DAF Manuals and silly newbie questions

[pyoorkate]

Hey peeps,

So, there's this DAF 44 sat on my driveway (ironically, the 4 key on my laptop's died today) which obviously needs a little TLC. Having checked it over, the engine turns over, it has 2 belts, and the brakes are sticky as mollasses.

We've given it a wash (to appease the neighbours, and because my mum's coming and it makes it look less like I'm collecting more old-broken things), and I did, in a fit of enthusiasm try turning the engine over on the starter, which it did. There wasn't any coughing though, and despite the gauge showing half-full there were no signs of life. I'm assuming that the 3 year old petrol's lost a lot of it's nice evaporatey stuff, but anyhow the absence of any kind of petrol-like wiff makes me wonder about the fuel pump.

Does it need priming ('cos I'm presuming it may have all evaporated (which is better than turning to varnish, which is probably the other option ))?

And, to save you any further stupid questions, I can only find an auto-books manual anywhere... is it... any good? I've not been very impressed with them before, being marginally worse than the usual haynes book of lies. Was there ever a DAF 44 Haynes book of lies? Or is there a 'proper' workshop manual which I could locate (or borrow and copy?).

Right, I'll scuttle off on holiday now

[graham]

hi
idont like the autobook manual that i have for my 55 and find the haynes marginaly better but i dont know if they produced one for the 44 try amazon it seems cheaper than ebay in most cases.
if the petrol is anything like mine then drain it, the petrol had turned to sludge but mine had been standing significantly longer. try sucking some petrol as far as the pump to ensure there are no blockages then turn the engine either by hand or on the starter you should see if the petrol is passing through the pump if yours has a clear pipe to the carb like mine. i had vertially the same question when i first got mine
graham

[spunkymonkey]

Got the 33 / 44 Autobooks for ours and I'd say it depends how "step-by-step" you like your instructions. Seems to cover any really unusual procedures fairly well, but certainly assumes a higher level of good-old-fashioned mechanical common sense than certain other books.

If you want something to read through as a sort of preview of jobs before you just get the spanners out and start work then the Autobooks should be fine. On the other hand, if you tend see a "5 spanner" (damn, I hate that rating system!) rating in some other manual and send it to the local garage without even lifting the bonnet then it may not be what you need

[daf44]

hi kate.

haynes do not list a book for a daf44. you are stuck with the autodata one.

as to starting the car check points/plugs/spark first. then prime the petrol system with fresh petrol and pump the throtle a few times or pour a drop straight down the carb. turn the key and listen to the noise from what is left of the exhaust. ;D ;D

try to fit an inline fuel filter as soon as possible. who knows what is in the tank.

other than that, these engines are bombproof. if it turned over at all it will probably run quite easily or it will be a very simple fault.

don't worry about newbie questions. most of us asked the same thing when we started with dafs.

let us all know what happens.

paul44

[scooters]

I have a spare autodata 33/44 manual if you want it

[pyoorkate]

Thanks for the answers folks!

And scooters, I'd love the spare Autodata manual...

--
Kate E

[scooters]

no probs - I'm waiting for it to arrive in the post.

[pyoorkate]

Cheers!

Well, she's running, which turned out to be that the gauge may indicate half, but there wasn't *any* petrol in the tank. Slopping 5 litres of fuel in, and some fresh in the carb to make life easy and lo she started (first try, iirc). And, having ascertained that the brakes work a bit I shuffled her back and forth on the driveway with a silly grin on my face.

I was going to give the brakes a dissassemble-clean-etc, but; well; I discovered I only had my little pint-pump jack, and my have a good look under the car idea was thwarted by the fact that my ramps, axlestands, and two 2ton jacks are at my mums...

Anyway, quick question - is there some hidden retaining screw on the brake-drums - or are they just held in place by the wheelnuts pushing them in...?

Then, when I get the ramps/axlestands/etc I can actually do stuff.

The rust, well, it's a big area - but it all looks like it's fairly simple to repair, so I'll get some quotes and see what we can do.

[scooters]

hi Kate,

still no sign of the daf manual I bought over ebay 2 weeks ago - I will chase it up

[pyoorkate]

Thanks again!

I'm getting a welder round on Monday, I hope, to look at and quote for the cutting out and welding on the DAF.

[dkbhojani2]

hi there, I have spare autobook manual- west hendon- 5mins drive- N C Road.... can be left at ACE Cafe.......... also info of panel beater welder who has sprayed my Dafs over the years. he owns 4 door Minor 1000 H reg for renovating .......Eric B

[pyoorkate]

Can I add some more questions... Well, I can I guess, if anyone doesn't mind answering...

I'm a bit away from the car at the moment (being at work, having done a night shift) and...the only info I can find suggests the car has an oil strainer rather than a full on replacable element filter; is this right?

And could anyone shed any light on the valve clearances. I've never worked on a horizontally opposed twin, could you possibly give me a brief run-down on the clearances and how to get to the valves to adjust them. I'm sure it'll be more clear when I'm staring at the engine, but it's always handy to have a rough idea.

Oh, and what spark plugs / and distributor cap does it need?

TIA folks...

[spunkymonkey]

Hi Kate. yes, it does have a strainer rather than a filter. Apparently they don't do much with their oil anyway so it's good enough

Valve clearances are 0.004" inlet, 0.006" exhaust. Other useful details here: www.dafmobile.ournet.org.uk/daf44data.html

Only listing I've got for the plugs is the old Bosch number of W.175.T1 but don't know what that cross-references to in new listings.

Distributor cap no idea, I'm afraid - but I'd guess it has 2 plug connections if that's any help ;D

As for actually doing the valve clearances, I found myself with one arm over the bonnet with the spanner and one arm in through the wheel-arch with the screwdriver. Not totally sure that will work on a 44 but it's not as uncomfortable as it sounds, honest! The covers have a single bolt holding them on and a rubber gasket that should be re-useable depending on condition.

Joe

[spunkymonkey]

The same as the 33 then. Odd, they were listed as a W200.T35 under the old Bosch. Guess the difference must have been pretty small for such a big number change!

[pyoorkate]

Cheers folks

[pyoorkate]

Eric B - Thanks for the offer! Unfortunately, this month it's either welding or petrol to go places other than to work and back, and so welding's winning at the moment. The chap is coming on Thursday to examine and quote for my required cut-out-and-weld-new (not a great believer in MOT plates)...so wish me luck eh. Next month I could maybe make the run to the Ace Cafe...

And one more silly newbie question - what grade oil do people recommend. I've got the stuff kicking around that I top up the viva with (which was stupid-thin oil that happened to be on offer (something like 10W40 or possibly 15W40) and is semi-synthetic, or synthetic enhanced. Will that be too thin?

[daf44]

hi kate.

if you use BPR6HS plugs you get improved noise supression as well. the R means the plug has a inbuilt resistance for supression but exactly the same performance.

i find tappets on the 44 easy to adjust from underneath with the front wheels on ramps. each to his own i suppose.

i find a 20/50 grade oil better in older cars a it is slightly thicker.
again, each to his own.

keep up the good work.

paul44

[pyoorkate]

Thankyou everyone for the offers of manuals, I've managed to lay my hands on one now...