Club 80-90 Forums

I've just been informed by my friendly mech that my CU is missing both its under-cylinder tin cowls. Having now done a bit of phoning around it appears that, once again, dear old Floss has ended up deficient in two parts that are now about as rare and hard to source as hen's teeth.

This makes me wonder if anyone knows whether any patterns for these parts exist. I know a couple of fabricators who would be able to knock something up I'm sure...all they'd need is a pattern.

Any ideas out there?

Thanks muchly

I need some also mate, thinking of putting something together myself. Will let you know how i get on.

john

Do you mean the pushrod tube guards?

Same here! Never knew Vinnie was supposed to have push-rod tube guards until I stumbled across the subject here!
Was a sheetmetal worker as a boy, so it's on my list to create some DIY guards.

Rob

These are not difficult to make with sheet ally and tin snips. I used to do it all the time on bugs with missing tinware.

kevtherev wrote:Do you mean the pushrod tube guards?

Yes, they're the ones I believe, the 'under tins'.

When I get this sorted it sounds like a 'pattern' would be a useful addition to the wiki, especially as so many vehicles seem to be operating without them (either in good condition or at all).

I'll give it some thought. In the interim, however, it appears that I'm going to be left paying a substantial 'premium' for something I could probably make myself "with sheet ally and tin snips" simply coz I have no clue about dimensions. Ah well, it's all part of the joy of ownership [and I am very quickly coming around to being *very* fond of the old girl]

Just makes me wonder how close she's come to fatal overheating before we got her She'll be dropping into Lynmouth in a few weeks so thank goodness this was spotted by - gratuitous plug follows for someone who knows his stuff - Rob @ Riverside Garage, Skerton, Lancaster 01524-844989)

The guards have nothing to do with the cooling process, they merely protecting the seals and tubes from damage, thus protecting your engine from dumping its oil over the queens highway.
Many here have fabricated their own I'm sure dimensions are available... but for these I would imagine guestimates and an eye for what fits will do.

I dont know but will the water cooled guards fit?

Sorry Guys but you are incorrect, the chap says its a CU thats Aircooled and the bottom tins are an integral part of the cooling system, the heads will overheat without these as they form part of the hot air ducting, we make them up out of sheet steel but alloy will work just as well.

I stand corrected

What a nice fella that Steve is!

Just looked under my T25 van with its CU engine and I don't have any tinware underneath. So does anyone have a pattern for the bottom tins? Even a rough shape will do? I have also noticed that I don't have a cooling fan...the only cold air coming into the engine bay is from the side vents... That's all.

So how would I go about getting rid of the hot air in my engine bay? Do I make 'air scoops' underneath the engine where the pushrod tubes are and force cold air up into the engine bay and also onto the oil cooler?

Do I fit a kenlow fan underneath the engine?

I've never had a working oil temp guage since the day I bought the van - could this be the reason why my new engine lasted no more than two weeks before things started going wrong? 18 months later and I'm still trying to sort out why it won't go up hills. (Valve guides have just been replaced so fingers crossed that's it sorted)

I'm just a little worried that all my effort in getting my engine to work could be undone yet again simply because I don't have any idea how to cool the engine and how to get rid of the heat etc.

This really is never ending

Any help or advice is much appreciated

your cooling fan is on the end of the crank! if it aint you wont get far

billy739 wrote:your cooling fan is on the end of the crank! if it aint you wont get far

Cornwall to Scotland and back again...since that trip 18mths ago the engine hasn't worked right since. That must be the reason why aluminium things started melting. Plus the fact that the previous owners had disconnected the oil temp guage says alot!

I'll stick a kenlow fan in the back and make somemore air intakes under the van.

So does anyone have a pattern for the bottom tins? Even a rough shape will do? Do the tinware go between the exhaust pipes or under?

I think you need a crash course in air cooled engines and how it all works... Not so straight forward.
Before you do anything else or buy anything else
understand what you have and why a fan is vital to your engine... asap

i dont have the tube guards on and my engine does not overheat at all. i do have a spare pair of the tins that go under the cylinder heads up for dibs if any one wants em, i bought em by mistake but i think it is the ones closest to the road everyone is on about.