Tam &Toby do Europe ...Take two

[Lenny HB]

Blimey in the time I was posting you got it in the shed.

 

[Northernraider]

We all do that even when it's the first one.
Has your one been extended so you can leave for a while?

Mine ran out in January so not qualified for extension

I was holding off on mot till April may as I hoped to be travelling again September till end of march next year

 

[Northernraider]

Well unfortunately toby has failed on handbrake not being sufficient....the usual fiat problem so I'll have to whip the wheels off again and check the rear shoes etc ...might just need adjusted but will see.

Also got a quote for the cambelt and brake fluid change £395 all in extra £150 if I want water pump changed but it's not a belt driven pump on this so I dont need it done just now.

 

[nicholsong]

1st rookie mistake .....checked all the lights etc yesterday ....missed the bloody number plate lights ....one is out ...

I got caught on that one a couple of years ago, as I did not know there were two lights.

 

[Northernraider]

Also had the pleasure of meeting Razamataz ( at a safe 2 metre distance ) who passed the garage so had a blether while toby was getting inspected.


I then braved the evil stares and one guy sticking middle finger up at me and took toby to morrisons to fill up my lpg and filled up with diesel too while it's cheap

There was a Welsh pump attendant at morrisons who was quite taken with toby and asking lots of questions while admiring him through the windows.

So back in the drive now having a coffee before taking the dogs out

Have the joy of getting the wheels off again when I get back
I've not done the brake shoes on this type of system before so that will be fun .....youtube videos it Is lol

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Razamataz]

Thanks for sharing your stories Tam.
Good meeting you in the flesh.
Did you get a price for cam belt?

 

[Northernraider]

Thanks for sharing your stories Tam.
Good meeting you in the flesh.
Did you get a price for cam belt?

Yeah they quoted £395 for replacing the belt and doing a full brake fluid change so roughly what I expected.
Going to get a quote from this other garage I found too just to see what difference there is.

 

[Just smiffy]

Well unfortunately toby has failed on handbrake not being sufficient....the usual fiat problem so I'll have to whip the wheels off again and check the rear shoes etc ...might just need adjusted but will see.

Also got a quote for the cambelt and brake fluid change £395 all in extra £150 if I want water pump changed but it's not a belt driven pump on this so I dont need it done just now.

When I go to the mot I pull the handbrake a good few times while driving along to bed the brakes in and get rid of any rust and glaze on the pads.... hand brakes are always a problem on motorhomes...

 

[Langtoftlad]

Is Toby still legally drivable?
Is a handbrake fail considered dangerous/major?
I'm not up to speed since the new regs.

 

[Northernraider]

Is Toby still legally drivable?
Is a handbrake fail considered dangerous/major?
I'm not up to speed since the new regs.

Well it's not considered dangerous but it is a fail so not drive able except taking back for retest which is fine as I wasnt planning taking it anywhere anyway.

Dont have time to look at it today as I have work at 4.30 and weather forecast looks naff for tomorrow so I will have to do it thursday ...hopefully just needing adjusted but if shoes are worn a fair bit I'll just stick a new set on

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tacr2man]

If you have a brake relining firm nearby , get them to put softer compound linings on the shoes .
mercs are a bit notorious as well for the handbrake shoes in disc , going hard with age and not reaching efficiency req on test , new shoes usually sort it .

 

[Northernraider]

Well it was dry today so I got the wheels off toby and set about checking the handbrake out .....getting the caliper bolts out was seriously hard going ....every thread was a struggle and skint knuckles were a plenty but finally got it off and the disc removed.

The shoes were in pretty good shape to be honest so just gave them a little clean up with a bit sandpaper and the inside of the disc/drum.

Once refitted I did get a fair bit of adjustment on them and also took up a bit of slack on the handbrake cable so I now have maybe 4 or 5 clicks on the handbrake

I certainly cant turn the wheels with the brake on and trying to turn with a large bar on the bolts....but whether it's the same on a rolling road or not will just have to see.

So it's all back together and I'm booked in for retest tomorrow at 08.30 again ...so hopefully it passes.

Replaced the number plate light bulbs also

 

[Razamataz]

So Tam,have you decided as to who’s doing the cam belt?

 

[Northernraider]

So took toby back for retest this morning and thankfully now passed

BUT

I drove to the other garage in rosyth that I wanted a quote for doing the cambelt and parked up outside blocking the entire garage but only expected to be here a few minutes......came out and toby won't start ....battery completely flat ....the new battery I fitted just 2 months ago

Guys in garage have leads connected up to me at the minute so we can get it moved as I'm causing chaos here

No idea why I'm having probs with battery....I think being hooked up to electric is killing it as the original battery packed in a few months back and was only 3 years old ....never had probs with starter battery before ...only since I've been home and it's been hooked up.

I've had to change several fuses since and everytime I go to move the van I have probs.

I'm wondering if my charger is faulty and damaging the battery ....but once again electrics are not my thing


And the garage can't do the cambelt as not big enough ...they reccomend the garage that just done the mot ....so looks like that's where it's going

If I can get it started

Bloody motors

 

[Northernraider]

So Tam,have you decided as to who’s doing the cam belt?

See post I just put up .....I went to get another quote but they cant do it so it will have to be Alan's at cairneyhill

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Manic]

I’ve seen EBL units on eBay ,exchange units may be worth a look

 

[Northernraider]

Well the garage whipped the battery off and stuck it on their charger , it was apparently at 40% when they put it on

Only had it on charge 15 minutes or so but when they put it back on the van it started straight away...so I'm confused.

The van has been on hookup all the time .

It started no problem this morning at 8am when I drove it to mot ....I left it running while waiting . It was running during the 10 minutes it took to retest it ...I then drove about 5 miles to the other garage for cambelt quote and it wouldn't start.

I don't understand how that's possible

 

[jockaneezer]

It must be quite a big drain to do that, I would think the starter motor would be a good place to start looking at first ?

 

[gus-lopez]

I don't understand how that's possible

Unless it isn't the battery but the cable to the solenoid loose ? That used to be the problem on mine for years . Nothing whatsoever, get out waggle lead & away we'd go. eventually cured it with another new terminal crimped on properly.

 

[Northernraider]

It must be quite a big drain to do that, I would think the starter motor would be a good place to start looking at first ?

Yep it would have to be a serious drain.

The thing is theres never been any issues with the starter motor ...even when he put battery back on it started immediately

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Northernraider]

Unless it isn't the battery but the cable to the solenoid loose ? That used to be the problem on mine for years . Nothing whatsoever, get out waggle lead & away we'd go. eventually cured it with another new terminal crimped on properly.

I'll certainly check the wires going to the starter.
But never had any probs with it in the past and I'd have thought even with a full charged battery if the issue was at the starter it wouldnt start but it does.

Since driving it back from garage I've left it sitting a good half hour and tried it and it started straight away.

 

[Lenny HB]

It must be quite a big drain to do that, I would think the starter motor would be a good place to start looking at first ?

Just been talking to Tam I said the same it looks like something is killing the electrics I don't think it's the battery that's the problem.

 

[Northernraider]

Just been talking to Tam I said the same it looks like something is killing the electrics I don't think it's the battery that's the problem.

It's a very weird problem and I do wish there was someone savvy with electrics nearby that could check stuff properly.

Like we said on the phone getting an auto spark to check it out is not only expensive but theyve a habit of just replacing things that might not be the issue.

I've started the van 4 times now since driving it back the 3 miles from the garage and its started 1st turn of key each time.

I'm going to leave it off the 240v hookup just now and see how it is over the next day or two just randomly starting it up here and there ...

Control panel is showing all my batteries at 100% and all sitting at 13.5v at present with 0.9a going in from the solar...bright sunshine here now.

Problem is the faith I had in the van is slowly wearing thin .....
I'm sure this control panel is dodgy for sure and I've my suspicions on the ebl also but I'd have to phone a and n caravans or appuljack and ask advice on changing them


Complicated when you live in the van fulltime doing exchange postage etc

It's hard not to let the constant problems not get me down ....I know this is a good van overall I'd just like to have peace of mind with it as it's now getting to the point everytime I go to move it or do something with it theres issues ...despite me spending a lot of money trying to fix all its problems

 

[Mikey RV]

Did the garage not have any ideas about why it would do what it’s done.

 

[Manic]

It's a very weird problem and I do wish there was someone savvy with electrics nearby that could check stuff properly.

Like we said on the phone getting an auto spark to check it out is not only expensive but theyve a habit of just replacing things that might not be the issue.

I've started the van 4 times now since driving it back the 3 miles from the garage and its started 1st turn of key each time.

I'm going to leave it off the 240v hookup just now and see how it is over the next day or two just randomly starting it up here and there ...

Control panel is showing all my batteries at 100% and all sitting at 13.5v at present with 0.9a going in from the solar...bright sunshine here now.

Problem is the faith I had in the van is slowly wearing thin .....
I'm sure this control panel is dodgy for sure and I've my suspicions on the ebl also but I'd have to phone a and n caravans or appuljack and ask advice on changing them


Complicated when you live in the van fulltime doing exchange postage etc

It's hard not to let the constant problems not get me down ....I know this is a good van overall I'd just like to have peace of mind with it as it's now getting to the point everytime I go to move it or do something with it theres issues ...despite me spending a lot of money trying to fix all its problems

That why I mentioned the EBL’s on eBay, so you could swap and send you unit back.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Northernraider]

Did the garage not have any ideas about why it would do what it’s done.

Nah to be honest they just wanted me out the way as they had already said they couldn't do the cambelt work etc ...so just a case of them needing my van moved from blocking the garage.

They just said battery was flat ....but no idea how it could be in such a short time.

The battery is only 2 months old and the alternator was replaced last year.
With it being hooked up and then running from when I took it out this morning till only 5 minutes when I stopped at that garage I cant see how it could be that flat.

That's why it's so confusing.

 

[Just smiffy]

If it’s the starter why would the battery show 40%...?

 

[Just smiffy]

Hmm.... I’m thinking dodgy cell in the battery....

 

[Northernraider]

That why I mentioned the EBL’s on eBay, so you could swap and send you unit back.

Yeah that's what a and n caravans do to which I think will be the best way

But I want to phone them and ask their opinion on which is best to change first the control panel or the ebl

And they might have had similar probs with a van before so always worth a chat with them

 

[Northernraider]

If it’s the starter why would the battery show 40%...?

Yep they said when they removed battery and put on their charger it showed 40%
But after 15 minutes it started the van.

I just fitted that battery in march or april as the other one which was only 3 years old was dead.
Never had a problem with engine battery before ....but since I've been home and Van's been on hookup theres been issues.
Hence me thinking that maybe the charger in the van is damaging the battery somehow. The van has only moved 3 times since I fitted that new battery

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}