Common Faults

These are some problems and fixes that Abbot owners have sent in...

BEFORE STARTING YOUR ABBOT : Look in the back and make sure your main turret battery switch is in the off position unless you know for sure your batteries are either new or good. The result is overheating alternators and a pack out job to replace them. The alternators try their hardest to charge something that is not there or will not accept charge. Engine bay fires have been reported to me due to this problem. Bad main batteries can put strain on the alternators too.

ABBOT DIES AND STARTS AGAIN IMMEDIATELY : This normally happens when under power and usually at the same distance each time. It is due to an air bubble travelling from the fuel filter down to the diesel pump and stopping the engine before bubbling back to the filter allowing the engine to be restarted. The solution is to undo one of the big screws marked "out" on the fuel filter and run the fuel pump ( The noise you get when about to start the engine ) until diesel fountains out. Put the screw back quickly so as not to let any air in. (If the engine is hot use lots of rag to stop the excess diesel going into the engine. ) This gets rid of any air bubbles.

IF ABBOT IS PARKED OUTSIDE : Take all the drain plugs out. This is not usually a problem unless you go up a steep gradient. The water washes backwards and stops your fuel pump which is located on the bottom of the fuel tank. They should be sealed against this but this has not been the case.

COVER THE ENGINE GRILLES :  The grilles act as sieves making sure only the small items pass. The result is the small stuff blocks the radiator and the engine runs hotter than nescessary. Cover these if storing the Abbot under trees etc.

IF YOUR ABBOT HAS BEEN STANDING FOR A LONG PERIOD : When you set off and the engine gets to the stage where the fans cut in, this can sound like bearings going to the person who has never heard it. If it is accmpanied by oil spitting from the rear fan grilles then most people would stop thinking something serious was wrong. This is usually debris and oil picked up from the floor of the engine compartment, by the flow of air created by the fans, and then thrown out. The oil can be so bad that it can cover the person sitting in the left hatch on the turret. Luckily it is not usually hot.

ENGINE TURNS BUT DOES NOT FIRE : This could be a sticky fuel pump cutoff solenoid. It is a cylindrical shaped thing which comes off the fuel pump at an angle. It has an aluminium end with a small plate on it held by two fasteners sometimes with lock wire on them. A temporary fix is to hit this with something hoping to jar it free. The permanent fix is to remove the plate and spray a bit of WD 40 into the end and replace the plate. I did this and never had the problem again.

GUN CLAMP : Always make sure this is on when moving as a moving barrel will snap the shear rod in the traverse gear. Also make sure the swivel which allows you to lower the clamp flush with the engine decks, is alright. The pin sometimes comes out. If the clamp is not on or comes loose and if you were to take a sharp corner snapping the shear rod the gun will swing out. You may not think this is too bad but what about the people in the back or the kit that gets smashed by the cradle coming round inside. Its always a good idea to make sure everyone is in a seat with their legs tucked in anyway.

LOCK THE HATCHES DOWN : There are stories of hatches trying to slam shut after going over a bump. Make sure the hatches are locked down. The rear loading window hatch should be pinned back as when this slams it usually breaks off its handle. The rear door is a grey area. Because the handles almost always never work, people generally lock this with a padlock if you have nobody in the back. If you have people in the back make sure you have a doorman. Do a job on the handles that makes sure at least the two on the opening side work. They have to be quite stiff and lock into an indentation on the doorframe. Tell the two people in the hatches to get out from the top in case of fire and in case of rolling to get as far down inside as possible.

ONLY RUNNING ON MUD OR GRASS : Take all the track pads and washers off . Not only are they expensive and should be spared but you will get better grip without them. If running on tarmac most of the time take long corners avoiding tight turns that will put tension on the track and grind away at the pads. If its wet an Abbott can slide just like a car only for longer. You can tell this because of the way you can swing the back out after it has rained.

NON-STARTING IN HOT WEATHER : Sometimes after trying to start an Abbot or in hot weather the thermal cutout for the starter cuts in. Sometimes this sticks in the off position. The only way to the starter is through the fan blades. Locate the starter. It has big cross-head screws on like a car starter. Then find something like a piece of steel rod that you can feed down to the starter and rest on the starter itself. Hit the other end. This will hopefully dislodge the switch. I have done this successfully in the past. Sometimes it helps if someone is operating the start switch.