# Alternative engine?



## Mistlethrush (Aug 10, 2012)

Not that I've got to that point yet! My van currently has a 2.3 petrol engine, I've been told they're notoriously thirsty. 
I've thought about converting to LPG and have had a quote for £950 +vat.
So my dilemma is do I change to a more economical engine, and if so what would fit?:ninja:
Or do I go down the LPG route and stick with the engine that's in? Though it does have a fault with oil pressure. Yet to be sorted!:ninja:

Thanks folks
Kim :dance:


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## chubadub (Aug 10, 2012)

Hi, Kim what make, model and year's the van?:idea-007:


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 10, 2012)

chubadub said:


> Hi, Kim what make, model and year's the van?:idea-007:




It's  a 1980 Bedford CF 280 CI Autohomes Bedouin


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## bigjimdsmith (Aug 10, 2012)

*Lpg*

I've had a number of cars on LPG and think it's good. In Belgium recently I was paying 58cents a litre which makes for much cheaper motoring:dance:


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## Viktor (Aug 10, 2012)

The older engines pre 2005 I think it is are better because the valve seats are harder, however a good converter will also install a FlashLube system or similar to protect the valve seats when using LPG.  The system is usually an automatic changeover in that the vehicle starts on petrol and then auto changes to gas after about two minutes warming up.  Cost overall is about £1500 inc VAT and you should recover your costs and start saving after roughly two years.  I would convert the existing engine.


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 10, 2012)

Viktor said:


> The older engines pre 2005 I think it is are better because the valve seats are harder, however a good converter will also install a FlashLube system or similar to protect the valve seats when using LPG.  The system is usually an automatic changeover in that the vehicle starts on petrol and then auto changes to gas after about two minutes warming up.  Cost overall is about £1500 inc VAT and you should recover your costs and start saving after roughly two years.  I would convert the existing engine.



Do conversions prices vary? Does it pay to shop around or are they all pretty similar?


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## Firefox (Aug 10, 2012)

Think at some stage about gettting a post 2005 van with common rail and engine management.

Mine is is 2006 and cost £5500 3 years ago. I dare say you could pick one up for £1500-£2000 now. Not disimilar to the price of spending money upgrading your 1980 vehicle. But you would have the problem of converting it of course. However wait a bit more and you will probably be able to pick up some kind of conversion for not a lot more.

Mine will do 35+ mpg, 6 forward gears, drives like a car, and goes very quick with the turbo if you want it to (I don't use it hardly though). I used to have an old CF2. It was a pig to drive a long way and so sluggish. It's worth having a test drive in a more recent van.

Things have moved on so much since 1980... engines, suspension, gear boxes, brakes. My old CF2 had a Luton body and I would get only 20-22 mpg out of it for about 50mph top speed, I'd never go back.


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## snowbirds (Aug 10, 2012)

*Bedford Dormobile*

Hi Mistlethrush.

We had a Bedford with the 2.3 engine, it was also built with 2.0litre and even a 1800.They are very high geared and while I had ours looked down all the routes to improve fuel. A over drive on the gear box was one but very hard to find a good one at Classic car shows.2 was the five speed gear box from the CF MK11 but you need the mk11 front cross member as well that also has  disc brakes.This also has the opel upright engine. 3 if you can find better ratio diff out of the Vauxhall Vicount. If you go down the diff route it has to be built by a good gear box company as it is not a straight bolt in. One of the members in our club bought a two litre Ford twin cam with a auto box and when fitted to the CF, it returned 30 mpg, but it was a lot of work to do and they ended up with the power steering and all the electric's, it was sold on ebay last month as they had to give up driving.Good luck with it, it took me nearly 10 years looking and in the end I just put up with it and drove at lower speeds to save fuel. good luck and please ask if you need any more imformation.

regards Snowbirds.  
:goodluck:




Mistlethrush said:


> Not that I've got to that point yet! My van currently has a 2.3 petrol engine, I've been told they're notoriously thirsty.
> I've thought about converting to LPG and have had a quote for £950 +vat.
> So my dilemma is do I change to a more economical engine, and if so what would fit?:ninja:
> Or do I go down the LPG route and stick with the engine that's in? Though it does have a fault with oil pressure. Yet to be sorted!:ninja:
> ...


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## kimbowbill (Aug 10, 2012)

I think it also depends on how many miles your going to do, if you are only going to potter around in it, is there any point spending that?, well that's how i'd look at it,


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 10, 2012)

kimbowbill said:


> I think it also depends on how many miles your going to do, if you are only going to potter around in it, is there any point spending that?, well that's how i'd look at it,



Hmmmm. I'd quite like to potter around Europe. So we'll have to see when I get it sorted. Still doing the habitation part at the mo. Kids allowing! 
As I've only had the van about 6 weeks I can't even think of an upgrade yet. If I want to see another dawn anyway as my OH with lynch me.:heart:

Oh it's food for thought. Back to replacing the ply wall panels.:sleep-040:

Thanks peeps.
Kim :dance:


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## bigjimdsmith (Aug 10, 2012)

*ebay - lpg*

Older engines can use a more basic lpg kit I think (I'm not a mechanic!) and on e bay there are a lot of deals for fitting - 4 cylinder much less than the price you have seen. Check it out and see. There are also self fitting kits if you are handy bit they do need to be certified for your insurance. I fitted one myself on my 1st camper in the 80's and took iot to an installer to be checked out.


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## Deleted member 3802 (Aug 10, 2012)

There are lots of cf ice cream van still about and most have now been fitted with the transit 2.5di engine and box.


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 10, 2012)

Old_Arthur said:


> There are lots of cf ice cream van still about and most have now been fitted with the transit 2.5di engine and box.




The previous owner did mention something about using a Tranny engine. Along with the two oil pumps that he gave me!


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## snowbirds (Aug 10, 2012)

*ice cream van*

Hi Arthur,


Most CF icecream vans cost about £3000 pounds of any age because of the money they can earn.there was one at Well's in Norfolk on the top beach with no engine and cemented into the ground no road tax a Gold Mine in season and no over heads.

Snowbirds. :dance::dance:







Old_Arthur said:


> There are lots of cf ice cream van still about and most have now been fitted with the transit 2.5di engine and box.


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## terrywolf (Aug 10, 2012)

*new engine*

what you need is a the ford diesel out of a ldv the bannana one simple engine use with 5 speed box and adapt the propshaft to fit  and it will run on new veg oil and diesel mix


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## landydriver (Aug 10, 2012)

.


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 10, 2012)

LOL!
I could always put some more holes in the floor and use it as a Flintstone mobile!
:dance::dance::dance::dance::dance::dance::dance::dance:


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 11, 2012)

hi there ,i used to have a beddy cf 2.3 .fitting any other engine in one is going to involve chopping the crossmember about ,not actualy the easiest job to do in fact yours will be thecf1 with the2.3 and dont think you can even fit the later cf2 engine in if i am not mistaken even the diesel engine needs the matching crossmember . ,you can fit a gearbox with overdrive and its matching prop if you can find one at a decent price .i am told that fitting a five speed box from another beddy is not worth the hassle ,as the 5th gear ratio is virtualy the same as 4th gear ,lpg aint worth the cost of the kit price and cost of fitting .if you realy want dam good advice on the cf then join the bedford owners club ,they know these vans inside out.i dident find my old beddy that thirsty 30 on a run running local was in the 20s ,the car i had at the time was a darn site thirstier could bring that down to below 10mpg if i pushed it


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## Deleted member 27096 (Aug 11, 2012)

Snowbirds which club you in re bedford cf ..............


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## bopper (Aug 11, 2012)

I converted a CF five years ago. I used the Transit diesel engine but there is a lot of cutting and welding involved and then a bespoke prop-shaft has to be fitted.


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 11, 2012)

That's all there is to it!:scared:
Thanks peeps.


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## snowbirds (Aug 11, 2012)

*Clubs*

Hi Blackwatch,

We were in the Bedford Owners Club first and used to go to the Bedford Vauxhall classic car shows at Billing Aquadrome, they have it every year it's great for spare parts.It was there that we found the Dormobile owners Club and joined that also. the Bedford CF MK1  Landcruiser was a great little Motorhome and we took it to shows all over the country.A very easy van to work on with very few special tools.

Regards Snowbirds.








Blackwatch said:


> Snowbirds which club you in re bedford cf ..............


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## snowbirds (Aug 11, 2012)

*Bedford mki & mk2*

Hi Mandrake,

I had a lot of dealings with the MKI & MK2.I bought my CF MK1 with a shot gear box and no mot .I found  a guy who had a MKI engine and gear box for sale and was doing the MK1 to MK2 swop just to get the 5th gear. He had got a scraper builders's MK2 Had the top lifted from the engine and gearbox, lifted his camper van on axle stands and jacks and put the MK2 Running gear, then found the propshaft didn't match, one had the centre bearing ,the front rad and grill would not fit, so had to go to electric fan and machine the water pump down.He told me it was not worth it in the end as the top gear was about the same ratio.This helped me by not going down the same road.It was much the same
with looking at unleaded heads.We just used a fuel booster, and worked out a head at £300 on a engine with 80,000 on the clock we would wait till the engine would need replacement.It went on to a good home after 11 years and is still running well.


Snowbirds.  







mandrake said:


> hi there ,i used to have a beddy cf 2.3 .fitting any other engine in one is going to involve chopping the crossmember about ,not actualy the easiest job to do in fact yours will be thecf1 with the2.3 and dont think you can even fit the later cf2 engine in if i am not mistaken even the diesel engine needs the matching crossmember . ,you can fit a gearbox with overdrive and its matching prop if you can find one at a decent price .i am told that fitting a five speed box from another beddy is not worth the hassle ,as the 5th gear ratio is virtualy the same as 4th gear ,lpg aint worth the cost of the kit price and cost of fitting .if you realy want dam good advice on the cf then join the bedford owners club ,they know these vans inside out.i dident find my old beddy that thirsty 30 on a run running local was in the 20s ,the car i had at the time was a darn site thirstier could bring that down to below 10mpg if i pushed it


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 11, 2012)

hi ,forgot to mention that you could transplant the whole front running gear .it actualy makes sence if your beddy is the cf1 with drum brakes the cf2 had disks  it also gives you the chance of  overhalling the front suspension bushes  about the only things the old beddys fail the mot on


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 11, 2012)

I think mines the CF2 facelift rather than the old rounded shaped CF1.
Though I could be wrong.......


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## snowbirds (Aug 11, 2012)

*Cf bedford*

Has it the slope 2.3 engine or the up right one.

Snowbirds.






Mistlethrush said:


> I think mines the CF2 facelift rather than the old rounded shaped CF1.
> Though I could be wrong.......


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 11, 2012)

Mistlethrush said:


> I think mines the CF2 facelift rather than the old rounded shaped CF1.
> Though I could be wrong.......



bedford made the cf1 with the twin grill and more rounded cab ,that had drum brakes ,and the 2.3 slant engine .then they facelifted it and gave it the squarer cab still with the same mechaics,,a few months later they updated to the cf2 same squarer cab but fitted disc brakes and the 2.0 opel engine plus other mods . personaly i prefer the first cf1 ,only thing about the cf2 is you can unbolt the whole front panel to make engine changes,instead of having to remove the running gear ,or cutting the front end of the van then having to re weld it back on ,another thing is you cannot fit the discs to a cf1 without changing the upper wishbone and front hub assembly


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 11, 2012)

Ill go n have a look........


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 11, 2012)

Okay this is it...#330750554120 was on eBay. If the link works that is!

Looks a lot better than that now:wacko:


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 11, 2012)

good old vans and quite reliable ,there is no electronics ,ecu gizmos . mine had electronic ignition fitted .only thing is ,parts can be a bit thin on the ground now .i wanted new front wings as the arches were a bit moth eaten no metal ones are made now ,and ones that come up from time to time cost a fortune so i made the arches (dab hand with a welder and filler)once you get one sorted they last forever ,adrian baily in leeds has most spares but he can be expensive


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## Mistlethrush (Aug 11, 2012)

mandrake said:


> good old vans and quite reliable ,there is no electronics ,ecu gizmos . mine had electronic ignition fitted .only thing is ,parts can be a bit thin on the ground now .i wanted new front wings as the arches were a bit moth eaten no metal ones are made now ,and ones that come up from time to time cost a fortune so i made the arches (dab hand with a welder and filler)once you get one sorted they last forever ,adrian baily in leeds has most spares but he can be expensive



Aww thanks Mandrake. I know it's not the newest puppy on the the block, but it doesn't owe me anything and it's a blank canvas.
I've had VWs in the past and they've been real money pits (even though very lovely:heart, so I thought that I'd opt for a bigger van and see how I got on.

Funnily enough I was thinking about doing a welding course, so who knows:idea-007: 

It's keeping the kids and the neighbours entertained:dance:
Kim x


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## lala (Aug 11, 2012)

we have a 1990 transit with lpg conversion on it , the hubby wants to change it and put a discovery diesel engine in it when funds allow, dont think he will have many probs as he is a mechanic in the past hes built his own off roading landys


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 11, 2012)

why make life difficult ,why not just transplant a tranny diesel engine and box mabey prop . got to be easier and in my opinion a better engine


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## landydriver (Aug 11, 2012)

.


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 11, 2012)

Mistlethrush said:


> Aww thanks Mandrake. I know it's not the newest puppy on the the block, but it doesn't owe me anything and it's a blank canvas.
> I've had VWs in the past and they've been real money pits (even though very lovely:heart, so I thought that I'd opt for a bigger van and see how I got on.
> 
> Funnily enough I was thinking about doing a welding course, so who knows:idea-007:
> ...



if you can weld and are a bit handy with a spanner then a beddy will last as long as you want it to ,we had a 1966 split screen vw back in the seventies  2 a penny then but since the surfer lot got at them they are silly money ,not one on the road worth more than a couple of grand in my oppinion  no room in them uncomfy and not the safest thing on the roadyou are sat a few inches from the front . there is nothing to mig welding ,in fact anybody can teach themselves in no time .i think the real skill is making the replacement parts


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## Tbear (Aug 12, 2012)

If you want it to go around Europe, you need to check that you can get insurance/breakdown cover before you start spending money.

Richard


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## Deleted member 775 (Aug 12, 2012)

Tbear said:


> If you want it to go around Europe, you need to check that you can get insurance/breakdown cover before you start spending money.
> 
> Richard



thats no problem why do you think that .many bedford cf travel world wide .how many classic cars and vans travel to the e.u do you think


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