Help me with my van - PLEASE!!!!!!!!

[sleepingbear]

Right - as a complete beginner (And I mean beginner) with a recently bought Rascal and want to start 'doing it up' and giving it the TLC it deserves....... so far all I have done is changed a wheel and added some Wynns (which i think has already made a difference) to the fuel so i was thinking next steps could be...

1. Change the oil (a mate of mine works for Wynns and has suggested adding some of that Wynn's stuff....any thoughts anyone - he has given me some for free - yippee)

2. The van starts... but not 'happily'..... It's foot on the clutch, turn the key, wait for the fuel pump to hit a steady rhythm (normally takes 20 -30 secs) then turn the key fully, foot on the gas and it starts but I need to keep pumping the gas for a few seconds, then I pull the choke fully out, and then over the next two or three minutes push the choke back in until the temp gauge touches the white line - it runs fine after that. However, when  I start the van after having driven it recently it makes that horrible grinding sound for as second as i turn the key (but apart from that it starts fine).....So....I was thinking of cleaning up and checking the entire ignition system and looking at the temp gauge (I have bought myself a Haynes Guide) as the temp gauge never gets to the middle but rather a few millimetres over the white line.

3. There are various bits of rust on body work and was thinking of sorting these out. Ominously I have noticed that there is a small hole (about 3mm wide) in the floor just under my feet and I can see tarmac but not sure what I should do about this. Suggestions please!!!!!!!

4. Is there anything else I should be doing?? Cleaning the underside of the van, topping up break fluid etc, etc??

Anyway - tips, help and suggesstions would be greatly appreciated so anything words of wisdom you could offer would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

[marc4242]

Welcome!  I have very little mechanical knowledge, but one of the first things I did was change the thermostat and my temperature guage behaves like yours, unless someone more knowledgeable contradicts me, I wouldn't worry about  itt.

3.  is it a nice view down there  ? 

Marc

Right - as a complete beginner (And I mean beginner) with a recently bought Rascal and want to start 'doing it up' and giving it the TLC it deserves....... so far all I have done is changed a wheel and added some Wynns (which i think has already made a difference) to the fuel so i was thinking next steps could be...

1. Change the oil (a mate of mine works for Wynns and has suggested adding some of that Wynn's stuff....any thoughts anyone - he has given me some for free - yippee)

2. The van starts... but not 'happily'..... It's foot on the clutch, turn the key, wait for the fuel pump to hit a steady rhythm (normally takes 20 -30 secs) then turn the key fully, foot on the gas and it starts but I need to keep pumping the gas for a few seconds, then I pull the choke fully out, and then over the next two or three minutes push the choke back in until the temp gauge touches the white line - it runs fine after that. However, when  I start the van after having driven it recently it makes that horrible grinding sound for as second as i turn the key (but apart from that it starts fine).....So....I was thinking of cleaning up and checking the entire ignition system and looking at the temp gauge (I have bought myself a Haynes Guide) as the temp gauge never gets to the middle but rather a few millimetres over the white line.

3. There are various bits of rust on body work and was thinking of sorting these out. Ominously I have noticed that there is a small hole (about 3mm wide) in the floor just under my feet and I can see tarmac but not sure what I should do about this. Suggestions please!!!!!!!

4. Is there anything else I should be doing?? Cleaning the underside of the van, topping up break fluid etc, etc??

Anyway - tips, help and suggesstions would be greatly appreciated so anything words of wisdom you could offer would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

[Dell Boy]

Welcome to the site.
1. Change the oil & oil filter. Use the cheapest 20/50 oil you can get. About £9.00 for 4.5 litres. Wickes do a cheap one. Add halve a tin of Wynns oil additive. You lucky person getting it for free. I swear by it, it`s brilliant stuff.
2. Starting. Choke fully out if cold, two quick taps on the throttle then take your foot off. Turn the key & if everything is set correctly it will start. If you pump the throttle you will just flood the engine. If it does not start by the third turn, choke in, foot to the floor & wind it over until it fires.
The grinding noise is the starter bendix sticking.  Take the starter off & thoroughly clean the Bendix shaft. It will probably be covered in black dust. DO NOT put oil on it.
Your needle on the temperature gauge is in exactly the right place. If it gets any higher you have a problem.
3. There is a manufactured drain hole in both footwells with a rubber bung in it. It is about 30 m.m. in diameter. Is this what you are looking at?
Read through the Haynes manual & do a full service. Make sure you change the coolant & add 30% anti-freeze. Anti-freeze must be in all year round to prevent internal engine corrosion.
 Derek.

[sleepingbear]

thanks chaps - unfortunately it is not the manufactured hole with the bung in it although the rust hole is about 5cm 'north west' of the rubber bung. The view is lovely thankyou for asking Marc4242!

Dell Boy - thanks for the info and all the tips. I will change oil and filter next week as well as cleaning the Bendix shaft - I will not use oil on it!!!!. I think oil is overful anyway - when I bought it, it was way over the oil limit on the dip stick and I have begun to notice largish oil patches where I park but I am hoping it is becasue it was over full or is that just me being an optimist. hahahah! I will try your starting method and see how I get on........I think the Haynes manual will become my closest friend.........