Red Ven

[DG-Unit]

So this happened...

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It’s been a slow week as I’m back to work to keep the van in paint and repair panels. Brought the lights home a while ago to sort the grubby parts. Was going to split them but 140oC in the oven didn’t even slightly soften the sealant so sprayed the outside. I’ve always liked the low-spec amber look indicators and now the lights fit the amber on the rest of the van. They still need some rubbing compound to get crystal clear but i’ll give it at least a week to cure before that.

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[DG-Unit]

So I think we’re about done for the MOT!

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Tomorrow I’m setting up new tyres and I’ll be finishing off the headlights sometime this week. Tie rods were a pain until I heated them with a blow torch and jacked the control arm so the tie rod was level. Rear fog lights were just the bulbs.

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So i’ll be booking the MOT for next week

[DG-Unit]

What an amazing day to be outside working on a van! Loads done today and the fun stuff of putting it back together: new air box mounts, replaced an ABS sensor, lights back in and all the bumpers parts fixed, sanded, filled and painted. I know the usual is to go for black but I think the dark grey suits it better...

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Just time for a clean up and some more roller paint tomorrow and it’s ready for Monday’s MOT.

[Chug]

crossing fingers for monday

yeah lovely day I smashed up a 22ft trailer that was about to collapse anyway and moved all me spares to a new fangled plastic window trailer

[DG-Unit]

8) crossing fingers for monday

yeah lovely day I smashed up a 22ft trailer that was about to collapse anyway and moved all me spares to a new fangled plastic window trailer

Sure was a day for getting things done! Same again today I hope. Coolant flush and thermostat replacement, finding that missing exhaust hanger bracket and some bodywork ahead for me.

[ned]

Good luck for Monday, if it doesn’t pass the mot inspector will need slapping with his own hand

I’d have painted the bumpers red but that’s just me, what’s the plan when it’s road legal?

[DG-Unit]

Good luck for Monday, if it doesn’t pass the mot inspector will need slapping with his own hand

I’d have painted the bumpers red but that’s just me, what’s the plan when it’s road legal?

- Repaint the whole thing and refurb the steelies and get new centre caps
- Mk.7 dash, steering wheel and gear stick conversion +bluetooth stereo & wireless charge mount
- Sound deadening, insulate and carpet in the cab
- Chop up the roof rack so it can just take 8x4 sheets (and maybe a roof tent) and get the front of a mid-top roof to make into a wind deflector
- Fit some fog lights
- Replace rear doors (dented and hinges broken)
- Wire brush and repaint the rest of the underside (drop fuel tank for access)
- Repaint the inside rear, put flooring down and insulate.
- Fit a relay to the central locking so it won’t lock with the doors open and fit a fancy key lock for the drivers door.

This list is not exhaustive but it is exhausting to think about

[DG-Unit]

After moving the expansion tank to weld the aprons I lost a fair bit of coolant that looked in a bad state. After watching a Chris Fix of super flushing the coolant https://youtu.be/s--5ft5YiHg I gave it a go:

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I used Holts Speedlush, red coolant and do-ironised water as the next best to distilled. You can see the difference the speed flush makes as the second cup is a lot murkier. The last cup was a flush with mixed coolant so the final would have been even brighter. I did replace the thermostat as preventative maintenance but the gasket on the Euro Car Parts product isn’t correct so has to re-use the old one. Also discovered the hard way not to undo the thermostat housing bolts when it’s all hot as they don’t come out and just spin - had to knock them out and use bolts and nuts i had lying around.

What I learnt specific to doing this on a transit:
- You only need 5L coolant/water to refill after each flush as about half of the 10L capacity stays in the engine unless you drain that as well.
- You can remove the small hoses at the top and back to the expansion tank to drain them by threading them down to the floor.
- If you remove the thermostat for flushing you will need to remove the rubber gasket from the thermostat and leave it in there or it’ll leak. was worried it might get sucked into the engine but that didn’t happen.

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While I was doing that I did some finishing jobs before the MOT tomorrow:

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[Nordic Blue]

Good luck DG-Unit - hope it is good news today!

[DG-Unit]

Good luck DG-Unit - hope it is good news today!

Thanks! I’m here now. Waiting for it to happen all again. Clicking from the tie rod ends on the way up here and lots of white smoke coming out of of the back. Hope the latter is just from it sitting around for months

[ned]

How did you get on? All good news we hope.

[DG-Unit]

How did you get on? All good news we hope.

Well I’ve no idea how with that noise coming from the front but it passed! 3 advisories (PAS leak, brake balance and O/S front bearing!.

[ned]

How did you get on? All good news we hope.

Well I’ve no idea how with that noise coming from the front but it passed! 3 advisories (PAS leak, brake balance and O/S front bearing!.

Result, if anyone deserves an mot pass it’s definitely you after all the hard work those advisories are nothing major really. Now for phase 2 of your build.

[dumper]

I’m. Surprised that a power steering leek is a a advisory as on PSVs any leak on it Instant fail . But we’ll done after all the hard work you put in

[DG-Unit]

I’m. Surprised that a power steering leek is a a advisory as on PSVs any leak on it Instant fail . But we’ll done after all the hard work you put in

I did make an effort to clean up the leaky residue before it went it but it will have done a couple of drips. It’s high on the list to get done with my next paycheque - might be a garage job unless anyone tells me it’s a simple(ish) one.

Now for phase 2 of your build.

Yep. Phase 2 is fixing the advisories Still grinning at how many times the MoT tester told me how good my welding had got.