Nicely done best way to do it if you've space
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Astravan Epic!
- Thread starter Johnthesparky
- Start date
Not done much, lockdown and all that...
the estate is tucked away on a farm I’ve got some storage (it’s so tucked, had to take the wing mirrors off it to get it into the shed
)
I got a spare set of struts though so I can refurb them in readiness of stripping the estate down
Lockdown meant we sorted some junk out, and means that I’ve now got a small workshop space which is lovely! So pressed the old hubs and bearings out, used the tig to fix a bolt to a broken wheel bolt and heated that up, then just undid it
also bought a cheap engine crane, it’s a Chinese thing so hopefully it will last long enough to swap some engines about, I can only see the ram being a problem long term
And got back to tidying up the GSi brakes ready to swap them in at some point.
I’ve also got another Isuzu to swap in later on
its got a ported and polished head, Garrett GT2056 turbo, pump mods, tubular manifold etc
I’ve known about it for a while, so when it came available I bagsied it for the future (when I’m not using it every day for work)
Also have a plan to run it on airbags, that should happen towards the end of the summer.
I don’t really want to drop it much lower. But it would be good to be able to raise it up on occasion on some sites.
And since I have a complete estate for spares, any modifications needed are easily undone with the spare set of struts and a spare beam.
I picked up a secondhand Elevel management last year
The good thing about it is the sensors will maintain the set rideheight, so it will compensate for me loading it up with tools and kit
the estate is tucked away on a farm I’ve got some storage (it’s so tucked, had to take the wing mirrors off it to get it into the shed
)I got a spare set of struts though so I can refurb them in readiness of stripping the estate down
Lockdown meant we sorted some junk out, and means that I’ve now got a small workshop space which is lovely! So pressed the old hubs and bearings out, used the tig to fix a bolt to a broken wheel bolt and heated that up, then just undid it
also bought a cheap engine crane, it’s a Chinese thing so hopefully it will last long enough to swap some engines about, I can only see the ram being a problem long term
And got back to tidying up the GSi brakes ready to swap them in at some point.
I’ve also got another Isuzu to swap in later on
its got a ported and polished head, Garrett GT2056 turbo, pump mods, tubular manifold etc
I’ve known about it for a while, so when it came available I bagsied it for the future (when I’m not using it every day for work)
Also have a plan to run it on airbags, that should happen towards the end of the summer.
I don’t really want to drop it much lower. But it would be good to be able to raise it up on occasion on some sites.
And since I have a complete estate for spares, any modifications needed are easily undone with the spare set of struts and a spare beam.
I picked up a secondhand Elevel management last year
The good thing about it is the sensors will maintain the set rideheight, so it will compensate for me loading it up with tools and kit
Other than driving it around, up until the weekend I’ve fitted a GTE wheel
But the long weekend has been spent on the engine and running gear swap, some photos
But the long weekend has been spent on the engine and running gear swap, some photos
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The low blow was getting fairly sick, lots of blowby and oil everywhere
Isuzu is in now, wiring next and it’s (hopefully) nearly done
Isuzu is in now, wiring next and it’s (hopefully) nearly done
Great work from you and Tom, looks like you made the most of the weekend, you’ve just made a good van into a cracking van
Done!!!
Sorted the wiring, mostly pulling one engine loom from the green socket on the n/s strut and adding a different one, the Isuzu also has another loom that plugs into that for glowplug control.
only real head scratching was for a couple of ghetto repairs for the alternator, some extra wiring (I assume from it’s time on the railway), and the differences in the wiring.
The van has an extra fuse box in the engine bay (I assume because it’s the late (‘97 on) wiring and the estate was ‘94 to ‘96 wiring
But removed the van engine wiring with a few cuts and the Isuzu wiring replaced it. The wire for the old glowplug feed I coiled up out of the way and pulled the fuse. Everything else was removed.
Worked through the list of jobs, went to start it and then found out we hadn’t tightened the engine earth. Sorted that and it started!
spent the afternoon buttoning things up, drove it home and promptly replaced the wheel bearing that we noticed was dodgy on Saturday and got delivered on Monday.
today I’ve driven about 65 miles for work. Topped up the coolant when I got to first job, checked the oil, and also had a knock which was a loose anti roll bar link.
It feels so much nicer to drive than the low blow, and feels so much stronger (but then it is 20% more powerful, but the low blow was obviously poorly so a bit more I guess)
Really happy with it and definitely worth the effort
Sorted the wiring, mostly pulling one engine loom from the green socket on the n/s strut and adding a different one, the Isuzu also has another loom that plugs into that for glowplug control.
only real head scratching was for a couple of ghetto repairs for the alternator, some extra wiring (I assume from it’s time on the railway), and the differences in the wiring.
The van has an extra fuse box in the engine bay (I assume because it’s the late (‘97 on) wiring and the estate was ‘94 to ‘96 wiring
But removed the van engine wiring with a few cuts and the Isuzu wiring replaced it. The wire for the old glowplug feed I coiled up out of the way and pulled the fuse. Everything else was removed.
Worked through the list of jobs, went to start it and then found out we hadn’t tightened the engine earth. Sorted that and it started!
spent the afternoon buttoning things up, drove it home and promptly replaced the wheel bearing that we noticed was dodgy on Saturday and got delivered on Monday.
today I’ve driven about 65 miles for work. Topped up the coolant when I got to first job, checked the oil, and also had a knock which was a loose anti roll bar link.
It feels so much nicer to drive than the low blow, and feels so much stronger (but then it is 20% more powerful, but the low blow was obviously poorly so a bit more I guess)
Really happy with it and definitely worth the effort