|
|
Post by minnibago on Jan 5, 2011 21:12:58 GMT 1
Well, this has been one of the best vehicles I have ever purchased on a whim. Searching Autotrader 4 years ago for a caravan I stumbled upon this and acted on impulse. This little Nipper has been so much fun. It came into it's own at it's first Folk Festival when the weather was so foul, all my mates had to evacuate their soaked tents for the dry haven of my camper! The best was yet to come. Last June I took her on a 'D-Day' tour from Dunkerque down the coast to the Normandie beaches then on to Oradour-Sur-Glane. Surprisingly, the only problem I encountered was the closing of the contact breaker points!Ten minutes with a feeler gauge and we're running smoothly again! Attachments:
|
|
|
|
Post by duncanamps on Jan 5, 2011 21:46:53 GMT 1
Hi Minnibago, I'm not too far from you (Witham). Couldn't open the attachment, is it Paintshop Pro or something like that? Might be worth converting to .jpg and trying again. Re: the points, I found the closing up to be a repeating problem and the no. 1 thing affecting the reliability of my Bambi. An effective trick was to thoroughly clean the points and backplate and use loctite bearing fit to hold the points in place. You have to prise off and redo at service time but at least they don't move. I've got Lumenition now, no points at all  |
|
|
|
Post by rascalvan on Jan 6, 2011 9:56:14 GMT 1
Hi All, points don't usually move, but the plastic/nylon "heel" that makes contact with the distributor centre shaft can wear down much quicker if no grease is applied to the back of it.
So a small dap of grease on the back of the heel on the points should sort out the problem.
Some points/contact sets come with a small sachet of grease for this purpose.
Also setting dwell angle to 48 degrees instead of the 48-52 stated.
Lumignition still do kits for electronic ignition conversion, but they are now over £200+vat so rather expensive.
Regards Tim ( Rascalvan)
|
|
|
|
Post by duncanamps on Jan 6, 2011 21:09:06 GMT 1
|
|
|
|
Post by minnibago on Jan 10, 2011 21:24:31 GMT 1
Yep! It was the heal on the contact breaker points which had worn down, mind you, they hadn't been touched for two years and it was in the back of my mind to do it before I left for the ferry but I thought 'don't fix what ain't broken!'
Duncanamps - I have tried to play around with saving that pic as a jpeg but every time I save it, it defaults to paintshop pro. I'm not PC nerdy enough to rectify it. Witham, huh! Youy're practically my neighbour. We'll have to meet up and chew the 'micro-camper' fat! (BTW, I don't suppose you ever worked for Trace Elliot?).
|
|
|
|
Post by duncanamps on Jan 10, 2011 21:45:14 GMT 1
(BTW, I don't suppose you ever worked for Trace Elliot?). No but I used to buy bits from them at trade price to make my amps on the condition that I didn't try to design/sell anything that looked like one of their products. Although I must admit that the dark green tolex is one of their trademarks... ;D ps: good to hear you've sorted the points problem out, mine didn't stay put in one place long enough for anything to wear out on them  |
|
|
|
Post by chris (zaphod) on Jan 11, 2011 0:01:36 GMT 1
minnibago, that's a very smart Nipper you have there.  |
|
|
|
Post by rascalvan on Jan 11, 2011 10:26:54 GMT 1
Hi Duncancamps, thanks for info, that is a good price, and is the same one we fit, we can get all these parts direct from the supplier, but this price is hard to beat, but we are ordering one this week, so I will see what we can do.
we can get the fitting kit as well.
Sadly as we don't buy many the company have dropped our discount, so now we will buy less !!!.
Regards Tim
|
|
|
|
Post by rangerman77 on Jan 12, 2011 23:12:55 GMT 1
Now this electronic ignition kit sounds interesting.....
|
|
|
|
Post by bambiowner on Feb 7, 2011 15:04:04 GMT 1
Hi I have owned two road worthy Bambies and they were both very very good but when they had points in them I would be a bit judicious. when starting because of my ill health I could not push start them so on the first Bambi Tim fitted an electronic ignition for me and then when I brought the other Bambi some one else fitted the other one and from the day they were fitted I never had starting problems and they both would start first time even when they were left standing for 3 months while I was sunning my self in Tunisia but the first day back I would go to my garage and start Bambi up first time
|
|
|
|
Post by duncanamps on Feb 7, 2011 15:15:29 GMT 1
Absolutely. There's no way I would run without electronic ignition now.
|
|
|
|
Post by electrospanner on Feb 7, 2011 15:32:42 GMT 1
Different peoples experiences are interesting. I had one lumenition unit breakdown on me and another go faulty. I purchased a third one but never got round to fitting it. Mine runs happily on its points and like yours Steve it starts up first time even after months of inactivity. I won't fit the new one i have so it is kicking around my garage somewhere.
|
|
|
|
Post by duncanamps on Feb 7, 2011 20:38:33 GMT 1
You have to be very careful with the placement of the Lumenition module as the engine bay gets hot hot hot. Anywhere round the coil is bad news as it brings it near to the exhaust and may affect reliability. Mine got bolted on over by the radiator away from direct radiation from the exhaust.  |
|
|
|
Post by minky58 on May 15, 2011 17:10:53 GMT 1
i'm with you on that electrospanner. the mechanic who looks after my bambi told me not to bother with the electronic ignition. fingers crossed i have no problem starting mine rain or shine.
|
|
