Renault trafic/vauxhaull vivaro

[Haz]

A long delay in updates and only get the odd day on the van, with plenty of head scratching too!
First up was adjusting the garage doors, the van can now be worked on indoors, albeit tight


I had returned back to the scrapyard to collect some missing parts. I had overly complicated things mixing and matching so tried sourcing direct fit parts. essentially the blocks are the same but everything else differs with the laguna.

Collected the aircon setup with some loom



The window runners looked tatty

And have manual winders

So picked up some replacements, including some electric, heated mirrors

Door card off


Replacement rail, electric mechanism and mirror fitted

And replacment door cards, tidier with buttons

I swap over the door loom to cater for the additional connectors, they don't plug into the dash loom!
I have a feel about under the dash for the air con connector, thats missing too!

With little to google on these vans besides maintenance, I found another breakers with more selection to work things out. In short, they either come in poverty spec or with the electric pack, the entire van loom is different, with connectors at different points.
I was quite set on the idea of air con and electric windows so proceeded to fully strip another van, the engine age range is 2000-2007, but there is some minor differences 2004 onwards so i stuck with the same age as the luguna stuff.

Back in the garage, the entire engine bay loom out


dash loom back out


And every other bit of wiring including the rear doors

 

[Haz]

With the van mostly stripped, work started on the back end. I reverse into a tree branch


Replacement vauhall door, not the same shade but at least the same colour

A different lock so removed that


Im sure i tried to replace it with a de locked handle to match the side door but there was some differences


So settled on changing to the orignal van lock

Not to upset the canbus or recoding, the mechanism was changed to the donor van one


The door trim seal was loose

but with no time for silicone or the likes to set, the glue gun came out

Whilst at the back i chnaged the lights and trims to tidier items

After fitting the door, as it never closed properly, the trim removed to get to the latch

Which of coarse was rusted to bits



And then the rear bumper removed to straighten out the rear crash bar and heat up the bumper to take out the humps that the door rubs on as it opens

Stickers removed, debadged and quick polish. Back end complete!

 

[Haz]

working down the side of the van, the side door handle was broken so removed and replaced, along with the runner




The arch was bent when i bought it, apparently a wheel fell off on the motorway after a bearing collasped!


with a bit a of rub

Back in the van i had to join back the loom. i had originally chopped a foot past the connector thinking the loom couldn't be different from the side door back, but it was.



Passenger door items all swapped as per the drivers door


Dash back in


That hole is for a hook, but i have something more useful

Seats back in

Whilst at the breakers I also came across this bulkhead but with a factory bonded in glass panel



Red looked a bit loud so applied some 4 way stretch lining. Not a great match to the existing as just guessed when ordering, light grey for the cab side

With dark grey for the load space

Bolted that into position

And of course, vans either come with or without the bulkhead, and as such have different pillar trims and top trims



With the interior all complete, the engine bay loom was fitted. The air con is operated through the engine ecu, so again that, the body module, steering transponder and fobs are all off the donor.
At this point, if you're considering a van, get the one that's already fitted with the bits you want, a bulkhead and/or electrics pack.
This van is now effectively a 2005, electric pack, air con, 6 speed renault trafic.
On with the conversion!
There are differences between the fuel system. some vans have a manual primer bulb like the donor, mine has an in tank electric, controlled by the vans original ecu. Tracing the old loom the live is taken from a join so repliacted onto the 2005 loom but the earth is via the ecu, or in this instance just bolted to the body and the pump goes live with the ignition on.
The high pressure pump to rail and back circuit is different on the laguna so that was all changed back to the van arrangement.
At this point, if you already have a working van, to uprade its basically just the manifolds, turbo and downpipe to swap (various engine codes but the laguna is preferred).
All set to test run, click, click click. Somethings jammed up, engine will now only spin one way, even with a 4ft bar! Clutch seems to be ok. Starter checked, and swapped. still the same. Its been a while since i fitted it so pull the engine back out to double check the clutch

All good, but still won't turn so pull the belts off to see whats seized, the alternater, it was only free wheeling on the clutch

While the engine was out it was an ideal time to make the downpipe but yet to source another cat for the turbo flange, and the ones ordered don't fit.

So removed the egr circuit. Blanks made for each port and a simple pipe to loop the coolant


Engine refitted until parts arrived, not really a time saving as decided to replace the belts too


Build back up to try again

Cranking over properly, result! running, not so much. The injectors are still laguna, and they're different codes to the van. The van injectors aren't coded as such, one code for all models. Injectors removed from donor, injectors removed from engine, ports cleaned and van injectors fitted. Both injectors stripped to inspect, it appears that the van caps could be fitted to the laguna internals and body but unsure whats compatible.

Attempt to fire up again, nothing. Cracked open the injector pipes with just a trickle on cranking. Diagnostics reading low fuel pressure.
Curious as to what failed the pump was removed, stripped, inspected and seals replaced. Refitted and attempted again. An increase in pressure but still not adequate to start so pushed back outside as space was required.

Currently on hold . . Pump, glowplugs, battery and downpipe.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

WOW!!! Some Mammoth work going on there @Haz !!! But it makes for great reading/content!!!

Keep up the great work mate!!

 

[Adey]

wow just wow, thats a huge amount of work, well done

 

[DaveL485]

Jesus wept if this goes on much longer i'm going to buy you a flaming van, I can't take it any more

 

[andybond]

Jesus wept if this goes on much longer i'm going to buy you a flaming van, I can't take it any more View attachment 159775

Imagine someone said 12v to you 10+ years ago.

 

[Haz]

Jesus wept if this goes on much longer i'm going to buy you a flaming van, I can't take it any more View attachment 159775

Cheaper to buy the pump and pop round to fit it for me??

I've got used to not having the van. I could have replaced it but i'd have to break it or sell it cheap. Recouped on surplus parts, think i'm still under £500 so far.

 

[Jackyv]

Cheaper to buy the pump and pop round to fit it for me??

I've got used to not having the van. I could have replaced it but i'd have to break it or sell it cheap. Recouped on surplus parts, think i'm still under £500 so far.

Did you ever finish it?! I’m at this stage of the exact same process!!! Can’t get fuel pressure am lost at what to try next!!! Cheers and hope you got yours running!

 

[Jackyv]

@Haz

 

[Haz]

Erm ish haha. Tried other pumps, rails, most of the fuel system at engine end. The low fuel pressure fault was a break in the loom, under the sleeving so not visable, near the fuel rail sensor causing it to open the relief valve, sending fuel back to tank. Probably the reason the donor van became a donor!