Well, it was sweet that the van started fine now and had a working dashboard . . . . Until I noticed that now the indicators would not work!
Again, the forum pointed out usual suspects, but it was none of the easy fixes sadly. This is going to require me to take off the steering wheel, airbag, and steering cowl to get at the contacts for the indicator stalk, as these should now hopefully have gone bad.
Incidentally, so far, I have spent just under £3000 on everything to get to this point! And technically, this point it actually worse off, as I can't even drive on the roads right now due to the indicator.
This is a lesson really. If it seems cheap, it is because it bloody well is cheap, and it will be cheap for a reason!
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
On The Mend
With so many problems that I had no idea how to solve, I went to the T4 Forum (http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/ it is the place to go for all matters T4 or even T5) for help and guidance. The guys and girls there are always friendly, and always willing to help out, and accordingly, I got a few leads on what was wrong, and how to sort it out.
So now the van has a working dashboard, and starts perfectly. Sweet . . . .
With regards the AUX belt slapping, it seems I will need either a new bottom pulley, or pulley tensioner. Yes, it is likely around another £100 to be spent. But that one can wait, as the van is going nowhere with no dashboard dials working.
And about the dashboard dials? I found out there was probably a loose connection somewhere, and was told to look under the front of the van. I did so, and what did I see?
I made a very temporary fix, to earth the cable, just so I could go and see if the dash worked after connecting it . . . . And lo and behold, it worked! So, with the help of the ever friendly Rob from the T4 Forum, we found a spot to bolt it in place, giving me a working dashboard again!
However, I had managed to drain my battery in the van by charging my phone in it. In less than 2 hours the battery was flat, and the van wouldn't start. So, after pushing the van into the road to get to the nearest car battery to charge/jump it from, we had it going again. Then rob informed me that the battery in the van was basically way too small for the job of starting a van like this, and should be in a tiny car instead.
After sourcing a new battery online (euro car parts had 15% off online), I had a new battery installed, and this one staarts the van before the key is even fully turned I'm sure. Much much better, and not an area to cut corners in (previous owner of my van please take note!)
I went from this:
60ah with 540a cranking power
To this:
95ah with 800a cranking power
Mechanical woes
So, insulation etc is done on the panels and arches, leaving the rear tailgate, the roof lining and under the floor to do still.
Aside from this side of things, I managed to find a replacement engine. This one has done 126k (60k less than the van has done), and apparently the gearbox was reconditioned 8k ago and a new fuel pump 1500 miles ago, so all should be well mechanically.
The engine/gearbox/pump has cost £720, plus £395 fitting and trailering from and to my house. . . . . So, basically, this has immediately doubled what it cost to buy the van in the first place!
However, the van now starts better, and with no smoke (well, a tiny bit for a couple of seconds, it is an old diesel after all), and no fuel leak! Excellent stuff.
Except it was excellent only til the next day. The mechanic had told me about a little tiny coolant leak that needed fixing, but wasn't immediately important, so I had put cardboard under the van. When I got to it the next day, as well as coolant, I noticed there was an oil leak! Surely that should have been noticed before coming back to me.
As well as this, the mileage on my dashboard had gone blank, nothing on there at all, and the brake light and glow plug lights were flashing all the time
Aside from this side of things, I managed to find a replacement engine. This one has done 126k (60k less than the van has done), and apparently the gearbox was reconditioned 8k ago and a new fuel pump 1500 miles ago, so all should be well mechanically.
The engine/gearbox/pump has cost £720, plus £395 fitting and trailering from and to my house. . . . . So, basically, this has immediately doubled what it cost to buy the van in the first place!
However, the van now starts better, and with no smoke (well, a tiny bit for a couple of seconds, it is an old diesel after all), and no fuel leak! Excellent stuff.
Except it was excellent only til the next day. The mechanic had told me about a little tiny coolant leak that needed fixing, but wasn't immediately important, so I had put cardboard under the van. When I got to it the next day, as well as coolant, I noticed there was an oil leak! Surely that should have been noticed before coming back to me.
As well as this, the mileage on my dashboard had gone blank, nothing on there at all, and the brake light and glow plug lights were flashing all the time
Stripping, Deadening, Insulating
When removing the old ply, I was confronted with this:
The ply has some old fibreglass insulation behind it! To remove this safely, it is best to have some gloves and a good mask so you don't inhale any of the fibres, as the only thing worse than itching skin, is itching lungs!
This was the kind of filthy mess that was on the panels from years of being a work van
This is what the panels should all look like once you have given them a thorough degreasing, nice and clean
Next, put the flashband on the panels in strips. Remember to do the wheelarches, as this is where a lot of the road noise will come from. Ideally heat the flashband a little before applying, so that it becomes a lot more flexible and is easier to apply
Once deadened, you can get the first layer of bubble wrap insulation on. Spray the panel with the glue, and also a bit on the insulation, let it go tacky, then apply. Smooth out and around all the edges, then seal all the edges with your aluminium tape
Then, fill the cavities/panels with the plastic bottle insulation. Shove it in all available holes (ahem) to help with keeping things warm. As long as it isn't too close to any electrics/wiring, get it filled if you can. I admit, I used some more spray glue just to hold the insulation on the panels. This may become a problem if for some reason I ever have to remove it all, but, I don't plan on that happening, so, I glued away
Once that is done, I put another layer of bubble foil insulation over the top of it all. This time also covering the wheelarch. This top layer seals the insulation in, and will hopefully all result in it staying cooler in summer, and warmer in winter. Once again, this layer is sealed with foil tape also.
The ply has some old fibreglass insulation behind it! To remove this safely, it is best to have some gloves and a good mask so you don't inhale any of the fibres, as the only thing worse than itching skin, is itching lungs!
This was the kind of filthy mess that was on the panels from years of being a work van
This is what the panels should all look like once you have given them a thorough degreasing, nice and clean
Next, put the flashband on the panels in strips. Remember to do the wheelarches, as this is where a lot of the road noise will come from. Ideally heat the flashband a little before applying, so that it becomes a lot more flexible and is easier to apply
Once deadened, you can get the first layer of bubble wrap insulation on. Spray the panel with the glue, and also a bit on the insulation, let it go tacky, then apply. Smooth out and around all the edges, then seal all the edges with your aluminium tape
Then, fill the cavities/panels with the plastic bottle insulation. Shove it in all available holes (ahem) to help with keeping things warm. As long as it isn't too close to any electrics/wiring, get it filled if you can. I admit, I used some more spray glue just to hold the insulation on the panels. This may become a problem if for some reason I ever have to remove it all, but, I don't plan on that happening, so, I glued away
Once that is done, I put another layer of bubble foil insulation over the top of it all. This time also covering the wheelarch. This top layer seals the insulation in, and will hopefully all result in it staying cooler in summer, and warmer in winter. Once again, this layer is sealed with foil tape also.
Equipment/ Items Needed
To start the cleaning, sound deadening, and insulating, I have bought:
# Degreasing wipes - To clean down the bare panels http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/decorating-sundries/treatments-cleaners-protection/cleaners/-specificproducttype-wipes/Big-Wipes-Industrial-Plus-Pck80-10549052
# Flashband - To deaden the vibrations from the panels http://www.diy.com/nav/build/building-materials/roofing/flashing_tapes/Evo-Stik-Flashband-Grey-10m-x-150mm-10668036?icamp=recs
# B&Q double sided aluminium foil bubble insulation - This will go onto the panels after the flashband http://www.diy.com/nav/build/insulation/loft-insulation/thermal_foil/B-and-Q-Aluminium-Thermal-Foil-M-P-Insulation-Silver-Length-7-5m-x-Width-600mm-10617653
# Recycled plastic bottle insulation - This goes onto the layer of foil bubble insulation. This doesn't hold water like other insulation can, and will then not smell of go rotten http://www.diy.com/nav/build/insulation/loft-insulation/thermal_foil/B-and-Q-Aluminium-Thermal-Foil-M-P-Insulation-Silver-Length-7-5m-x-Width-600mm-10617653
# Aluminium foil tape - This seals the edges of the bubble insulation, to stop any potential condensation from getting in behind the insulation and causing rust
# Evostik Impact Spray Adhesive - This secures the bubble insulation to the panels http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/tiles/adhesives-sealants/adhesives/Evo-Stik-Multi-Purpose-Impact-Instant-Contact-Adhesive-Spray-500ml-9254422
# Degreasing wipes - To clean down the bare panels http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/decorating-sundries/treatments-cleaners-protection/cleaners/-specificproducttype-wipes/Big-Wipes-Industrial-Plus-Pck80-10549052
# Flashband - To deaden the vibrations from the panels http://www.diy.com/nav/build/building-materials/roofing/flashing_tapes/Evo-Stik-Flashband-Grey-10m-x-150mm-10668036?icamp=recs
# B&Q double sided aluminium foil bubble insulation - This will go onto the panels after the flashband http://www.diy.com/nav/build/insulation/loft-insulation/thermal_foil/B-and-Q-Aluminium-Thermal-Foil-M-P-Insulation-Silver-Length-7-5m-x-Width-600mm-10617653
# Recycled plastic bottle insulation - This goes onto the layer of foil bubble insulation. This doesn't hold water like other insulation can, and will then not smell of go rotten http://www.diy.com/nav/build/insulation/loft-insulation/thermal_foil/B-and-Q-Aluminium-Thermal-Foil-M-P-Insulation-Silver-Length-7-5m-x-Width-600mm-10617653
# Aluminium foil tape - This seals the edges of the bubble insulation, to stop any potential condensation from getting in behind the insulation and causing rust
# Evostik Impact Spray Adhesive - This secures the bubble insulation to the panels http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/tiles/adhesives-sealants/adhesives/Evo-Stik-Multi-Purpose-Impact-Instant-Contact-Adhesive-Spray-500ml-9254422
Carry On Regardless
Well, with the van diagnosed as basically being useless apart from it's pretty good condition shell, and with me looking for the necessary parts to fix it . . . . As well as the necessary money to do this with, I figured I had better start working on the inside, as this was well within my capabilities (well, kind of).
This is what the van looked like in the back from buying it:
Rear panels all covered with ply wood
Front of rear panels were already carpeted from the factory it seems, but still will need re-doing
The flooring is rather thick and very solid. But, has to go, due to the sheer volume of metalwork riveted into it weighing it down, and the fact there is years worth of filth collected underneath it!
And the rear seats have to go as well!
That is the canvas I have to work with.
This is what the van looked like in the back from buying it:
Rear panels all covered with ply wood
Front of rear panels were already carpeted from the factory it seems, but still will need re-doing
The flooring is rather thick and very solid. But, has to go, due to the sheer volume of metalwork riveted into it weighing it down, and the fact there is years worth of filth collected underneath it!
And the rear seats have to go as well!
That is the canvas I have to work with.
The Damage
I was struggling to get to a starting point on the van, so I enlisted a little help from a T4 Forum friend, Rob, to come and take a look at the van and it's problems. We took the end off the gearbox, to check on 5th gear, hoping to see a couple of tiny metal segments broken. I hoped for this, as it was one of the possibilities, and also the cheapest to fix, and I had already acquired the parts to repair it.
Upon taking the end off the gearbox, we were greeted with:
A completely dry gearbox. And a pair of 5th gear cogs that were completely stripped of all the teeth they once had.
Basically, a combination of the complete lack of oil in the box to lubricate it, and the 220 miles travelled mostly in 5th gear had caused them to heat up and pretty much disintegrate. Joy. But not the end of the world to fix. More expensive than previously hoped, but still not too bad. So I bought some new 5th gear cogs etc off a man on the T4 Forum, and had the van go off to a mechanic to check it out and to fit them.
When the mechanic came, he had to trailer the van away, as I had no tax on it. As soon as he went to drive it on the trailer, he looked out the window at me and shook his head. After finally getting it on the trailer, he told me that it almost certainly had lost a cylinder, which was causing a rather loud racket. I asked what the damage would be to fix that, and was told to start looking for a replacement engine, or have it rebuilt at a cost of about £1100.
Also, the gearbox was damaged internally as well, which meant sourcing a replacement gearbox as well.
Oh, remember the fuel leak it had? Yeah, that meant the fuel pump needed reconditioning too, at a cost of about £175.
Going well so far.
Upon taking the end off the gearbox, we were greeted with:
A completely dry gearbox. And a pair of 5th gear cogs that were completely stripped of all the teeth they once had.
Basically, a combination of the complete lack of oil in the box to lubricate it, and the 220 miles travelled mostly in 5th gear had caused them to heat up and pretty much disintegrate. Joy. But not the end of the world to fix. More expensive than previously hoped, but still not too bad. So I bought some new 5th gear cogs etc off a man on the T4 Forum, and had the van go off to a mechanic to check it out and to fit them.
When the mechanic came, he had to trailer the van away, as I had no tax on it. As soon as he went to drive it on the trailer, he looked out the window at me and shook his head. After finally getting it on the trailer, he told me that it almost certainly had lost a cylinder, which was causing a rather loud racket. I asked what the damage would be to fix that, and was told to start looking for a replacement engine, or have it rebuilt at a cost of about £1100.
Also, the gearbox was damaged internally as well, which meant sourcing a replacement gearbox as well.
Oh, remember the fuel leak it had? Yeah, that meant the fuel pump needed reconditioning too, at a cost of about £175.
Going well so far.
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