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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 11, 2015 18:15:31 GMT
Well, we've taken the plunge (gulp!). Stonedaddy had it easy, I reckon, eh Tom?  xx The grease monkeys turned up last week, removed old petrol pinto engine and dropped 2.5 Transit diesel engine in last Friday. Nail-biting times! Coming back tomorrow to start connecting everything up, fitting new gearbox, exhaust and reinforce chassis and springs. Hope the weather's not too bad as it's all happening on our drive!!!  |
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Post by lotusanne on Oct 11, 2015 23:24:31 GMT
Hope all goes well, I have a similar van with petrol engine so would love to hear what you think of the swap to diesel
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Post by Firefox on Oct 11, 2015 23:47:42 GMT
Good luck with it! I have had mixed experience with recon engines. A couple have been great, some were dogs, I think all they did was clean it up and paint it.
Fingers crossed you get a good one.
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 12, 2015 4:42:10 GMT
It's not a recon diesel, Vern. We bought the van it came out of so we know what condition the engine's in. It drove beautifully - it's now standing engineless next to the camper! Lots of other parts from it will be used too including the exhaust, gear box (which was also excellent) springs, suspension etc. and one of the lads helping us is a first class welder. Bought the diesel van for the price we've got for selling the old pinto engine. Like you said - fingers crossed… |
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Post by billieblue on Oct 12, 2015 7:22:20 GMT
Why are you changing it if it's such a good engine? Or is it a daft question?
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 12, 2015 8:32:27 GMT
Why are you changing it if it's such a good engine? Or is it a daft question? Although it's very reliable, the 2litre petrol pinto just doesn't have the oomph to haul the camper up the hills, Carol, and it's 26 years old! It also only averages 20-24 mpg  I know we don't rush around in our campers, but it's always been a slow slog for us in 2nd or 3rd at 30mph up a slight incline  A newer diesel engine should give a lot more mpg and thus be cheaper to run (we hope!) Plus the pinto engines have always been perfect for rally drivers, Ford Capris etc. They soup them up, bore the cylinders out, fit weber carbs and so on to make them go faster. Apparently they're a very simple and easy engine to work on which is why they are so popular with DIYers |
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 24, 2015 8:05:37 GMT
Click on link below to see pics - they're on FB, but I've made the album public so you should be able to see them. Engine swap completed! |
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 24, 2015 8:07:47 GMT
Diesel engine going in...  |
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Post by n brown on Oct 24, 2015 10:12:54 GMT
well you look a bit oily,but the woolly hat suits you !
how exciting though,it'll make a big difference . i take it they swapped the tank as well ?
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 25, 2015 18:21:49 GMT
well you look a bit oily,but the woolly hat suits you ! how exciting though,it'll make a big difference . i take it they swapped the tank as well ? Yes, they swapped the tank …. and the exhaust, and replacing the shockers, suspension and loads of other things. The old girl has also got two new wings and wheel arches at front and new door steps driver and passenger (door steps had to be made as can't buy new replacements) And that's not me in the woolly hat, cheeky! |
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Post by stonedaddy on Oct 26, 2015 9:36:19 GMT
Blimey Marie you sure going to town on the old girl. Which engine is it that you are fitting. I think you said its the 2.5, is it a turbo or none turbo engine. Most transits are rear wheel drive so it will have a differential and half shafts. I was just wandering and I am sure your mechanics will know for sure, are they built to take the torque of a more powerful engine. I think the pinto in yours was 1.9 or is that incorrect. Years ago I snapped an half shaft in an old Rover 10. I could not get one anywhere so I took one out of a Rover 12 which looked identical. It would not fit, it was slightly larger and I had to scrap my 1938 Rover because I could not get a new shaft for it. Even though yours is oldish it is bran new to my old Rover and maybe they are now built to the weight of the van rather than engine size like my old Rover. Hope it all goes to plan but take it steady letting the clutch off for a bit. Oh the link to your photos would not let me see them.
.... Tom ....
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Post by andyjanet on Oct 26, 2015 10:26:08 GMT
Blimey Marie you sure going to town on the old girl. Which engine is it that you are fitting. I think you said its the 2.5, is it a turbo or none turbo engine. Most transits are rear wheel drive so it will have a differential and half shafts. I was just wandering and I am sure your mechanics will know for sure, are they built to take the torque of a more powerful engine. I think the pinto in yours was 1.9 or is that incorrect. Years ago I snapped an half shaft in an old Rover 10. I could not get one anywhere so I took one out of a Rover 12 which looked identical. It would not fit, it was slightly larger and I had to scrap my 1938 Rover because I could not get a new shaft for it. Even though yours is oldish it is bran new to my old Rover and maybe they are now built to the weight of the van rather than engine size like my old Rover. Hope it all goes to plan but take it steady letting the clutch off for a bit. Oh the link to your photos would not let me see them. .... Tom .... Did you buy the rover new Tom, glad I live in the south and he lives up north with his van in bits?  ,andy |
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Post by Firefox on Oct 26, 2015 17:06:09 GMT
Looking good Marie!
When are you taking her for a test drive? Do let us know how it performs!
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Post by stonedaddy on Oct 26, 2015 22:31:03 GMT
Blimey Marie you sure going to town on the old girl. Which engine is it that you are fitting. I think you said its the 2.5, is it a turbo or none turbo engine. Most transits are rear wheel drive so it will have a differential and half shafts. I was just wandering and I am sure your mechanics will know for sure, are they built to take the torque of a more powerful engine. I think the pinto in yours was 1.9 or is that incorrect. Years ago I snapped an half shaft in an old Rover 10. I could not get one anywhere so I took one out of a Rover 12 which looked identical. It would not fit, it was slightly larger and I had to scrap my 1938 Rover because I could not get a new shaft for it. Even though yours is oldish it is bran new to my old Rover and maybe they are now built to the weight of the van rather than engine size like my old Rover. Hope it all goes to plan but take it steady letting the clutch off for a bit. Oh the link to your photos would not let me see them. .... Tom .... Did you buy the rover new Tom, glad I live in the south and he lives up north with his van in bits? ,andy No Andy it was my dads and it was in showroom condition. My brother borrowed it and it came back a real mess. My dad lost interest in it and it stood in a garage for 12 months. I started to mess about with it and got it all running. I was only sixteen but when I was 17 I took my test in it and drove it for about 4 years until the half shaft snapped at the pinions. It was an old lady even then. It was built in 1938 just before the war. It was about 1961ish when the half shaft snapped. It was a proper Rover made by Rover and I wish I still had it. This is the same model below. .... Tom ....  free photo hosting |
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Post by stonedaddy on Oct 26, 2015 22:36:00 GMT
Sorry I nicked a bit of your thread Marie. So like Vern says hows it going and when is the launch date. Can't wait to see how the old girl performs with her new power unit straining at the leash ready to eat the miles up. Hope its a great success.
.... Tom ....
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 6:12:47 GMT
Blimey Marie you sure going to town on the old girl. Which engine is it that you are fitting. I think you said its the 2.5, is it a turbo or none turbo engine. Most transits are rear wheel drive so it will have a differential and half shafts. I was just wandering and I am sure your mechanics will know for sure, are they built to take the torque of a more powerful engine. I think the pinto in yours was 1.9 or is that incorrect. Years ago I snapped an half shaft in an old Rover 10. I could not get one anywhere so I took one out of a Rover 12 which looked identical. It would not fit, it was slightly larger and I had to scrap my 1938 Rover because I could not get a new shaft for it. Even though yours is oldish it is bran new to my old Rover and maybe they are now built to the weight of the van rather than engine size like my old Rover. Hope it all goes to plan but take it steady letting the clutch off for a bit. Oh the link to your photos would not let me see them. .... Tom .... Thanks Tom It all happened very suddenly, we weren't planning it, the van just turned up and we were offered it and off the job went. Not costing much at all and they're doing a cracking job. Seem to live for this sort of thing. The biggest expense is the youngest lad, David (19), who can eat for bloomin' England! The wee thing must still be growing... have cooked several whole pigs, used the contents of an entire commercial chicken house and cleaned the shops out of all their biscuits, cakes, pies, pasties and several other foodstuffs the last 2 weeks… !!!  … and worth every morsel plus some ! It's a 2.5di out of a P reg transit. It pulled like a train in the original van. The 3 lads - I say lads, the two older are brothers both in their 40s - doing it all know what they're about and everything that needs to be reinforced to take the extra weight is being reinforced. The engine fitted into the old space no bother. I was very impressed! The gear stick wasn't in the same place - slightly near the driver's seat - so had to cut a bit out of the floor and weld a bit to fill hole once gears and stick fitted in. I haven't followed every move as busy and not out there with them all the time. Exhaust has been swapped, she got new brakes yesterday. The older two do this kind of thing in their sleep and have fiddled about with transits (and other vehicles) for years. They're also 1st class welders. I've already driven her - gingerly! - up the street and back to swap her round in the drive so they can work better on the back and front ends underneath. The engine is lovely and sweet as a nut. They jacked her up and stuck some bloody huge stones from a pile I've had sitting out the front and been nagging Neil to get rid of for years as they're too heavy for me to lift, so they've come in handy after all - all is forgiven, Neil |
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 6:22:02 GMT
The very beginning:  Original pinto engine still in situ:  Heart transplant begins; pinto engine being removed:  |
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 6:24:31 GMT
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 6:28:28 GMT
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 6:36:23 GMT
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 6:38:21 GMT
New heart going in! |
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Post by stonedaddy on Oct 27, 2015 8:59:58 GMT
Great series of pics and documentary. Where did you find the mechanics, are they local guys. Can't wait to see how she performs when fully operational. Keep us informed.
.... Tom ....
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 12:13:07 GMT
Yes sort of local - if you can call Sunderland local! They're friends of a friend. They did some work on a previous renault kangoo I had about 5 years ago and fitted it with a new van axel the original was shot. They worked on it outside a friend's house and did a cracking job, that's how I knew I could trust them with our van. They're also into old campers and have their own, they often go off to Whitby and N Yorks at weekends to auto jumbles etc., but their main camper is not on the road at the minute as they're too busy working on jobs like ours! They were down Blackpool 2 weekends ago and slept overnight in their car - they really need to get their camper sorted out, dunno what's holding them up!! |
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 12:16:26 GMT
Wish we lived a bit nearer to you Tom, they'd have yours sorted in a jiffy  |
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Post by stonedaddy on Oct 27, 2015 21:46:43 GMT
Goodness if they could get the axle and fit it I would certainly have give them the work. That way any problems would not have been mine if the new one was no good. I tried to give it my MOT garage to get off while it went away to Scotland to refurbish but they said they could not afford to keep it on one of there ramps for a week while waiting for it to come back. I can see why though, they look after the local Asda van fleet and other multi vehicle companies and are going flat out all the time. Ah well mine ain't far off been done.
.... Tom ....
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 27, 2015 22:20:48 GMT
Neil snuck off and took the old girl out for a short run this afternoon (nah, not me - the camper! ) Wheels are back on and underside work finished. She's now got extra suspension leaves at back and stronger springs at front and a whole new set of brakes. He was dead chuffed. Says she flies up the hills and they're pretty steep round here. Just some minor snagging jobs left now. Windscreen washer not working, couple of gauges not wired up yet, little bit of welding left to do on the doorsteps etc. The grease monkeys won't be coming tomorrow as it's forecast to pee down all day here, but Thursday coming might see the whole job finished if we're lucky. Think the heart operation has been a great success so far and I'm a (cautiously!) happy bunny |
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Post by stonedaddy on Oct 28, 2015 9:16:27 GMT
Great news that Marie. I can vouch for it peeing down because thats why I'm sat here and not out on the job. It might be the fastest E reg in the west when fully up and running.
.... Tom ....
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Post by lotusanne on Oct 28, 2015 20:38:01 GMT
Brilliant Marie, I am well jel!! MIne is 2L petrol and whilst its great on the flat -happy at 80on the motorway,it also struggles uphills. Any rough sort of idea what the engine swap might have cost you?
Its also great to see you looking after the old gal, all that welding last year and all the new stuff - on a monocoque body too - should last a long while, fingers crossed. Hope so - I have never found a modern van that I prefer to the Legend, Autosleeper's had to stop making them as they were too expensive!
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Oct 29, 2015 5:43:18 GMT
The sums are as follows: Purchase of P reg transit van, broken windscreen, possibly a fixer-upper, but more useful for the diesel engine and parts £300 Petrol pinto engine from camper, together with a weber carb and manifold we've had for 3 years sitting around and never fitted, sold for £375 (I know, too cheap could have got more, but hey that's life and it got shot of them) which paid for the P reg transit. So far we've paid the lads just over £800, which they are more than happy with and were going to do it for even less, would you believe!!! To explain why we started down this road: Neil had a prang at slow speed with a motorcyclist in the camper a few weeks back, hardly any damage just dint in driver's door and front offside wheel arch bent, motorcyclist's fault. Motorcyclist OK but was asking silly money to repair his old bike so insurance got involved. Neil negotiated with insurance company (Axa), they were OK about us doing the camper repairs our own way instead of through expensive garage and they paid out £1,500 last week - cheque came to me as insurance was in my name. No doubt we will pay in the long run with increased premiums next year though! We've had to buy extra bits and bobs like new brake discs and pads and a new wing, two new passenger/driver sills and wheel arches as they were rusted anyway, grinding discs, various engine oils, etc. and a large amount of grub to feed the troops. So the sequence of events was kind of serendipitous and the outcome is looking good. Nobody got hurt much in the process and costs have been covered by sale of old engine and the insurance payout PS no way would our old pinto get up to 80mph even downhill with the wind behind her, so sounds like your engine is much fitter than ours was, Anne! |
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Post by lotusanne on Oct 29, 2015 9:14:44 GMT
All came together nicely then . If accident was motorcyclists fault then it shouldn't affect your insurance should it? Have to be careful though my parked van got by a bus , they repaired but informed my insurance and it went on my record as a claim . With that and an accident that was my fault I am now uninsurable!
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xx
,andy
Hi we nearly always freecamp - old age pension gives loads of leisure time but too little money to pay camp site fees. 
The van has solar panel, large water tank So we are pretty self sufficient. Jon