First time driving it!

[Skirrow]

Loaded the buggy (now named "The Grass Cutter") on my mates trailer today and took her to a field for a little fun testing

Huge fun.  ;D ;D Was hard to get the power down in the wet field and occasionally popped out of gear when we hit a heavy rut but she survived intact.

With the wheels spinning in 1st and 2nd it didn't take too long to burn off all the water sadly. If I repeat that I'll be needing much better cooling I think.

Anyway, couple of vids

Tail happy
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150206424893927

Riding shotgun
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150206441343927

Dead
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150206445058927

 

[jason_l]

Video's don't work???? Privacy settings on Facebook?

Jason

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Looking a bit grassy by the end Looks great fun though!! What had actually happened to the cooling in the end?
Max

 

[Phaeton]

Well done Dave

Alan...

 

[Skirrow]

Hopefully the videos are working for anyone now.

The cooling wasn't cooling much really. I had an overflow pipe coming out of the top of the rad and after a few minutes it started dribbling. The dribble turned to a spitting so we topped up with water but it carried on until there was no water left in the rad.  Managed to get a good half an hour, maybe an hour driving though.

I have no gauges so not sure how hot the engine was. Eventually I stalled it and the battery was dead. Probably a good thing really as I would have kept driving until I cooked the engine if I had had the chance.

Not 100% sure if I have a cooling problem or if it was just the high revs/wheel spinning in 2nd gear that did it. Have run it in the garage for a good while without the coolant boiling off so I'm inclined to think it's the latter.

Going to spend a couple of week catching up with work and family and then fix a couple of minor things that came up and try to get it out again.  ;D

 

[Phaeton]

Silly thought, but if battery went dead & it boiled, is the fan belt still on, or could it be slipping?

Alan...

 

[Skirrow]

Not that silly Alan!

Belt is still on, but you could well be right about it slipping - makes sense.

I actually had a short which I thought had damaged the battery.

I'll have a look at the belt. Would be a very easy cheap fix if that's the case so fingers crossed...

 

[Danny]

well done

more fun on the road though especially in the snow

 

[Steve]

Well done with get it running, and the testing /fun looks great. Now its only a small step to get it on the road, to some of the shows and the Welsh Buggy run.