Tev

Hi all, I have just dragged this chassis and engine out of a shed at our unit that needed clearing. From having a look at the engine I believe it is from a K series Austin, it looks like this chassis is from the same vehicle. The chassis has a VIN plate with number - can anyone help me identify it from the VIN number? Also it is for sale if anyone is interested, as whilst I would love to keep it and make something of it, I really dont have the time! I also have a diff, a wheel and a few other bits that may have come off this at some point in the very distant past! Any help gratefully received!

An update! The cold start dose work, I even got it to start with out any easy start using it, though I wasn’t expecting it to so didn’t get my foot on the throttle hard enough and it died, and then refused to start again! Put some injector cleaner in, though on Loggydriver’s advice ill just pour the rest of the bottle in next time im there. The lorry doesn’t have tax or insurance atm though so taking it on a decant drive (other than around the farmyard at least) is fairly hard. The old fuel was very very dirty – to the point that I sieved it before putting it in my generator! As I say, I have replaced all the filters and the tank. The smoke from the engine isn’t amazingly pleasant – though no worse particularly than any of my other diesel vehicles when they are cold (I have an 86 MCW Metrobus which is truly feral when cold!). It is white but from memory goes very slightly grey for a moment just after you hit the throttle. On closer inspection, it is only after about 2 or 3 seconds of turning the engine over that smoke starts coming out of the exhaust, so I guess that could show that air is getting in and fuel is dropping back when not being used. What dose anyone else recon? Many thanks! Tev

No, as you say it shouldn’t need the cold start/heater, though I don’t think that that works anyway (but will have a look later on today) Yea me to – hence wanting to get this sorted before it dose! I have had the fuel system mostly apart (whilst I was replacing the filter and the tank I thought I might as well flush it all through – the old fuel that was in it was very dirty!). I am pretty sure fuel is getting in to the engine as it puffs smoke out from when you first turn the key, implying that it has fuel to burn - I am not an expert though. It is generally Smokey when running (white smoke), I have some injector cleaner to put in the fuel, but haven’t used it yet as a friend of mine said that when he used it his car was a pig to start – seems as this is anyway I didn’t want to make it any worse! Another friend of mine suggested taking the injectors out and getting them tested, so I guess that would be my next port of call unless you have any ideas? Any thoughts on the injector cleaner - Could it just make it so the darn thing wont start?

I believe it is a civilian one, originally owned by eastern electric. I was going to upload some photos but it dosent seem to be having any of it im afraid! Thanks Tev

I have a 1976 Bedford MJ (330 non turbo), which refuses to start when cold. The lorry has been a timber tractor for most of its life, it only has 1500 miles on the clock (which I believe to be genuine but it will have done as many miles backwards as forwards). The guy it came from said that it started fine, unless it was cold and then he used some easy start. I have replaced the battery (which helped A LOT it being a 12V system – discovered that BMW X5s have an equivalent 900A starting current battery!), replaced all the filters and changed the engine oil. The engine starts first time every time if it has been running earlier on in the day (even if a number of hours ago), but if not it just wont start unless you use easy start (which I know is generally bad news for the engine). It just turns over (at a reasonable speed), puffs smoke out of the exhaust but dose not do anything else. Having read the various posts on here, I don’t believe my cold start works (though I will check it next time im over with it), at least it doesn’t seem to make the whooshing noise others speak of. Having said that, it won’t start when “cold” even when the ambient temperature is at least 15-20 degrees. Any ideas or suggestions as to what to try? Tev

Hi all! I'm Tev (Andrew really, but more widely known as Tev), joined a while back but never got round to introducing myself properly! I live in Birmingham and have recently bought Bedford MJ (1976, with the 330 engine) I am converting it into a mobile staging vehicle. (I've always wanted one and this was a good excuse) Any ideas or advice appreciated! I also have an 1990 ex-army LDV 400 called Geoff. Ta ta!