1978 Mk2 Ci Motorhome

[unixanalyst]

I've loads of work to do to save the body of the camper. Now that she's running again it's worth it. Water damage is the biggest problem.

This is at the front, in the luton hangover bit. The board in the bottom of the hangover is loft board I put in on plastic wrapped laths to keep my matress off the damp. I needed a quick fix so that I could live in it for a few months.



The wooden laths in the wall are entirely rotten and will have to be replaced. As will the hardboard wall and the floor of the hangover.



More damage around the side window.



And more where the TV aerial came through the ceiling. I've removed it and sealed the holes.




The god-awful pink on the walls was disasterous attempt #2 at decorating the inside. Magnolia next, <sigh>.

I blocked off the skylights as I never use them and their main function seems to be to provide an easy route for water to get down the back of my neck. I riveted steel plate (couldn't find aluminium plate) over the openings and sealed the edges from the outside with flash band. You have to heat the flash band to get the tar on the back of the tape to melt and stick. I used a hairdryer to heat the flashband on this one and it leaks
I glued warmaline (polystyrene sheet) to the inside of the plate, thinking that this would deny a cold surface on which condensation could occur. I'm not sure if it's working because of the leak. I also painted both sides of the plates with hammerite and ran an outdoor silicone sealant around the inside.



I used an iron for this one, and it doesn't leak



I'm planning to mount lights into the skylight recesses. Clearance for the light fittings is a problem. I have an idea to use the skylight top, inverted and painted, as a base to mount the lights into. They're ideal as they have a sort of pyramid top, which tilts the lights and gives the required clearance. The sticking point with this is that I haven't yet figured out how to cut the bottom off the skylight and end up with a nice tidy edge. Maybe a skateboard and a laser...?



I've found that because the existing lights are mounted under the cupboards, when I try to look into a cupboard at night, I have a bulb in my eyes and no light is thrown into the cupboards themselves... useless.

I found these ceiling mount halogens which I plan to install above and just in front of the cupboards to resolve this. And aren't they nice



I used "very high temperature" paint on my branch manifold... forgetting that the Kurust I had used as a primer was not designed for high temperatures. The paint has mostly baked off and while this was going on I also noticed high temperatures under the bonnet. After a little mooching around ebay I found Thermo-Tec bandage and have done the primaries on the branch. However the instructions say that for motorhomes the rest of the manifold must not be covered. Unfortunately I have oil pipes next to that part and the pipes also run very close to the floor of the cab, close enough that after a while I can feel the heat through my accelerator foot. I've written to Thermo-Tec to ask for more details on this advice so that I can make an informed decision about whether or not to bandage the rest of the manifold.

[rover]

It certainly looks like you have your work cut out with the camper body, dont envy you but I'm sure it will all come right in the end

How much was that thermo-tec stuff? It looks quite thin, but then you have taken the manifold off to do it so it maybe tighter that way, does it shrink up once heated? The stuff I used I only did yeterday but I bought the best thick stuff I could find, but also did it on the van rather than take it all off again, gona take the van out for a spin shortly so I will prob answer my own question
I cant see why you should not extend down the pipe unless they think that you actually want the heat to come through the floor

Rover.

[unixanalyst]

Not cheap.

Hi-HEAT COATING - Thermo Tec £14.50
SNAP STRAPS 12 x 9" - Thermo Tec Exhaust heat wrap £29.50
Exhaust Heat Wrap Thermo Tec Generation 2 Copper 2"x50' £52.50

Total with postage £109.00


The packaging doesn't say anything about shrinking, just curing.

The advice was for motorhomes and towing vehicles. There's probably something to do with pressure, scavenging effect or something. It's marked "CAUTION" on the packaging so I'm inclined to wait for them to explain it to me. I suppose I could go with a heat-proof blanket type thing under the floor if I really can't do the rest of the manifold.

[rover]

Bloody hell!!

I paid £14.99 plus postage for mine including four stainless straps, its 50mm wide and 5mm thick, been for a decent run in the van to cure it today, got back and its hardened off nicely, I can touch it briefly without it burning me and the temp in the engine bay has dropped imensely, well chuffed I am

Rover.

[unixanalyst]

Thermo-Tec have said that the advice about only insulating the first 20" of the manifold is due to scavenging effect under load and the heat from the rest of the exhaust as it passes under the wooden flooring of a camper.

I think I'll stick some of that thermal blanket stuff above the exhaust where it gets too close to the bulkhead.

[djswampy]

I'm planning to mount lights into the skylight recesses. Clearance for the light fittings is a problem. I have an idea to use the skylight top, inverted and painted, as a base to mount the lights into. They're ideal as they have a sort of pyramid top, which tilts the lights and gives the required clearance.

Watch out for them fittings. They generate a lot of heat. It might melt the plastic that you're fitting them to. Them fittings have also been the cause for meny house fires and deaths because of people instaling them near flamable material.

[FredTransit]

A bit late for your skylights, but I would have used two large sheets of perspex over and under the hole, screwing them down and sealing with exterior silicone. Sort of double galzing, and it will let the daylight in.

[unixanalyst]

I'm planning to mount lights into the skylight recesses. Clearance for the light fittings is a problem. I have an idea to use the skylight top, inverted and painted, as a base to mount the lights into. They're ideal as they have a sort of pyramid top, which tilts the lights and gives the required clearance.

Watch out for them fittings. They generate a lot of heat. It might melt the plastic that you're fitting them to. Them fittings have also been the cause for meny house fires and deaths because of people instaling them near flamable material.

That's a really good point. I can't believe I hadn't considered that.

Thanks swampy.

[unixanalyst]

A bit late for your skylights, but I would have used two large sheets of perspex over and under the hole, screwing them down and sealing with exterior silicone. Sort of double galzing, and it will let the daylight in.

That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of that either.
Hmmm, might even consider that, my bloody plates are leaking anyway

And they won't rust...!

[FredTransit]

Or you could just use some of that double skinned roofing perspex, it's not completly clear but has good insulation. Available from places like homebase and B&Q.

[unixanalyst]

I've sprayed my manifold with the stoopidly expensive stuff from Thermo-Tec. I'm not sure that there was enough of it as the bandage is not entirely black, but maybe it's supposed to end up like this. After reading how much rover paid for his solution, this stuff had better be good.




I've also just serviced my carb. I took pics along the way and learned a couple of things so I've put them here in case it helps anyone else doing the same. A couple of bits were a bugger to find. It's a Weber 32/36 twin choke.

Bits in the service kit bought off ebay, about £20...




Took these screws out to get the top off...




...oops, and the circlip on the throttle bar.



Then removed this split pin...



...the bolt on the auto-choke body...



...the bit that holds the thermostat spring thing...



...and the heat seal...



...to get the auto-choke assembly off.




The float is on the underside of the top half. The pivot pin slips out with a knock.



The inner part of the valve comes out when you lift the float away.



It was bloody tight but finally got the 19mm bolt out that houses the strainer.



Scraped off the gasket.



Unscrewed the pump jet to replace the two gaskets (look like washers to me).



Removed the accelerator pedal pump cover and replaced the diaphram.





There's replacement rubber washers for the two idle jet holders, one on each side of the carb body.




Removed the vacuum pump cover and replaced the diaphram.



Then realised that the "auxiliary venturis" lift out, so gave the venturis a clean.



Putting the auto-choke back together...






New gasket on.



A few hours later I finally found a home for this little baby...




I took the choke shaft out to clean the bearings as I thought it was binding a little.



BIG MISTAKE!!!
The screws holding the choke plates in looked innocent enough, but they're split in the ends, presumably to prevent removal.

They were damaged in the process and the three that I managed to get back in are now loose. Bugger. You can see the damage done to the shaft too.



And I have these bits left over.



The doc in the kit has no dotted line showing where the valve goes, though it does seem to suggest that it goes on this side...



But I can't see where.

Hope this is of some help to someone if they plan to do the same.