The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

Yesterdays fun was the kitchen unit.  I built it, but then everything went wrong (it didn't fit ), so after some compromises, this what I ended up with.

The bowl and cooker aren't mounted yet and the rain today has put pay to anymore cutting.  So on to the next job.  Leisure Battery and Electrics.  Mainly its about mounting all my kit on to a piece of wood and then glueing and screwing it to the ply of my bed.  It's fairly easy on the bed side.  i have a single 130ah AGM battery, a VSR, a 30A MPPT, and a 12v auto distribution (the type that takes link fuses).  Lights and similar are controlled from a fuse box on the other side of the van (connected via 8.5mm2 cable).  At present it boils down to one 5.4w LED light and a selection of USB charger sockets and cigarette lighter sockets.  Real basic level for now.  i will be adding a second light and a spotlight at a later point.

The mains charger will come at some point soon, as I am in the middle of plumbing in the EHU.  Mains wise its literally going to be a socket for general use, a mains wall heater and a mains 12v battery charger.  I'm looking at getting one of these 400w wall mounted heaters to handle the heating side of things.  Battery charger will probably be a 7-15A Victron to simplify integration when i go to Lithium.

I think, from the other thread, its the bush the fits through the bar that the number 5 bolt goes through.  On mine it has the exhaust heat shield above it, but i think its missing on his van, which is what caused it to melt/perish.

Very true. 

Admittedly non turbo diesels are a lot less complicated than turbo versions, but all the ones I've ever come across still had a lot of computer controlled things on them, apart from maybe the old tractor type engines from yesteryear, that didn't.

For me I just find it so much easier to troubleshoot a petrol engine.  i guess with having had several motorbikes as well its just what i'm used to.  Where as most people on here seem to have quite extensive experience with diesels and especially the non turbo version of these vans. 

I kind of wish i'd picked up a non turbo 1.9.  At the time I got mine I had several possibles that were viable.  But c'est la vie. 

Yeah the name brings up all sorts of crazy connotations, but the reality is it's just another acronym because they couldn't be bothered to give it a real name.  I stopped trying to explain to most people long ago, because the conversation generally ends up in Linux and its too big/long a subject to discuss with random people.  Also when you tell people you don't use Windows it tends to blow their minds (and when you tell them neither do your parents, its enough to be labelled as an extremist).

So I don't have the non-turbo version.  If the smoke stinks of diesel, then check everything to do with air and fuel systems.  So hoses, sensors, etc.  Plug an OBD scanner in and find out the error code, then post it.  That will narrow it down a little.  If you have Diagbox or a decent scanner, then have a look at the sensors that control fuel and air input, look for weird voltages or no voltage when idling and when revving the engine. Check all the hoses between the airbox and engine/EGR for splits and holes.

Make a list of everything you've checked.  Then post it.  Then the experts on here will know what you've done and be able to suggest other things to check.

From past experience and especially when it comes to diesel engines, the KISS principle does not apply.  A diesel engine can never be simple.  A petrol engine on the other hand is easy to diagnose and fix.  if its fuel related, only a finite number of things can be wrong and all are simple to check.  On a diesel engine it's like opening Pandoras Box.

Initially it won't be.  i need the van operational in 2 weeks.  I thought an easy hack might be to paint all the white, blue and ply line the roof/ceiling and the offside rear upper indent, where the cooking area will be.  Then put a light and selection of USB charger points in the van.  That would make it basically liveable in.  I also have a basic mains system to plumb in and mains battery charger.

Then when I have time I will add in the 4 way stretch carpet (which i have).  Then the heater and fridge.  Then finally upgrade the solar panel and add a drive away awning.

Now funnily enough that's sort of my plan.  i have used two side silver foil with 5mm foam sandwiched in between, similar to the stuff they use for camping sleep mats.  I have done most of the easy stuff, although i didn't glue the bit above the driver area, I just shoved a piece in and it seems pretty wedged in.  I haven't done all the door cavities yet, only the back doors are done.  All cavities regardless of how much closed cell I put in them, have also been packed out with bubble wrap.  Some of the upper indents on doors and panels have two sets, so 10mm of insulation.  I will be stretch carpeting eventually, but not initially.  I need to sort the mask issue out first.  The vapours from the trim fix really annoy my lungs.

For now I decided to paint the inside white paint with blue hammered Hammerite.  I've only done about 2/3 so far, but it looks pretty sweet.  Eventually it will get carpeted over.  For now I have plastic trim that came with the van that covers the walls and doors.  I intend to cover those pieces in the carpet and maybe try and do the roof with carpet.

Boost pipe split most likely, if its got a turbo.  Get under the van and check all the hoses that go to the turbo.  One of them will be split somewhere.  It's probably the big one at the front.  Had the same on my Mondeo a couple of months back.  White smoke when RPM over 1500 with loss of power.

If it doesn't have a turbo, then I don't know.

If it is 15v, its probably the wrong battery for the car.  Some batteries do idle that high, but they aren't for cars, they are mostly deep cycle energy storage batteries.

Yeah i've used the duct tape trick on my bike before now when getting it tested, for cracked fairings, etc.

Yes as expected it still has no power on hills, in fact i would say its worse than a week back.  Maybe the turbo is dying.  But I don't think the wastegate is stuck open, as in my head that would mean the turbo would either spin up extremely high or not at all.  When I go up a hill and rev, the turbo revs up as you would expect, but no power is generated.  I still think it's a hose somewhere with a hole or split in it.  I am going to go back over all the hoses, although they were supposedly checked by the garage I put it into last week.  Failing that, maybe it is the EGR that's gummed up.  If it is the intake manifold, then yes I won't be touching it and it can stay broken.  Is it possible to get the EGR off without taking everything apart?  I know its round the back of the engine somewhere.  I would be up for trying to remove it and clean it up, if I can get to it.  Today i did the MAF and cleaned up the sensor below the airbox.  Since doing the MAF I no longer have error codes, but the power problem remains.

As for leaks, I have a power steering fluid leak on the offside front wheel.  i will be pulling that wheel off to see if I can find where it's coming from and then I guess, get a new hose for it.  Also diesel is definitely leaking from somewhere on that side, as well.  Need to trace that at some point.  For now the big killer is the power steering fluid, its dropped about a shot glass worth since last week.  I'll get it up on the axle stands this weekend and see if I can track it down.

I wish my engine was externally oil free.  Unfortunately when that hose split from the pressure solenoid, I think oil was spraying all over for a while as everything is covered in oil on that side of the engine.

Timing belt is beyond my capabilities.  I wish i could do it myself, but its one of those tasks that I'm not confident enough to do.  Brakes and pretty much anything else I can slave over and get done, but timing/cam belts are more for seasoned mechanics, of which i am not one.

In many ways if I had access to a decent garage i would probably consider removing the engine completely, which would afford me the opportunity to check everything over and fix issues like the manifold and EGR.

I know the BP Ultimate runs hotter than regular diesel.  I tend to run about 5L of it for every 20L of regular diesel.  it lifts the power up a touch on my van, but not as much as if I ran it completely on it.  But IMO it's too risky on an engine as old as mine to run it completely on super diesel.  But putting about 20-25% in with your tank of regular should be fine.

Thanks for that.  i am going to get it next month.  For now I swapped out the MAF today and plugged my basic OBD scanner in and it says "No Codes", so it may be fixed.  If it is, I will be very happy.  But a little voice at the back of my head says it isn't.  I won't know until I take it out later.

Just for confirmation.  When you put the ignition on should the STOP light come on?  Mine comes on along with the engine auto diagnosis light at ignition, but once the engine is started it goes off.  I suspect their is still a problem.  Also theirs an intermittent airbag system issue.  Its definitely down to a loose wire, because it only comes on when parked on a flat surface.  If parked on any sort of slope, it goes off after starting the engine.