Club 80-90 Forums

alkers wrote:
Definately not handbrake warning, as it didn't work the other day when I drove about 3 miles with it on!!

the top one definitely is... sorry but you just don't have it fitted..... I have

Had mobile man come and service van today.

Well your spot on, an oil leak - a mega one at that. My dipstick was showing min today - yet I only checked it a couple of weeks ago. There is also a nice puddle on the floor to the rear right or the engine as you stand and look at it (its RHD if that makes any difference). And the bloke said the engine was soaked in it.

Very nervous, looks costly. and worried about whether the engine is clapped out.

He reckoned it prob needs steam cleaning as well to get rid of fumes, of which there are now Tonnes, even when first starting. All escaping from under the van.

He also couldn't change the oil as the sump plug was completely rounded off. And another oil plug thingy is completely rusted on. So he sucked the oil out of the dipstick. All 1 litre of it. Meant to be about 3 isn't there?

He also said there is a lot of rust - heard this all before at MOT's etc. but always assumed they meant on the body. But he was talking about fixings - and that everything is tricky to replace without cracking stuff. Prob what the other people have been talking about too. But he didn't lift the van so couldn't get a good look underneath, so he said he couldn't be too sure.

Should I be considering a new engine? The costs scare me - think we're talking 2k fitted? We were planning to sell next year - but there is no way I can sell it like this!!

We are planning a 1000 mile round trip to France in August - is it a dangerous plan to replace the engine before that? Or is it a good way to run it in?

Would I get more mpg from a new engine?

Not sure if I can afford a garage - anyone local who likes knocking around with old vans (and who is very good at it obviously!), who might be able to help me out?

Hi there

This warning light is probably for tow bar electrics and if you are towing should flash with the indicators to show you trailer indicators ars working. Maybe you have a tow bar maybe someone took it off before your ownership. Mine has similar it flashes once each time you indicate. I think it was a legal requirement when fitting a tow bar. Smoking could be valve guide seals when worn they allow oil to be drawn into combustion chamber on overrun which is then burned off at idle or next time you accelerate.

hope this is helpful Andy

Should I be considering a new engine?

Before you start fretting about a new engine find out where the oil leak is coming from. The air whizzing around an air-cooled engine is going to spread the oil everywhere making it look a lot worse than it is. As long as the engine hasn't been cooked by running with little or no oil then fixing it could be really cheap. A rocker cover gasket is a £1.50 from GSF and takes a few minutes to fit. A loose oil filter might just need tightening up, or replacing. Push-rod seals are a bit more complicated but the wiki covers it and if you do it yourself won't cost a lot.

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Pe ... eplacement" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If it turns out to be the oil cooler or crankshaft seal then it's still not the end of the world. Getting my crankshaft seal replaced took a few hours and the garage charged me £75.

He also said there is a lot of rust

I think my oil leak did a good job of preventing any rust forming before I got it fixed.

Hi I have had same problems on fumes it was my push rod tube seals, now fixed and ok. But I have a green flashing led in dash just below battery led that flashes only when battery is connected , and engine not running,
Any ideas?

Fake alarm?

Hi not that I can see whole van looks standard down to the cassette radio, it's a 1980 2ltr Aircooled Devon transporter