Bedford CF1 replacement engine

[Brums_23]

Hi guys and girls
I have a Bedford CF (ex Ice cream van) and it had an ex MoD engine fitted ten years ago, which is now producing a creamy residue under the radiator cap. My mechanic ( a classic car mech) says it's common in the cold for this to happen, although now I have converted the truck as a food truck, I cannot afford to have it break down and be off the road for too long. I'd rather replace the engine (or fix it!) befor sit happens.
What would you recommend?
What engines are suitable to swap in (direct swap ideally - 4sp manual)

Many thanks

Chris

[tr7v8]

diesel or petrol?

[Brums_23]

2L petrol. Sorry!

[sunbeam alpine]

I would tend to agree with your mechanic that it could be nothing to worry about especially if it's doing a lot of short runs in cold weather.

Maybe to help confirm whether there's a problem, is either (or both) the water or engine oil level dropping?

Is it driving OK? Is there more smoke/steam coming out of the exhaust than before?

If you could answer these questions it may help us to advise you.

[Brums_23]

Uses a litre of oil a month, but suggests a tired engine.
Water does go down a tiny bit - but it also runs through a hot water tank (hand wash) and Occasionally leaks.
I drive it 200 miles a week - it's runs aren't "short" although often are very stop/start (M4 London, 7am)

[Brums_23]

Starts first turn of the key, without fail (so far) even when it's freezing out.
Dreams a little on start up, but no smoke visible. Does have a little carbon build up on inside of exhaust.
Max speed about 50

[Brums_23]

Starts first turn of the key, without fail (so far) even when it's freezing out.
Steams a little on start up, but no smoke visible. Does have a little carbon build up on inside of exhaust.
Max speed about 50

[GTIAlex]

SOunds in fettle to me.

[Brums_23]

All ok you
Think GTI Alex?

[sunbeam alpine]

I agree with GTIAlex - sounds as though it's fine.

[imagineifyeswill]

Is the creamy residue under the radiator cap or oil filler cap, perfectly normal under the oil filler in vehicles that do low miles and can be worse with certain oil brands, but there should be no creamy residue under the radiator cap.

[sun.and.rain]

Some CF petrols had the strong 2.3 slant-4 as fitted in the 1972-78 FE Victor.

Some later ones used the 2.0 ohc as found in rwd Cavaliers and Opel Mantas, Carltons, etc.

I don't know about compatability with your existing gearbox.

So scrapyard/spare engines readily available. Or rebuild existing?

Hopefully you won't need any of this anyway. Good luck!

[droopsnoot]

Someone once told me that using a low-detergent engine oil could help reduce the creamy residue in the top of the engine. Also I've seen people fit methods of diverting cold air away from the top of the engine to try to keep things a little more warm. Is it the slant-four, or the Opel cam-in-head engine? Being a CF1 I suspect the former, but being a 2.0 makes me wonder if it's the Opel one. There is apparently quite a good CF owners forum that I saw linked to from another site recently: bedfordcf.org

[POORCARDEALER]

And some have the Perkins 4108 diesel clunker, 40 mph tops in out ice cream vans

[sun.and.rain]

If it's a very early CF1 it'll have had the FD Victor 2000 ohc from before the time of the better slant engines. I think the later 2000 from the mid 70s onwards is a totally different Opel designed engine.

Pics available on tinternet to identify engine actually fitted now.

[85Carrera]

I seem to remember from Street Machine back in the day that some of the customised CFs had the Rover V8 engine fitted. May be an option ...

[vanordinaire]

The last petrol CF I had was a 1977 petrol. I had to replace the engine and a 2.0 litre Vauxhall Carlton was a straight swap and fitted the CF gearbox.

[spaximus]

I used to work for a large hire company in the late 70s. we had a load of these and it was a common problem. Lots of stop start deliveries mean they never really got up to temperature. This leads to the breather pipes getting smaller as the emulsification of water and a slight bit of oil makes the cream.

If it starts and drives fine, I would service regularly making sure all the breathers are cleaned out and you take the rocker cover off and clean that everytime.

They are a bd to stop leaking from the cover so a slight smear of RTV helps.

[OldGermanHeaps]

Was it the 20ne carlton engine that bolted on? Plenty of cheap ne and seh out there and shouldn't be too hard to stick an xe in there if thats the case.

[MuscleSaloon]

Good to see a bit of interest in the old CF! .. According to wiki they had the slant from launch in '69? .. My father had a new one around 71/72 .. He was curious about the cambelt (slant was probably the first engine for many people to see with a belt?) ... He queried the lifespan of the belt with the dealers who assured him that it would last for ages .. Not long after and only shortly into the vehicles life the belt failed in the middle of nowhere ! .. A walk to find a property to use a phone resulted in the dealer sending out a mechanic who quickly fitted a new belt and off he went! .. So I'm guessing they are a non-interference engine? .. Or he was lucky?! ..