Doing your own van maintenance

Wild Brambles

Wild Brambles

Free Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2019
Posts
431
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Location
Hampshire
Funster No
66,761
MH
Van conversion
Exp
2 years
I'm fed up with incomplete work, bad workmanship and over charging by vehicle mechanics. So I've started to go back to doing my own van maintenance. This isn't without its own problems though. One is the choice of a work area. If there is a chance that you will leave your vehicle immobilised, then you need to find somewhere where you can stay for a few days, and is close to an Amazon drop box. You also need to choose a day when it isn't pouring with rain.

I decided to change my oil. air and fuel filters, and not before time. I decided to start with the air filter, because that is the easiest job. I bought the oil and filters from a nearby factor, and this was to simplify exchange if I had been sold the wrong part. Well the air filter is too large for the box, and I took it back to the factor, and I sounded like an aircraft engine, as I hadn't replaced the old filter. The time was 1pm, and the factor is supposed to be open until 3pm - it was closed until Monday morning. So I've put off all the work until then. I did replace the old filter though.

Now, what do I do on monday about the oil change. I can't run the engine without oil, and I don't want to drain and then replace the old oil if the filter is incorrect as well. I'll probably be OK, as I have a friend who lives nearby, and I will make sure he is around when I do the job. Failing that I will do the work in the factor's very small car park. :)

Do any other full timers do their own maintenance?
 
Or you could do some house sitting somewhere where they have a large drive, but again you would have to make sure you have everything to hand, although a lot of parts places will deliver ...
 
It's so easy to service a Fiat van as long as you get the correct parts. I always give them the VIN number from the plate under the front of the bonnet. The pollen filter is a bit of a task but the others simple to get at.
 
Stealaway said:
I always give them the VIN number
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I think LDV factors have fallen under the influence of the EU. They probably think that the VIN number refers to the quantity of bottles they are given for Christmas.
 
Wild Brambles said:
Now, what do I do on monday about the oil change. I can't run the engine without oil, and I don't want to drain and then replace the old oil if the filter is incorrect as well.
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Well, whether you've already bought the new filter or not and if there really is no way of telling if you have the right filter until you've drained the oil (? I've never heard of that scenario) you'll have to either put the old oil in to go and exchange the filter, walk/bus to the factors or get a friend to give you a lift. There's no harm in putting the old oil back in for a day or two.
You should get the right parts as my factor works from my reg'n number (which gives him my own vehicle's exact specification) when supplying parts.
You don't show your base vehicle but with the different types of vehicle that I've worked on (many dozens probably) you could remove the filter without draining the oil as long as you don't start the engine since the oil in the sump is at a lower level than the filter, but I haven't ever needed to do that.

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What we do in that situation is get all the various types and then take back what we don't use, simples, but to be honest don't think there is much variety on ldv s.
 
It's an LDV with a 2.4 turbo diesel Mondeo engine. However, It's an ex RAF vehicle, and I did supply the reg number. Many military vehicles don't seem to have the correct info recorded. For example, mine is supposed to have a solid clutch, but in fact it has a dual mass one. Were I to be a conspiracy theorist, I might suspect something. :)
 
Wild Brambles said:
It's an LDV with a 2.4 turbo diesel Mondeo engine. However, It's an ex RAF vehicle, and I did supply the reg number. Many military vehicles don't seem to have the correct info recorded. For example, mine is supposed to have a solid clutch, but in fact it has a dual mass one. Were I to be a conspiracy theorist, I might suspect something. :)
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You need to think transit engine not Mondeo.
 
I service my own... but have been a mechanic for 35+yrs so gives me a slight advantage :D

If its a spin on filter you can look for the part number on the old one, or if its a cartridge then either buy the various choices and take back what you don't use (keep em clean) or take a chance they got it right. Bit more chance of the oil filter being right as usually less variants.

You can always take the filter out first before you drain the oil, then stick it back in again if its wrong to go and swap it.

With MH's and anything coachbuilt or military it can be a bit of a minefield as reg doesn't always go into the system or gives limited info to go off. Sometimes its a best guess

For the customers we have with MH's we look up the previous history part numbers and just order those again. Won't help you this year but make a note of what you end up using and will save hassle next time.

Not all filters are equal, fit quality and don't just go for the cheapest.

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Thanks Nixdorfer. I think I need to get under the van and read the number on the oil filter. I can then do a compatibility check on the Internet tomorrow. I'm not so bothered about the fuel filter, as I reckon that at worst I'll just lose a filter's worth of diesel.
 
Wild Brambles said:
I'm not so bothered about the fuel filter, as I reckon that at worst I'll just lose a filter's worth of diesel.
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Hmm, unless you break down as one is likely to do when miles from anywhere, in pouring rain, at night and without a mobile signal. Engines rarely stop due to dirty oil or filters (they just wear out sooner).
Injector pumps and injectors won't thrive on water in the fuel or dirty diesel. :xwink:
 
Pity you don't live closer as we have sheds to get in and even got various filters knocking about.
 
If you have now been under and had a good look at the old oil filter then you perhaps know by now which to order.
Hindsight is wonderful abut suggest that as you do find the correct parts, or a helpful supplier, that you keep the box labels or make a careful list of the part numbers.
Mike
 
You don't need to drain down to fit the new filter. The only oil you lose, on any vehicle, is that contained within the filter itself. Take the old on off, check new for fit, either leave it on if it fits or replace the old one if it doesn't. Either way the van is driveable until you decide to change the oil.

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Wild Brambles said:
Now, what do I do on monday about the oil change. I can't run the engine without oil, and I don't want to drain and then replace the old oil if the filter is incorrect as well. I'll probably be OK, as I have a friend who lives nearby, and I will make sure he is around when I do the job. Failing that I will do the work in the factor's very small car park. :)

Do any other full timers do their own maintenance?
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If you started working on your van in my car park, for anything other than an emergency repair , i would not be happy.
 
Well I seem to be moving ahead now, and I think today will be a day to sort out some basic. I'm in a McDonalds atm, and it is on an industrial estate. There is a dead end road next to it, and I'm parked there to avoid the 90 minute parking limit. I'm within walking distance of Lidl, Sainsbury's garage, Halfords, and the factor. This seems to be a good spot to use as a temporary base. I can even pick up the free WiFi in the van.

A friend is coming here in a while, and he is going to lend me a can that he uses for diesel, and I'll fill it up to sort out the fuel filter. I think that is the most important job of the moment. I'll check the oil filter, and if the one I have been sold is suitable, then I'll do the oil change as well. The van needs 7 litres for a complete oil change, and I bought 2 five litre cans. That give me 3 litres for top ups later. I don't really need this, as the van doesn't seem to use any oil. I'm not sure if I want to carry it around, as I've already got a spare litre, and a lot of clutter in the van.
 
If your oil filter is hanging close to the vertical ie not on its side then it’s good practice to fill new oil filter before putting on and smear a bit on the O ring,
Also don’t skimp on quality oil or filters, buy OE ones if possible, also some sump plugs will need a new sealing washer if they are of the crush type,
 
I used fully synth oil at the last change, but this time I'm using the cheaper semi-synth. That is what everybody seems to recommend. I don't do a lot of miles, and I travel at speeds below 60mph. I try to give the engine a blast on the A3(M) every now and then, as I'm not sure it is good to just run a turbo diesel for slow local journeys all the time.
 
peterc10 said:
How are you planning to get rid of the old oil? Is there a council tip nearby?
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I give it to a friend, and she takes it into her local recycling centre. I can't go in, because they class me as a commercial vehicle. It's no wonder that so many people just dump their rubbish, and damage the environment.
 
I need something to put the fun back into motorhoming. :)

All of the parts I've got are for the 2.5 transit engine, and mine is a 2.4 duratorq. Well I think the oil is correct.
Nope - they got that wrong as well. They sold me 10-40 semi-synthetic, and it should be 5-30 fully synth.
 
I get the impression that they would fit the wrong parts anyway. I'm buying the bits from a motor factor that all the garages around here use. At least I can fit the parts using a spanner and a screwdriver rather than a hammer. Well when I get the right bits anyway. I've had garages apologise for not being able to complete the job on time because they had been sent the wrong parts.
 
Wild Brambles said:
I need something to put the fun back into motorhoming. :)

All of the parts I've got are for the 2.5 transit engine, and mine is a 2.4 duratorq. Well I think the oil is correct.
Nope - they got that wrong as well. They sold me 10-40 semi-synthetic, and it should be 5-30 fully synth.
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So actually you have asked for the wrong bits, the two engines are totally different and quite easy to see the difference, the older one is called the banana engine as that is what it looks like, a bunch of bananas on top of it the newer one is more flat on top, there is only the two different engines.

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I didn't ask for the wrong bits - why do you fee that it was my error? I gave the guy the registration number, and told him it was a 2.4 duratorq turbo. I assume that a trade motor factor with access to the vehicle data base is capable of looking up the correct parts. I haven't done the jobs before, because I have paid someone else to maintain my vehicles for the last 20 years. That has created a few problems in the past, so I decided to do the work myself.

I do have some mechanical knowledge, and I stripped and rebuilt the gearbox on a Lotus Europa for example. I've even replaced the octopus on a Citroen BX estate, and I don't think anybody does that. They just cut out the faulty hose and replace it with an independent section.
 
Wild Brambles said:
I didn't ask for the wrong bits - why do you fee that it was my error? I gave the guy the registration number, and told him it was a 2.4 duratorq turbo. I assume that a trade motor factor with access to the vehicle data base is capable of looking up the correct parts. I haven't done the jobs before, because I have paid someone else to maintain my vehicles for the last 20 years. That has created a few problems in the past, so I decided to do the work myself.

I do have some mechanical knowledge, and I stripped and rebuilt the gearbox on a Lotus Europa for example. I've even replaced the octopus on a Citroen BX estate, and I don't think anybody does that. They just cut out the faulty hose and replace it with an independent section.
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The only reason I said that is I have had both types and never got the wrong bits (y)
 
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It seems to be a part of modern living. Being sent the wrong bits seems to be a lot more common now. It seems you have to check any work that is done, so you might as well do it yourself.
 
Wild Brambles said:
It seems to be a part of modern living. Being sent the wrong bits seems to be a lot more common now. It seems you have to check any work that is done, so you might as well do it yourself.
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Here we have two converted ambulances, 6 other car/vans, various dumpers , diggers, motorbikes plus 14 tractors between us, none ever go off the farm for repairs or service and havnt for approx 10 years.
 
I am 72 years old and my body is extremely knackered.

I did an apprenticeship at Joseph Cockshoots of Belle Vue, Manchester in the sixties.

I drive my vehicles to my local garage for their oil and filters change.

The garage supplies the parts and oil and gets rid of the old bits.

I sit on my bum and pass the time of day over a coffee with the garage boss whilst the work is done.

Then I pay the bill, tip the mechanic and drive away...

Stand in queues in motor factors?

Crawl around my vehicles changing oil and filters?

Involve friends to get rid of dirty old engine oil (and the filter)?

At my time of life?

You must be bloody joking.


JJ :cool:

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