LDV pilot ugly useless dash? Fibreglass yourself a custom one. Practise on a wheel arch!

when I had my van I always wanted to make a custom dashboard for it

because it is ugly but also quite useless. The mould LDV chose to use was not to my taste at all.

I'm having to look into dashboard and fibreglass build because of my boat and there I found this video below.

I f you re feeling creative and have a bit of money to invest, there is a nice tutorial from a skilled David Guyton.

For a simpler and more in demand application I was also thinking of the LDV wheel arches.

It would be quite easy to reproduce them with fibreglass when it's time to replace them to get that MOT pass!

Much easier and cheaper than welding (unless you\ve got the gear and skills) but also fully weather proof! Plus you win on fuel consumption as you won't be carrying that rust around with you all the time.

I will try and post a video on how to replicate shapes with fibreglass but it's quite a simple process.

• Take your or a wheel arch off to replicate it (just need to get length, width and curve right).
• Make a mould from this.
• Fibreglass the shape from within that mould - adding lips and whatever extras needed for fittings
• Cut of the excess once all dried and hard

Done madone.

Congestion Zone in London - The FOI request that exposes the handy racket business

There are big signs with big red 'C' letters to let you know you are driving into the zone.
However visible sometimes when we drive our attention is taken away on our driving and we miss a big sign. This happens a lot when driving in big cities and even more to those who come rarely to such big city.
A number of people who are unsure whether they went inside the zone decide to pay the charge rather than face a fine. In other words some people pay the charge although they didn't drive in the zone.
There is no system in place for TFL (transport for london) to be able to tell whether a car has been driven inside the zone or not; except when issuing the fine.

The FOI request is a compelling read on the subject.


******

[Internet quote:]
"It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning."
Henry Ford.

A trip from UK to Mongolia in an ex Postie LDV Pilot van!

A good watch with this documentary about a trip from UK to Mongolia in an ex Postie LDV Pilot van! Enjoy! May it inspire you and make you laugh.

Another rainy day and a van not starting

It happened again.

Today (2 months later) after the van having sat under torrential rains for a couple of days, it refused to start and displayed the same symptoms: glowplugs get on but a clicliclic noise and no start + funny warning lights going on by itself for a while.

I was wrong. It never was the battery neg earth connection.

I swapped my glowplugs control and relay for a tested one so it is not the cause.

Ii looks more like it is due to a faulty relay (probably the warning lights one).

I am gonna do a thorough check of all relays and replace the bugger one.

For the time being I'll have to try to park on the other side of the vehicle because I believe when the road is bent and the van lean on the left, the rain water drips in and humidity accumulates, causing the relay to malfunction.

The van starts fine after a while (me doing long parasitic test, checking and wiping the relays and looking for the fault every possible where), hence that relay must be drying and when it's dry, everything is fine.

The video below is (imho) the best and most complete one on the topic on the tube.

Thanks to Ratchets and wrenches.

[UPDATE]
It seems I have found the culprit.

I forgot that it's good practice to do as much diagnosing from the cabin.
I should have started there, with all doors shut.
I noticed that the driver's side indicator flashlight was flashing faster than the passenger's side.

The sound was similar to the one I heard from the relay.
I remember that touching the light bulb fitting once made something react when I was trying to figure out what was going wrong from the bonnet side.
So it clicked. I mean it clicked in my head.
and the friend who was my passenger at the time said it:
"you have a dead bulb".
I checked and he was correct.

It wasnt the earth, it wasn't the rain.
It was a defectuous old bulb that caused the circuit to disfunction.
It's replace with a new one now.
Let's see if anything else comes up!

A procedure to remove Burman 30-370 steering box on LDV Pilot 2003 (400 serie with DW8 peugeot engine)

Pilots' pilots.

Here is my two cents procedure and suggestions to remove your steering box on your own.

This is a long post so here is the start of it and I'll finalise it when I'll get more time.

Tools

• Jack
• 3 axle stands (one to support engine)
• copper hammer
• pitman arm puller
• ratchet
• 3/4W socket [drop arm]
• 22mm socket [tie rod end]
• lump hammer
• 13mm spanner/socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm spanner
• 10mm
• hex key [vaccum pump]
• oil cap and container
• tipex corrector
• manuals (available free on LDV files)

First and foremost, immobilise your vehicle properly and don't go under until it's firmly and steadily set up on axle stands on a flat surface because since you have a van there are people who need you and they won't like you anymore if you are as flat as a pancake because it dropped onto your face as you were working under it to repair it. Stay in shape, make it stable!

Lift up front of van high as to have enough room for arm movements.

Take off driver side wheel.

Take down tie rod end from drop arm

method used: Bang Bang (see pic) but on the right spot (see other pic)

other methods: fork etc will write up later

Take down drop arm

method used: Pitman arm puller (less than £10 online)

other methods: 

Heat drop arm around shaft (risk! Not so much as to melt seal inside).Hit both side of drop arm with similar lump hammers.

will write up later

Get caps and empty containers ready to stop and deal with oil spills.

Unscrew 2 pipes from box (from reservoir and from high pressure supply pipe), leave short pipe on as it’s connected to box only. Leave to empty itself.

In cabin, remove dashboard part under steering wheel (and around ignition barrel?).

In engine bay, put steering column to straight and mark placement of shaft with steering column coupling shaft to remember (I use tipex corrector) [check manual around this issue as I think it can be worked out in some other way when refitting but always good to make marks in case it helps] and remove completely pinch bolts from steering wheel shaft.

In cabin, support the steering column and remove the 2 nuts and plate that hold the column (note that here you might have to remove a plastic part that connects the shaft to the body where it goes through to the engine bay. I think I read it’s recommended to do this before removing the nuts and plate - it’s broken and missing on mine so I didn’t have to). No need to disconnect any but watch out for cables and not to reap any off.

plate/bracket supporting column above

 

broken bit on mine

steering column coupling shaft out from steering box upper shaft (above)

Pull shaft up until about 3/4 inches are left on engine bay side (or whatever is enough to get steering column coupling shaft out).

Disconnect the high pressure supply pipe from the engine crossmember (clips)

SUPPORT THE ENGINE PROPERLY (see manual and pancake story at beginning of this post)

and undo the 2 bolts and  the plate at bottom of steering box.

Remove 3 bolts holding steering box.

Remove the vacuum pump (very easy 1 bolt, 1 hex bolt)

Getting the box out.

Method I used:

Get a copper hammer (thanks Tony Norbury for this and many more tips) and hit at the bottom of box on the side facing the back of the van.

That should rotate the bottom of the box upward toward the front of the van

so you can access the 2 bolts of the box lower mounting fixing where the crossmember was connected.

At the start I did hammer the box down from the top, hitting on the place where the hole for the right hand top bolt was (when still in place) This made it rotate a bit more but not that much and it was noisy, exhausting and not so efficient so I came up with the following solution.

This is what I called the Gap of Hope. The rotation started showing some progress. and my biceps to cry.
Also the lower little white arrow show where I was hitting to rotate the box in the opposite direction.

Get a L-shaped bracket (thick metal) with a hole of similar size to bolt. The shortest the short side of the L shape is the better I reckon, and the longest the long side is best too but not crucial as it can be extended.

You should also find a short bit of metal with similar thickness to even up pressure from the side of the other bolt - so as not to bend the original plate.

Bolt this bracket and the short bit under the plate where the crossmember was.

You have made yourself a lever and you can now rotate the box indefinitely until it comes out.

Lubricant where/when possible helps. There was quite some rust around mine.

You can remove the box one out from under through where the vacuum pump was.

Think the box outside.

Done.

Amazing power of the mind.

Many thanks to all from Club LDV who have helped with ideas and suggestions all throughout.

Now for the refit...

Assume nothing but TEST everything! Parasitic draw test, relays, glow plugs, earth connections, etc

Check your earth connections first!

and assume nothing but test everything!

Preheating - glow plugs control unit and relay

(9639912580-G CARTIER) - Pricey when new but can be found second hand and tested

for a LDV Pilot van (DW8; it fits many other vehicle, check for yourself)

Once more it was the earth, the same battery earth that was causing the engine not to start.
I had readjusted it a few days before the engine went and it looked fine.
For this reason I looked at everything else, read all the manuals, cleaned all possible connections (even bought a replacement Preheat control unit), performed a parasitic draw test for all fuses and relays; checked all fuses and relays (post with video on checking relays here).

Eric the car guy explains how to perform

a parasitic draw test

in the above video.

This is what you need to do if your brand new battery keeps going flat overnight.

If need be one has to check the various relays of the vehicle.

This video is probably the best and most complete one on the topic on the tube.

Thanks to Ratchets and wrenches.

and in the end as I was doing the test, seeing that I had no draw and being clueless.

I thought I've been cleaning up everything electric around so let's just undo this battery negative earth connection, clean it and grease it up.

Next thing the van start (with a tongue in cheek look).

Made me feel like an idiot but as long as it started I'm happy and delighted I learned so much about my van's and 12V systems in general!

[EDIT:] It never was the battery neg earth connection. Today (2 months later) after the van having sat under torrential rains for a couple of days, it refused to start and displayed the same symptoms: Glowplug get on but clicliclic noise and no start + funny warning lights going on by itself for a while.

I am 99.8% sure it is due to a faulty relay (probably the warning lights one).

I am gonna do a thorough check of all relays as in the video above and replace the bugger one.

For the time being I'll have to try to park on the other side of the vehicle because I believe when the road is bent and the van lean on the left, the rain water drips in and humidity accumulates, causing the relay to malfunction.

The van starts fine after a while (me doing long parasitic test, cleaning the relays and looking for the fault every possible where), hence that relay must be drying and when it's dry, everything is fine.

New LDV files website and forum online

Here the link to the new LDV Files website that also have a forum announced by Michael Mc Donald who runs the LDV Files group of fb. The new website front page reads as follows:

"Welcome to Ldv Files - We have workshop manuals for the Pilot / Convoy & Maxus as well as a forum where you can discuss , the sherpa , 200 , 300 , 350 & 400 , Pilot and Convoy & Maxus.

As well as all this you can browse videos , your vans , self builds , selling page and a lot more ( even camping recipes ) 

Click here to go to the FORUM"

Long live to this new forum.

The LDV Sherpa II forum remains available.

Nothing to do with a LDV van? Baddie the Pirate talks LED lighting for your motorhome too.

This is the simplest and clearest explanation I found on the net about electricity.
How does it relate to LDV vans? Pilots and Convoys are often purchased for camper conversion!
Having been at the school of "nothing hands-on" I've struggled for so long at understanding what Volt, Watt, Amps etc relate to and how they work together. Thanks to the school of "nothing hands-on" I can read and write well enough so I'm gonna share what I found with you with no further adue!

Source: Baddiethepirate

"MATHS

The units that are used to measure electricity are:

• Volts:  Electrical force of pressure behind the electrons in a circuit. Like water pressure or PSI for air. (Usually 12v on a narrowboat). 
• Amps:  The number of electrons flowing past in a second. Like litres per second in a pipe, it defines the electrical current in a wire. 
• Watts:  Total amount of electrical energy, per second.

The formulae to work them out are: 

• Watts = Volts x Amps 
• Volts = Watts divided by Amps 
• Amps = Watts divided by Volts 

For example: a 20 Watt light bulb in a 12 Volt system:
20 Watts divided by 12 Volts = 1.66 Amps"

Baddie The Pirate is a small website/business that sells "LED lighting for boats. motorhomes, caravans and chicken sheds."

LDV Pilot van - Hardknott Pass video!

Watch this for a nervous laugh but a good one!

LDV Pilot and Convoy vans - Basic advice on replacing the kin pins

How and what tools do you need to replace the king pins on a Pilot or a Convoy LDV van?
In 2 posts, quoting from auto banter:

Paul[_5_] external usenet poster Posts: 70

LDV pilot - convoy Whats the going rate for a king pin change - mine needs doing and I swore blind never to do another myself ;-) Also, is front axle same off convoy, can get a complete one with new pins for £100.. seems like a much nicer option!

#4 (permalink)    October 12th 09, 10:32 PM posted to uk.rec.cars.maintenance

Paul[_4_] external usenet poster Posts: 41

LDV pilot - convoy Pins are only £29.. which makes up for the fact you either take the axle off and take it somewhere with a press, or spend three days with a sledge hammer beating the fcuk out of it...

(3 days? Some say a week)

#5 (permalink)    October 14th 09, 11:53 AM posted to uk.rec.cars.maintenance

Mrcheerful external usenet poster Posts: 1,691

LDV pilot - convoy a big air hammer takes them out in seconds.

(Don't forget to grease them well)

LDV vans forum - Alive and quicking!

About 3 years ago when I got my Pilot I used to look up two forums set up by LDV vans, sherpas etc owners and lovers. These were the only forums available online and were very useful.
Unfortunately soon after I joined they all disappeared. I took up the task to set them back up and archive some of the best tips and most useful conversations on the then newly set up fb LDV groups.
My archiving was slow as it takes a lot of time to search on the fb group page for posts that keep disappearing in the scrolling down system (*#@%$?!!!).
However few admins from the ex-sites took over and slowly but surely new members registered.

I was delighted today to see that it's well alive and quicking!

LDV lovers, Join up our forum!
http://ldvsherpauk.prophpbb.com

The advantages over fb is that you can look up the infos without having to scroll down for ghost-posts (I'm gonna call them that), it's always there for you. The search option is much easier to use than fbook.

Thanks again to the admins who are taking care of the forum.

LDV vans Sherpa Pilot Convoy - No MOT etc - Don't scrap them!

Yet another post on our dear Club LDV social network group from Matt who writes:
"Going to the scrap yard in the sky on Saturday its a shame other than the rust not much else wrong with it but cant afford to keep it on the road any more 😢 "

Please! Dont scrap!

Save the parts for us! We ll make them last another half century!!

And surely you'll make more than this ridiculous amount of money due to the crash of metal s worth itself due to speculative (capitalist) fuckers in power all around the world. Scrapping means sending this good steel to China so it comes back in the form of utterly useless items of miserable quality (otherwise called shite).
Come on! Make a few quids, bypass "supporting already rich fuckers" and recycle the good things for the people who take care of it, make it last and therefore make our planet and life sustainable! (uff I needed to say that).

Come join the Club LDV group and get recycling!

Posts and comments for advices on LDV vehicles

Dear readers!

Many thanks for your praises and comments. I have to apologise for not being able to answer all your questions. I'd love to be able to keep up with them but I have neither time nor expertise for it.

I direct you once more to the excellent and ultra friendly social network groups I turn to for advice. I recommend these two for the best advice, banter and learning together:

Club LDV
and
Club LDV/Freight Rover Convoy/Sherpa/Maxus/Pilot/Cub, Van/Camper/Day van 

You take care
Enjoy the LDV beast,

Yours faithfully.

LDV Pilot van love :)

This is what I found cruising randomly on the web.

A sweet few nicely done webpages about a LDV Pilot from 2002 with good images

where the van seems to be the star of a movie!

I had to feature it here.

Thank you Timothy Birt.

It also has a wealth of information about sustainable energy (campervanners!boaters!) and much more.

(All credits for images and website to Timothy Birt)

Learn the basics of diesel engine maintenance

I found this very clear article which lists and explains what minimum basic maintenance should be done on a diesel engine, read below or read the full article here on fourthgen.net.

"Changing the lubricating oil - This is usually necessary on a more frequent basis than gasoline engines - generally every 3000 miles

Changing the air filter - Since diesel engines experience high intake pressures, the air filtering system is important to not only filter media but also to cool the air.

Changing the oil filter - while a gasoline engine may give less mileage or performance with a dirty fuel filter, this can be more serious in the case of a diesel engine where dirty fuel can damage a diesel engine's fuel injection system. The filter should meet or exceed the standards suggested by manufacturer so that sulphur and carbon residue are removed. Synthetic oil is also recommended.

Early warning system - The early warning system that warns of engine overheating should be checked for functionality. A gasoline engine if overheated can be shut off, cooled down and restarted. However if a diesel engine gets overheated, it will be damaged.

Changing the fuel filter - It is important the change the fuel filter as recommended by the manufacturer in order to prevent condensation from building up and getting into the fuel injectors. The fuel tank should also be kept full to avoid moisture forming.

Gaskets should be checked and replaced on all critical areas especially in the combustion mounting areas and coolant hoses.

Bleeding the fuel system - While some diesel engines have self bleeding systems, others which do not, need to have the fuel system bled to get a steady air free flow of fuel. This becomes necessary after any of the following situations have occured. Running out of fuel.

2. If fuel shut off valve is left closed and engine runs out of fuel.

3. Replacing fuel filter.

4. Fuel injector nozzle or injector pump repair.

5. After repairing or replacing any fuel line.

6. Before putting engine back into service in the spring, if fuel system has been drained.

7. Replacement of electric or mechanical fuel pump.

8. Any time air is permitted to enter the fuel system.

Draining the water separators - Since diesel fuel absorbs water more than gasoline, it can get contaminated very easily. Therefoer most diesel engine vehicles have a water separator that collects water from fuel. This water needs to be drained regularly from the separator using a drain valve called a petcock. Some water separators are self-draining.

Glow plugs - Glow plugs enable a diesel engine to get heated for combustion to take place. After prolonged use, these can wear out and may need to be replaced.

Installing an engine heating kit for diesel engines are especially useful in winter when diesel engines are hard to start. This saves fuel and prolongs the life of the diesel engine while cutting down on exhaust emissions. It also eliminates the need for idling which cause wear and tear on the internal parts of a diesel engine not to mention unnecessary fuel consumption."

I collected a few more links on the topic: http://www.carsdirect.com/car-repair/9-top-diesel-engine-maintenance-tips http://www.automotivetroubleshootingsecrets.com/diesel_maintenance.html http://answers.practicalaction.org/our-resources/item/diesel-engine-repair-maintenance (This website looks amazing) and finally if you are into boating, there is a course in Brighton: http://www.lagoon.co.uk/shore-based-courses/course/diesel-engine-maintenance-course/135

 

How car electricals work?

In my learning serie of posts,
here is an article about how car electricals work.
Something I am yet not familiar with but will greatly benefit from learning about concerning the van for repairs and when I will attempt conversion.
It's a great guide to uinderstand how electricity works in general as well.

LDV Pilot campers - project and how to build on a modest budget

Check out this LDV camper website
A useful article to start with me:
"

BASE VEHICLES

When choosing a base vehicle, many factors have to be considered, how do you want your camper to look, to function, costs and your own handiness with tools and materials.
Seeing as this site is about LDV'S, i should list the variants most often used;
Leyland Daf sherpa / 200, these were updated versions of the Morris j4 and retained most of the body pressings,the widened version was called the 400.these were later given a facelift and became the pilot and convoy.
While these are not the most comfortable or best equiped vans on the road, they are robust,long lived and reliable and many are still seen on the roads today. The pilot was voted "best commercial van of the year" a year after production ended.

• The Pilot has one length and height ; L 4.75m..H 2.07. W 1.72m
• (internally, L 2.59. H 1.43. W 1.42 .approx load space)
• The Convoy has three lengths and 3 heights;
• The swb is 5.05m in length ( 2.79m internal from back of front seats)
• The lwb is 5.55m in length (3.28m internal)
• The xlwb is (no information available at this time)
• Heights are; 2.19m for the low roof (1.46m internal)
•                     2.59m for the high roof (1.85m internal)
•                      2.77m for the extra high roof (2.03m internal)

Both the Pilot and the Convoy come in; Minibus with windows along the full length,
Crewbus with windows in the front half and vans with windows only in the front doors.
some converters choose the ambulance version of the convoy with the 3.5ltr Rover V8, fuel costs might be prohibitive unless you convert to lpg.
there are also luton vans and pickups, but these do not lend themselves to conversion.
ENGINES; the Pilot has only the peugeot scourced 1.9 diesel with 72hp.
The convoy comes with;

• 2.5 diesel from peugeot in either turbo or normally aspirated developing 70hp and 55hp respectivly
• 2.5 diesel with Banana intakes from ford in either turbo or normally aspirated developing 100hp and 76hp respectivly
• 2.5 diesel with normal intakes in either turbo or normally aspiratd developing 85hp and 70hp respectivly
• and the 2.4 diesel from ford, turbo only but in 3 outputs,75hp,90hp and 110hp.

• there is also a 2ltr petrol/petrol,lpg engine or the powerfull 3.5ltr V8."

Photos on the website

Spare parts from LDV vans in UK

Yet another link to a used LDV van parts dealer in UK (ebay link) that has been regularly posting up his latest bits on the facebook forum.

(Almost classic) LDV porn

Austin J4, Leyland sherpa, LDV... enjoy :) and feel free to add in the comments.

Protection

This company offers protection for LDVs (not for the Pilot but Convoy's services will probably fit) and ply lining.
Never seen that type of (specialised) trade before here, that's why I'm posting it.