FFS - That’s it I’m done!

Let me just add that whilst I appreciate everyone’s helpful suggestion, I’ve mentioned these to Marlene and as I suspected her view is that after everything that has gone on she just won’t ever trust it to go any distance from home.
 
linkshouse said:
Let me just add that whilst I appreciate everyone’s helpful suggestion, I’ve mentioned these to Marlene and as I suspected her view is that after everything that has gone on she just won’t ever trust it to go any distance from home.
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If you feel the same after Christmas it may be worth putting it up for stating the problem. May get more for it than you save swapping bits. If no interest you still have the option to swap what you want I to a different van.

good luck (hopefully) whatever way yougo👍
 
Will the sofim 2.8 as used in iveco not go in,did you torque it in stages from centre out and always look at block,could try running with stat out as they can give trouble,i remember going through before i got one to work correct in a old soda.
After stat then head of and st edge across block long ways ,side and corner to corner if iron cast block,if wet liner they should be 6 th above block.
I love doing gaskets.

head a.jpghead b.jpghead c.jpg
 
trevskoda said:
Will the sofim 2.8 as used in iveco not go in,did you torque it in stages from centre out and always look at block,could try running with stat out as they can give trouble,i remember going through before i got one to work correct in a old soda.
After stat then head of and st edge across block long ways ,side and corner to corner if iron cast block,if wet liner they should be 6 th above block.
I love doing gaskets.
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Mine doesn’t look anything like that.

Yes, I torqued it’s in stages as per the Peter Russel manual.
 
Did you think of doing the retorquing of the head bolts after it had been run until being hot?????
 
Molly 3 said:
Their comes a time when the spending has to stop . especially when loosing confidence in the reliability of the vehicle . good luck with decision make .
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I’m afraid you’re right.

The engineer in me says nonsense! We’ll fix it. And, I’m sure that after a short break I’d be ready to start again.

My wife however has reached the point where, no matter what I say, she just won’t trust it for a long run, especially into the remote locations that we like.
 
linkshouse said:
I’m afraid you’re right.

The engineer in me says nonsense! We’ll fix it. And, I’m sure that after a short break I’d be ready to start again.

My wife however has reached the point where, no matter what I say, she just won’t trust it for a long run, especially into the remote locations that we like.
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Nice Web-site..Thanks
PS I agree with your wife !
 
linkshouse said:
Sorry, long story...

Many of you will be aware of the fun and games I’ve had with our van.

I recently posted to say it was fixed and, better still, that it sailed through its MOT.

Well, I felt it was running a bit on the warm side and had needed to top up the coolant a couple of times. I was investigating this yesterday when suddenly the water started spraying out of the header tank at extremely high pressure!

There is only one thing that can generate this sort of water pressure - a blown head gasket!

Before anybody asks, yes I did use a torque wrench and torqued the head bolts to the correct torque, the gasket was new and the faces were meticulously clean.

To say I was upset would be a massive understatement. As you’ll know from my questions about meets/rallies I was already plotting and scheming next years travels.

After a somewhat sleepless night I’ve reached something of a watershed. That’s it, I’m done! I love this van and have spent a lot of time and money getting the habitation how we want but I can’t just carry on throwing money at it.

it has new -

Battery bank
Solar system
Diesel heater
Fridge
Telly
Radio
Inverter

So my plan now is to source a suitable newer van and do my own conversion using the old van as a donor.

it feels like a shame to be plundering an old classic but I’m sure now that this is my most cost effective solution.
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What a sickener. I really feel for you. Try to relax and enjoy Christmas and see how you feel in the New Year - I suspect the engineer will come roaring back!
 
linkshouse said:
I’m afraid you’re right.

The engineer in me says nonsense! We’ll fix it. And, I’m sure that after a short break I’d be ready to start again.

My wife however has reached the point where, no matter what I say, she just won’t trust it for a long run, especially into the remote locations that we like.
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Better the devil you know.
 
I know my wife would be of the we can never trust it again view if after spending a lot of time and money fixing something it goes again immediately.
A toss up between a quick fix for a trade in and build your own.
One gets you on the road again quicker than the other.
 
@trevskoda
I agree and having spent all my working life in factory maintenance engineering I know that anything can be fixed (sometimes it may cost a lot but if it has to be, so be it).

So, you're right the engineer in me doesn't want to give up, but the pragmatist in me says differently.

We loved the van for what it was, and we have had a year and half of great times in it. That said it isn't a perfect fit for us, a key element being the bed layout.

Also, it is a 30-year-old van, no turbo and no power steering, so it struggles up hills and is a pig to manoeuvre. Even if I fix it those characteristics will still be there. Of course, you convince yourself that these don't matter and live with them.

I have the knowledge and the skills (I think) to do a self-build and this is perhaps just the nudge I need.

I do beat myself up that it is a bit of a crime to ransack a classic, but it is just a van and a broken one at that.

@Markd
Yes, the wife is now not for turning so all of the above engineering logic is immaterial. As for speed, I suspect that the self-build will take longer (having said that we have been messing around, on and off, with this van since June) but if we end up with a van that is bespoke to us/our needs then it will be worth a bit of time. Plus fiddling with the van side of things is something I much prefer to fiddling around with engines ;)
 
Given what you say about the driving characteristics of your existing van. The time and cost. The lack of confidence..
Time for a change ..Do the self build and improve on any of the minor faults of your existing vehicle.
New Van SHOULD be more reliable and last longer ( so better on the funding front ) and be more comfortable and probably cheaper to run
 
jagmanx said:
Given what you say about the driving characteristics of your existing van. The time and cost. The lack of confidence..
Time for a change ..Do the self build and improve on any of the minor faults of your existing vehicle.
New Van SHOULD be more reliable and last longer ( so better on the funding front ) and be more comfortable and probably cheaper to run
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I'm thinking so. I could pick up a comparatively new van for £3000 - £4000, with a modern engine and all the usual features we've rather come to expect from modern vehicles. Then with the existing kit from the old van make a fairly inexpensive start on a conversion.

I'm fancying a Boxer or Ducato for a base vehicle and am already having a grand old time in Sketchup!
 
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