only own one Invacar!

 

An exhausting but satisfying installation in the back of a Transit.

[dozeydustman]

Bye-bye TP. Is Zel having her?

[Remspoor]

I have found TP's replacement. Another car collection caper. This time from The Netherlands.

[dollywobbler]

Bye-bye TP. Is Zel having her?

 

I'll let him confirm or deny, but here's the point where I thought "this isn't going to work!"

 

Happily, I was wrong.

[Zelandeth]

Aye, have just updated my thread.

 

I also had my doubts up to the point where we both tried lifting the back, at which point it was pretty obvious that it should be possible.

 

It was more just *awkward* than actually difficult.

 

Though I will vouch for the fact that DW is stronger than he looks.  I am not.

 

She's about as perfect a match to my KPL as I could have wished for to be honest - it's very much a case of the perfect candidate to make one good one out of the two with relatively little in the way of leftovers.

 

Looking forward to getting these two to meet up again!

 

Bet she never thought she'd be getting another shot at being made roadworthy again when she was dropped in that field...or when she was donating bits to get TWC on the road...

 

Meant to say at the time DW, I'm not camera shy or afraid of my face appearing online, so you're welcome to do what you wish with any of the snaps etc from the day.  I'll send you copies of everything I got as well if you want.

[oldcars]

I'll let him confirm or deny, but here's the point where I thought "this isn't going to work!"

 

Happily, I was wrong.

You need to Knight Rider this. Role out of the back of the moving Transit on the motorway. 

[Zelandeth]

You need to Knight Rider this. Role out of the back of the moving Transit on the motorway.

 

...and to think, I spent several hours specifically trying to make sure that *didn't* happen...Guess I missed a trick...

[dollywobbler]

There is a problem.

 

So I took it off.

https://twitter.com/HubNutVids/status/1010151886807281665

 

Pretty sure that's not going to be ideal! Silencers are not available new. Given it's summer, I'm tempted to try and get a custom non-heater exhaust made up for it. 

 

Incidentally, with it idling in its usual lumpy manner, I was able to confirm that the right cylinder is not firing consistently at idle. A much stronger chug out of the nearside pipe. I am a little concerned, because on a test run this morning, TWC did feel slightly down on power. She is terrible at climbing hills - far worse than the 2CV, despite being over 200kg lighter, with only 9bhp less. How long until Festival of the Unexceptional again?!

[chaseracer]

 

...I will vouch for the fact that DW is stronger than he looks.  I am not.

 

Lightweights, both of you.  Mrs Hubnut would've tossed that in the back of the van one-handed while weeding the garden, making jam AND feeding George the cat...

 

[Anglevan]

The exhaust would be an easy repair with a new section. Id love to assist but distance is not your friend. if you do get a stainless one made. Send me that in the post and ill repair it for thee foc. Regards the running issue, sometimes its best just to get a second opinion. Ive had months of issues with my subaru mv. Just paid a guy £30. he was on it an hour and its purring like a good un. I know your location may make this difficult to find the specialists but sometimes its best just to hand it over for a couple of hours labour. Its finding someone recommended. ..

[dollywobbler]

The exhaust would be an easy repair with a new section. Id love to assist but distance is not your friend. if you do get a stainless one made. Send me that in the post and ill repair it for thee foc. Regards the running issue, sometimes its best just to get a second opinion. Ive had months of issues with my subaru mv. Just paid a guy £30. he was on it an hour and its purring like a good un. I know your location may make this difficult to find the specialists but sometimes its best just to hand it over for a couple of hours labour. Its finding someone recommended. ..

 

Yes, location is a pain in the arse. The exhaust is quite complex, as it contains a heat exchanger. The whole thing is pretty rusty, and getting soft in quite a few places. I'm wondering about just getting a custom exhaust made up. Needs two entry points and a centre exit.

[chaseracer]

Straight pipes.  Wear a coat.

 

HTH.

[captain_70s]

Straight pipes.  Wear a cloak.

 

HTH.

 

FTFY.

[Supernaut]

Cherry Bombs

FTFY.

 

Like this:

 

[Zelandeth]

With regards to the one side doing more at idle...

 

Check the simple stuff before panicking. Methodical analysis is needed.

 

[] Distributor cap. Whip it off and check it's clean.

[] If possible (can't remember if it is) rotate it through 180 degrees, swap the leads over and see if the issue switches sides.

[] As above with plugs.

 

If that's inconclusive...

 

[] Check valve clearances.

[] Compression test - maybe do this first as I imagine doing the valve clearances is a royal faff with the engine in situ.

 

If there's an issue identified there, get a head gasket set in, pull a head off your spare engine, get that tidied up in advance and swap them over.

 

With such a low mileage on it I doubt it's likely to be anything more sinister than a dodgy head gasket or coked up valve seat.

 

Or it might be nothing at all and they just idle a bit lumpy...reckon mine is similar to be fair.

[dollywobbler]

They have head gaskets? The problem cylinder is the one I thought might have had a sticky valve some time back. Or maybe that was the original engine. I've lost track now.

[Zelandeth]

There will be a head gasket - but it's purely to keep compression in the cylinder really - and if it's gone the most likely symptom you'll see is low compression.

 

It's obviously a far simpler gasket than on a water cooled car.

 

Cue someone chiming in and telling me there's no gasket...I confess to not reading the manual before typing this.

[Asimo]

That chuffing noise from one cylinder (without exhaust) suggests exhaust valve to me. VW engines get a distinctive chuffiness about their tickover when their exhaust valves aren't sealing right. (Usually cylinder 3 is the first to fail because it runs hotter)

 

If the cylinder to barrel seal ("head gasket") is blowing it makes little or no noise at tickover and a right din on full throttle.

 

I would have the heads off and have a look. Dropped valves make a real mess of things.

[dollywobbler]

Hmm. Time might be against me here. Actual spare time between now and FOTU is in short supply. I have had an engine drop a valve though, so am aware of the mess they make. Especially when your wife drives in ten miles afterwards...

[dollywobbler]

I have located a NOS exhaust. In Ramsgate. Sigh. If anyone could help get it to the Midlands, near Harwich or to Wales, do let me know!

[Squire_Dawson]

Redex poured into carb cures all.

[dollywobbler]

Redex poured into carb cures all.

 

I don't think it repairs holes in exhausts...

[egg]

I have located a NOS exhaust. In Ramsgate. Sigh. If anyone could help get it to the Midlands, near Harwich or to Wales, do let me know!

 

I could at least pick it up and bring it to Herne Bay if any advantage to you in the slightest. I may also be travelling to Exeter in the next couple of weeks (as supposed to be selling my Fusion to an aunt) but she is umming and ahring at the mo, which is a tad frustrating.

 

Edit: you need it sooner than that, so have added on Facebook I can probably bring as far as Dartford area if someone can pony express it further on.