Firing on all cylinders?
In a previous post, I mentioned we had an issue with the van blowing a lot of white smoke when it started but when the engine reached normal temperature, it disappeared.
We found it a struggle to get someone to diagnose the issue. One mechanic thought it was the high pressure fuel pump, another thought it was the injectors. Neither thought it was the head gasket though which was a relief. But neither would take on the work to get things sorted. So I bought some tools and a thorough manual, along with a waterpump, timing belt kit and auxiliary belts. Plus a radiator fan had seized so I purchased a replacement.

As I inspected the engine bay there were light black sticky soot deposits everywhere, especially underneath the bonnet where the (EGR) Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve is. When I removed the valve I saw it was filled with soot and wasn’t working as it should. So I gave it a clean and fitted it with a new gasket. Along with this I installed the new timing belt kit, other belts and the waterpump.
Then it was time to turn the engine over, and wahooooo, not only did the engine start but there was no white smoke. Brilliant! We went for a quick drive and all was well.
And so to the next day - my 52nd birthday. We decided to go somewhere in the van for a few days. After 20 miles travelling, the engine cut out going uphill on a single track lane, blocking all traffic.

A very good friend came to help us and towed us 100 yards to an old farm entrance so we were out of the way from other traffic. Then it was time to investigate. A bolt wasn’t tightened properly on a timing pulley (an oversight on my part) so I reset the timing and even though it didn’t run right, we managed to limp back the 20 miles to enjoy a birthday BBQ with an early night.
Further investigation revealed a loss of compression which meant the cylinder head had to be removed. And unknown to us, a metal clamp on the vacuum pipe to the turbo actuator was loose. But I did the work and the engine sang in fine fettle again and the van has more power going up big hills than before. Brilliant!
Repaired, Prepared!
Getting the van ready for the next part of our adventure, it had to pass its MOT. But first we needed to find out why the radiator fans weren’t switching on. There was only low current reaching the relays (relays are electrical switches that drive high current devices) so I removed the wiring loom for the cooling system and found a break in the wiring related to the air conditioning system. Once repaired and reinstalled the fans still didn’t work. I searched high and low looking for the green 30 amp inline fuse. I even removed half the blooming dashboard to look for it.

After much’o head scratching underneath the bonnet, I found 2 fuses, a 50 amp for the starter motor and a fuse in a black holder that was obscured. When I saw its colour, my heart skipped a beat - it was the green 30 amp fuse I’d been searching for! It was like it radiated light, like Gods fingers in the sky! It was this fuse that had blown so I replaced it and when the engine warmed up, the cooling fans worked!
Both at different temperatures, as they should. Super! Brilliant! What a joy!
Next job was servicing the braking system which was pretty straightforward. I just needed to remove the front pads, clean the floating calliper sleeves, pins and re lube, remove other debris and a bit of brake cleaner and refit pads. There was a bit more work to do with the drums on the rear where there was more external corrosion, plus plenty of friction material dust inside. Once cleaned, handbrake adjusted and reassembled. Nice and easy.
Having a look underneath the van, it was showing its age. We had some welding done last year but not much. From what I could see, more welding was needed. A fair sized patch below the rear doors, a patch on the front inside driver’s side wheel arch and a similar sized patch to the rear driver’s side wheel arch. Looking at the exhaust, my screwdriver went through some rust on it. Crikey, the front exhaust pipe needed replacing too! Not a job for me but for whoever ended up doing the mot repair work.
Time to get it booked in and see where we go from there.
MOT ROT
We had a lovely time in Banbury whilst waiting for the MOT. A cooked breakfast in a café nearby then a walk along the canal. The waiting time was longer than expected though so we decided to go home and wait there instead. A couple of hours later we got the call that the van had failed due to corrosion to the rear (the vehicle body mounting points in the corners plus the suspension mounts) but surprisingly, we only got an advisory with the small hole on the exhaust system.
So we needed some welding doing.
Once we’d got it home, I had a look underneath and was shocked by what I saw. The black underseal had hidden many sins once the underseal had been scraped off. The affected steel looked like a slimmer’s version of rusty weetabix. With a quick poke of my finger the old metal just crumbled. Sounds silly, but I didn’t want to touch it again as I didn’t want to do more damage. But the damage was already done.
We took it to a local garage to see if it was repairable. And it was, but at a cost. The work would take a week to do, using a stall/lift and the rear axle along with some of the fixed furniture inside the van would need to be removed. So we were looking at a cost of around £3000 for that repair alone.
Rather than making a decision straight away, we slept on it.
* * *
Over the past few weeks we’ve been getting ready to leave where we’ve been residing in the Cotswolds. It’s been a time to shed some items and one of them has been Lucille, our Cotswolds Windrush caravan we’ve had nearly all our married life. It was a tight knot in the stomach watching her being towed away to pastures new. But there was a comfort knowing that the couple who got it were parking it in their friends back garden to live in. Now that’s a beautiful serendipity!

We’ve already parted with Terrie, the Red Daihatsu Terios and now Lucille (named after Lucille Harris, one of the few women passengers who travelled to England on the Empire Windrush). If things happen in threes, surely it wasn’t parting with Willoughby Wendy next? How would that affect us if we didn’t have the campervan? Would we still be Onwardly Mapless? Or Onwardly Hapless in our tent? (It is a nice tent mind, it’s a Cabanon!).
What we do know, being in the caravan is more comfortable and relaxing but has no engine. The campervan, on the other hand, can get us from place to place and it’s versatile but not so comfy. Ideally we could do with a marriage of them both Plus we now have Lizzie - a red Daihatsu Terios which is rust free and very low mileage. Maybe Lizzie is beaming her headlights on the road ahead as a beacon of trust and reliability for our choices ahead? A low mileage, rust free vehicle on the open roads. Living, ministering, enjoying, rejoicing in the beauty of the Lord’s creation.
* * *
So it’s the morning after the news from the garage and Fiona reads aloud today’s Lion Bites email for the Global Prophetic Alliance:

8 August 2023
All Things New
You wouldn’t put new insoles into shoes that are worn out, with holes that will simply leak and spoil the new. The LORD would remind us today, not to partner with a poverty mindset. Being open to the new requires us to partner with The LORD in an attitude of abundance.
Today, The LORD is reminding us: You shall not lack any good thing! Remember that you are royalty — a son or daughter of the King. Therefore, do not be content to stay in the clothes of last season. Your clothes served you well in that season but embrace the fresh garments of praise I have for you. Do not stay dressed in the sackcloth and ashes of your history but dress as someone without lack. Dress as someone who is expectant, knowing that every good thing comes from above.
The only word that came to my lips was WOW.
Foundations
Sometimes we have our feet in two different places and repeatedly have to commute from one place to another. Something I’ve experienced recently. Being self-employed in Hull and the surrounding areas and at the same time, working where we are in the Cotswolds. A tricky thing to keep going and in the end, one of them had to give. And so in mid May, my work in Hull came to an end. It was a tough decision as everyone I worked for are amazing, kind, loyal people - a bit like myself!

I’m now working part-time in the Cotswolds which has given me time to rest, learn some new things, do some work on the van, spend more time with my good woman, make new friends and acquaintances and spend honest, worthy and massively enjoyable time with my daughters. It’s been great not to feel rushed, to be still and enjoy the stillness. Like at the Quaker meetings we’ve been going to some Sundays.
Sitting in silence for an hour, praying, thinking, more praying then my thoughts slowly evaporate, my brain stops talking and I’m feeling at peace, connected and spiritually lifted.
All our lessons and skills learned are valuable and the experience I’ve gained in and around Hull will be put to good use on the journey ahead. The price of wisdom is experience. Nobody makes the right choices in every aspect of their life all the time. I’m testament to that. But wrong choices can make us resilient as well as gaining more wisdom to make better choices in the future and to share that knowledge.
So on the back of all that, we’ve made a big decision. With experience and wisdom playing their part. The campervan has been sold! Willoughby Wendy has gone, leaving more empty space in the courtyard. Along with the now empty house and fruitful land awaiting final signatures of sale completion, all held together in faith, dignity and the sweet perfume of grace - allowing us all here to peacefully move on and rebuild with better footings elsewhere.
Farewell Willoughby Wendy
I’m really excited about what’s around the next bend on our journeying together. We’re now looking for a motorhome - a lovechild of Willoughby Wendy and Lucille. Something comfortable and versatile that will keep us moving, onwardly mapless :-)
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