Bass' Automatic Camper
- Thread starter studiocommer
- Start date
Oh no Bass you can't sell before you even get to enjoy the van 
hope you recover from the pop quickly.
I would be very surprised if a total rebuild was needed. If I understand right it will run ok and drive ok but overheats at more than about 30mph? Such problems are very unlikely to be caused by needing a rebuild. It has to be and my money is on, a thermal issue. Most likely air, water flow problem. If it runs well and plugs look ok ie all the same, and the water is not oily and the oil is not white and gloopy and the compressions are all reasonably even then it is most unlikely to be head gasket.
I dont know your mechanics skill level but he needs to be thinking smaller than a rebuild. Although a rebuild may inadvertently fix the problem.
What's the oil pressure like btw? Is the engine rattley ?
A leaking manifold gasket can cause overheating too.
Really hope you can get it sorted and finally get to enjoy your van.
I just need a good rootes...
hope you recover from the pop quickly. I would be very surprised if a total rebuild was needed. If I understand right it will run ok and drive ok but overheats at more than about 30mph? Such problems are very unlikely to be caused by needing a rebuild. It has to be and my money is on, a thermal issue. Most likely air, water flow problem. If it runs well and plugs look ok ie all the same, and the water is not oily and the oil is not white and gloopy and the compressions are all reasonably even then it is most unlikely to be head gasket.
I dont know your mechanics skill level but he needs to be thinking smaller than a rebuild. Although a rebuild may inadvertently fix the problem.
What's the oil pressure like btw? Is the engine rattley ?
A leaking manifold gasket can cause overheating too.
Really hope you can get it sorted and finally get to enjoy your van.
I just need a good rootes...
Blimey this threaed started in March 2009. Now that was a long time ago. Seen vans come and go while quitely stalking the forum. Anyway, Patience is ready to pick up, the mechanic was doing the work in between his other (better paying) Classic restorations. There's a long list of stuff that's been done some of which is....not a full engine rebuild but just the top half, a new/recon auto gearbox from a Commer specialist in Wales (we worked out that the last time she stopped it was because it was the old gearbox that froze and overheated making a bit of a mess), new bearings, all sorts. The mechanic took her out on a 50 mile round trip, which is more than she's managed in total since we left Woolfy's workshop, and he says everythings fine. May need to tweak the Diff next year but not urgent New MOT. Tax renewal just popped through the door today. So after 4 years............I've pretty much got a new van. Cushions, curtains, water tank and hand controls and I'll finally get to drive her
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
Excellent news [8D] it's been quite a while coming
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
just seen the latest on this thread - let me read through and get back as I have worked through a lot of issues relating to overheating
The Dog is home....
http:www.singleusemedical.co.uk
my new business
The Dog is home....
http:www.singleusemedical.co.uk
my new business
ok ,have looked back on your posts,
mine is a perkins diesel but here is a summary of my overheating problems
could leave the engine at idle for hours without overheating - driving soon caused overheating - especially when at 40mph and over.
heres what i did...
changed thermostat - no effect
changed waterpump - helped a little
changed from a mechanical fan to a kenlowe - helped a little
recored the rad - helped a fair bit
overhauled the fuel pump - helped a bit
set the fuel pump timing - helped a lot
wrapped the exhaust manifold - reduced engine bay temp a lot
changed the rad cap (the wrong one was fitted)
changed the head gasket twice (both times saw a small amount of evidence suggesting partial leak)
slick 50'd the oil
in desperation - put a bottle of engine block weld (not sure of the actual name) says it seals leaking head gaskets, cracked blocks etc
seems to have made a dramatic improvement - can drive at 40 without the overheating (well ok it did first time but that was because I filled the rad to the top and it had nowhere to expand)
another thing I looked at was exhaust back pressuring (this was suggested by perkins)
I took the exhaust silencer off and found the engine so much more responsive - as a result I have ordered a straight through back box which should again reduce exhaust temps
If I had to pick one item that made the biggest improvement - it was the bottle of jollop that claims to seal all leaks
The Dog is home....
http:www.singleusemedical.co.uk
my new business
mine is a perkins diesel but here is a summary of my overheating problems
could leave the engine at idle for hours without overheating - driving soon caused overheating - especially when at 40mph and over.
heres what i did...
changed thermostat - no effect
changed waterpump - helped a little
changed from a mechanical fan to a kenlowe - helped a little
recored the rad - helped a fair bit
overhauled the fuel pump - helped a bit
set the fuel pump timing - helped a lot
wrapped the exhaust manifold - reduced engine bay temp a lot
changed the rad cap (the wrong one was fitted)
changed the head gasket twice (both times saw a small amount of evidence suggesting partial leak)
slick 50'd the oil
in desperation - put a bottle of engine block weld (not sure of the actual name) says it seals leaking head gaskets, cracked blocks etc
seems to have made a dramatic improvement - can drive at 40 without the overheating (well ok it did first time but that was because I filled the rad to the top and it had nowhere to expand)
another thing I looked at was exhaust back pressuring (this was suggested by perkins)
I took the exhaust silencer off and found the engine so much more responsive - as a result I have ordered a straight through back box which should again reduce exhaust temps
If I had to pick one item that made the biggest improvement - it was the bottle of jollop that claims to seal all leaks
The Dog is home....
http:www.singleusemedical.co.uk
my new business
Picking her up on Saturday I'll try and get some video or photos. Then I'll sit back and decide what to do........so if you did want to make an offer for her now's the time to try and infulence me. In the mean time I'll be trying to remember the place in the midlands that fits water tanks and taps and thinking about cusions and curtains as that's all that's left to do.
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
I'll try and get some video or photos. Then I'll sit back and decide what to do........so if you did want to make an offer for her now's the time to try and infulence me. In the mean time I'll be trying to remember the place in the midlands that fits water tanks and taps and thinking about cusions and curtains as that's all that's left to do.Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
http://youtu.be/rkGWsGdSjNw
Here she is. Latest list of improvements are remove rad water pump and housing and repair, have rad checked (it was new at last work but checked in case that was cause of the overheat...it wasn't, it was the gears not havingt a covering and freezing up), steam clean out the block and build back up, remove gearbox, install new/rerurbed automatic gearbox (theold one is in the van, goes forward and backward but doesn't change gear), fit two rear hub bearings (on one the ball bearing had actually sheared in half, check breaks and get through MOT.
Rachel drove Patience home home. R said that she's a lot easier to drive and happily pootles along on the A1 or a duel carriageway at 40-45. There's a loooong slow hill from Hitchin to Stopsley in Bedfordshire slowed her down but, the game old girl that she is, she popped into the provided crawler lane (it's that type of hill) and kept going and got there.
I have decided that the sensible thing to do is sell her. With a full bodywork resoration and then a huge amount of mechanical restoration from a time when my job was a lot more secure it's time for someone else to finish her off. All that's needed is a water tank, new cushions and curtains, a dab of caravan sealant around one of the back windows (which I'll do if I get the chance) and a new modified temprature guage has been recommended by the mechanic. Now all I've got to do is work out what a fair price is for her.
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
Here she is. Latest list of improvements are remove rad water pump and housing and repair, have rad checked (it was new at last work but checked in case that was cause of the overheat...it wasn't, it was the gears not havingt a covering and freezing up), steam clean out the block and build back up, remove gearbox, install new/rerurbed automatic gearbox (theold one is in the van, goes forward and backward but doesn't change gear), fit two rear hub bearings (on one the ball bearing had actually sheared in half, check breaks and get through MOT.
Rachel drove Patience home home. R said that she's a lot easier to drive and happily pootles along on the A1 or a duel carriageway at 40-45. There's a loooong slow hill from Hitchin to Stopsley in Bedfordshire slowed her down but, the game old girl that she is, she popped into the provided crawler lane (it's that type of hill) and kept going and got there.
I have decided that the sensible thing to do is sell her. With a full bodywork resoration and then a huge amount of mechanical restoration from a time when my job was a lot more secure it's time for someone else to finish her off. All that's needed is a water tank, new cushions and curtains, a dab of caravan sealant around one of the back windows (which I'll do if I get the chance) and a new modified temprature guage has been recommended by the mechanic. Now all I've got to do is work out what a fair price is for her.
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
I know, quite gutted/annoyed, but it is the sensible thing to do and means that someone can be finishnig her off and using her this summer instead of me taking another couple of years sorting those bits and the hand controls (probably another £500). Any idea what a reasonable price is as I've not got a lot to compare her to? Huge rebuild, very sound, very rare automatic.........
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.
Patience is a Commer, my Commer.