To do list, in order of priority. Advice please? (1 Viewer)

CandC

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Hi all, and thank you for your time reading this! I knew that there would be some work to do on a van of this age, but the list is growing :RollEyes: I have already replaced what appeared to be the original spark plugs and HT leads and used some redex and the engine is running a lot more smoothly!

A previous owner of Charlotte, our 1986 renault trafic autosleeper RCX appears to have had some rather strange ideas. It almost seems as if he was trying to convert it back into a panel van!

At some stage, the water heater packed in so, rather than replacing it, he removed it. Ok, so I could reinstall with a replacement, but he also decided to rip out all the shower stuff from the shower room, but left the tray in. The mushroom vent where the boiler was has been capped off, but the vent above the shower is currently an open air skylight! The pipe still goes through the roof, so any water goes directly into the shower tray and out the bottom. Not an emergency, but certainly far from ideal!

Today, in Cornwall, it has been raining steadily. Nothing too unusual there, but I did notice that water was entering at the top of both the high top long windows. I've bought some high modulus sealant which states "suitable for marine applications" on the tube. Should I try to put this between the seals and the body or just squidge it round the outside of the seals? The seals themselves are in good condition with no perishing so I don't want to try taking them right out if it can be avoided!

Other issues that I have found so far are: fridge gas disconnected and fridge fuse removed from control panel, blown air gas heating clicks and whirrs but doesn't fire up, 12v system has been "modified" :Doh:

OK, so I'm realising that I have a few too many questions for one post LOL

I'm sure that you'll agree with me that stopping water getting in is number one priority. Any advice about resealing those top windows please? Also, is the mushroom vent / skylight *grrrr* readily available and easy to replace?

Yes, that will do for now! Thanks again for getting through this epic post. Any advice appreciated (even if I choose not to follow it all!)

Colin x
 

scotjimland

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hate saying this.. but unless you have plenty of expertise, time, money and patience..
my advice is to sell it ..

it will end up a money pit. :Sad:

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CandC

CandC

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Why on Earth did you buy it !!!:Doh::Doh::Doh:

:ROFLMAO:

Actually, annoying as many of the things are, I'm confident that most of it will be something that I can fix myself over time. The interior is very tidy for the age, with no signs of any mold. It went through the MOT with just a little bit of welding required and a popped bulb changed. That was the week before I bought it. Oh and with only 55000 on the clock, plenty of life left :Smile:
 

wasp

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I would fit a plate over the hole with sealant as a temporary fix and sort out the problems one at a time.As Jim says it could be amoney pit, but it will be fun,Enjoy:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:
 
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CandC

CandC

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I would fit a plate over the hole with sealant as a temporary fix and sort out the problems one at a time.As Jim says it could be amoney pit, but it will be fun,Enjoy:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

Ahhh, of course!! Thank you.... I'll get that done tomorrow.

I have a couple of good friends who have done a lot of work on motorhomes and caravans over the years that are willing to help me out and I'm not scared of DIY myself either. Yes, I plan on doing the fixes one at a time, as time allows and yes, I'm having fun with it already!

Thanks again! :thumb:

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Terry

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Hi -if you don't sell it :Smile:High modulus sounds like it's silicon --don't try and seal anything with it - get a polyurethane sealant like Sikaflex or PU/GU 40 from toolstation not sure on letters but its one of them :winky:and a roll of masking tape -mask up all your windows a couple of mm onto the bodywork and the window frame -seal the windows and smooth off with a wet finger then remove the tapes --Ideally you should remove the windows clean and reseal but a simple seal will do and it's easy/won't detract from your van -I would also remove your chimney/mushroom vent cut some metal and seal the roof while you have the sealant on the go.The fridge needs taking out and giving a good clean / inspection before refitting and hope it works (600 quid for a new one:Eeek:)Boards to refit the shower are about £22 each for a 8x4 and the hot water boiler is another 450 hence the owner did not want to spend money on the van :Eeek: Trawl ebay etc for second hand parts and boil a kettle for hot water :winky:::bigsmile:-no idea what you paid but you will be close to paying as much for the parts to fix it if you bought all new :winky:Hope you are handy but at least sealing the windows and roof are a easy fix and cheap at around a fiver for a tube of sealant and a roll of masking tape :thumb:Once you have her water tight the fun begins on replacing the bits inside ::bigsmile: good luck and ask away :thumb:
terry
 

DP+JAY

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Are the windows fitted in rubbers? if so they may be perished & need renewing, if not perished try removing & refitting with the correct rubber sealant, but not an easy job if you haven't done window rubbers before.
 
Jun 30, 2010
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Go for it C! I admire your wherewithall, there is nothing stopping you turning your "wreck" into your dream, On yer Bro!"!!!:thumb:

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CandC

CandC

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Hi -if you don't sell it :Smile:High modulus sounds like it's silicon --don't try and seal anything with it - get a polyurethane sealant like Sikaflex or PU/GU 40 from toolstation not sure on letters but its one of them :winky:and a roll of masking tape -mask up all your windows a couple of mm onto the bodywork and the window frame -seal the windows and smooth off with a wet finger then remove the tapes --Ideally you should remove the windows clean and reseal but a simple seal will do and it's easy/won't detract from your van -I would also remove your chimney/mushroom vent cut some metal and seal the roof while you have the sealant on the go.The fridge needs taking out and giving a good clean / inspection before refitting and hope it works (600 quid for a new one:Eeek:)Boards to refit the shower are about £22 each for a 8x4 and the hot water boiler is another 450 hence the owner did not want to spend money on the van :Eeek: Trawl ebay etc for second hand parts and boil a kettle for hot water :winky:::bigsmile:-no idea what you paid but you will be close to paying as much for the parts to fix it if you bought all new :winky:Hope you are handy but at least sealing the windows and roof are a easy fix and cheap at around a fiver for a tube of sealant and a roll of masking tape :thumb:Once you have her water tight the fun begins on replacing the bits inside ::bigsmile: good luck and ask away :thumb:
terry

Briiliant, thank you Terry! That's a big help.... yes it was silicone sealant I bought. I'll pick up some PU and masking tape from wickes or somewhere tomorrow.

Oh and if I did have to replace all those bits with new, it would be MORE than I paid for the van lol. The guy I bought it from didn't have the time or the interest to do it himself and wanted the space on his driveway and my money in his pocket. I am used to a tent in the middle of the Scottish mountains so really don't mind using the van as I work through the list :Cool:
 
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CandC

CandC

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Are the windows fitted in rubbers? if so they may be perished & need renewing, if not perished try removing & refitting with the correct rubber sealant, but not an easy job if you haven't done window rubbers before.

Hi Jay, yes, they are fitted in rubbers. They aren't perished at all, but that's not a job I've ever done before and am reluctant to try it if there's another way around it as I don't want to end up with a broken window or a split rubber (I'm asking for trouble writing that!)
 

Tootles

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:ROFLMAO:

Actually, annoying as many of the things are, I'm confident that most of it will be something that I can fix myself over time. The interior is very tidy for the age, with no signs of any mold. It went through the MOT with just a little bit of welding required and a popped bulb changed. That was the week before I bought it. Oh and with only 55000 on the clock, plenty of life left :Smile:

Er, did you get it MOTd yourself, or did the seller??? :Sad:

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CandC

CandC

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Er, did you get it MOTd yourself, or did the seller??? :Sad:

The seller, whom I know personally. I also know the garage he took it to and have got all the paperwork for the work done and the certificate. Nothing dodgy, but thank you for the note of caution :Smile:
 
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Loved that model Trafic - had a few - great to drive

Only problem might be getting spares - not many left

Enjoy the project !:thumb:


 

Carol

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I bet with your positive attitude you will get it just as you need it, good luck with it, there is a lot of info on Renault Motorhone Forum, who may be able to help with sourcing parts.

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Terry

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TOOLSTATION will be cheaper than Wicks PU 40 or Broken Link Removed you can get it in black as well
is around £4 and masking tape about 60 p just mask a couple of mm onto rubber and a couple of mm onto van then seal around it all or you can get a plastic wedge and ease the rubber off a little and squirt the sealant under the rubber avoiding masking up the rubber -but you still need to mask up the van bit for when you smooth it off-I would clean the excess off the rubber with terps or some solvent type cleaner smooth it onto the tape then pull tape off :winky:
terry
 
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TheBig1

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once you've sealed the wet out, my advice is look for a cheap damp damaged caravan as a donor for everything you will need. water heater, fridge and heater bought separately will cost more. plus you can sell everything that's left for decent money even down to the chassis. just take out everything you might need.

even plumbing fittings and taps for motorhomes/caravans are stupid money for plastic parts. it really does make sense to use a donor van.
 

TheBig1

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once you've sealed the wet out, my advice is look for a cheap damp damaged caravan as a donor for everything you will need. water heater, fridge and heater bought separately will cost more. plus you can sell everything that's left for decent money even down to the chassis. just take out everything you might need.

even plumbing fittings and taps for motorhomes/caravans are stupid money for plastic parts. it really does make sense to use a donor van.

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DP+JAY

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If you have an "old school" type garage around or even a local windscreen company try them for a quote to do it "when they are not busy". It's not hard, just fiddly unless you have the proper tool, I always just used a length of string.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI0x36fJpDw"]Windscreen Removal and Install on a Classic Mini - YouTube[/ame]
 

DP+JAY

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Forgot to ask how bad is the leak? Is it leaking between the glass and the rubber or between the rubber and the body? Either way if its not puring through try this.
Broken Link Removed
 
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CandC

CandC

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Used to go with the olds! Now I have one of my own :)
Loved that model Trafic - had a few - great to drive

Only problem might be getting spares - not many left

Enjoy the project !:thumb:



Fun to drive, fun to be in and none of that electronic ignition nonsense to worry about under the bonnet! :coolthumb::coolthumb::coolthumb:

I bet with your positive attitude you will get it just as you need it, good luck with it, there is a lot of info on Renault Motorhone Forum, who may be able to help with sourcing parts.

Thank you Carol, I'll check it out this afternoon. :thumb:

TOOLSTATION will be cheaper than Wicks PU 40 or Broken Link Removed you can get it in black as well
is around £4 and masking tape about 60 p just mask a couple of mm onto rubber and a couple of mm onto van then seal around it all or you can get a plastic wedge and ease the rubber off a little and squirt the sealant under the rubber avoiding masking up the rubber -but you still need to mask up the van bit for when you smooth it off-I would clean the excess off the rubber with terps or some solvent type cleaner smooth it onto the tape then pull tape off :winky:
terry

A plastic wedge.... should have thought of that! top man! ::bigsmile:

once you've sealed the wet out, my advice is look for a cheap damp damaged caravan as a donor for everything you will need. water heater, fridge and heater bought separately will cost more. plus you can sell everything that's left for decent money even down to the chassis. just take out everything you might need.

even plumbing fittings and taps for motorhomes/caravans are stupid money for plastic parts. it really does make sense to use a donor van.

Whilst I have the time and patience for the project, sadly I lack the space for a donor van. Great suggestion though... thank you!

Forgot to ask how bad is the leak? Is it leaking between the glass and the rubber or between the rubber and the body? Either way if its not puring through try this.
Broken Link Removed

It's not pouring in, more of a seeping trickle. I must say the crack cure looks a lot more user friendly than full on window removal! :winky:

A huge :thanks: to everyone for all the useful advice and encouragement so far. I'll be back with updates and, no doubt, some more questions as I move on down the list! The tenner subs has been well spent already :Cool:

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alfandM

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Ahhh, of course!! Thank you.... I'll get that done tomorrow.

I have a couple of good friends who have done a lot of work on motorhomes and caravans over the years that are willing to help me out and I'm not scared of DIY myself either. Yes, I plan on doing the fixes one at a time, as time allows and yes, I'm having fun with it already!

Thanks again! :thumb:

Enjoy your D,I,Y:thumb:, and enjoy your traveling most important
 
Jun 30, 2010
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once you've sealed the wet out, my advice is look for a cheap damp damaged caravan as a donor for everything you will need. water heater, fridge and heater bought separately will cost more. plus you can sell everything that's left for decent money even down to the chassis. just take out everything you might need.

even plumbing fittings and taps for motorhomes/caravans are stupid money for plastic parts. it really does make sense to use a donor van.




I've noticed recently that there are a few bib&bobs appearing in the WEST BRITON and CORNISH GUARDIAN under the Caravan bits for sale
 
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CandC

CandC

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I've noticed recently that there are a few bib&bobs appearing in the WEST BRITON and CORNISH GUARDIAN under the Caravan bits for sale

I'll be sure to look them up for the water heater and if I need to replace anything when I get to that stage. Thanks for that ::bigsmile:

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CandC

CandC

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Time for a long overdue update....

Thanks to the advice on here, I was able to solve the water ingress with the aid of a tube of sikaflex for the windows and a translucent white outside light cover to fix the mushroom vent above the toilet. It was just big enough to stop the rain coming in while still letting the smells out.

After that, I changed the plugs and ht leads which got the engine running more smoothly.

We've used it for several day trips this summer, taking advantage of the mobile picnic table and to cook meals in so we can stay out later in the evenings.

The heater problem is now solved... It seems that I just hadn't given it enough time for the gas to get through the pipes before giving up on it! I now know that if I've had the gas bottle disconnected at all, I need to let the heater do the start up cycle 2 or 3 times to let the gas get all the way through. Other than that, it fires up first time.

The other job I did was to change the oil and oil filter last week. Now Charlotte runs more quietly and is a lot more responsive and better at maintaining speed up hills. Air and fuel filters next.

I haven't had time to sort the 12v charging system or the fridge yet, but they're luxury items in my book :)

Oh and.... We stayed on a camp site for the first time last night and had a fantastic time!

Thanks again to all who offered advice and sorry for the delay before this update.
 
Apr 13, 2012
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Hi

When I posted in May (as Burstner) I had a 2.8 Ducato ...

In July I sold the Ducato (too big for a sole traveler) and bought :

016.JPG



(y)(y)(y)(y)

Glad you are enjoying your Trafic


(y)(y)(y)(y)
 

DBK

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Just need to plan longer trips now!

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