My Ride Needing A Makeover
- Thread starter Hazel
- Start date
Hazel
0
Thanks for replies- I think I've now cured the HT lead problem with the third replacement -and checked the lift pump is working so that removes both these from the equasion. Symptoms however still the same! Runs perfectly for about ten minutes then stops completely - removed plug to establish there is no spark at all when this happens-ie same as at breakdown. Started once briefly when I refitted distributer cap then stopped - I suspect it can now only be the coil ( damaged by arcing problem?) or a problem with the distributer. Can't do any more at the moment as have to work until the end of the week. Thanks again for advice- Hazels Dad.
Jon
0
Is it still running hot as looking at some of your other posts you say the temp is all most touching the red? I would fit a coil cap and rotor to eliminate it as ive seen all 3 of these items cause your fault. Are you still running points and condensor or have you gone electronic ign? If you havent its a worth while mod and may give you a very small power increase but is alot more reliable.
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
Hazel
0
Unable to see whether its still running hot at the moment as it packs up after about ten mins. Yesterday I couldn't even start it to put it away in the garage but it started first time very early this morning. ( The AA man could be right about the coil heating up and working again when its cold- fits the symptoms) Matt said it was touching the red all the way back until breakdown -this is hot but not boiling and Clarabel doesn't use any water. We are on electronic ignition and prior to this problem it started first time everytime. We also have a new exhaust which has been further refined by the guru to return to its quiet purring sound. Following a further consultation tonight a coil replacement is on it's way -I will replace this at the end of the week and keep my fingers crosssed!- The coil cover - could be a good idea though - I remember those from my mini-van days -if you didn't have one which covered the coil and distributer cap you broke down in the rain as a matter of course- the motorway hard shoulders were always full of minis when it rained! Hazels Dad
Jostein
0
quote:
Originally posted by Hazel
[...] The coil cover - could be a good idea though - I remember those from my mini-van days -if you didn't have one which covered the coil and distributer cap you broke down in the rain as a matter of course- the motorway hard shoulders were always full of minis when it rained! Hazels Dad
I've had that happen loads of times too. Both to my '70 Mini van and - later - to my '76 poo-brown Mini too. I eventually got it covered with a bag too, and that made all the difference
Good luck with the (new) coil. It could very well be the answer, I think.
Originally posted by Hazel
[...] The coil cover - could be a good idea though - I remember those from my mini-van days -if you didn't have one which covered the coil and distributer cap you broke down in the rain as a matter of course- the motorway hard shoulders were always full of minis when it rained! Hazels Dad
I've had that happen loads of times too. Both to my '70 Mini van and - later - to my '76 poo-brown Mini too. I eventually got it covered with a bag too, and that made all the difference
Good luck with the (new) coil. It could very well be the answer, I think.
Sounds very much like the coil [xx(]
The trick with Mini,s is a rubber glove with the fingertips cut off
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
The trick with Mini,s is a rubber glove with the fingertips cut off
"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
Jon
0
Is your coil still bolted to the engine? If so move your new one to the inner flitch bolted on its side will keep it alot cooler there, as i find bolting coils to engines just cause problems when they get hot. ive fitted mine there
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
Hazel
0
Clarabel has been off the road for about five weeks and eventually yesterday after 4 different coils - ditching the electronic ignition and fitting the old dizzy she sparked back into life. This has been an amazing time - never seen anything like it in over 30 years! -No one (including me) could get it going and holiday nearly had to be abandoned. A final visit (LAST OF 4!) from a specialist Auto-electrician ( more used to £800 control units on BMW's) -spares from Mr M and an insurance offer of an after works visit finally did the trick. Starts and runs now -but still hot-and seems slow up hills- Hope it makes it to Weymouth tomorrow - ferry to catch Friday! Roof rack fitted today-cleaned up well -Thanks Nick clubman!- Bought an awning -Thanks for advice on forum - bought a Movelite square unseen -following comments that they were ok!-(complete with breathable carpet!)Thanks for re-assurance and advice-hope I can keep her cool enough to make it-it's a long way from Yorkshire. Will let you know how I get on ! Hazels Dad -first time Iv'e been away since 1999! fingers crossed.
Jon
0
quote:
Originally posted by Hazel
Clarabel has been off the road for about five weeks and eventually yesterday after 4 different coils - ditching the electronic ignition and fitting the old dizzy she sparked back into life. This has been an amazing time - never seen anything like it in over 30 years! -No one (including me) could get it going and holiday nearly had to be abandoned. A final visit (LAST OF 4!) from a specialist Auto-electrician ( more used to £800 control units on BMW's)
It cant be that bad there are only about 3 wires connected to a commer engine,oil pressure,temp sensor and the dizzy feed!lol
The electronic ignition kit i run is the best thing i have ever brought its a lumenition one. you want to to work on some of the latest audis if you think a commer is bad! lol
Glad youve got her back on the road though
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
Originally posted by Hazel
Clarabel has been off the road for about five weeks and eventually yesterday after 4 different coils - ditching the electronic ignition and fitting the old dizzy she sparked back into life. This has been an amazing time - never seen anything like it in over 30 years! -No one (including me) could get it going and holiday nearly had to be abandoned. A final visit (LAST OF 4!) from a specialist Auto-electrician ( more used to £800 control units on BMW's)
It cant be that bad there are only about 3 wires connected to a commer engine,oil pressure,temp sensor and the dizzy feed!lol
The electronic ignition kit i run is the best thing i have ever brought its a lumenition one. you want to to work on some of the latest audis if you think a commer is bad! lol
Glad youve got her back on the road though
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
quote:
Originally posted by Jon
quote:
Originally posted by Hazel
Clarabel has been off the road for about five weeks and eventually yesterday after 4 different coils - ditching the electronic ignition and fitting the old dizzy she sparked back into life. This has been an amazing time - never seen anything like it in over 30 years! -No one (including me) could get it going and holiday nearly had to be abandoned. A final visit (LAST OF 4!) from a specialist Auto-electrician ( more used to £800 control units on BMW's)
It cant be that bad there are only about 3 wires connected to a commer engine,oil pressure,temp sensor and the dizzy feed!lol
The electronic ignition kit i run is the best thing i have ever brought its a lumenition one. you want to to work on some of the latest audis if you think a commer is bad! lol
Glad youve got her back on the road though
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
hi jon whats this electronic ignition you have fitted on your van please[?] is there a link on it somewhere[?] cheers
Originally posted by Jon
quote:
Originally posted by Hazel
Clarabel has been off the road for about five weeks and eventually yesterday after 4 different coils - ditching the electronic ignition and fitting the old dizzy she sparked back into life. This has been an amazing time - never seen anything like it in over 30 years! -No one (including me) could get it going and holiday nearly had to be abandoned. A final visit (LAST OF 4!) from a specialist Auto-electrician ( more used to £800 control units on BMW's)
It cant be that bad there are only about 3 wires connected to a commer engine,oil pressure,temp sensor and the dizzy feed!lol
The electronic ignition kit i run is the best thing i have ever brought its a lumenition one. you want to to work on some of the latest audis if you think a commer is bad! lol
Glad youve got her back on the road though
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
hi jon whats this electronic ignition you have fitted on your van please[?] is there a link on it somewhere[?] cheers
Jon
0
Its this one Mark ive had it on a while and pick it up local to me from here its for a mini but as long as your dizzy is a 23 or 25D it will fit have a look on the side of your dizzy?
http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=38255&title=
This one is for the 45D dizy
http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=35778&title=
They work great
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=38255&title=
This one is for the 45D dizy
http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=35778&title=
They work great
A commer with boost will be appering on a screen near you soon!
Love the awning, Mike looks very relaxed there [8D]
http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/
http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/
http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
Hazel
0
A TALE OF TEN COILS Jersey was amazing and Clarabel was eventually better than I ever remember with all her mod cons, roofrack and awning. We were however very lucky to get there:
Chapter 1 (prior to holiday)- Coil 1 was water damaged, arked, disintegrated and damaged electric ignition. Coil 2 was a Polish equivalent to the electronic ignition coil (no one up here knew it should have been a different spec!)-this literally blew within 15 secs when connected to the old dizzy. Coil 3 found in the cellar of the village garage worked for 3 secs then stopped. Coil 4 was a Unipart GCL 333 Made in E.C! This worked on test and survived a test run by the Auto-electricians - who decided not to fiddle with the timing as it 'appeared to be ok' . My test run back from the garage proved otherwise as it did not run well up hills and still ran hot. Time had run out and there was a ferry to catch so as my pre - journey message indicated , I crossed my fingers and set off! (luckily with another GCL 333 in the cupboard).
Chapter 2: 12 Miles later Clarabel stopped suddenly in Cowling on the way to the M65. I told the AA they needed to send someone of a certain age who knew what a distributer and coil was - the call centre were not optimistic! Ten minutes later AA man A174170: Derek Kay arrived-He is definetly the best AA man in the country having served his apprenticeship in a Commer garage! (amazing) he found the graphite core in the dizzy cap broken in two (thanks for the spare Martin) -fitted the new coil (No 5) no 4 had blown - no internal resistance. Then in a scene from the past he found his old dwell meter - remembered all of the settings and completely retimed the system - not being totally at ease with the result we followed him home to find his old strobe in his garage. Clarabel left Colne for the M65 running better than she had in years, he even contacted Unipart in Weymouth to source another spare coil! 3 hours work totally beyond the call of duty -like Britain used to be. We were then spotted on the M6 looking good just south of Preston -nipped down the M56- A49 and purred down to Hereford in one go.
Chapter 3: 10PM ish Clarabel just stopped. AA too busy with storms so sent local recovery-towed us to Premier Inn after establishing what I knew already -that the coil had blown. In bed by 1AM -Collected Clarabel at 7.30AM -sourced the only coil for 100 miles Number 6! and we were on our way by 11.30. Mechanic and his boss had read the manual and researched the Internet and came up with the theory that the Fridge was drawing too much current from the leisure circuit and blowing coils (in the same way that starter motors on load can). We switched off the fridge- set the leisure circit to '0' . We were then spoted on the A350 heading for Weymouth.
Chapter 4: Arived in Weymouth after a trouble free journey to watch the ferry sailing out of the harbour-up at 4AM to join the standby queue. Arrived in Jersey just half a day late to find a lovely campsite near to a picture postcard harbour- all good things come to those who wait.
Chapter 5: Coil number 7 was still at Unipart in Wemouth so just to be on the safe side for the return journey I asked them to get another three! Which we collected on the way back. Arived back last night after a completely trouble free journey up the A350 429 417 A40 A49 M6 M56 M6 M65. (773 miles round trip) The moral in this is if you want a trouble free journey carry four spare coils! Clarabel cruised at 50-56 on the flat and downhill in the white -moving up to the red on hills or prolonged motorway high speed. Now need to see what the Guru comes up with to cure the current surge problem on the Leisure Circuit ?? - A few diodes perhaps? - Any other ideas?? At least we now know what is doing the damage! Hazels Dad -Now stress free after an amazing holiday.
Chapter 1 (prior to holiday)- Coil 1 was water damaged, arked, disintegrated and damaged electric ignition. Coil 2 was a Polish equivalent to the electronic ignition coil (no one up here knew it should have been a different spec!)-this literally blew within 15 secs when connected to the old dizzy. Coil 3 found in the cellar of the village garage worked for 3 secs then stopped. Coil 4 was a Unipart GCL 333 Made in E.C! This worked on test and survived a test run by the Auto-electricians - who decided not to fiddle with the timing as it 'appeared to be ok' . My test run back from the garage proved otherwise as it did not run well up hills and still ran hot. Time had run out and there was a ferry to catch so as my pre - journey message indicated , I crossed my fingers and set off! (luckily with another GCL 333 in the cupboard).
Chapter 2: 12 Miles later Clarabel stopped suddenly in Cowling on the way to the M65. I told the AA they needed to send someone of a certain age who knew what a distributer and coil was - the call centre were not optimistic! Ten minutes later AA man A174170: Derek Kay arrived-He is definetly the best AA man in the country having served his apprenticeship in a Commer garage! (amazing) he found the graphite core in the dizzy cap broken in two (thanks for the spare Martin) -fitted the new coil (No 5) no 4 had blown - no internal resistance. Then in a scene from the past he found his old dwell meter - remembered all of the settings and completely retimed the system - not being totally at ease with the result we followed him home to find his old strobe in his garage. Clarabel left Colne for the M65 running better than she had in years, he even contacted Unipart in Weymouth to source another spare coil! 3 hours work totally beyond the call of duty -like Britain used to be. We were then spotted on the M6 looking good just south of Preston -nipped down the M56- A49 and purred down to Hereford in one go.
Chapter 3: 10PM ish Clarabel just stopped. AA too busy with storms so sent local recovery-towed us to Premier Inn after establishing what I knew already -that the coil had blown. In bed by 1AM -Collected Clarabel at 7.30AM -sourced the only coil for 100 miles Number 6! and we were on our way by 11.30. Mechanic and his boss had read the manual and researched the Internet and came up with the theory that the Fridge was drawing too much current from the leisure circuit and blowing coils (in the same way that starter motors on load can). We switched off the fridge- set the leisure circit to '0' . We were then spoted on the A350 heading for Weymouth.
Chapter 4: Arived in Weymouth after a trouble free journey to watch the ferry sailing out of the harbour-up at 4AM to join the standby queue. Arrived in Jersey just half a day late to find a lovely campsite near to a picture postcard harbour- all good things come to those who wait.
Chapter 5: Coil number 7 was still at Unipart in Wemouth so just to be on the safe side for the return journey I asked them to get another three! Which we collected on the way back. Arived back last night after a completely trouble free journey up the A350 429 417 A40 A49 M6 M56 M6 M65. (773 miles round trip) The moral in this is if you want a trouble free journey carry four spare coils! Clarabel cruised at 50-56 on the flat and downhill in the white -moving up to the red on hills or prolonged motorway high speed. Now need to see what the Guru comes up with to cure the current surge problem on the Leisure Circuit ?? - A few diodes perhaps? - Any other ideas?? At least we now know what is doing the damage! Hazels Dad -Now stress free after an amazing holiday.