AS Talisman Service / Work Log

 

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MARCH / APRIL 2004

 

Purchased Mileage 33k – confirmed by MOTs and HPI check.

 

 

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Brake Fluid Flushed / Changed

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Coolant Changed (5 Year version with 50/50 distilled water used and K-Seal added for peace of mind)

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Electrics:

  • New Spark Plugs

  • New HT Leads (from Peugeot)

  • New Dist Cap

  • New Rotor Arm

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Fuel System

  • Fuel filter replaced (disposable)

  • Strip and Clean

  • Carburettor linkages oiled.

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Gearbox

  • Oil level topped up with correct GL5 spec oil

  • Oil leak from speedo cable fixed (blue holymar gasket sealant used)

  • Molyslip additive added (half a tube)

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Engine:

  • Valves Reset (mostly 0.10 too wide)

  • New Alternator Drive Belt

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Exhaust:

  • Replace middle Silencer and rubber hangers

  • New Exhaust to Manifold bolts (Stainless Steel used)

APRIL / MAY 2004

 

 

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Bodywork / Windows:

  • Apply copious amounts of “Mer” Polish to all cab panels and body sides.

  • Remove “Talbot” badge from leading edge of bonnet.

  • Light T-Cut of Perspex windows to remove surface scratches

  • Repair to N/S side window securing latch (need to get correct parts from Autosleepers in due course

Design and Construction of Rear storage Box (for Wellies, beach toys and other light items) to be mounted on the Rear Ladder. I confirmed with Autosleepers that is acceptable to hang a box of this weight off the ladder without risking damage to the shell.

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Fit Universal Front Mud flaps

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New Leisure Battery, 75AH £30 from Swindon Batteries – 21/5/04

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Fit Status Aerial Sealing Kit and secure with White PVC tape (original owners had removed Aerial and taped a bag over the mount). Aerial mount is actually for a Maxview omni-directional aerial.

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Replace washer in one of the sink taps.

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Removed on-board water tank due to leak from level gauge, gauge re-sealed, water tank flushed and overflow pipe bore diameter reduced (the tank was spilling half its contents out of the overflow on corners during journeys which is reduced now, but its still advisable to fill up on site before pitching).

 

 

JUNE 2004

 

 

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Alarm connection to Indicators removed (the alarm unit is faulty and occasionally switching the indicators on permanently when driving). The immobiliser function remains working.

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Thorough Inspection of Chassis and bodywork underneath (from the front moving back to just in front of the Rear spring hangers), treating any surface rust with wire brush, acid rust-proofer, and 2 coats to smooth hammerite paint. (Only some minor rust on lower bulkhead seams).

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Fit TIM Tachometer £45 from Halfords. Wire and fit to RH side of instrument cluster.

 

 

JULY 2004

 

 

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NEW Alternator (Paris-Rhone) 19 July 2004 – 12 Mth Guarantee

Make new back box to fit on Cycle Carrier

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Clean up minor Rust under corners of windscreen, Treat with Rust curer and Paint with Hammerite “Smooth White”. Doesn’t look very neat so will get some proper Talbot Paint made up in due course

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NEW Clutch cable fitted (the original was fine and will be retained as a spare).

 

 

AUGUST – OCTOBER  2004

 

 

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Holidays!

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MOT – No work required

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Treating then under sealing minor blemishes underneath to prevent future problems.

 

 

NOVEMBER 2004

 

 

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Laid up for winter – Batteries charged then both put on “Floating Charge”

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Engine started  and warmed thoroughly every 2 weeks

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Vehicle driven a few hundred yards at least one a month

 

(This procedure will be changed next year as the Sept 05 MOT showed the brake

Discs were rusty almost certainly as a result of lack of use). In 05/06 the vehicle will be used throughout winter.

 

 

DECEMBER 2004 – FEBRUARY 2005

 

 


(Click for larger image)

The Gearbox oil level dipstick has been re-marked approximately 20mm down from the top in accordance with Practical Motorhome article. Apparently the G/box oil level was increased throughout the production cycle of the vehicle and the final setting used was this one. The level is much higher than before and is supposed to ensure that 5th gear is correctly lubricated at all times.

 

 

MARCH 2005

 

 

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Oil and Filter change, both from Halfords. Castrol GTX used on all Engine Oil Changes.

 

 

APRIL 2005

 

 

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Complete drain and renewal of Final Drive / Gearbox Oil. Using a semi-synthetic 75w90 oil plus half tube of Molyslip gear friction reducer. Gear change is excellent for a vehicle of this sort. Synthetic oil helps from cold.

New Rear Engine mount from Peugeot. Original was very tired allowing the engine to rock backwards and forwards as the drive was engaged. This would have led to failure of the exhaust manifold studs eventually.

 

(Picture shows Old Mount)

 

 

APRIL/MAY – AUGUST 2005

 

 

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Extensive holidaying in New forest, Avon, Devon, Cornwall and Blackpool. Fantastic time.  No work beyond routine checks / battery charging.

 

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Removed Mains strip light over the living area. This gave a yellowish light and was an unnecessary addition by a previous owner. Light emitted by the built in units is much nicer white light.

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Both spot Lamp bulbs replaced with 10w Halogen bulbs (they had previously been 13w bulbs). The halogen bulbs give as much light output but are whiter which is better for reading and use slightly less power.

Noise Killer: Purchase and fitment of a Noise Killer acoustic set under bonnet and inside the doors. Cost £115 but the difference is very noticeable. No longer need to shout and can converse comfortably with people in the rear seats (this is on a petrol model which is already much quieter than the diesel).

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Whilst fitting the soundproofing kit above also took the opportunity to renew the waxoil in the bottom of the front doors which is the brown staining shown inside the door in the picture.

Carburettor overhaul kit fitted (comprising: New needle valve, gaskets and diaphragms). Preventative maintenance and old items kept for spares. Purchased mail order from ultra-parts.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 2005

 

 

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Brake Work for MOT: (total Cost £210 of which £100 was not necessary!).

 

  • New O/S Brake calliper - £100 (This was not actually necessary as the hoses were at fault but I didn’t realise this until after purchasing the new calliper so decided to fit it anyway!.

  • New Flexible Brake hoses on O/S Front wheel (one hose had become blocked and the other restricted. Apparently this is not unusual on vehicles that are not used much very much. Will plan to replace remaining N/S and rear hoses later in the year.

  • Both copper brake pipes replaced to O/S front wheel (necessary as pipes were twisted during hose replacement

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Complete Brake fluid flush (part of renewing brake pipes above)

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MOT Passed -  Advisory on lack of reserve handbrake travel (this has been adjusted now). The handbrake cable may be stretching where it is parked up for long periods.

 

Note: Most parts had to be ordered and were obtained either same-day or next day by Swindon Auto-parts, 3-5, Lagos St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2BU , Tel: 01793 692957 . Excellent service, polite and efficient.

 

 

OCTOBER 2005 Onwards (Winter 2005)

(clickable Images)

 

Exhaust Manifold Gaskets Replaced. There was a very small leak from one of them which resulted in a “chuffing” noise under acceleration. It is Surprisingly quiet now it is fixed. New Exhaust bolts also used, and gaskets sealed with a thin coat of exhaust assembly paste.

Engine TDC position confirmed using home-made Tool The TDC marker on these engines is bolted to the timing chain cover and is movable so setting the TDC with a dial gauge is the ONLY method of being certain that the marks are in the correct location.

Carburettor Throttle body was overhauled by an engineer. The holes through which the throttle spindle runs were very slightly elliptical (extremely common, even on low-mileage engines as no bushes are used, the throttle shaft runs directly in the throttle-body). Wear in this area results in reduced low-end power due to air leaking in and weakening the mixture at low throttle. My wear was not significant but might as well get it sorted out over winter. The body was crushed very slightly and then reamed out to a perfect fit. Cost £15. Noticeable reduction in hesitancy at low RPM. Note: It should last a very long time but If it gets worse in the future the throttle body can be fitted with brass bushes for £50-£60.

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Starter motor removed and solenoid cleaned. Occasionally sticky solenoid remains a minor irritation. Update.. this turned out to be caused by sub-standard wiring in the immodiliser circuit which was removed and the starter works perfectly.
 

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Rear window (Over kitchen area) re-sealed from the outside with clear silicon sealant

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New bushes fitted in part of Gear linkage. It didn’t need them but they were relatively cheap and easy to fit. Gear change is excellent, especially when one considers the reputation these gearboxes have. See seperate gearbox page for further info.

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Trailer board wiring socket fitted to rear recess beside LH light cluster. This is intended for use later if we ever get a large bike rack or back box.

 

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Over wintering Procedure: Every two weeks the van is taken for a drive of a few miles to fully warm it up and keep the brakes etc in good condition, then both the batteries put on charge overnight. In between times the batteries are both disconnected and the wheels are kept covered with anti-UV covers.

 

 

MARCH 2006

 

 

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Engine oil and filter replaced March 2006. Used Castrol GTX as always.

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Gearbox Oil level checked and topped up slightly (semi-synthetic oil).

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New Fuel Pump. The old one was working fine but I replaced with a new one purchased cheaply off ebay. The old one will kept as a spare(!). New fuel pipes (hoses) were fitted and a new in-line fuel filter fitted at the same time.

 

 

APRIL - MAY 2006

 

 

(Clickable Images)

Several Excellent short Holidays in the Forest of Dean and on the South Coast (New forest and Bournemouth). This vehicle is always a joy to use.

Purchase and fitment of a new Whitter Towbar Expensive at £250+ but the aim is to mount a back box on this so we can use the bike rack at the same time. To reduce weight the rear flange (the piece to which the tow ball mounts is not used).

 

2009 Update: The towbar was excellent and carried a large home-made back box (see below) for several years but was removed in 2009 to reduce the weight on the rear overhang. We like to do steep hill climbs (up to 1 in 3  ) and the weight on the back was making the front light and reducing traction. A replacement aluminium assembly is being fabricated together with a smaller and much lighter-constructed back box. 

Fabrication and fitment of Aluminium back box mounts for the tow bar. The cross pieces are to prevent the box being pushed into the back of the van in the event of a light rear end shunt.

Make new back box using 6mm and 9mm  plywood with battening and all-stainless steel screws (box is screwed as well as glued for additional strength. A new trailer board is used as the box (almost) obscures the original rear light clusters. The finished (treated in several coats of cuprinoil wood preserver but as yet unpainted) back box can be seen here, on holiday near Bournemouth. It holds a fantastic amount stuff as well as allowing the original bike rack to be utilised.

 

 

JUNE 2006

 

 

Treated surface rust that was developing under LH side of windscreen. This is very common on these vans. The picture shows the (scuttle) panel being taken back to bare metal using a fibreglass pen/tool, after which it was treated with Loctite Rust converter (2 coats) followed by Finnegan’s No.1 rust proofer (2 coats) and top coated with the correct Talbot “Corfu White”. That should hold it for a few years. New Scuttle Panels are available but don't fancy removing the windscreen to replace it (yet).

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Removed and re-sealed the exhaust manifold again as the exhaust flange joint was overly tight and this had led to the exhaust manifold–cylinder head joint leaking very slightly. I have left the flange joint quite loose as this relieves any strain on the manifold and the only downside is a slight squeak sometimes from the joint as the drive is taken up. I’d rather an occasional squeak than risk popping a manifold stud (which can happen on these engines).

 

 

JULY – AUGUST 2006

 

 

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Holidays – Fantastic time holidaying in Wales for 2 weeks (Breacon, Mid-Wales, West coast, Snowdonia and Anglesey), then back home for a week before taking another week in south Wales.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 2006

 

 

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MOT – Straight through with No work.  Advisory that horn will need replacing soon.

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Back box and Bike rack removed into garage ready for winter

 

 

WINTER 2006 – 2007

 

 

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Van remains Taxed and insured all winter.

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Van is taken for 5+ mile drive every 2 weeks and both batteries charged for a few hours every two weeks to ensure they remain in perfect condition.

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Water system drained down, exhaust and air intakes sealed, winter cover fitted over heater air intake on bonnet.

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(Would go camping in winter with Propane gas but family are not keen … softies!)

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Horn Replaced (finally!). The replacement is a bit pathetic sounding though..... might have to fit a bigger one sometime :).

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Fitted some screws to the bottom of the door trim (the inner door cards for the front doors) as the old ones were sagging and the plastic retaining clips no longer doing their job. Looks neater.

 

 

MARCH 2007

 

 

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Pre-Season Service: Engine oil and filter changed (Castrol GTX Used).

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Gearbox oil level checked (perfect, no loss at all), Other fluids checked.

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Fuel Filter replaced (disposable filters are fitted between the tank and fuel pump.

New Brake Master Cylinder fitted. Cost £30. The old one was showing signs of a slight fluid leak between the primary and secondary chambers i.e. sponginess/slow sinking under sustained pressure although the van had been like this since we purchased it and has always passed its MOT with no problems. The new master cylinder has alleviated this problem and of course I now have yet another useful spare  :)

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All Brake fluid flushed and replaced. Noticed that rear O/S spring hanger is looking a little rusty so will watch that at MOT time.

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Alarm/Immobilser and all associated wiring removed. The alarm didn’t work anyway and It transpires that the “sticky” starter motor solenoid was actually caused by the sub-standard wiring used in the alarm immobiliser. It now starts perfectly every time. I will fit a separate heavy duty immobilising switch in due course. 

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Fresh Water tank and water system cleansed using diluted bleach method and thoroughly flushed afterwards.

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Silicone spray grease purchased for use on the Thetford cassette toilet flap as it has been slightly stiff ever since the new (and thicker) seal was fitted. 2009 Update; The spray grease worked ok(ish) but switching toilet fluids cured it. We has been using thetford's own products but switched to Fenwick's top and tail which was much better (and smelt nicer too!).

 

 

APRIL 2007

 

 

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Lower window Channels replaced on both large side opening windows. They are only rubber and the old ones had deteriorated significantly over the years. Autosleepers can no longer obtain these parts. I used comparable channelling form Vintage Supplies Ltd, Part No.264. Slightly tricky to cut the water drain channels but very satisfying now it is done, and protects the windows. ...... 2008 Update: Autosleepers now have them in stock again at a very reasonable price but the postage is high.
 

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Replaced one of the Roof light opening devices which are plastic and are showing their age. Fortunately I carry spares of these and will plan to replace all of them with new ones from Autosleeper later in the year.

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Early – April Holidays in New Forest for Easter break. Lovely sunny week. Didn’t need the propane gas after all!

 

 

MAY 07

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Replaced Fuse Holder in Secondary Battery charge feed from the Alternator. The original had a dirty connection which was limiting the current reaching the secondary battery. Having replaced the fuse holder the secondary battery now recharges more effectively and we seldom require a hook up .
 

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Holidays – In Belgium for a Week. Lovely country. Had a rear tyre blowout on the M25 whilst travelling there which was fun!
 

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New Rear Tyre in Belgium – Pirelli €97 (approx £62). Noticed that the other rear tyre has developed a tiny bulge so swapped this for the spare. Original tyres are about 6 years old so will need to replace front ones soon.

 

 

JUNE 07

 

 

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New Handbrake Cable. The old one was ok but showing signs of wear so decided to replace it now. Cost £10

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Thorough de-grease and hose down of the chassis (very messy job). It has been almost 3 years since I last did this and it enables one to carefully check the chassis for any rust before it gets serious. Underseal touched up in a couple of placed otherwise fine.

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Rear Leaf-springs thoroughly cleaned and re-oiled to prevent them squeaking.

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New Exhaust tail-pipe (inc final silencer). £36

 

 

JULY 07

 

 

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New Front Tyres (Pair). Continental Vanco , the BEST  van tyres available with the most impressive grip characteristics both in the dry and wet. Cost £78 each

 

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General Servicing in advance of holidays: New Air filter, Cleaned HT leads, Plugs, and Distributor Cap. Seems a bit more lively for replacing the air filter.

 

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Replaced ALL (four) of the opening devices for the front Rooflight with new ones from Autosleepers (approx £4 each) as the originals were showing signs of aging and one had already required replacing in April.

 

 

AUGUST 07

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Extensive Holidays:

  • 2 Weeks: Leicester, Nottingham, York, North Yorkshire Moors and Dales. N.Yorkshire is Beautiful.

  • 5 Days in South Wales (Brecon / Abergavenny area).

  • 5 Days in on the South coast (new forest/Hampshire/Poole/Studland

The van performed brilliantly, especially on the many very steep (20-30%) hills in Yorkshire.. Only slight niggle is the rear springs tend to get dry and squeaky. Spraying the shackles with WD40 quickly cures this for a week or so.

 

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Back Box Removed and stored in garage for winter.

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Fabricated my own leaf spring shims from rubber and fixed using cable ties to the rear of the bottom leaf spring. These items deteriorate with age and are no longer available from Peugeot. The new ones are made to the same specification and fit perfectly.
 

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MOT - Passed although rear brakes were out of balance so replaced both rear wheel cylinders (only one needed doing but they were cheap so I replaced both as a precautionary measure).
 

  Brake fluid changed (complete system flush as part of replacing the rear wheel cylinders). Cost <£30 total.

 

SEPT - NOV 07

 

 

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Over wintering Procedure implemented:

  • Van remains Taxed and insured all winter.

  • Van is taken for 5+ mile drive every 2 weeks and both batteries charged for a few hours every two weeks to ensure they remain in perfect condition.

  • Water system drained down, exhaust and air intakes sealed, winter cover fitted over heater air intake on bonnet.

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Removed and re-greased both rear wheel bearings, cleaned and regreased them (the grease goes hard over time and I doubt they had ever been done).  Fit new stub axle oil seals when refitting.
 
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Removed and cleaned rear brake automatic adjusters. Not convinced they are working correctly but easy enough to adjust them manually. Very little brake pedal travel now, and no dragging brakes
   

DEC 2007  -  FEB 2008

   
Conversion to LPG being undertaken over Christmas. See separate pages here.
  • Fabricating and fitting rails to support the 55L full toroidal 4-hole under slung tank took approximately 3 days effort spread over 5 days as some time was needed for the layers of paint to dry.
  • Fitting the rest of the LPG kit (Vaporiser, Mixer, Valve/filter, control electrics etc took 2 days.
  • Van taken to an LPG Association (LPGA) fitter for inspection and issuing of a safety certificate for the LPG system. This is a requirement of my insurance company although not all insurers ask for it.
  • Total Cost £650 which includes an expensive 4-hole tank (safer and faster filling than a single hole tank.

 

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Engine Service:
  • Carburettor complete strip down, clean all jets / passages, re-grease throttle shaft, check float height, re-assemble and re-tune.
  • Air filter replaced.
  • New NGK Spark plugs fitted and re-gapped to 0.6mm (from 0.7) to compensate for LPG
  • New HT Electrics:
    • Rotor, Dist Cap

    • 8mm Silicone HT Leads (good ignition is important for the LPG system)

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Window Channel (caddy) replaced in Driver's Door. Original had become rusty (very common as the water runs down the window and collects here). Replacement cost £10 including a new seal and was easy to fit although new plastic clips were required to secure the door card as these always break when removing the trim!
   

MAR - JUN 2008

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LPG Related Items:
  • Lambda Probe fitted in exhaust down-pipe just below join with the manifold. This uses a 0-1v probe which can be used to measure the mixtures at all speed/load conditions. VERY useful for tuning the LPG system
  • Digital Air/Fuel (A/F) meter temporarily fitted to the dashboard and wired to lambda probe to tune the LPG Mixtures.
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Pre- Season OIL and Filter change. Castrol GTX Used as always.
   

JUL - AUG 2008

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Extensive holidays for 5 weeks:
  • North to the Lake district, Northumberland, then down West Coast, Yorkshire. Some fantastic scenery and experiences including some great mountain roads and wild camping spots.
  • West to Beacon Beacons for horse riding, hill walking and "Go Ape" experience.
  • South to Weymouth and Lyme Regis area, beautiful but the summer weather was poor so no days on the beach!

Van never missed a beat the whole time apart from the Leisure battery going flat after a particularly draining session (we don't use hook-ups usually. Van Running on LPG for approx 3000 miles, drove very well and saved a couple of hundred pounds in fuel.
 

  Front Radius Arm (wishbone) bushes Replaced as a precaution (they were not an MOT issue yet) because the old ones were very tired looking and I felt the van was not as precise in the steering has it had been. Genuine Peugeot items used with new locking nuts, cost £20.52 inc for both sides. 
   

SEPT - OCTOBER 2008

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MOT - Passed first time. An advisory note that front outer CV boots were very worn and would need replacing soon.
ALL CV Boots (inner and outer on both sides) replaced to be on the safe side and because it is quite a significant job so not something worth skimping on. Only tricky bit was removing the drive shaft nuts which are torque to 375FtLbs (500 NM) and required a 1m long breaker bar with a 1" drive impact socket! Still, an impressive tool and useful if I ever need to do the job again! (see photo)
 

Battery Split-charge circuit completely modified to boost the charge voltage and current going to the leisure battery even when the fridge is on. Original circuit used to run from the main battery through the relay to the auxiliary battery and then on to the interior (fridge). The new circuit uses a 70amp switching relay to change the interior (fridge) supply to the alternator if the engine is running and the original relay is retained to supply charge power directly to the auxiliary battery. All new wiring and fuse holders used. Very neat and safe job with heavy duty wiring and fuses in all the right places.

Note: The Charge voltage at the auxiliary battery is now up from 13.6v with the fridge on to 14.4v (the main battery remains at 14.5v ) . This is impressive and I don't expect to every have an undercharged auxiliary battery again! :)
 

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Warning light fitted to the outside of the shower/toilet to warn when the light has been left on (which invariably happens at least once every holiday and can result in a significant power drain).
 
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Engine WATER AND ANTIFREEZE (inc Summer Coolant) completely flushed and replaced. We use Halfords Advanced 5-Year Antifreeze which was due to be changed in March 2009 but I thought I might as well do it before winter. New 5-Year antifreeze and distilled water used. Will need replacing in Sept 2013. A bottle of K-Seal lubricant/sealer added as a precaution as per the previous change 4.5 years ago.
 


LPG System Upgraded:
(1) using an AL-600/D Lambda Controlled power valve (from mtv-uk). This device constantly monitors the LPG mixtures via the 0-1V lambda probe fitted just below the exhaust manifold and ensures that they remain stiotiometric (near the perfect 14.5:1 Air/Fuel ratio) across all engine speeds and loads. The dashboard Lambda readout confirms that the system is working perfectly. System will ensure the mixtures do not run excessively rich when the LPG tank is full nor dangerously weak when the tank runs low.

(2) Static ignition timing now advanced to 16 degrees BTDC . This is a little high for tick-over (about 12-14 degrees would be standard for LPG) however the distributor advance curve is not  linear and requires considerably more at high RPM. The van spends most of its drivable life in the 2000-4000 RPM range and drives noticeably better with the additional advance. Petrol starting performance is fine although not as smooth ticking over on petrol when cold due to the additional advance at low RPM. This is not an issue as we only use petrol for winter starting or to keep the carb 'wet' when the van is being stored.

Note: LPG MPG has increased by 1mpg to approximately 16.5mpg on Gas, however as always driving style is much more important for fuel efficiency. The Lambda control system was fitted primarily to safeguard the engine from the risk of running dangerously weak and the additional MPG is a minor bonus. 

   

NOVEMBER  2008 - MARCH 2009

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Over wintering Procedure implemented: including Domestic Water tanks drained and flushed, Interior thoroughly hoovered and cleaned.
 
Replacement lower plate for vaillant water heater and repair to pipe on heat exchanger due to frost damage. I had drained it but inadvertently put the water pump on again at a later stage and pumped a small amount of water into the heat exchanger. It froze during the very cold early February. It had happened before to the previous owner and their somewhat messy repair had lasted well, but this time I decided to replace it with all new parts, including a new diaphragm.  Total cost about £50 (ouch).
 
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Replacement water strainer on the Shurflo (series 200) pressurised water pump. The old one snapped when I tried to remove it to drain the system again. They have updated the model and the new strainer is a much more sensible design that is unlikely to give trouble in the future. Cost £10.
 
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Relocated the overflow pipe for the main water tank so it flows back into the filler neck just above where the water hose goes in. This is as designed on modern vehicles. The overflow had initially been a 1/2 inch bore emptying under the vehicle which resulted in a huge loss of water if travelling full. To prevent this I had modified it with a much smaller bore hose about 4 years ago and this has proved very successful. However, these days we like to wild camp as much as possible and only  putting onto sites every 3rd day or so when we run out of water. The latest modification will prevent any loss of water and will save a few litres. See the "How to" section for details of this modification.
 
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Fitted an uprated rubber o-ring bush to the gearbox (see gearbox page for more info on this modification). The old (standard Peugeot) one had done about 10k miles and although fine in use it was noticeably worn when removed. Took less then an hour and was satisfying to do.
 
Checked all valve clearances (part of the 4 year service). Excellent result, none of them have changed at all since they were last set a little over 4 years ago. This is including the last 4000 miles on LPG (with a flash-lube upper cylinder lubricating kit fitted), so valve seat recession is not a problem nor is it going to be an issue. I also checked, cleaned and re-gapped the spark plugs whilst I was doing it.
 


 

Modified the vacuum take-off for the Cruise Control to just below the carb. Previously it was attached to the servo vacuum hose (on no2 cylinder (No.1 being at the gearbox end on this engine)) but this spark plug was showing signs of running hotter than the others (indicating a slightly weaker mixture). The factory take-off point below the carb contains a restrictor as it draws air through the emission control system. This was removed and replaced with one that has been bored-out to maintain vacuum for the cruise take-off and Flashlube Oiler. The original adaptor with restriction was then fitted further up the pipe so the emission system continues to draw the correct amount of vapour .
 
Made and treated a new exterior plywood cover for the heater vent on the bonnet as the old (untreated) one was rather tired after 5 years in all weathers. This is a useful method of reducing the amount of water that enters the engine bay when the vehicle is parked up.
 
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Cut and replace a section of the Driver's door seal (at the bottom) where it had become worn due to foot fall entering/exiting the vehicle. Not a problem but looked a bit tatty. I could not get a good replacement seal so cut a good section out of one down the scrap yard just to replace this piece.
 
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Passenger / Front Reading Light: single 10W halogen mini swivelling down lighter fitted beside the rear view mirror. This is primarily a good reading light as my front seat passenger is typically my youngest daughter (age 6 ) likes to read her books whilst on the road at night which is not easy with the standard Talbot door lights.  The light is excellent and sufficiently shielded from the driver. Wired to the vans domestic lighting circuit so it is switched with the same 12v master switch.
 

I have removed the Watling tow bar and large/heavy backbox and replaced it with a new much lighter back box mouted on Aluminum support brackets attached to the rear bumper and chassis extensions.  We like to explore steep areas and on very steep slopes (1:3) traction was a concern at times with so much weight over the rear.  The new mounts are very light and the smaller and lighter-constructed back box (made from 3mm plywood rather than the existing 6mm version) makes a noticeable difference.
 
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First Holiday of 2009: Weekend away at Morton in Marsh staying on a CCC Gloucester DA (District Association) meet at the Cricket Ground. Nice spot, beautiful weather and friendly people. Ace! Van shake down proves everything is working as it should ready for the new season.
 
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OIL and FILTER change (Pre-season service). Castrol GTX Used as before.
   

APRIL 2009

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Late Easter holidays: 3 Days in Winchester with CCC DA Meet, plus days in Portsmouth, Lyndhurst (New forest) and Ringwood. If you are ever down near Bournemouth I'd recommend a visit to the Dorset Heavy Horse Centre, and you can overnight for free in the lorry park at the Avon Heath Country Park nearby.
 
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Scuttle Rust: Treated this again as it had spread very slightly since last being done in June 2006.
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Sealed the Windscreen Rubber to both the glass and the bodywork (externally)using a specially formulated  non-hardening black bitumum-like automotive windscreen sealant. This hould ensure that the scuttle does not rust further a water can no longer penetrate between the glass and the rubber to collect at the base of the windscreen. It was a seriously messy job but looks very neat now.  For info one 400ml tube was more then enough.
   

MAY / JUNE 2009

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FRANCE holiday. Fantastic 8 days in northern France including 4 days (5 nights) at Disneyland Paris (Camping in their car park) and the rest of the time stopping on Aires de service sites in lovely French Towns. Van performed very well with no concerns at all other than the waste water backing up through the shower once because we didn't empty the the Grey water tank (I'll fit a one-way waste valve to this in due course). For info the fresh water lasted just over 3 days for the 4 of us following the vent / overflow modification (mentioned above) which meant we didn't lose any water whilst travelling.
 
I decided to remove the fresh water tank to relocate the supply pipe at the very base (it was approx 5cm up the tank so we were sucking air even with 10L or so left in the tank. The modification can be seen in the picture with the original exit point (bottom left corner) blanked off using stainless steel bolts/washers and drinking water safe sealant.

The Tank's external insulation was also renewed as as the old insulation was and we like to camp in temperatures that dip below freezing occasionally. The new insulation is two layers of foil-faced bubble wrap type and fitted tightly with no air gaps . A significant improvement over the original. Fixed with double sided tape and finally wrapped the heavy-duty repair tape to protect it

Details of the tank removal process can be found on the "How to" page.
 

Replaced both the 32mm ribbed main water filler pipe and enlarged the overflow/breather pipe to allow it to fill faster. The main water pipe was damaged by frost in the severe cold snap we had last winter as it does not drain with the rest of the system. Price of 32mm pipe £3 per metre.

The breather was enlarged from 4mm to 8mm as the tank was pressurising when using a very fast filler (not very often but I thought I'd sort it whist I was in there). Now fills very quickly with the mains supply on full bore :)

 

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Fitted to fit a metal one-way valve to vacuum supply pipe for the cruise control as the cruise module is sucking up the flashlube into its supply pipe. Not a problem for the Cruise control but potentially expensive in wasted flashlube! . Cost of one-way valve £5
 

JULY / AUGUST 2009

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SUMMER HOLIDAYS (4 Weeks)  Brilliant time, first 2 weeks touring Suffolk and Norfolk (locals are not Motorhome friendly in Suffolk though), then 1 week in Tenby/Saundersfood (S.Wales) and another week doing activities all around the Brecon Beacons (also S.Wales ...Powys is Very Motorhome friendly so we go there a lot). Brilliant times, weather good and Van never missed a beat the whole time.
 
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MOT - Passed no issues at all :)
 
 

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