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The Morbidmobile Blog
Hi everyone, i've planned on starting a blog for the progress of general fettling and eventual campervan conversion of our hearse for a while now, but not actually gotten around to it! So here we go, a beer in hand and the startings of quite an adventure!
It all started with a potential house purchase falling through, in an idyllic spot next door to our in laws (in this case this is no bad thing for those that cringed when they thought of living next door to in-laws!). Said purchase has been planed for many years, just waiting for the right time and cirumstances - however when all was aligned - some other b*****d went and bought it! We own our house, it's a 'coach house' for the pretentious (that's me) or an apartment above four garages to all esle, it was a new build when we bought it and is very nice - just no outdoor space. My husband and I (disclaimer - gays) are both keen gardners and are quite green thumbed so after 7 years we really need some outdoor space/a garden! Many dissapointments. disgruntled mutterings and bemoanings later, we decided that if we weren't moving house just now, we needed a vehicle to travel in. This was somewhat spurred on by friends of ours buying a decomissioned ambulance to get professionally converted into a motorhome, they have much more money than us so we hadf a look at what was available. Now I like Citroens, good old french quirky design so immediatley started looking at C15 Romahomes, which rust badly, are slow if rather econimcal and cheap to buy (a decent enough one can be had for sub 5k). BUT whilst navugating ebay (dangerous - i now know) THIS Volvo popped up. https://i.imgur.com/eJHhJFyl.jpg So I says to the other half: "Look dear at this cool old Volvo, wouldn't it make a fun camper project?" Who promptly replies: "Buy it!" This creates a period of stunned silence as I process the permission given to purchase a cool old car (usually firmly denied) so I bloody well slap a bid on it ASAP. A couple of hours later, and at a reassuringly decent price, we become the *cough* proud owners of a hearse! Unfortunately we live in Somerset, and the hearse is located in Penrith, north of the Lake District, so quite some planning was necessitated to collect it. We made a weekend out of the collection and drove it home. Whilst driving it home, and in the subsequent days I made a list of all the bits that could do with being addressed, and this is before the camper conversion even starts! Looking on the DVLA MOT history website (what a great site btw!) it appears it has been off the from pre-DVLA website MOT history time which is 2005 until 2014. Since 2014 it seems to have had very little use, and so has many niggles and is a bit tatty - although alot of the important work has been done (cambelt, fluids, tyres, spark plugs, suspension etc). It is a pre-facelift 1988 740 Saloon, extended chassis special vehicle with hearse body (likely by Nilsson) with the B200E 2.0 injected engine and AW70 auto box. So it's no racing vehicle, but a smooth plodder that seems to have improving running with some use and it's huge! Plenty of room for campervan stuff but we won't be able to stand up inside unfortunately. We're hoping to convert to suit us, mainly for travelling on the continent (mostly France I suspect) and bringing wine home :cool: https://i.imgur.com/j92Sl8Rl.jpg Skull now removed https://i.imgur.com/cgxo9jdl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/FqMYwygl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/LzuexuYl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/CykhfPQl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/muQ6E70l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/uzT9NeQl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/bcyGpLil.jpg https://i.imgur.com/I2VsmA4l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vfiV0dTl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KLa7kTSl.jpg Interesting exhaust bodges https://i.imgur.com/AUpIxfbl.jpg Blowing out of the silencer https://i.imgur.com/PZzPi4al.jpg Loads of space under the front half of the existing floor https://i.imgur.com/yRncSRhl.jpg Odd looking vinyl covering the roof. https://i.imgur.com/iSPfuRdl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/LqmwXJsl.jpg The work needed pre-conversion: -Bin awful coilovers and put back on proper OEM suspension -New full exhaust system (it's all old, rusty and blowing in at least two places) -Ignition system overhaul (except SP) -Make water tight (suspected leak where roof rails bolt onto roof) -Install radio/CD player and speakers -Fix passenger door card (which is hanging off atm) -Replace all dash bulbs (driving at night a challenge!) -Investigate intermittent fuel guage -Replace rocker gasket -Ceck all vacuum pipes for splits/leaks -Investigate dash warning light '!' which is always on (air in brake fluid?) -Investigate headlamp wash system (arms present but no wipers) -Secure battery properly -Replace viscous fan with electric switched type -Replace drivers side rear light (lets water in, and brake light not working) -Investigate hesitancy/lumpy idle/occasional cold missfire (hopefully resovled by above work). The MOT is due in early September when we're on holiday, so will have to have it done in the next week or two, meaning some work needs to be done like, now! Mostly the exhaust and ignition components to avoid a potential emissions fail. Other than that, as I walk to work it's our second car, so gets little use and will be very helpful in moving house, we can stack it right up with boxes of stuff, and most furniture items will fit in it too! here are some rough plans as to how we'll convert it. The benches on either side of the hearse (with storage inside) will fold into a full double bed when required. There is considerable space above the driver and passenger seats, so great for storage there, and maybe a compact air con unit too (that will be WAY in the future!). You can stand under the bootlid comfortably, so we plan on have canvas sides to extend the living area a bit, think of it as an unusual awning! Orange bit is a pull out hob/oven thingy, as you can stand under the bootlid when it's open, better to do cooking 'outside' to avoid smells/spits/splate in the interior. https://i.imgur.com/EwlYriUl.png Blue bit is a concealed sink for washing up and water etc, accessible from the outside when stood under the bootlid, or inside at anytime. https://i.imgur.com/aMPdKhyl.png I'll record my musings and progress on here, until next time! Tom. |
Great plans there Tom! No point wasting time investigating the fuel gauge, they all do that sooner or later on the VDO instruments and even the Yazaki instruments as well (note the two aren't interchangeable!) and this is how i got round it :
https://s19.postimg.cc/4a7c6pj6b/201...-24-44_492.jpg Alternatively find another instrument cluster with a working fuel gauge which is what i had to do as the odometer had packed up at 182785 miles! If it's going to be a "keeper" and it sounds like it is, i'd suggest getting a stainless exhaust made, it looks like you've got the standard B200E exhaust on there with an extension in there so you could potentially get the various bits fairly cheaply but it's the extension that will be the problem. Don't forget, when you have the stainless system made, you can have it made to sound how you want. The dash warning light also serves as the handbrake warning light so it could simply be the handbrake lever isn't going low enough to put the light out. Easy enough to remove the trim round the handbrake and check that. As for replacing the instrument bulbs, are you going for standard bulbs or LEDs? You definitely need to clean out your PCV/breather system, the evidence is all over the top of the rocker cover, coming from the filler cap neck! Just noticed you've got the K-Jetronic injection on there, makes life easier in a lot of ways! ;) :D |
Love it! Subscribed as I want to see how this turns out!
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how about sourcing a folding roof for it? bound to be something around in a yard somewhere that could prove suitable, that way you could get the standing room you prefer, plus it then folds down for travel.
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all I can think of now is Herman Munster with a Scandinavian accent
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Hi Tom, Just a suggestion comes to mind,when you are ready to kit it out with linen, could mark it 'His and Hearse' ?
Regards,Keith. |
Another suggestion Tom, if you haven't already watched George Clarkes Amazing Spaces, it might be worth doing on one of the re-run services. There's a few camper conversions on there amongst other things (caravans with sofa-baths etc) and even a Granada hearse camper conversion.
The back end would be pretty similar to yours in terms of original layout at least and a few of those episodes might give you a few more space saving ideas. https://simkl.com/tv/32230/george-cl...n-5/episode-4/ I know a few people have already turned "normal" 740 estates into campers, think there's a section on here, i'll look later. ;) :D |
Stegreg- we've thought about that, perhaps more of a pop up style but tbh i dont think we need to stand up in it, and with all that glass I'd worry about structural integrity.
Keith - i see you're from High Ham, not the High Ham around Langport/Somerton area? I went out with a girl there a few years back, longest relationship I ever had with a girl. Married now though to a man, so his and hearse, although humorous might not go down so well! Dave - ive just watched the episode of interior spaces, wow! That is a lot of work gone into that granada/scorpio based hearse camper, and 30k too so the chap says. I don't think we're going quite that fancy just yet, i envisage something a little more minimalist. Not sure about the coffin kitchen either! Today's update, I cleaned out the PCV system that I could find in the failing light, which was a small round concave filter (flame trap?) and the three associated pipes, they weren't blocked at all, but were quite dirty, at lest they are clean now, id like to say it runs a little smoother but that could be wishful thinking! It was very difficult to see, but im not sure that the piece of plastic that houses the filter was actually attached to the engine, i had to feel for it under the inlet manifold but it didn't feel attached to anything. Ive ordered some parts for the pre MOT sort out: Full exhaust system with fittings (quoted 600 for longlife job but cant afford that just now, so went for an ebay cheap job for the intermediary) Distributor cap and rotor arm HT leads Rocker gasket We'll see how fitting the cheap exhaust goes at the weekend :shocked:, but it really does need doing as its getting quite noisy now, all going well I'll book the MOT for the last week of August as it expires whilst we're on holiday on 8th September. Until next time, Tom |
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I'm guessing not from what you've said, one small bore hose goes to the inlet manifold and is very prone to clogging up, the larger bore hose goes to the air filter, not so prone to clogging but can get dirty inside. The one that bothers me is the way you describe the flame trap as just sitting there. It should have hhad a short, large bore rubber hose on it which would have connected to the oil separator on the side of the block, quite low down under the inlet manifold. This photo and diagram will be helpful : http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps4b9477f8.jpg https://www.ipdusa.com/uploads/image...lsize_2479.jpg The pipe marked "E" is the short one i'm referring to. A nice little modification is to extend "E" so the flame trap sits above the inlet manifold, reduces the amount of oil that actually gets near the flame trap considerably. If i can find them, i'll post the photos of when i extended the pipe on my last B230E. If you remove the oil filler cap with the engine idling, it should stay on by a slight vacuum, if it does anything else, chances are the oil separator itself is blocked. Good luck with the exhaust and everything else, use copper grease when you put it all together, it makes life much easier if you need to take it off again and you might for sorting out the extension, unless of course it comes with the extension! You'll find it runs a lot smoother with the exhaust changed, as for the dizzy cap and rotor arm, you might want to take Phil (AllHailKingVolvo) up on his offer of a helping hand to do those - you've come on in leaps and bounds over the past year or so but they're a bit tricky, mainly because of the location. ;) :D |
Morning Dave, interestingly what i found on my B200E seems completely different to the diagram you posted, i found part C and D but from what I felt these two parts connect to the block by a short (1 fo 2 inch) stubby hose with no sign of the black box device, the other two pipes are also quite different, it was getting dark so I'll have another look tonight and get some photos. I had all the hoses off to clean, the top hose connector on the manifold was clear, but unsure of the bottom one, i managed to get my finger in to check the first cm or so but im by no means a contortionist so thats about as good as it gets!
I did the cap trick, it stayed on well but moved around a little bit, more to do wifh vibration though i think rather than positive pressureas at idle you can see the engine moving slightly, will test again post pre-mot work. |
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Contortionism is a necessary ability when working on Volvos! :lol: It seems though from the cap test that the oil separator is clear which is a bonus. If you haven't already done it, an engine flush followed by oil/filter change will help. As for the rest, wait until you've got the dizzy cap, rotor, HT leads etc done, also check the plug gaps (0.7mm) and consider renewing the plugs unless they've been done recently and get the exhaust sorted before you go chasing your tail trying to find that elusive last bit of smoothness at idle. ;) :D |
I tried to get some photos of the PCR system this evening, but just couldn't see amything! Unless it really is that hidden, I donit think I have part F in that diagram Dave.#
Back to the contortionism, did Volvo really have to make it so fiddly and difficult to change a service item like a distributor cap?! So I changed it this evening, including the rotor arm and HT leads. However, now i need HELP! The car misfires really badly... I have a suspicion. There is some kind of sensor (hall sensor?) on the bottom of the dizzy cap, that looks like it should sit in/around the lip of the distributor. I didn't notice if this was clipped in when the old cap came off, but now it's loose and the car almost won't run. Should this clip back in, or have I broken it inadvertantly? It isn't 'off' off, it is still secured by something - so fingers crossed! I will have another go tomorrow when it's light, for most the most part this evening I couldn't see a damned thing! Might see about getting some of the old exhaust off in the morning too, the new system should arrive before Saturday. |
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I think you need to look at the dizzy cap and the Hall Effect lead that goes into it when it's light, also double check you didn't swap two of the HT leads in their respective positions - it's easily done! There should be markings on one or other of the dizzy caps numbered 1,2,3 and 4, if you can work out which is which and which plug lead is which, make sure they're where they should be. It's confusing because it's such a strange shape, not a conventional circular arrangement - even worse with 6 cylinders on a similar design cap! :tounge_smile: ;) :D |
A Clarification
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Ok, panic over! Last night I had managed to dislodge the hall sensor from the distributor housing and had the HT leads for cylinder 1 and 2 mixed up. I'd assumed it was 4-3-2-1, but is in fact 4-3-1-2. The idle and running is smoother now, even with a progressively more blowing exhaust!
It doesn't drip any oil onto the road so must have something there, but from any angle I try to see, I just cannot see what is there! Old stuff. https://i.imgur.com/vg8G2bwl.jpg New stuff. https://i.imgur.com/qfhLXkhl.jpg Here are some photo's of last night efforts, you can see the distributor cap was in need of changing, although the contacts didn't look as bad as expected. https://i.imgur.com/31gceiil.jpg https://i.imgur.com/JfiEZNPl.jpg The rotor arm though had definitely seen better days, and really didn't want to come off! Hence parts of it broke in my attempts to remove it. https://i.imgur.com/TdTTo3Il.jpg Loose hall sensor this morning, luckily all the wires appeared fine, and the connector looked quite healthy. I'll know where i'll look first though if any missfires occur in the future... https://i.imgur.com/Tu7tU3dl.jpg Phew, clipped back in. https://i.imgur.com/tM09uljl.jpg Need to do the exhaust next, and rear light cluster for the MOT, then I can tackle the oily mess of the engine, hopefully a replacement rocker gasket will cure that - when it's clean it'll make it easier to spot any other leaks. Thanks for the help and advice, Tom. |
Just to make you aware Tom, the firing order is 1-3-4-2, not 1-2-4-3 - you're looking at the rotation the wrong way. ;)
Glad you've got it sorted, chances are the misfire was caused by having leads 1 & 2 swapped rather than the lead for the Hall Sensor dangling. If the rotor arm broke that easily during removal, it wouldn't have been long before it broke in service, probably taking the cap with it. Looking at that cap, that would have probably done you a favour though! Little tip for doing the exhaust - don't do the nuts etc up tight until you've got all the new parts it needs fitted, then work from the front to the back, preferably with the engine idling so it's warming the exhaust up while you do it. Not only will this make it easier to get them as tight as they need to be but also take into account the expansion of the joints and makes sure that once you've got a joint tight enough to not blow when it's warm it won't blow when it's cold and won't blow on the MoT ramp either. ;) :D |
Thank you for all the posts and updates. I think you have taken on a challenge !!!
The vehicle has had a life of [mainly] short not fast journeys. I would hope/expect those owners offset that by making maintenance a priority. Their business is largely about dependability. But the vehicle will always live with its short journeys history. I do try not to judge books by covers. It does sorry look as if the subsequent owners paid more attention to wheels and bonnet emblems than to maintenance? Ye heavens, the rotor arm had to be broken to remove it !!! (Yes, ye heavens I noticed that accidental wordage that I used there.) You know that you have taken on a project. So far there is nothing truly to worry about so far as I have read. So your diligent perseverance will pay dividends. :) More power to your elbow. :) |
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For example, some months back i joined the M11 heading south just south of Cambridge. I'd seen a Jag hearse approaching the same roundabout as i used from a different direction and when i joined the M11 proper, there were some slow vehicles in the left hand lane so i moved into the outside lane and opened the taps a bit. As such i was moving at a reasonable speed (the local constabulary may not have agreed but there you go) when to my surprise, something black came up the inside and passed me as if i was standing still! Only time i've been undertaken by the undertakers! He must have been well over the ton, at least it blew the cobwebs out! :lol: |
Quite so. Which is why one used the word mainly...
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"The vehicle has had a life of [mainly] short not fast journeys." Depends how you look at it but i do know of some funeral directors where the driver still crawls along at 4mph even when running light back to the "office". |
When a genius writes words they are read in many ways. Modest Angel Emoticon.
I declare orf topic.... :D |
Volvo hearse!
Now that's worth dying for!
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So yesterday I sorted the dribbling rocker cover gasket and thought I’d have a quick look at why the windscreen washer didn't work.
First realisation, I could remove the rocker securing nuts by hand!! This would explain why so much oil was dribbling down the sides of the block then... Rocker off. Interestingly the cam lobes look quite worn, I don’t know if you can zoom in and see from this picture, there are scratches and also discolouration to the lobes. Perhaps this explains the clicking/ticking noise. https://i.imgur.com/YR5wdIgh.jpg Cleaned. https://i.imgur.com/K51NJwgh.jpg With gasket. https://i.imgur.com/QSF0pVQh.jpg I gave the rocker cover itself a good clean too, as the mating surface here appeared pitted and dirty, after a scrub though I think it was paint overspray, which came off with a good scrub from a scouring pad. I did get in trouble for using the kitchen sink for this, but made sure I cleaned up after myself. If anything, the sink is now about the cleanest it's ever been! https://i.imgur.com/wr1GHuzh.jpg Clean. https://i.imgur.com/0gW4LUjh.jpg I gave the top of the cover a quick polish too, could do with a coat or two of paint to really smarten it up, but didn't have the time today. I also scrape doff all the oil off of the sides of the block, should make it easier to see if it leaks again. https://i.imgur.com/AE3MJCIh.jpg So, next I looked at the washer reservoir, which has both lids/caps missing. I've ordered these from online and cleaned the reservoir etc in the meantime. https://i.imgur.com/6GhVJ6Gh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/0DDz9xHh.jpg There is some very interesting wiring going on down here, the main reason that I had no screen washing action was due to dodgy wiring having come disconnected, so I’ve re-bodged it for now and will sort out more permanently at a later date. I also ordered the upgraded washer nozzles, as the second reason for no screen washing is totally binged up nozzles - even a bicycle tyre pump couldn't solve it! https://i.imgur.com/M6BXIonh.jpg Perhaps it's been bodged to try and fix the non-functioning headlight washer system? Exhaust is now not arriving until Tuesday, so will hold fire there until tomorrow when I hope to dismantle the current system. I need to get the hearse extension piece off to get copied by a custom exhaust specialist just down the road from us. I'm hoping it isn't going to be too expensive! |
That's the wrong washer pump Tom - i doubt it's got enough grunt to operate the headlamp washers in addition to the standard washers.
When you say the upgraded washer jets, which ones do you mean? Also there is a non-return T-piece valve on yours, between the washer jets on the underside of the bonnet - just above the dizzy cap! perfect positioning because when this valve fails, it's designed to leak! Operate the washers and it squirts water all over the dizzy cap! :err: :nah: These valves are about £4-5 and worth changing as a precaution - also if you get the correct washer pump, the OE plug will just plug straight into it. Any idea where your low washer fluid sensor has gone? *** EDIT *** PS - the camshaft doesn't look that bad to me, usual wear marks but nothing to give a ticking noise, the ticking noise is more likely your exhaust. |
These are the washer nozzles i've bought, I read one of your threads Dave where you mentioned that 850/V70/V40 all can be fitted to the 7/9 series cars.
Hmm, interesting! Nothing comes out of the headlamp wash system at all, I think it must all be disabled as the wiper arm spindles don't turn either - a problem for another day I think. The T piece does indeed let water out, but seems to miss the dizzy cap with the bonnet open - not sure about when closed. I assumed this was designed to let the pressure out if the spray nozzles became blocked - as in this case. I wasn't aware that there was a low fluid sensor. Where should this be? And could this explain the perpetually on '!' on the dash, or doies it have a seperate warning lamp? The handbrake warning light next to it goes out when the handbrake is released but almost never the '!'. |
Hmmm, it doesn't actually say they're the mist type jets, hopefully they are as if they just give a single jet then it's not an upgrade.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-740...e/292670134756 That's the non-return T-piece valve, it will dribble all over the dizzy cap with the bonnet shut - don't forget it moves forwards as well as down when the bonnet is shut! It's designed to let water out when it fails - maybe your jets aren't blocked after all? Looking at your earlier pics it seems the headlamp wash is indeed disconnected. The low fluid sensor/switch fits in the smaller of the two holes on the top, the large hole has a rubber skirt that also fits round the fill tube, the smaller one had a screw cap with a hole in the middle for the sensor. https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/i...e/GR-67656.jpg Gives you an idea! As for your warning lamp, it's something to do with the braking system, possibly needs bleeding, low fluid level or something of that ilk. Does it have ABS at all? The low washer fluid warning light is on the left of the row of warning lights at the bottom of the instruments. If memory serves it's to the right, next to the ABS warning light in this shot : https://s19.postimg.cc/4a7c6pj6b/201...-24-44_492.jpg It won't come on though as the switch/sensor is disconnected - it may show up on the bulb check function when you first switch the ignition on. ;) :D |
Muxh exhaust bashing has occurred, more to follow tomorrow morning. I ache already and its definitely time for bed...
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So yesterday was a reasonably productive day, first off, I had a look at the passenger’s door card - every time the passenger door was opened there was a risk of the door card being ripped off as the lower rear corner snagged on the door seal. I was pleasantly surprised on the quality of the door card and sensible way in which it's fixed to the door - way better than the crappy clips that other cars I’ve had use, which nearly always break on removal and the replacements never quite fit as well.
The lower plastic part (which is black on the passenger’s side interestingly, compared to blue on the drivers) that acts as the bin/pocket was only secured by two screws it turns out, and the door card itself was missing a couple of securing bits. It's my hope that this fixes the issue, and it's not the door being out of alignment. Broken fixing points for lower plastic cover, some longer screws sorted this out. https://i.imgur.com/ZLL3JPCh.jpg All looks quite tidy in here; the door open light even works on this side! https://i.imgur.com/dbRezNgh.jpg Any ideas what this is for? It looks like the wires have been munched by a hungry window mechanism, I’m pretty sure all the electrical things work in the door, unless these are speaker wires? There are no speakers or head unit fitted. https://i.imgur.com/ZoOL09bh.jpg Next, I started the exhaust, I really haven't been looking forward to this but cracked on with it nevertheless. I wanted to put the ramps at the front, but our drive is slightly sloped and because the car has been lowered a little bit, the ramps didn't clear the front bumper, so rather than taking it off the ramps went under the rear wheels - had to get my husband to sit in the boot as one wheel kept spinning! https://i.imgur.com/QvV1Xd0h.jpg I started at the back, the rear silencer came off relatively easily and that's about where anything of any ease finished! I next started undoing all the fixings/joining clamps etc only to find that only half of the nuts would come off, after much swearing and knuckle bashing I resorted using a spanner attached to the nut and a hammer to ease off the nuts that would move, those that wouldn’t sheared off after this treatment which made life a bit easier! The middle section was interesting, the extension part that fits between the front and middle silencer was an absolute masterpiece of bodgery, there were two sheets of thin metal wrapped around the exhaust with three jubilee clips and a large amount of fire gum/exhaust paste holding it all together! It started like this. https://i.imgur.com/AUpIxfbh.jpg And finished like this. The metal was so thin, I just hot it with a hammer a couple of times to sever one half from the other. https://i.imgur.com/N1KbJp8h.jpg I couldn’t get the part that goes above the real axle off, so I bent the middle silencer pipes and pulled the whole section forward, giving it all a good wiggle, leaving me with these off the car. Hooray! https://i.imgur.com/iM6VqjYh.jpg It's difficult to see but there is going to be quite a lot of sweeping up to do, mud, exhaust paste, rust and bits of silencer innards are all over the drive! https://i.imgur.com/qFDMNeQh.jpg A little pile of scrap, noting the sheet metal used to try and seal the completely busted extension piece. https://i.imgur.com/UO02FH0h.jpg |
So that leaves the front silencer still attached to the car, which is this mornings job. The bolts are turning, but the nuts are turning too! So i'm cutting the bolts, one and a half down, and another one and a half to go - I want to preserve the downpipe junction, as I don;t plan on replacing the downpipe just now - it looks fine and I really don't fancy trying the downpipe to manifold bolts!
The new exhaust should be delivered to day too, I had a text to say it'll be between 10 and 11am, I leave for work at 10:30 so fingers crossed. EDIT Now all of the old exhaust is off the car, hooray! Front silencer with the other part of the extension piece, note the knackered end! https://i.imgur.com/UfU7lYDh.jpg I literally just had to smack this a couple of times with a hammer and peel the last bit off with the clawed end to cut through. Very weak metal. https://i.imgur.com/K8xJrbAh.jpg Ready for the new exhaust! https://i.imgur.com/1gPnrFjh.jpg Hopefully putting the new exhaust on will be significantly easier than removing the old! I had an idea last night that instead of getting an extension piece made, I could just use the standard exhaust and have a side exit somehwere just before the rear wheel - mounting one of the silencers might be a bit tricky, but the tailpipe could be guided to exit at the side rather than back, especially if it's cut slightly at the end. When the new exhaust arrives, i'll offer it up to see if it's possible - if it is it'll certainly be cheaper than getting an extension custom made! Also, it'll look really cool, and seems to be legal as long as it exits behind the front axle :D Tom. |
There is usually a bracket welded onto the downpipe Tom that bolts to the bellhousing - worth checking that is intact as well. If it's broken off the downpipes, it usually leaves a hole which although small knocks a big hole in your fuel economy, smoothness and power.
If you can't shift the front box and the downpipes bracket has broken, you may be better off fitting the back half as far as you can then taking it to a a place where they offer a quick repair to get a new set of downpipes and the front box fitted and connected to the back end. Just seen your edit - well done on shifting that lot! Looking at how the middle pipe attaches to the front box, you can buy lengths of straight pipe relatively cheaply - if it's simply a straight piece of pipe that's longer than standard, measure the outside of the new pipe, get a length of straight pipe with an inside diameter the same as the outside diameter of the middle section, cut the pipe on the middle section and fit the new bit of extra pipe over it, clamp the ends with exhaust clamps (make sure you slit the ends of the extension piece with a hacksaw or similar) and job done. An alternative would be to fit the extension piece straight onto the outlet of the new front box then cut the middle section so the extension can slide over it then be clamped - a bit neater and stronger as there is only one eextra joint rather than two. Looking at what you've taken off, it looks like your middle box will be a VO115K which appears to be 54mm or 2 1/8" along its main length of pipe. That means if you get a piece of 2 1/4" pipe you can cut it to length and fit it using one of those methods. Looking at the diagram i have here, it appears there is a set in the pipe at the end that goes onto the front box so you may have to fit the extension piece behind this. ;) :D |
Thanks for all the info Dave! I haven't really looked at the downpipe apart from a cursory glance, so will have a closer look over the next couple of days, from what i've seen so far it looks pretty good, and is firmly fixed (as in not wobbly).
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You're welcome Tom - done a bit of digging and found these :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exhaust-P...r/221384284843 https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MCUAA...jj/s-l1600.jpg You'll need two of them, one for each end of the join but saves a lot of faffing about with U clamps and slitting the ends of the pipe. Also depending how much you need to extend the pipe by, you might be able to find a pre-cut length of 54mm O/D pipe : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exhaust-R...s/311788207906 Use the drop-down to find the length you need after measuring the shortfall. Using the sleeves and a straight bit of the right size pipe (54mm) means you can just cut the new bit of pipe on the front of the new middle box, de-burr, slide the sleeves onto the new bit of 54mm pipe, put the pipe in place and slide the sleeves into place, tightening the clamp bolts (one each end) EVENLY (if you don't do it evenly, the sleeve buckles resulting in a leak) and job done except re-tighten the clamp bolts once you've got the exhaust hot. ;) :D |
Dave, you sir are a genius, this is exactly what im going to do!
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The Morbidmobile is already the talk of Yeovil, Tom-I stopped into National Tyres today to have them pop a new valve into one of my wheels (I somehow put a hole in it when refitting a wheel trim!!) and the Tech who did the work, who has put a tyres on my various Volvos in the past said “you’ll never guess what’s parked up near my place...a 740 hearse! If that’s not the coolest thing on the road in Yeovil I don’t know what is!”
I told him the story of your mission to Penrith to collect it, and he responded with the usual comments about a 740 getting you anywhere on the planet providing there’s fuel in the tank! |
Ha! You'd be surprised by the amount of people that come up and talk to you about it, especially when putting fuel in (a frequent occurence atm...), or parking somewhere (which can be a challenge at times!).
New exhaust arrived today, at last! Even better, it doesn't seem to be a cheap knock off quality, it appears to be quite solid and decent - but then what do I know about exhaust quality (not very much)! However, they missed off the delivery half the rubber hangers and the bolts and nuts for the front silencer-downpipe union. I'll ahve to get some bolts and luckily a couple of the old rubber mounts looked OK, so re-used them for now. https://i.imgur.com/pDSHwrEh.jpg So in the quickly fading light, I've loosely fitted the tailpipe, rear silencer, over-axle link pipe and centre silencer. I offered up the front silencer, but no bolts/nuts were supplied so guesstimated as best I could that I need a 700mm extension pipe in between the front and middle silencers. Parts ordered just now, and I splashed out on quick postage in the hope that it'll all be finished Friday evening! I don't really like leaving the car on the ramps for so long, especially as the fat tyres overhang them on both sides! But imagine the horrendous noise a redblock would make with NO silencers on... By the time i'd done, it was too dark to take nay decent photo's so you'll all just have to wait! https://i.imgur.com/F2Xa9L6h.jpg |
That looks suspiciously like a Euroflo exhaust Tom?
They're not bad but they are cheap and often cheaply made - not so much with the materials, more the workmanship at the factory sadly. Just means sometimes they need a bit of fettling to fit properly. In a way you're lucky as whatever exhaust you got would need fettling because your car is a bit longer than the exhaust was designed for. As such you probably won't notice much difference! Nice to see you've got the downpipes as well - hope you've made some WMP? You'll probably need it for the flange nuts where the downpipe bolts onto the manifold. ;) :D |
WMP = weapon of mass penetration? :shocked: What is this mystical thing?
In seriousness i dont plan on doing the downpipe until it needs doing, i didnt get the chance this evening to look at the existing one, so still need to inspect that. Im hoping it'll keep trucking for a while though! |
Quote:
Mix it together, give it a really good shake before each use then squirt/spray or even dribble it on to the fasteners, go and have a cup of tea/coffee or whatever, come back and undo said fastener. If it could cope with the turbo flange bolts on a 20 year old, generally rusty 820 Vitesse and make them come off as if only just put on there and countless other similar fasteners with the same results including the cat bolts on the same car as the turbo for another example, it should shift the downpipe nuts. I understand you are getting sick of the sight of the underside of your car but if you can do the downpipes now, rather than later you will reap the benefits in the long run. ;) :D |
Sounds like wonder fluid! I'll have a go then. Where does one get acetone?
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