Vans!

[retroone]

One of them long Dodges more front room and a better graft job.
I like!

[H96669]

^^^ Not much clearance in them front wheel wells.Fine on straight lines but..... Them steps, I hope they stay there, hasn't been my experience with them.They are also a good way for a passenger to step up too fast and whack their head on the door frames.

[boardrider247]

Looks to me like it was a RV. I'm guessing the wooden body rotted out.

[Ko]

Originally Posted by dwayne

Lots of people rely on diesel power at much colder temperatures without any additives. Just be sure the fuel in the tank is winter diesel (which starts showing up in most of Canada as early as September).

A winter front (or just a piece of cardboard) and the right thermostat will go a long way to keeping the engine temp up, and a curtain of some type behind the front seats will help to. Princess Auto also sells aux. heatercore/fan assemblies if you need heat in the back (I am assuming you have a cargo model), or you can head to a wrecker to find the Ford version of the same thing. While an Espar type heater will keep up, you will use much less fuel if you insulate (again assuming a bare van).

After having the fuel gel on me twice, although I think was the silly VW design with the fuel filter outside the frame, I tend to overthink it...

Made it just fine...well, almost...

Yes, I have blocked the front with a piece of vinyl, matches the colour of the van, although it's still ugly- but did it's job
I also have a 205 thermostat, installed when I got the van just because I don't like the OEM which cuts in too soon.

The van is insulated- plus was packed to the roof, much better than a curtain- although I regret selling my former cargo van with a heavy duty vinyl curtain that snapped in the roof and sides, plus it had a clear see through window, what for I don't know given it was a cargo with no rear windows.

No probs with the cold, other than stepping outside. But it confirmed that the heater in this van sucks, it should be more powerful/something. Keep in mind I have the rear as well, but given that the air is being blown back in the van through vents along the roof doesn't help much.

I usually complain about dealerships, but there are good ones out there. Fuelled up at some point, and when I took off I knew the serpentine belt is broken/something- no power steering. Checked, and it wasn't broken, just off.

Anyhow, long story short, the NAPA guy called a dealer 20 miles away to make sure they have the belt and someone to install it, then tracked down a guy who owned a local garage, who gave me a follow up Astro driven by his son in case I get stranded while I drove to the dealer- was kind of chilly hence the Astro. The van drove just fine, although I had to keep it under 40mph otherwise the temp would climb- built tough might be true.

The master tech did the fastest belt install I've ever seen, and I've seen 3 thus far. The issue was not the belt, but a pulley which came apart. What are the odds to find a master tech drop what they're doing on a Saturday, a dealer in the middle of the prairies who stocks pulleys for vans that are one in a million around here, and charge me just cost Oh, and the shop they have there, going from -20 outside to 70 inside- they sell everything that has wheels on it, from RVs to agri stuff.
Cropper Motors in Naicam, Sk, rocks

Ko

[Hayduke]

Man, my heater on my 7.3 kicks butt; it will get too hot to take. But, I don't often see that kind of cold here. (you are talking -20F, correct?).

[Ko]

Originally Posted by Hayduke

Man, my heater on my 7.3 kicks butt; it will get too hot to take. But, I don't often see that kind of cold here. (you are talking -20F, correct?).

This is my second E350 with the 7.3, one a 99, this one an '03- last year for that engine. Love the engine, this one has 180xxx miles, not km, and it runs as good as new- not one drop of oil between oil changes.

The blower was the same on both vans, it works, but it doesn't blow as much air as I'd like- for example, if it's set on defrost, straight to windshield, by the time the air gets to the top of it I can barely feel the air draft, hence it won't melt a frozen windscreen- fast. Was the same on the other one, don't know... And can't really feel the rear one, cause the vents are reaching just above the seats behind driver's.

This tirip was the first time when we drove for a considerable amount of time in cold temps- usually was driving South to Florida I had to have it setup for vents because was blowing much warmer air that way.

Anyhow, the average mileage was 11.9mpg, and that included lots of hills, about 75%- kind of low for what I'd like, but decent in NA terms I suspect we used at least 1 extra mpg in iddling, the van ran almost 24/7, drove straight with cat naps- coldest was -49F , with wind.

Pics from this winter drive in Canada:

the combo:




the pic is focused I love prairie roads, although it looks bad it was great driving through that blowing snow, the road is clear.






at night with stock lights. We were on the road...I hate this type of road, especially going down hill...slippery as hell...



with the new Rigid Dually flood. I got the flood thinking to use them with the amber covers for inclement weather, but now I'm going to get the driving ones and keep the headlights for inclement weather




Ko

[a1fa]

7.3 IDI

[Gummee!]

C&D article about the new Ram Promaster

well, it ain't pretty that's for sure

M

[ErikY.]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

C&D article about the new Ram Promaster

well, it ain't pretty that's for sure

M

And FWD; no 4WD option of course
Until they start selling a real van over here, I'll keep importing RHD from Japan thanks.

[Ko]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

C&D article about the new Ram Promaster

well, it ain't pretty that's for sure

M

Pretty should not be one of the criteria for buying a van

Link to various European vans, which may or may not be similar to the ones we gonna see here. I
m stuck at the Fiesta van?!? http://www.vansa2z.com/Fiat-Ducato-Review-Buyers-Guide

I still wonder if they gonna tap into the dually market, and if so, how...

Ko

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by Ko

Pretty should not be one of the criteria for buying a van

While I agree, it'd be nice to not cringe every time you head to the parking lot.

M

[mark883]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

C&D article about the new Ram Promaster

well, it ain't pretty that's for sure

M

Looks like the bastard love child of a three way between a Sprinter, A Nissan Leaf and the grille off a Dodge pickup.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

While I agree, it'd be nice to not cringe every time you head to the parking lot.

M

Mike, didn't you used to own a GS?

Seriously, I kind of like it!

Jim

[Ko]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

While I agree, it'd be nice to not cringe every time you head to the parking lot.

M

True, but then there's no full size van out there to like that way... I used to think that Econolines, except the early ones, are butt ugly, but since I got them I learned to like them.

I wish they built the headlights on these vans much lower, I miss driving my old LT in rain/snow, reminded me of driving semis...

And, I like the Ducato more than I do the current Sprinter... Disliked the Sprinters since they went away from the wider platform, same with VW...

Ko

[RichBeBe]

I think van's are just plain ugly. And the modern Euro look ones are ugly squared. That said I do not drive a van as a symbol of looks, I drive on for the utilitarian use of it.
I will likely look at the new Dodge and Transit in a year or a so from now and maybe buy one. I would buy a Sprinter but everyone I see ends up a rust bucket and I can't be bothered with that headache, unless I find a used one for a good enough deal.