Club 80-90 Forums

Hi peeps,

I'm new to these engines so just wanted to put a few pics up as i have a few questions/not sure if bits are missing

Engine is a AC1600CT

The engine runs fine but has a bit of an oil leak and is very underpowered, i know these engines are underpowered out of the factory but should i be struggling to get to 60?

Click on the pics to get a bigger view.


Does everything look like it's where it should be? Anything out of the ordinary?

This i think is where some oil may be leaking from, the oil cooler, is there a gasket or something in there that may need changing?


Engine bay is very oily, those pipes are soaked in oil! Seems to be an amount of oil in the air filter.

Should there be something connected here? maybe going to the hole in the tin ware?

There is some corrosion here at the point i think this connects to the heat exchanger or another part fo the exhaust system. It's causing the exhaust to blow which i assume is causing my underpowered engine to feel underpowered What do i need to buy to replace this? Do i need a whole new manifold or is that pipe replaceable on it's own?

This is how much oil is leaking, this was taken maybe half an hour after i got home from work. Excessive?

Sorry for all the pics and questions. Would appreciate any input

Thanks for looking,
Jason

Ok my 10 p
before answers are given what have you done to the engine since you have had it?
Serviced?
Timed correctly?

I've not done anything to it yet as i only got the van on Friday.

I've got the stuff coming for an oil change (gaskets/sump plate/filter/strainer) and new rocker cover gaskets coming today. Also planning to check valve clearance and timing this weekend.

Cheers

The seal around the engine bay looks a bit DIY, nothing like the rubber one on a CU engined van.

The dizzie cap is one of those "see through" form over function ones. It might be ok but I'd rather have a "proper" one.

The bit with the "missing" pipe is the air inlet valve. It's vacuum / temperature controlled by the connection on the air box. I would guess there should be a pipe through the tinware to draw in warm air from around the hot side of the engine when starting from cold?

The only sensible way to gauge how bad an oil leak is, is by checking the dipstick to see how much is actually escaping. A little bit of oil can look like a whole lot more when it's being blown around the engine bay.

Oh and it looks like there's a fuel filter in the engine bay

Tysoe wrote:should i be struggling to get to 60?

Ummm... thats fairly normal, esp if it's a heavy van.

I have a freind with a CTpowered Devon. In the distance along my road that it takes to get to 45MPH, my 1.9 EFI WBX could get to 70MPH (8 seater though, not camper).

The CT isn't too bad upto about 50MPH, due to the low gearing, but anything over that is starting to become hard work for it. The 2.0 type 4 motor goes a surprising amount better, but is renowned for it's thirst too.

These are BIG vans, and quite heavy!

Allanw wrote:

Tysoe wrote:should i be struggling to get to 60?

Ummm... thats fairly normal, esp if it's a heavy van.

I have a freind with a CTpowered Devon. In the distance along my road that it takes to get to 45MPH, my 1.9 EFI WBX could get to 70MPH (8 seater though, not camper).

The CT isn't too bad upto about 50MPH, due to the low gearing, but anything over that is starting to become hard work for it. The 2.0 type 4 motor goes a surprising amount better, but is renowned for it's thirst too.

These are BIG vans, and quite heavy!

That's exactly what i'm finding! Soon as i go into 4th at around 45/50 it struggles to pick up speed. Atleast i know it's not out of ordinary!

Speed is over-rated anyway

Tysoe wrote:
That's exactly what i'm finding! Soon as i go into 4th at around 45/50 it struggles to pick up speed. Atleast i know it's not out of ordinary!

Speed is over-rated anyway

Where the WBX got to 70, the 2.5 Subaru will get to 85 Then I have to brake REALLY hard, or I overshoot the driveway

I like speed

The CT is a nice engine - happy to rev, and sounds nice - it just isn't really big enough for a giant heavy BRICK being pushed through the air!

To be honest, I usually cruise in the Van - it's not a sports car (yet!). I like the 165 HP for when I "need" it, but generally I'm only cruising, unless there is a lot of traffic, then I kept up with it where I need to. Your options are a bit limited without either big dollars, or lots of work. Just cruise! Enjoy the view!

Oh yeah - The seal around your engine looks like an aftermarket repalcement used on Bay winows - seen 'em before like that. It's a good thing it's even there - they are often long gone, but are VERY important!

Hello,

Welcome to the world of the CT engine...

An oppressed minority.

With the engine properly set up and lightly laden the max you will get on the flat is 113 kph.

Max in 3rd = 75 kph.

Now the good news.

With standard Solex Pict 34/4 carb, well set up you will get max 28mpg, say 10l/100km.

You can use 95 RON petrol

The engine MUST be kept clean. Take off the tinware and get everything nice and shiney

I use 15/40 diesel oil, (keeps the inside clean)

If the motor has Hall effect ignition, (no points in the dizzy), then make sure the timing is well set up.

With a CT the fast lane is there to be admired.

Here is a link to my CT engine rebuild film.

http://vimeo.com/user5795061/videos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Have fun..

Cordialement,

Hi Jason,

Just wondering how you got on with your oil change. Do you still loose lots of oil.

My 1600 has always dripped a bit of oil however on my last 150 mile trip weekend I came back with the tailgate with a fine film of oil on it. The engine had used about 1l of oil. (I bought some cheap 20-50 as a top up - Not sure if that was wise).

The engine is now as oily as yours. Looking underneath much of the oil covers the engine mount so I guess that it is a crank oil seal that has gone. This sounds serious... I hope it lasts until the Winter when I decide what to do. ( I was hoping to treat it to bodywork).

Paul.

Hello,

That looks familiar.............

No problem as long as you top up every 150 miles. Don't overfill.

I've just done this seal on the 1600 CT (yesterday), and fired it up today, with no leak so far.

I video'd all this so I'll post it as soon as I've done the editing.

Cordialement,

Hi,

Thanks for getting back. - A video would be grand. I've had my van just over a year and touch wood up till now it has been reliable so have not done much with the engine except change the oil!

My drive is used to getting covered in oil so I didn't notice the van leaking so much oil, my other car is a Sunbeam imp and they always leak oil from the sump gasket.... When they stop dripping oil you worry!

Paul.

Hi guys sorry not looked at this thread for a while.

Oil change is done but i'm still loosing oil, mainly from the oil cooler i've found now. Gotta sort that out before i can see about any other leaks! Think i need a new cooler now as i've tried new gaskets/seals. Is the crank oil seal a big job to do? Obviously it's an engine out job, but how how far into the engine do you have to go to replace it?

Thanks for that video, looks most useful, if you do a tuning the engine vid, that would be fab! Or maybe a 'stop your CT engine pissing oil all over the place' vid

Hello,

I'm back from my hols, about 2400 km all over Europe to the F1 at Nurburgring with my CT engined Camper.

Having got rid of my oil leak (crankcase oil seal), the consumption was negligible.

I didn't even lift the engine lid.

I will post the how to change the crankcase oil seal video when I can, (village fete this weekend, and I'm down as a volunteer) (Free beer)

Right , leaky oil cooler.

First, is it the cooler itself leaking.

Has the cooler been pulled off its tower recently

It is easy to get to tinware wise.

Clean round the bottom of the tower, If you have followed my input to date the engine will be shiny clean

This makes inspection and diagnosis sooooo much easier.

Run the engine and look where the leak comes from. The cooler is held down by three long threaded studs.

At the base of the tower there is a gasket, this is no longer available. Either make your own or I use (in France) SPATEX paste, which expands slightly on curing, and so provides a oil tight joint without looking like messy silicone.

Check the oil pressure switch, (taper thread, can be recovered with a bit of plumbers PTFE tape)

Finally the best way to check the cooler is to take it off and flush with thinners. Then fill with clean thinners
and stand upright in a tin to see if it empties out overnight.

They are not a realistic repair proposition.

The oil coolers are available but very expensive.

You might be able to get 2nd hand, if so test as above.

However, they are normally very reliable units, leaking only when abused.

Have fun,

Cordialement,

1.9 wbxers 'get' to 85 but not for any length of time (cruise 55~60)
2.1 wbxers can 'do' 85 quite comfortably but not designed to do so for long periods of time (cruise 65~70)
Subarus will do 'beyond the nation speed limit in this country AND beyond'

Many hoses in your engine bay appear to have cable ties/zip clips holding them on

Ian