benjwom23

Thanks Mike, I will have a play with it this evening. Thinking about it the striker did seem a little high last time I fitted it (it has been on and off about 100 times already!). I had to rebuild the doors from new steel as only the top half was salvageable. I have fitted new skins so they look great and are all seam sealed / filled with dinitrol but it has taken over a day so far to get one door to line up in all dimensions and it still needs bending out a little at the bottom (but my frame is really bl**dy strong and I'm struggling to bend it!) and lifting at the back slightly. I regret now not just buying new later type doors! Also turns out I am missing numerous bits so I cant get the lock barrel to work. Apparently there are more parts which bolt onto the back of the barrel and some bearings which I dont have. Think I will make some stainless 'blanking' barrels tapped so they can be screwed in from the back and just use the remote central locking to open the front doors. One less thing for scumbags to try to break into anyway... Ben

Hi all, I have read hundreds of forum posts on the early Defender lift handle locks but nothing seems relevant to my issue. When the door is shut against the seal, it wont open from the inside handle. From the outside with the window down, I can push against the door to take the pressure off the striker arm, then it will open using the inside handle but if there is pressure on the striker arm (ie the door is fitted against the door seal) it will not open. It opens fine from the outside handle, albeit there is some resistance before it releases. Obviously I can adjust the door so that there is no pressure from the door seal but that would kind of defeat the point of the seal! Has anybody experienced a similar issue or does anybody have any experience of taking these locks apart? I know these early lift handle locks are no longer available from anywhere so I am reluctant to drill the rivets to have a look inside without some sort of guide as there seem to be quite a few moving parts, although it does feel like there is some wear / some springs have lost tension inside mine as the outside handle moves a few degrees with no resistance and therefore rattles. The lock is the one as in the diagram below Thank you!

Assuming you mean electrically stopped working, ie the fan wont work, I would start with the switch. Bypass it, see if the fan comes on before messing about getting to the fan itself. Then check the fuse, then disconnect the wiring connector at the fan and check for 12v. To get to the fan you need to remove the air inlet under the N/S wing. To get this off you will need to remove the windscreen washer bottle. The fan is inside the heater box, screwed in from the back. To get to it you need to remove the heater box from the bulkhead. B

Hi all, I have an issue with my suspension. Car showed a message: 'Suspension fault - Max speed 30mph' shortly after entering a 60mph road. I stopped the car, turned it off and back on, cycled through the suspension heights: it lowered at normal speed, came back up to 'normal' height quickly and started to go up to off road height quickly but then stopped displaying a 'vehicle raising slowly' message. I cycled through a few times and each time after it went up and down fine. I drove steadily for the remainder of the journey (10 miles or so on slow roads) with no issues shown. On the way home the same thing happened shortly after entering the next 60mph road. When I parked and turned off the engine a few minutes later the rear right suspension was way down, much lower than 'access' height. The rest of the suspension was also low, but I assumed it was trying to self level(?) I started it up again and it climbed to normal height. It has since sat at normal height since. My assumptions are: it goes up and down fine, so it isn't the compressor. It sits at normal height for 48 hours without leaking so there isn't a leak. It is either a height sensor or more unluckily an intermittent sticking valve (staying open after the car thinks it has closed). I have a diagnostic booked this afternoon, which I am hoping the car will have stored the fault and will know what the problem is and which corner caused it if it is a height sensor? I haven't managed to get it to break again though. Assuming it is a sensor, can anybody point me in the right direction for the part numbers please? It is a 2007 TDV8 L322. I have found for the rear: LR032106, RQH500440, RQH500441, LR020629, RQH500451, RQH500450, LR020628, LR032105 as fitting 2002 - 2009 models but also RQH100030 (which is much cheaper) fitting 2002 - 2004 or 2002-2009 depending on where you read. Front seems much more simple: LR020626 Left and LR020627 for Right? Thank you, Ben

Thanks for the replies guys. Totally agree that it wont be for everyone. My intention is for it to be a bit more modern (not rust coloured, warmer, less constant mist, try to be able to hold a conversation above 50mph, hopefully be a little less wet when it rains etc) while still looking like a Defender. I originally started out to just replace the chassis and reassemble but the usual happened and everything turned out to be a complete mess and not worth reassembling. I was / am intending on a build blog but a) I never seem to get any time to work on the car never mind do a build blog, b) I work on a computer all day so try to avoid them as much as I can, c) I am lazy and d) I keep forgetting to take pictures. I too am interested in how I am going to go about building the dashboard. It is a job I have been putting off for far too long. I am pretty good with a spanner, general fabrication, electronics, hitting things with hammers but less so with the interior subtleties. I WILL (try) to take some photos and put a build blog together. Unless it turns out to be terrible, in which case I wont! As for not being road legal: it has a chassis built to the original spec (albeit with 300Tdi engine mounts), original suspension setup and original steering components, so 9 points. I know there is an argument that the DVLA 'radically altered vehicles' definition really doesn't work for Land Rovers on a chassis. For example the 300Tdi and R380 were in the car when I bought it 12 years ago, I replaced the front axle about 8 years ago as it was in poor condition (rot / mechanically poor), and replaced the rear axle during this rebuild for the same reasons. Finding standard age related parts for a 4C in decent condition is pretty difficult. I guess it is going to be much the same for many of the Land rovers on the road.

I know it is almost impossible to answer but I am after a rough valuation for a rebuilt 90. The insurance need a valuation for the policy: 1986 LR 90 on a galv 300Tdi chassis, 300Tdi (immaculate, 90,000 miles), R380. rebuilt bulkhead (totally rebuilt, ALL rust removed). Resprayed Grey with orange underneath (chassis, axles, engine parts - easier to see oil leaks!) Rebuilt axles (300Tdi), new alloys (16 inch Defender), twin fuel tank (both new), new doors x3 (original style lift up handle on front), heated everything: windscreen, rear screen, mirrors, seats, brand new Masai sliding rear windows, soundproofed throughout, LaSalle interior (full roof panels, all rear windows) re-covered in new scrim fabric, new re-covered door cards, new Land Rover rubber matting, sound proofing system from Exmoor trim (cant remember the guys name), new Mantec wheel carrier, tubular bumpers front and rear, 9500lb winch front, new lighting including LED headlights, spots, roof lights, work lights, door handle lighting, mirror puddle lighting, 4 interior lights, footwell lighting, interior door lighting, leather electric seats, twin batteries, custom dashboard. Plus loads more, you get the idea. I am trying to go for Range Rover luxury in my Defender! I am still working on the interior and wiring loom but hoping to be finished by spring. I know the non standard nature wont appeal to everybody but I have no intention of selling it anyway so I am building it purely as I want it. As I said, I am just hoping for a rough idea to give to the insurer. Thank you!

That makes sense, I have mine going into various 'T's. This seems much neater.

What is the little pneumatic coupling mounted to the bulkhead directly behind the turbo?

I painted mine in Orange mainly from a 'where is that oil coming from?' perspective. Has the added advantage of rustproofing and looking pretty though.

So gearbox refitted, haven't touched the slave or master cylinder except for obviously attaching it to the bellhousing. Clutch disengaged perfectly. Still non the wiser but much happier.

I have just fitted new fuel lines, injector pipes and filter (so no fuel in the system). Didn't prime, just turned it on the starter for a few seconds and away it went. Should that not happen?

I got a brand new Mantec Land Rover branded carrier from the UK MOD auction on bidspotter for about £100 Inc vat. Worth keeping an eye out if you are able to collect from Colsterworth near Grantham.

I didn't as the M/C / pedal box assembly is a new take off from a Defender which had an Auto conversion straight from factory. I assumed, possibly incorrectly that it would already be setup. I will check this now though. It is a 'normal' long bellhousing coupled with a 300Tdi

I didn't replace the Spigot bush, it was in tight, had the correct diameter and a smooth surface. I will order 1 (or 2) and get it replaced If you think it should be. The friction plate springs all moved out seemingly fine when I removed the plate, and back in when I put the plate on so I can only assume that they are fine. I'm pretty certain the push rod is fine, having driven 100,000 miles or so with it! I am hoping that the (albeit small) mating of the friction plate and flywheel was enough to prevent it from engaging gears. If I get time to reassemble tonight I will hopefully find out

If your battery is good (and charged) then it will be a bad connection or corroded earth. Disconnect everything, clean up rust, and loads of copper grease when you reassemble.