Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

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RangerNeil
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Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#1 Post by RangerNeil » Sat Oct 25, 2014 10:42 pm

Sometime ago I bought a UAZ 469 from a friend who'd had it sitting in his garden doing nothing. - Delivery finally took place in June this year after the annual War and Peace Revival show down in Kent. This is how the old bus was as bought:
Image

After a week of ploughing through the mud in Kent it was dropped off on my drive as in this photo:
Image

Primary issue was a total lack of hydraulic brakes although the handbrake was quite effective :D Being an early model the brake master cylinder was under the floor, bolted to the chassis rail. Later ones were more conventional in having them up on the bulk head with the battery relocated to the other side of the engine bay. Once a cylinder was obtained it was easy enough to replace and bleed. That got brakes back.
Next issue was the non-runnng engine - it had been running down at the show so it wasn't a going to be a major fault and diagnosis revealed the fuel pump had ceased pumping!! It seems to be the Achilles heel of the marque so a new pump was ordered and fitted together with a repair kit. Once this was done the engine burst into life.

Some footage of the living engine : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5JqpPzhsdw

Next on the list with the possible advent of wet weather was the door tops. These bolt on to captive nuts in three places on each door. Problem I had was only door had all three nuts - the rest had rotted out leaving holes. There is also supposed to be a seal between the two sections as per a Landrovers - these were obviously missing so I made some up from thin rubber sheet and a morning work got me 4 door tops fitted:
Image

Image

The other problem here is the doors are badly buckled so the tops lean out away from the vehicle rather than in. The design calls for the rubber trim seals around the tops to make a seal against the roof material/frame so an instant problem with waterproofing!! Fortunately the roof has a hook ad eye on what would be the B pillar so I pressed the door tops in and pulled the roof over. Can't open the doors from inside but is gives a degree of waterproofing. When it did start to rain I found water was pouring (literally) through the roof seams - a tube of PVA seam sealer cured this though and after the odd holes in the front scuttle were plugged with either bolts or rubber core plugs the interior remains relatively dry... Relatively being the operative word........ Still get puddles on the floor but it's no longer a swimming pool inside! :D Plans are to replace the door with new ones from a supplier in Poland - maybe even the door tops too with a new design that uses sliders akin to a Series Landie rather than the quarter lights on the existing ones.

Once we had a dry(sih) interior the fun really started. None of the lights worked as intended and the dash had a few odd holes where switches were meant to be. Another days work tidied up the dash so that the great electrical hunt could begin.
Before
Image

After
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Much hard work with a Multimeter tracing circuits found the relevant wiring for the lights and a new light switch was ordered and delivered. Unfortunately it did not use a multi-plug so the next job was tracing the patch through the switch to find out where the head and side and panel lights connected to. After a few false starts - one of which saw smoke rise from the rheostat I did not know was there I got it figured and I had worked head/side/tail/brake lights, map reading light and a working dip switch. One "interesting" feature was the wiring on this vehicle bore no resemblance to any wiring diagram available for the 469 and the other "interesting" part was the fact the new rear light clusters looked identical - but were wired differently internally, I had to swap the clusters as the original design was the old 50's style lighting where the brake and indicators were double function - now frowned on I believe so it was an easy thing to swap to a later 3 bulb cluster and re-route the brake light feeds.

Working lights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lUXEgt-QDs

That brought me to the indicators. Oh what fun.... it took an age to realize that the indicator relay was the rather large box screwed to the wall of the drivers foot well. Once found the wiring for this was even more insane!! It didn't help that it has two multi-plugs, 1 x large and 1 x small and the small one was the brake feed that had been bypassed earlier... A long session with a multimeter traced most but not all of the cables and a prolonged dig up on the main loom revealed another large multi-plug. This stumped me for ages until discussing it on the Cold War Car group over on FB and a member there pointed out the second plug was for a hazard warning switch, kindly providing the pin-outs. I patched the multi-plugs onto the relay using fly leads and got nothing. Taking the relay apart revealed this amount of corrosion:
Image

A new relay and the hazard switch were duly ordered from Russia and fitted on arrival - result was working indicators and hazards. That just leaves the side repeaters and the heater fan to sort out. Oh - and the spotlight - it keeps blowing a 35A fuse when turned on.

Working indicators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjyV0mhnve0

Externally a mounting plate was made from 3mm ply and secured to the jerry can holder on the back to take a UK size number plate - now I just have to sit back and wait for DVLA to do their thing and issue the paperwork so I can get the number plates made up.
Image

Next jobs to do will be to fit the MPH overlay to the speedo head but before that can be refitted I am waiting for another delivery from Poland containing the bulb holders for the main beam warning light and the speedo illumination plus a couple of temperature sensors and a new warning light assembly. I have the oil pressure sensor and will fit that at the same time.

Unfortunately as of today I also need to repair the fuel pump - remember I said it was the Achilles heel of the 469?? Mine has stopped pumping again!! :( :(
Neil.
Cars
1974 Saab Type 95
1963 Saab Sport

Green Machines
19xx Czech built UAZ 469
1957 AEC Militant Mk 1 6x6 Ten tonner
1974 Landrover 109" FFR Series 3

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TerryG
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Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#2 Post by TerryG » Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:06 pm

I've never seen one of those before. looks like a fun off-road toy :) Careful not to park it anywhere near Sam Glover or you may find your keys missing.
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.

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Mitsuru
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Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#3 Post by Mitsuru » Sun Oct 26, 2014 1:01 am

Has the fuel tank been off and cleaned out? if not it might have crap in there which won't
help the fuel pump. can you fit a filter ot something to act as a filter before the pump?
I'm Diabetic,& disabled BUT!! NOT DEAD YET!!

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JPB
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Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#4 Post by JPB » Sun Oct 26, 2014 11:09 am

What a fabulous thing! :D Is that fuel pump a mechanical one? If so, you could leave it in place but blank off both valves, remove the lever, fill its slot and use [the pump body] purely as a union for appearance's sake, then fit a reliable electric one somewhere underneath.
That engine certainly sounds fit enough, is it of all aluminium construction, or is that impression purely down to the block having been painted that way?
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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RangerNeil
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Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#5 Post by RangerNeil » Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:26 pm

TerryG wrote:I've never seen one of those before. looks like a fun off-road toy :) Careful not to park it anywhere near Sam Glover or you may find your keys missing.
There are a few around - and a few of it's bigger brother, the 452 which looks kind of like a VW T2. It certainly had no problem getting through the quagmire that was the W&PR show this year, indeed I was told it helped pull a few other vehicless out of trouble. Sam's welcome to an escorted test drive once DVLA extract their digits and sort the paperwork out - and I cure the fuel pump issue!! :-)
Mitsuru wrote:Has the fuel tank been off and cleaned out? if not it might have crap in there which won't
help the fuel pump. can you fit a filter ot something to act as a filter before the pump?
That's a possibility - although it was running fine on the drive without moving so any crap should have settled. That said the tank did run low so possibly something has been sucked up. Worth a look anyway. :D there are - or should be - filter screens on the pick up pipes in the tank, but if my S3 Landies ones were anything to go by they may well be destroyed. The transparent filter at the top of the engine is not OEM - there should be another filter bolted to the upright bracket at the front above the fuel pump.
JPB wrote:What a fabulous thing! :D Is that fuel pump a mechanical one? If so, you could leave it in place but blank off both valves, remove the lever, fill its slot and use [the pump body] purely as a union for appearance's sake, then fit a reliable electric one somewhere underneath.
That engine certainly sounds fit enough, is it of all aluminium construction, or is that impression purely down to the block having been painted that way?
Yes, fuel pump is purely mechanical. It's used on several different East Bloc engines so when getting a replacement you have to make sure the actuating arm is sitting at the right angle! I did think of fitting a Facet pump on the inner wing - there are some spare holes from something another owner had fitted and bypassing the mechanical one for every day use, just reconnecting it at static shows. I think the engine is cast iron but I would not swear to this, I do not know enough about them yet to give a definite answer.
Neil.
Cars
1974 Saab Type 95
1963 Saab Sport

Green Machines
19xx Czech built UAZ 469
1957 AEC Militant Mk 1 6x6 Ten tonner
1974 Landrover 109" FFR Series 3

vulgalour
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Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#6 Post by vulgalour » Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:56 am

That's a charming wee thing, something all UAZ seem to have in common. I hadn't expected that parts sourcing would be so easy but it seems you can find anything you want for it.

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RangerNeil
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Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#7 Post by RangerNeil » Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:30 pm

vulgalour wrote:That's a charming wee thing, something all UAZ seem to have in common. I hadn't expected that parts sourcing would be so easy but it seems you can find anything you want for it.
Well - not as easy as sourcing Landrover parts - but nowhere near as bad it's made out to be! :D Right now it's a case of e-mail the supplier, wait 2 or 3 days for a reply with prices and shipping costs then place the order and wait about 15 days for delivery.
After talking to other owners it looks like the Facet electrical fuel pump is going to be the way to go.

Right now I am having fun and games with DVLA - applied for the V5 a few weeks ago - just got a reply with a set of kit car forms in asking me what I've changed from standard....... Sometimes you feel like you want to give up banging your head on a wall with these people!! :( :(
Neil.
Cars
1974 Saab Type 95
1963 Saab Sport

Green Machines
19xx Czech built UAZ 469
1957 AEC Militant Mk 1 6x6 Ten tonner
1974 Landrover 109" FFR Series 3

User avatar
RangerNeil
Posts: 159
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:43 pm
Location: Dagenham, UK
Contact:

Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#8 Post by RangerNeil » Sat Jan 03, 2015 10:45 pm

Time for an update I guess :D

Firstly - no surprises - still no result from DVLA on getting the V5 so I can get plates made and start using the old bus.

Next - the speedo now has the overlay fitted:

Image

All lights are now working and I think the problem with fuel might be I poured it into the wrong tank so as soon as it stops raining - been pretty much constant for 3 months now - I will try either experimenting with the change-over tap or put some more in the other side.
Heard from Poland just before Xmas that the parts order is on hold temporarily as they are having trouble sourcing the R/H doors - as soon as it gets here I can get the speedo refitted, doors painted and then fitted and all will then be ready to go!!
Neil.
Cars
1974 Saab Type 95
1963 Saab Sport

Green Machines
19xx Czech built UAZ 469
1957 AEC Militant Mk 1 6x6 Ten tonner
1974 Landrover 109" FFR Series 3

vulgalour
Posts: 674
Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#9 Post by vulgalour » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:03 pm

That's a brilliant speedo solution, such a simple idea! Hopefully it ends up being backlit by the instrument so you know your speed at night.

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RangerNeil
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Location: Dagenham, UK
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Re: Going East - getting a UAZ 469 back on the road

#10 Post by RangerNeil » Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:55 pm

Thanks :-) Will let you all know as soon as the bulb holders arrive from Poland :-) Also have heard from the DVLA - been issued a replacement chassis number as they cannot find the original on their systems (???) - once I get a garage to stamp it on the chassis and ID plate then rubber stamp the letter I can hopefully get a V5 and get on the road :-)
Neil.
Cars
1974 Saab Type 95
1963 Saab Sport

Green Machines
19xx Czech built UAZ 469
1957 AEC Militant Mk 1 6x6 Ten tonner
1974 Landrover 109" FFR Series 3

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