Top ten breakdown risks

[JNW]

Hi
Being a masochist, I'm embarking on a trip from Bristol to the Isle of Harris in the Hebrides next month. It's a round trip of about 1300 miles over two weeks. I've got breakdown cover, but I was trying to work out what I should prepare for. What's most likely to go wrong in your experience?
I've got new tyres, having the front brake pads done today, the van's had the main coolant pipes replaced, it's a 4 year-old recon engine, I've changed the oil and the gear oil, plugs and air filter.
Cheers
Julian

[ghost123uk]

I will start a list, no doubt others will pop in and modify or add to it.
Only in the order they came into my head, so some degree of first = most likely "in my experience on my van"

Water leaks
Wheel bearings (esp rear - easy to test before setting off)
Clutch slave cylinder.
Throttle cable.
Flat battery.
Gearbox (when did it last have an oil change !)
Buzzer of doom (be it a real oil problem or a B.O.D. problem, usually the latter )
Run out of petrol (as you are heading for the wild open spaces, petrol stations many miles apart ?)
Bad connections around the starter motor (etc)
Earth faults around the "earth crown" (behind the fuse / relay panel)

Run out of = milk / beer / tea bags / water / chocolate / fags / money...

[Hacksawbob]

Basic toolkit of course, spanners, socket set, screwdrivers, stanley knife, head torch. Voltmeter, spare wire, and crimp tool + terminals. Cable ties, gaffer tape and wd40. Breaker bar with 19mm socket for wheels + emergency jack and some wedges to stop the van moving while jacked up. And don't forget the 80-90 help list in the members only section. If you have petrol, known good HT leads and rotor arm spark plug.

Burst hose can be a show stopper and come out of the blue. Carry 4 Litres of water and a container of coolant. Also some hose joiners of various sizes some decent jubilee clips and self amalgamating tape.

[1664]

Fan belt

[JNW]

Fan belt

Err.. doesn't have a fan belt?

[kevtherev]

I really think it does
What else do you call a belt that drives pumps and alternators..?

[JNW]

I really think it does
What else do you call a belt that drives pumps and alternators..?

The accessory belt! The fan is electric and is a long way away from the engine..

[1664]

just no pleasing some people

[ghost123uk]

I just got Déjà vu

[JNW]

Great list so far guys, cheers.

[ghost123uk]

Breaker bar with 19mm socket for wheels

Aye, a strong socket too !

I reckon everyone should test taking their wheel nuts off on a nice dry day, because you don't want to find out on a cold, dark, rainy road, up in the mountains, that your equipment or strength is not up to the job ! The wheel fastenings on these vans can be a pig to get off ! (ask me how I know it took a lorry garage 30 minutes to get one of my wheels off )

Mind you, follow the instructions carefully on re-tightening them after the above trial run, we don't want accidents occurring because you did it wrongly (there is a right and wrong way, I bet it says in our wiki )

[82JEW75]

I just got Déjà vu

Hah, fine, I'll call it an accessory belt from now on.

courroie d'accessoire

How's that

Of the six roadworthy vehicles we have here, four do in fact have honking great fans driven by a belt. Only two are Aircooled (where, in fact, the fan drives the belt, meh...).


[/topic hijack]

AA give the following:

Battery
Keys
Tyre
Alternator
Starter
Distributor cap
Fuel
Clutch cable
Spark plugs
HT leads


I'd pretty much agree

Battery - don't run it flat, replace if tired.
Keys - get a spare cut and keep it in your wallet/purse, or hide one somewhere on the outside of the van.
Tyre - carry a spare, plus jack and wheel brace, know how to change it!
Alt & starter - carry spares if poss.
Dizzy cap - carry a spare, replace if cracked/tired/old.
Fuel - don't run out. Change fuel filter AND the rubber pipes before you go, carry a spare in case you get dodgy fuel/water in fuel.
Clutch cable - change if tired, carry spare.
Spark plugs - ditto.
HT leads - ditto, keep old ones as spares.

If you have points ignition, carry points and a condensor.
Carry spare fuses and bulbs.
Check the CV joints before you go. 3 of the 4 vans that stopped here last year needed new CVs, one blew before arrival, one blew after and the third was changed as a precaution.

Obviously fix anything that needs fixing, replace anything that's worn out.

At the end of the day, 1,300 miles isn't that far, most vans should cover that without breaking a sweat.

[1664]

Fan belt - accessory belt
t25 - T3
Diesel - Heavy oil

There's only one way to find out............




(actually I'd have though they'd have called it an ancillary belt if anything)

[ghost123uk]

I certainly agree re the spare keys

Oh and mentioning CV joints =
Another fairly common breakdown is the drive shaft retaining bolts (inner or outer) coming loose then the remaining ones break. Worth checking them ? (iirc they need an Allen key on a socket type jobbie... Outers a bit tricky to get at.)

[kevtherev]

If I went into GSF and asked for an accessory belt, they'd have the funny farm on the phone saying Batman has escaped again