Diary of an Ordinary Van

[Altransit]

Ah .............. no badge necessary then

[AndyG]

Ah .............. no badge necessary then

Well I might want to tell others I'm not driving a petrol

[trigger]

Ah .............. no badge necessary then

Well I might want to tell others I'm not driving a petrol

With our engines it's pretty obvious we're not driving petrols Andy

[Altransit]

With our engines it's pretty obvious we're not driving petrols Andy

Ah, not so with a TDCi, they're soooo quiet

[Vee4]

Well I might want to tell others I'm not driving a petrol

Could be time for a new survey! How many Transits have the petrol engine now? It's not offered for the Minibus or Tourneo, and it's only available on a limited range of RWD vans:

Transit: http://www.ford.co.uk/Commercialvehicle ... Powertrain
Tourneo: http://www.ford.co.uk/Commercialvehicle ... Powertrain
Minibus: http://www.ford.co.uk/Commercialvehicle ... owertrains

Is there any way to tell at a glance if a Transit has the Duratec (petrol) engine?

[AndyG]

Petrol(/LPG) only available on the RWD (higher internal floor) models

[Vee4]

Petrol(/LPG) only available on the RWD (higher internal floor) models

That would be SWB 330, MWB 300 and LWB 350, which could also be diesel.

So the only difference visible on the exterior would be the badge on the rear door which would say [145 T330], etc?



Perhaps the badger still has a job after all.

Let us eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow ... we start another survey!

Thanks again to Steve Jackons's Badger Pages for the picture of the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles).

[ake]

Yes the only differance would be the door badge, even when they drive past you they sound very similar to the diesels, they must share the same exhaust, But do bear in mind that the MWB is available in 330 and 350 RWD as well

[AndyG]

Can you no longer get a 260/280/300 RWD petrol (/LPG) like the MK6 then

[Apple Tree]

As a newbie to this site I have really enjoyed reading the 30 odd pages of this Diary. I also have a Mark 7 and it has allowed me to look at it in a bit more detail and with understanding, yes I have even checked out my badges ! I only do a small number of miles, about 4k a year, so to hear that my tyres will last 100k is great news. I expect they will be condemed by the MOT guy with lots of tread still on them well before that mileage. Incidentally, Ford fitted Continentals to mine.
A question regarding the two batteries supplied under the drivers seat. There are three little sockets at the back of the seat to run equipment off the, presumably, auxialliary battery. Where do you get the plugs from to attach to the equipment as they are not a design I recognise. My local Ford dealer's parts department denied knowing the sockets were even there so they were no help. Can I assume there are some electrics that stops you running the starter battery down even if you exhaust the auxialliary ?

[Vee4]

That would be SWB 330, MWB 300 and LWB 350, which could also be diesel.

Can you no longer get a 260/280/300 RWD petrol (/LPG) like the MK6 then

But do bear in mind that the MWB is available in 330 and 350 RWD as well

My information is taken from the selection matrix on Page 54 of the 'eBrochure':

http://www.ford.co.uk/cs/BlobServer?blo ... blobkey=id

That shows only the three models that I listed above as being available with the Duratec petrol engine.

Anyway, I think I've found a fatal flaw in the new survey's implementation:

Since the van in front is a Transit, and the only way to spot a Duratec Transit is to look at the rear door, how can you be in front and behind at the same time?

Sensible suggestions only, please!

[Vee4]

As a newbie to this site I have really enjoyed reading the 30 odd pages of this Diary.

Thanks, Apple Tree. Don't sit under it in anything else but a Transit!

I have the 'Rear auxiliary power point' option which automatically adds the second battery and yes, the idea is that you can run down the auxiliary battery without affecting the main starting battery. There are no extra connectors on the Ordinary Van (it's too ordinary) so those were probably added by the camper conversion company. If they can't tell you, post some pictures in the Camper vans and conversions section. Someone will know ...

[Altransit]

Since the van in front is a Transit, and the only way to spot a Duratec Transit is to look at the rear door, how can you be in front and behind at the same time?

Easy answer, you need to be behind the Transit, in an inferior vehicle, to see the badge on the rear door

[Vee4]

Since the van in front is a Transit, and the only way to spot a Duratec Transit is to look at the rear door, how can you be in front and behind at the same time?

Easy answer, you need to be behind the Transit, in an inferior vehicle, to see the badge on the rear door

Lateral thinking - I like it! I do have one of these (in white) from my father:



I don't think of it as an inferior vehicle, more as a souvenir of a once-great automotive industry in the West Midlands. But then I read the bit about the crash test ...

Can you believe there's a special web site for Austin Rover cars? Next thing you know, someone will start one for Transit vans.

[ake]

Can you no longer get a 260/280/300 RWD petrol (/LPG) like the MK6 then

To honest I'm not sure, I'll have a look and report back