Time for an update but my camera has broken. I've mostly been camping and trying to avoid working on the van while we had such a great summer, I've also used it as my only vehicle since June and made/eaten lunch in it every workday. It's been great, but over the past couple of weeks I've started on some overdue improvements. I've moved the oil filter onto the chassis/engine mount with the pipes straight up through the battery tray. Now I can get the battery in and out more easily and there's a bit less pipework as well. I fitted a centre mount carb linkage doing away with the hated hex linkage and enabling me to mount the coil on the fan housing where it should be, with better access to the terminals. What a joy to balance the carbs now! More on the carbs - I knew it wasn't jetted right but didn't want to spend the summer messing about with it. So I thought now would be a good time to change everything at once and see what happened. The carbs are ICT's with 29mm vents. It had F78 emulsions 55 idle 150 main 165 a/c Firstly I changed the emulsions to F3's - The F78's apparently have too many fuel holes causing the van to stumble a bit if you weren't gentle with the pedal at low revs. Then I changed the mains to 165 and the airs to 190. I'm guessing it's a bit rich but it drives more smoothly and accelerates faster at lower revs. I think it's lost a bit at the top of the rev range though. On the same day as I did the carbs I also swapped the beetle exhaust for a vintage speed one. It sounds more like a VW now, much quieter, the Beetle one was just too small.
Time for an update. A couple of weeks ago changed the gearbox to a 6 rib one. Then today Drove it to work, removed the engine... ...and took it to pieces.
do you remember the days where you just put petrol in it and did not care what was in the engine bay as long as it worked..
In the short time of running the 091 box did you notice much difference? What is it with these boxes, just a longer 4th and a stronger case? And why have you taken your engine apart?
Sorry missed your post, All gears are taller and though technically not massively so, I'm a convert. My engine was clearly happier with it. My original answer was buying myself some time. I know you'll mostly be aware of who the builder was or can find out easily and I've been considering the situation. The builder is unwell and unable to defend himself, I'm taking a sanguine view, water under the bridge and all that. Suffice to say it's mostly fooked with almost every single component needing machining or replacement. I may list the sorry details in full later.
Fast forward 4 months and engine is rebuilt, the spec is now 2020cc 76mm crank 92mm B&P's C35 cam and 1.25:1 rockers 40/35.5 heads DRLA40's Remote oil filter and cooler with thermostat valve to divert the oil. I think i need a new distributor.
So far it goes like poo but I have hopes for it - more than 100 and I'll be happy, 120 and I'd be ecstatic.
Top - TOP result ! So pleased it`s up and running - good effort Read this thread all the way through and must say that interior is a brilliant idea , well thought out and executed . Wish i`d had a closer look when i was up that way , yet another excuse to have an adventure across there ... Well done - great van , hope the RR sorts out any niggles !
