Green Mk 2 ??

[AmbulanceMan]

I have an ambulance converted to a mobile home, on a Mk 2 Transit, 1984,

It is getting a bit sluggish especially going up long hills. I'm thinking if I get a new engine, perhaps there is a Greener option. It has the 1993cc in it at the moment, which needs the lead additive. Any suggestions?

[93fxdl]

the only easy "green"options are keep your 2 litre overhaul it and fit lpg or change to a diesel lump and run on cooking oil with the option of adding lpg as an extra
ttfn glenn

[mike c]

go with the first option, rebuild/replace your engine with higher compression, better cam and fit lpg.

i did, it now cruises at 80 up and down hills, costs the same as a diesel doing 40+mpg and the most polluting thing is the drivers arse.

Mike

[AmbulanceMan]

Thank you so much for your kind reply.


Please forgive my ignorance here, but do you know roughly what an overhaul would cost and what I should be asking for? It had a full service recently.

And what is lpg please?

Also I have been told a diesel engine means fitting bigger springs because of the weight. Is this true?

Thanks again.

[93fxdl]

cant comment on the cost of a overhaul but lpg (liquid petroleum gas) can be done as a diy conversion (google tinleytech) but the feasability of gas depends on where you are if you are, in london it exempts you from congestion charging but my brother in law had problems running around rural ares south of glasgow with a lack of gas filling stations another option could be instead of refurbing the old engine replace with a more modern (efficient?) petrol engine again with lpg
ttfn glenn

[AmbulanceMan]

How compatible are newer engines? What should I be looking for?

[93fxdl]

depends what level of work you are capable of or prepared to undertake also the level of expense you are prepared to outlay an engine swap consists of the mechanical side physically fitting the engine in engine mounts radiator hoses connecting to gearbox etc and the electrical side as most modern engines are computer controlled so you either have to plumb in the original electrics from the donor vehicle or us something such as mega squirt to replace the computer it is possible to fit any engine into any vehicle at the moment am helping fit a rover k series engine into an old lotus and this has involved an adaptor plate to fit the engine to the gearbox and cutting a hole in the bellhousing then getting a chunk of the rover bellhousing welded into the lotus one to mount the starter motor still have to modify the sump to clear a crossmember run all the pipes and connect the electrics
ttfn glenn

[AmbulanceMan]

Probably a silly question to those who know that a a piece of string is twice the length of half a piece, but what options do i have which need the least rebuilding? What is the most common solution? I'm guessing with camper vans and such people see the sense in maintaining an old vehicle and there might be a common solution. I like the idea that you can fit any engine in mind you, like you can in a VW beetle, even if it means taking up the back seat space with a V-8, but I'm looking for something that works without too much rebuilding and expense.

How compatible are the newer Transit engines?

Oh and does fitting a diesel need bigger springs?

Thanks very much for taking the time to help me with this. I am grateful for your input.

[93fxdl]

be kind rewind sorry but got a bit carried away there (should be locked away) i think should start again from the begining unless your engine is shot an overhaul is your easiest option but first do a compression check to see what state its in and is it burning oil if it passes these test i would suggest a cylinder head overhaul (pick up a classic car mag and see the engineering shop adverts) with hardened valve seats in the job (essential for running lpg) i suppose this may be a silly comment but try giving the engine a full service also if you want a bit more go have you got the webber twin choke or are you running the transit single choke carb
ttfn glenn

[AmbulanceMan]

webber twin choke ? How can I tell?
It gets lousy millage.

[93fxdl]

pull the air filter off the carb is underneath if its got one hole through it its a single if it got two its a twin choke
It gets lousy millage.
a camper isnt going to break any records for economy but if its really abysmal that and the lack of performance points to the engine being out of tune while you have it off check the condition of the filter as a blocked one will strangle performance and guzzle fuel
ttfn glenn

[AmbulanceMan]

It's the single.

If I was looking for the webber twin choke, say on eBay in some mag, or through a garage, what exactly should I be getting?

The air filter is new. It had a service not long ago.

You guys are great, thanks,

[sam l]

Oh and does fitting a diesel need bigger springs?

Yes. Or adding a leaf to the old one like Bob had done to his manure tipper.

[FredTransit]

OK, as the owner of plenty of Mk2s, petrol and diesel, factory diesel and conversions, 2 ambies (V6) and pinto powered LWB and pinto powered lutons I will throw in my twopenneth.

What's your amby's back ground? Was it front line or patient transfer, NHS, St Johns or Red Cross? Your amby is likely to have spent it's early life as a V6 Essex, and as a fairly thirsty engine was likely to have been returned (would have left Ford as a 2L petrol) to pinto power by a former owner. Both our Hanlon and Wadham Stringer ambies (different manufacturer/converters) started life as 2L petrols, according to the VIN plates (much to my surprise). Bear in mind the glass fibre body is quite heavy, which is why your pinto won't be that fast. A good option is the twin choke, and bear in mind your engine may be a later one from a Mk3/4 and could be unleaded. All our pintos are replacements, and are unleaded.

An optional engine would be a DI diesel, with 5 speed gearbox. we have this petrol to diesel conversion on some of our lutons, and only changed the front springs due to load carrying. Your ambulance will have huge springs, maybe 4 or 5 leaf, and shouldn't need changing. If you went for a DI with a bosch pump, as already mentioned, you can run it on up to 60% veg oil (even waste veg oil) in the summer and 40-50% in the winter without alteration.

[AmbulanceMan]

It has benches along each side, which I kept and fitted into the camper design, along with sockets for an incubator, so was probably for patient transfer. I see no signs of which service may have owned it. I don't expect it to break any speed records, but I also feel I should not have to shift down to second gear on a long hill incline. I'm just looking for an economical solution to get it running more smoothly. Also I guess it gets about 12 miles per gallon, which can't be good. I think it was getting about 18 per gallon when I first got it about 8 years ago. It gets camper use, which is not much. Say one journey a month on average. It is not unleaded, which means using the additive. I just thought since a new engine might be the solution, that a greener alternative might be best. It barely passes the emission test on the MOT as it is. Lots of good suggestions here. What would you do?