'95 LWB 150 minibus conversion

[Nadjenka]

Here it is in daylight - the same as at midnight. Lola has died. Basically, I started suddenly loosing oil whilst on my way home. Oil light flashed, so I started to look for a safe place to stop in between all those red lines. After lights junction, oil light stayed on and I parked in first available side road - all within 5 minutes from the first oil light flash. I stopped, turned off the engine and I just heard it even before I got out. And smelled it too... Came out and all my oil was just pouring out from everywhere. I opened the bonnet and sure - there it was. Looks like oil explosion, it just spat it aroud the engine.




Yes, I had the bonnet niece clean before...





I can't see where it came from. It looks like it just exploded. Oil is sitting everywhere as you can see. RAC men came - two of them, because I had the feeling it's not good when I was calling them. They tried to start her, but she just gave a spark trying to set herself on fire and that was it. They couldn't tell what has happened and why have I suddenly lost all oil. I'm not a genius, but something must have bursted, oil pump, seals, or everything at once - I don't know. They pulled me back to work and left me laughing at the efforts that I put into "rusty bucket" - obviously they thought I must be mad. Hmmm, just like my mum... Both of them very nice, helpful, but didn't give me much information as to what has happened and why. I'm guttered. Engine is something I definitely can't deal with. It would be nice to think that it will be easier than putting that window in, but I don't think I will be able to use angle grinder and hammer to get new engine into the right place. Aaaah, it completely threw me out.

Here is pointless new window fitted. Made me sooo happy yesterday for a while there...

[Luke]

i missed this yesterday

dont give up tho - theres a chance its not serious

i can't believe the RAC man didnt know what it was

1st off check the oil level - i take it it doesnt even turn over? is the battery flat? and can you charge it up

it might be something as simple as the oil line to the vac pump on the back of the altenator

like dachre says it's very rare for a Di to self destruct

is there any water in it

[Luke]

have a look at this (easy check) its the oil feed to the vac pump (for the brakes) its fitted on the back of the altenator the pipe with the red arrow should go to the pump from the engine block - just check it's not come loose or split - the RAC should have noticed this but you can check for nothing



apart from the oil light how was the engine running before you turned it off did it feel low on power or anything

[Nadjenka]

Yes, yes and yes - everything is in it. Battery tries to set the oil splatters on fire when you attempt to start it. They tried to turn her over yesterday, she just wouldn't. Luke it's a mess inside, you can't see anything because the oil is just everywhere. We even put more oil in her yesterday and it just came straight out again. Nothing unusual during my jurney - water temperature on normal level, I had the oil and filters changed only recently, battery is perfect... Just trying to dig thru Haynes manual, it just looks like I'm going to have to be a mechanic too...

[Luke]

where are the sparks coming from

and can you see where the oil is coming from

oil filter hasnt come loose has it - thats a common fault although i dont think it'd be that as it wont get up there

[Nadjenka]

have a look at this (easy check) its the oil feed to the vac pump (for the brakes) its fitted on the back of the altenator the pipe with the red arrow should go to the pump from the engine block - just check it's not come loose or split - the RAC should have noticed this but you can check for nothing
apart from the oil light how was the engine running before you turned it off did it feel low on power or anything

I'm going to check that now. But I think that was the first thing the RAC men looked at too... Luke it all happened in 5 minutes max. I noticed the red oil light flashing when I went to neutral for the red lights, pulled away and the oil didn't flash anymore and then just before the next lights (junction) the oil light came on and didn't go off anymore. That's when I turned off the radio and started to listen to the engine - sounded lounder, so I started to look for a place to stop (this was on 205 - Putney, bloody red lane everywhere). First street in, engine off and that was it. She won't start, she won't turn over, nothing...

[Luke]

if youve got a battery charger - best to get the battery off now and get it on charge
theres a chance it's lost charge as somethings shorted out - especailly if theres sparks and when you come to starting it again your better off with a fully charged battery

[Nadjenka]

I can't see anything. Oil is sitting everywhere so it's hard to tell where it started or came from. Can't see any loose pipes. Those two coming out of an alternator are there, oily, but there, not loose at all. Could they be cracked? To me it looks like it started somewhere here - based on the splatter pattern on the bonnet. But what do I know...?





Gonna get changed and clean it all up and see if I can see something.

[Nadjenka]

where are the sparks coming from

and can you see where the oil is coming from

oil filter hasnt come loose has it - thats a common fault although i dont think it'd be that as it wont get up there

I don't know, I was the one turning the key and watching RAC men jump away as I turned it. Oil filter is where it should be, and yes - it definitely came from much higher than the filter.

[Nadjenka]

if youve got a battery charger - best to get the battery off now and get it on charge
theres a chance it's lost charge as somethings shorted out - especailly if theres sparks and when you come to starting it again your better off with a fully charged battery

I can't see this happening. If the engine won't turn over - I don't see how I could possibly get it to work again. Gonna try, but who am I kidding...

[Luke]

when you put the oil in and it came back out - could you see where and i take it this was without trying to start it
aslo what is the oil level like on the dipstick

[Luke]

i can't see this happening. If the engine won't turn over - I don't see how I could possibly get it to work again. Gonna try, but who am I kidding...

dont give up just yet

put it in 5th gear with handbrake off key out and with the bonnet up from the front try to push the van -you should see the engine should turn - if it does it wont be siezed and chances are it'll start

i had a Di camper - i lent it to my sister she drove it when a water pipe split it broke down and metled the pistons to the side of the engine - but i still managed to start and drive it in that state

[Nadjenka]

put it in 5th gear with handbrake off key out and with the bonnet up from the front try to push the van -you should see the engine should turn - if it does it wont be siezed and chances are it'll start

i had a Di camper - i lent it to my sister she drove it when a water pipe split it broke down and metled the pistons to the side of the engine - but i still managed to start and drive it in that state

We've tried that with RAC men yesterday on fourth gear, it wouldn't turn over. I'm grateful for your hope, but I really think there isn't any. If the oil light comes on when there is no oil pressure to the bearings (rather then coming on when oil LEVEL gets low) then those 3 minutes driving definitely killed it. Currently I'm hating London very much with it's stupid red lines...

[Luke]

oh thats bad if it wont turn over it might be siezed and that'll be where the sparks come from

last thing to be sure if you can get a spanner or socket on the front crankshaft pulley and try to turn it (while its in neutral) it it wont budge then it's proberbly curtains

[Nadjenka]

Right, that could as well be in Spanish... Which one of those wheels is crankshaft pulley?