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Anon
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Have I killed it?

So...
I've had my 1982 CF horsebox for about a month now, and, well, reading through a few things on here, it's not looking good!

I drove her back from Aylesbury to Fakenham, and all was pretty much ok (apart from the temp rocketing at anything over 45mph). The previous owner was a young lass who reckoned she only ever put a tenner's worth of fuel in her at a time - she just trundled her horses to local shows.

So it was a bit of a trek home, the fuel guage is a 'tad' erratic - put £40 in, and the guage goes up, then after about 5 miles it drops off to nothing. Stopped twice for fuel to be on the safe side! I'm guessing this is down the fact she has two huge linked petrol tanks, and it takes a while for the levels to even out.

So, the poor old girl has done probably a previous year's worth of mileage in the last month. She behaved herself to start with, apart from being a bit of a pig to get going - the choke doesn't seem to do much, she certainly won't run first thing without keeping a foot on the accelerator. Then, about one in ten times, she backfires like a shotgun when turning her off.
Now, she farts and splutters for about the first five miles, you've got to keep the revs up or she cuts out (junctions are fun). the fuel economy is shocking, she's costing about 60p/mile. Yep, 8 miles to the gallon or thereabouts. And we've stripped loads of weight out of her. and that's doing 40mph everywhere. My husband has run her out of fuel once, and so have I.
And of course, it's only just occurred to me that she was designed to run on 4*, not unleaded... and I'm guessing this never occurred to the young lass who had her before me...

Also, the radiator will occasionally boil over when I stop her. it's happened about 4 times, and usually after about a 5 mile run.

She's got the 2.3 petrol engine, she has a '250' sticker on the front but I'm guessing she's actually a 350 because the log book says she's a 3.5 tonner.

Apart from the above, and the odd bit of rust, she's in fairly good nick!

So... have I done irreparable/bloody expensive damage to her in the last month? Or is it a fairly easy fix (both me and my husband are fairly handy with a spanner, his daily ride is a 1989 VW Caddy pickup that's been on it's last legs the whole time he's owned it). Or is it simply 'Bedford quirks' (I doubt it)?
Wed 22 Jul 2015 @ 21:18 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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From what you say regarding 4* there is a chance it may be valves or seats.
Depends on what sort of mileage has been done on 4*.

First thing I would do is a compression check (easy option) and if that shows any problems check the tappet clearances.

You've probably not completely killed it ! :-)

PTT.
Thu 23 Jul 2015 @ 08:27 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Spitting and farting.

Hi Ossie,

Sounds a lot like mine when I brought it home six years ago but that was a combination of things and I only had the head off last winter because of a head gasket leaking water.
What I found after bringing the van home was that the timing, valve settings, and points were all way off the settings they should have been at, and the fuel line from the tank to the pump was perished and closing down inside.
Do a compression test by all means but the valve settings must be right because as the engine heats up tight valves will fail to close on the seats, the spitting back through the carb leads me to think do the settings first.
Then do a compression test and if the readings are low (less than a hundred) per cylinder then do a wet test, which is just a couple of squirts of oil down each plug hole then spin the engine over and do the test again, if the valves are gone you won't see much difference in the readings.

doujoy

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Thu 23 Jul 2015 @ 09:23 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Hi Ossie,from what you are saying it seems to me that the first thing to do is take the head off and have hardend valve seats put in.You can then set the timing when you put it together.You will also know every thing is right as you can check things like the thermostat.Any way that's my thoughts.Cheers+Beeres Jim.

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Thu 23 Jul 2015 @ 22:15 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Head off.

Hi Ossie,

What I found when I removed the cylinder head last winter was not burnt out valve seats or burnt valves and so the seats and valves were simply refaced after being checked for any cracking.
So still on hardened seats or stainless steel valves fitted to my cylinder head because on damage was found but I do use lead additive, about half a cup to a full tank of fuel in my case (thirteen gallons).
The tested I have described in my earlier post will help you to decide what is the best course of action for you to take.

doujoy

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Fri 24 Jul 2015 @ 08:26 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Hello Ossie
As others suggest a compression check and a valve clearance check up as some of your problems sound like lack of valve clearance to me. Also a check of the ignition timing,the dizzy cap,rotor arm, leads plugs and possibly points and renew condensor if you have them as 82 was the changeover year when breakerless ignition was fitted to the 2.3. Also renew or remove the air filter and check the choke set up. 8 mpg is not good so try to make it as good as you can before deciding to spend serious coin. The previous owners have obviously had a maintenance holiday. It's not dead, just a bad case of neglectitus. Hopefully you can make it more user friendly for the short term at least.

Andy

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Fri 24 Jul 2015 @ 13:33 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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2.3 engine

Hi Ossie,I forgot to say when you have hardend valves fitted you do not need to add lead addative,also as you put it back together you will know all is well,

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Sat 25 Jul 2015 @ 20:16 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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For the radiator, you've probably got a rad that's almost completely blocked, get a refurbished one. I had the same problems originally when I first got my van, you'll probably end up replacing most of the perishable parts...

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Tue 11 Aug 2015 @ 11:26 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Every time my husband drove her, she boiled. Well, a local mechanic had a look at her - lifted the bonnet, took one look and said "your head gasket is knackered". A good friend and tinker of old vehicles overheard this, and offered to take a look. So off came the thermostat, which is working fine, rad flow was checked, which is fine, then he checked the oil - yep, left my husband in charge of that, she was near empty. Topped it up and the boiling-over problem was fixed.
The fuel economy isn't as bad as 8 to the gallon, this was my husbands estimation based on topping her up three days on the trot and not keeping a proper eye on the mileage. I actually did a proper check, and we did 100 miles on £45 not £60 as he insisted.
We got her to Yorkshire and back ok at the weekend (struggled a bit on the hills!). Next job is to replace everything that can be replaced.
Thanks for all the tips! I think eventually I'm going to swap the engine out for a banana engine (if possible) so at the mo it's just a case of keeping this one going until I can afford the transplant.
Next question, what does this spring do? I'm guessing it's meant to be attached at both ends! I took it off to ask yet another mechanic if he had something similar knocking around but didn't have time so it's sitting on the passenger seat (I hope this isn't a huge mistake!)
Wed 12 Aug 2015 @ 08:39 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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And checking the old mot's, she hasn't done more than 350 miles in a year since '06! We've done three years' worth since we got her...
Wed 12 Aug 2015 @ 08:46 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Spring.

Hi Ossie,

That spring should be attached to the clutch release arm and serves to keep the release arm firmly against the clutch cable adjustment rod.
Your proposed choice of engine change is a big and expensive job and will include gearbox (five speed) and some work on the prop-shaft, the cross-member may need some reshaping as well as the engine bay.
Well worth doing but look into the costs and the labour time needed before you start.

doujoy

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Wed 12 Aug 2015 @ 10:36 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Thanks, I'd better get that spring sorted! One end has rusted away, so time for a new one.
I figured the engine swap wouldn't be a easy job. Luckily I trained as a blacksmith and I'm pretty handy at reshaping metal and welding, so labour costs aren't so much of a worry (I've got a Morris 1000 in bits, if I couldn't weld I wouldn't touch these old vehicles!).
Wed 12 Aug 2015 @ 17:44 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Hi Ossie,

Glad to hear you have many of the skills needed to get the job done, I have work on cars old and new for many years and you have to love what your doing.
Too many people take on big jobs without realising what is involved and end up costing themselves a lot of money, or end up with a job that never gets finished.
Keep posting your progress it will be good for the site.

doujoy

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Wed 12 Aug 2015 @ 20:13 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Ossie,

By the way how is Fakenham, I used to stop off there on my way to Sandringham.

doujoy

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Wed 12 Aug 2015 @ 20:16 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
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