The Tranny I converted

TizTom · Veteran Member

The Tranny I converted

Vic41 · Guru

Nice Job Tom smile

When I had mine (posting as Duh then) I was thinking of adding overhead cupboards and shelving or something inside the upper rear door recess, but never got around to it. Mine was a home made job also, but not done by me. See;

http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t54991265/updated-pics-of-duhs-2008-ford-transit-campervan/

TizTom · Veteran Member

Nice rig Vic, how was your economy? I find mine is using around 11L per 100KL sitting on 100 - 115kph, it has a relatively stiff pedal spring which really likes 110 so it needs cruise control to keep it at the 100 I want but the bugger just keeps creeping up.

Good to see you didn't fill yours with extra windows, so much harder to keep cool, the insulation in this thing is brilliant and the company who did the initial Telstra build did a great job.

The only help I had was a little with cutting the 18mm ply as it was heavy and wiring up the 240v to the 13 power outlets.

regards
Tom.

Vic41 · Guru

Mine was about 10L per 100kms like you sitting around 100 kph.

I hated the 6 forward gears on mine (a pain to drive around the metro area) good on the open road though.

The clutch seemed ok on mine from memory, 2.7 Diesel 2008 with 75,000 on the clock.

TizTom · Veteran Member

2.7L? didn't even know they made one, it's the acc pedal on mine that's too stiff, the clutch is perfect, I don't mind the gears but I find it stalls quite easily and you have to turn the key off then on then wait for the glow plug light to go out before it'll start properly which is a giant PITA.

I'd say I've got close to a tonne in the back of mine which might not be helping with the fuel economy, also the solar panels and the scooter hanging off the back must be creating more drag than the average house ;)

Vic41 · Guru

Sorry TT, you are right, it was 2.4, not 2.7 (see specs pic).

Regards stalling, mine was doing the same but I had the oil filter changed (should be done every 10,000 apparently) and the van serviced and it solved the stalling problem..

!cid_image005_jpg@01CE216D.jpg

grahos · Guru

You guys have done a sterling job.

TizTom · Veteran Member

Thank you Grahos, mine just had it's 160k service - I think it more me going from a 2L 300hp Subaru to something so different and swapping back and forth but I'm definitely getting used to it though I still don't find it easy to get a nice smooth shift from 1st to 2nd (very truck like).............. but getting better.

Radar · Guru

Hi Tiztom

Yes enjoyed looking at your make over, very encouraging to others. Ralph

TizTom · Veteran Member

Thanks mate, I hadn't used my woodworking tools in at least 10yrs so it was a bit of a challenge having only made furniture and toys before, I also didn't do any drawings, maybe the odd sketch but pretty much worked it out as I went, the biggest nightmare was the bed which I cut first but made last as the hinge work was a bit beyond me, but it actually turned out good as the seat is reversible and can face out the same as it faces in with a small brace against the kitchen bench (I found out by pure accident) I make most caravan owners jealous when I tell them I have a 250L 2 door fridge but it only cost $200 so if it dies I can ditch it and get another, also the doors on the Fisher & Paykel are reversible which has made life so much easier too.

Waragee · Member

gee those Transits look good

waragee

Vic41 · Guru

I only did some minor stuff on mine Waragee, eg; widened one of the beds, put a combo seat/table at one end, fitted some coat hooks and painted the inside, more brackets etc supporting the furniture and had decals put on. Fitted a security cabinet. The rest had been done already.

My Transit was made in the UK (including the engines), a lot of earlier Transits were made in various countries like Turkey etc.

Tiz Tom, did the service improve your stalling? It was happening to mine but turned out the filter needed changing (I was told it needed to be done every 10,000 kms with the Transit Diesel), once that had been done it ran like a clock, no more stalling.

-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 13th of July 2014 08:28:15 PM

TizTom · Veteran Member

Hey Vic, It's been serviced by the book since day one, I think it's just my driving style that needed adjusting more than a fault of the van as it rarely happens now, the service made no difference, I was also trying to work out whether taking off in 1st or 2nd was best but for comfortable take offs it almost needs a gear between the two.

I might service it myself every 7,500 (oil & filters) then continue the majors every 15k, It's been done at Macinerny Ford all it's life but I might try to find someone a little cheaper as the next one is a biggy.

Probably didn't help that I hardly drove it for the first 7 months (bought May last year) as I started stripping and building as soon as I got it - but by Dec I had had 7 operations and 9 visits to hospital (bad arteries, smoking blah blah) :( over the time I had owned it so that slowed me down quite a bit and didn't really make for an easy transition from my Subi with it's heavy duty clutch to the van with its fairy clutch.

Vic41 · Guru

Sorry to hear you have been unwell Tiz Tom, I had my last service on mine at Ultra Tune, but wasn't cheap.

I was advised with mine to take off in 1st, even though it is barely moving when you have to change again.

There is some good info on this Ford Transit Forum, it is based in the UK but has heaps of good info on it for Transits, see;

http://fordtransit.org/forum/index.php?sid=10d3fc7aaad7507748764b65703b7f4e

TizTom · Veteran Member

Yeah Vic, I worked out to use first unless it's a downhill start, it's just the clunky shift into second which annoys me when trying to stick with traffic and keeping the stuff in the back in place but I am getting bettter :)

Vic41 · Guru

Hated mine in suburban traffic furious but it just floated along on country roads smile

TizTom · Veteran Member

I find parking the worst, for a relatively short vehicle the wheelbase seems massive, never get it in straight first time and parking is one thing I'm normally pretty good at, I've put a reverse camera in but it's hard to trust the distance, especially when turning into a bay ......... still got my head out the window and putting more trust in my mirrors. Having the scooter on the back and one rear window permanently blocked doesn't help either. :(

Vic41 · Guru

Reversing is my pet hate.....glad I don't have a caravan anymore, was never any good at reversing that either, despite all the tips and advice etc..... furious

jetj · Guru

What a wonderful job you've done, thanks for sharing your pics.