Expert help Required

[pete3000]

Yes that's not a bad price either, EN24T grade steel. Does look shorter. Prob worth a call on Monday to ask them to measure the length to be sure before ordering.

[skirky dave]

Pete, Yes I agree mate. Only thing is, it's a mobile number. I have sent them an Email regarding the issue, so.......Will have to wait and see.

You see, what got me thinking was... The image for the bolt and the 3 BEARING Crank,, ALSO looks short, which for the series 3bearing Crankshaft, It is !!. Apart from the thread.

So ,..my train of thought is, both bolts, Imperial/metric are in fact......the same short length.

I could be in business if this pans out ok. Fingers crossed.

What do you think.

Dave.

 

 

[skirky dave]

Hi guys,

Sorry but i've been waiting on parts arriving to complete the job, ie Capstan Winch Dog and correct Crankshaft bolt.

Had these parts bought for me for my b'day later this month which was very nice. They should be with me this week and then i can get cracked on.

This seems to have taken forever and tests the patience somewhat.

I didn't want to put everything back together,..using the old Crankshaft bolt only to take everything back off again to replace the new bolt and start torquing everything up again.

There's so much more space with things off.

Can not wait to start her up again !!!  BUT...i have been busy doing other jobs

New water pump and new fixed fan, new hoses, Radiator reversed flushed, checked and ready. Electrics re crimped and all joints soldered and greased for winter.

Chomping at the bit now,

Dave.

 

[Snagger]

To replace the crank bolt, you only have to remove the crank bolt.  It's worth firing it up to make sure everything is working correctly before fitting the winch and drive mechanism, just in case anything does need opening up again - it'd be more of a pain to remove the winch than just swapping the bolt over.

[skirky dave]

Eh up Nick,

Mmm, i suppose i could temporarily fit the radiator with just water, for the time being and see how things go. I was in a bit of a quandary as to starting her up, given the advice by yourself and Les. The thermal shock thing got me thinking although Les has done this before without any problems.

When it's your first time doing something like this you have to listen to people with the experience of doing such jobs. 

Once again.......it's raining!!!  Typical.

I'll let you know how i get on.......in a bit.

Cheers Nick.

Dave.

[Snagger]

Why would you only fit the rad temporarily?  Even if you needed to remove the timing case again, that can be done with rad in place.  Not necessarily a bad idea to try it first just with water to check the water pump is OK, but the waterways will rust and scale with pure water, so I wouldn't leave it too long like that (especially with the night time temperatures dropping).  But you can run it a very short time without coolant, just not long enough to drive it at all.

[skirky dave]

I thought it might be a bit tight removing the timing case and dealing with the timing belt again with the radiator in the way. I'm only going to start it up Nick, just to see if she runs. 2 mins tops. If she does..great, but i have no intention of driving it anywhere until it's sorted. It shouldn't take long,

My mates coming round with 2 fully charged 800+ cca batteries to turn her over. Just in case one dies cranking her. We shall see in a bit. Fingers crossed.

Dave.

[Les Henson]

You won't need to run it for 2 minutes. It might take a few goes to get it going, but during that period there will be very little heat generated. Once it starts, let it idle briefly, then rev it and allow to return to idle. You might expect some initial smoke, but the throttle response and the sound of the engine will tell you if all is ok. If the injector pump is even 1 tooth out it will be plainly obvious.

 

 

Les.

[Bowie69]

As above, shouldn't need more than 20 seconds really.

[Snagger]

I would not run an engine more than 10 seconds without the coolant system working.

If the timing is right, it should run.  It'll be terrible if the timing is even one tooth out.

[skirky dave]

LES..NICK,,BOWIE69,

IT LIVES !!!!!!!!!!!. YEA. Tried turning her over on First turn of the key for 10 seconds, NOTHING/, Second turn again 10 seconds and nothing BUT trying./ THIRD time and after 3-4 seconds and.... WALLA. Only ran her for 30 seconds or so. A little black smoke to start off with, but cleared after a few seconds. We went back an hour later and tried her again and NO problem at all. 

The Crankshaft bolt wasn't torqued up to the max, just enough to keep it all together until the New bolt and dog gog comes this week., 

Slight adjustment ( fine tuning) required on Diesel pump but that's to be expected i suppose, but there is plenty of adjustment in either directions..so that seems positive.

She sounds really good, not rough at all, but after i've finished fine tuning the pump, the motor should sound really sweet......( for a diesel anyway).

Just waiting for the final parts and that's it.  Just as the great british weather turns, typical.

On a personnel note,.....just wanted to say A HUGE THANK YOU   LES/NICK for everything. Your advice/experience worked like a charm.

I feel like i've really achieved a major goal with this. To say it was very early August when the problems hit !!. It was a daunting project to say the least and there WILL be more photo's / images to come with a write up, Hope it will help others in the future.

 

So...Cheers guys i REALLY DO, appreciate all your help.

Dave.

[Snagger]

Well done!  Gear box rebuild next!

[skirky dave]

Cheers Nick,

I've read quite a few of your post's over the last few weeks, and like Les, you have obviously acquired a lot of knowledge in the world of Land Rovers.

Errrrrm ....Gearbox.!!!!!

In the words of Clint Eastwood.......(A  Man's gotta know his Limitations) .

 I fear that may a bridge too far.  The last time my gearbox went bang ( shortly after fitting a Rover 3.5V8 ) in fact it went bang TWICE !!, I took it to a friend of mine ( in Chesterfield), on BOTH occasions for a rebuild, and in the end the 2.5 n/a went in. No problems since, and that was 10-12 years ago.

I remember him saying at the time " the problem with the V8 is you don't know where the line is as far as the torque is concerned regarding the layshaft, a bit too much and... bang it goes"  Same applies to the TDI'S.  

From 68hp  and 114lb ft torque -----to ----188lb ft torque is a huge jump for a gearbox designed in the late 40/50's.

I've heard a few people say...the TDI is a good conversion as long as you don't over do it or things break. Some say take off the Turbo and run it as a DI. Glencoyne Engineering also state this. SO...I'M staying with the 2.5N/A.

I watched him start to strip it in his comprehensively fitted garage/workshop...and heated, (It was mid January) and was just amazed at all the bits that go into one of these 2A gearboxes. He just stood there taking it to bits. I was gobsmacked to be honest. DAUNTING......Oh Yes. However ..i wasn't there during the completion of it.

On the face of it,...it does look VERY complicated.

 

 

 

[Snagger]

Only on the face of it, though.  A couple of bits are a pain, like getting the clip off the main shaft third gear, but it's simpler than it looks.  R380s look a little daunting to me, but I know it's fundamentally the same.  A SIII gear box is stronger than the SII type, specifically the lay shaft.  I broke two teeth off the third gear of my SIII box because of fitting 3.54 gears in addition to overdrive and Tdi, and then using 3td overdrive for 30mph zones where 4th was used with original diffs.  That was my fault for using the box inappropriately.  They can take a Tdi or V8 as long they're driven with respect.

[skirky dave]

Mmm it's the ( Driving with Respect) bit that can quite easily be forgotten and cause, what i could only describe as catastrophic damage.

Here's the scenario......You've been waiting at a junction in rush hour traffic for ages and NO ONE, will let you out,..suddenly, there's a small gap followed by an onslaught of more and more traffic. You decide to GO FOR IT, put you foot down in order to get onto the main road and..........BANG.  Your now stuck in the road going nowhere fast and causing an even bigger tailback, plus getting heated verbal from the driver behind you.  I know this quite well....It happened to me !!.Near the Royal Hallamshire Hospital at the University Roundabout, Sheffield. It was a nightmare, and everyone driving like it was a grand prix. Anyone on here who knows that roundabout will, i'm sure, agree.

In front of me was a dual carriageway, and there i was...stuck,  for over an hour. 

I was always led to believe the series 2A Gearbox was stronger than the series 3, because of the larger layshaft...or so i was told. Is this not true then?.

[Snagger]

16 minutes ago, skirky dave said:

I was always led to believe the series 2A Gearbox was stronger than the series 3, because of the larger layshaft...or so i was told. Is this not true then?.

It's a very commonly spread myth.  The main shafts an gears are almost identical, and all the bearings and bushes are identical.  The SIII lay shaft is a single piece with radiused section changes, while the II/IIA shaft is splined with added gear wheels and has sharp sectional changes that concentrate stresses.  That is why that shaft is so much weaker than the SIII type.  Some claim that early SIII boxes have weak 1st/2nd synchro units.  That is possible, but I see little difference between them and the later versions so I suspect this to be another myth.  Ultimately, a worn out box with infrequent servicing and aggressive driving is going to suffer, while a unit in good order, well maintained and sympathetically driven will cope with little trouble.

[skirky dave]

Well,..you learn something every day. More reading for me.

Cheers Nick.

[skirky dave]

Les / Snagger.....

Ok..this is the SECOND attempt at posting this but my computer has well and truly had it.

Sorry it's been a long time guys but i ended up with a virus on my computer, to the point i had to contact Microsoft uk to try and get them to sort it out, 

Weeks later and my computer just freezes up, the arrow stops working and i can't even turn it off in the usual way. i have to turn it off with the power button, Then it takes multiple attempts to start it and then crashes again. Fed up with it but can't afford another one just yet.

All my images are gone so my son shall help me sort things out later, GOD WHAT A MESS!!!!!

Anyway all of you. Have a very happy New Near

All the very best

Dave.

[Snagger]

I don't get on with electronics either, Dave.  That's one of the things I love about classic Land Rovers, especially Series vehicles.  Best wishes for the new year to you too.

[skirky dave]

Cheers for that mate.

I'm trying to post as and when this damn thing allows me to. I 'm going to have to find someone local to look at this. Maybe reformat it. Should cost a few quid...happy new year to me ££££.   Just to give you the heads up...the motor is running REALLY sweet. I had to mess about for an hour or so to get the motor to start well and to keep running well..

I discovered the timing required advancing by a total of ......1mm. It took ages because i thought it needed about 1/4 of an inch. How wrong i was..... 1mm , can you believe it, Such a farce, but the difference is great. Pulls better, Not coughing or spluttering from first starting on a cold morning, as it was before. It needed 10 mins, before she ran sweet but now. there's no smoke no cough just starts and runs lovely.and all because i advanced the timing by 1 mm. Amazing.

Speak to you later mate

Dave.

[skirky dave]

Way Hey guys, I'M BACK !!!.     Computer sorted complete with proper anti virus etc etc. Cost a few ££££ but there you go.

Just wanted to say EH UP to Snagger and Les and all those who helped with advice regarding my timing cover conversion.

However...i lost a lot of images due to the computer but my eldest son knows someone who's a bit of a geek with computers and may be able to sort something out. So all may not be lost,   just yet!!. Anyway, hope you lot are all ok.

Dave.

[skirky dave]

Ok guys, after a lot of sorting out and getting my son to help me sort things out,...This is how i managed to make my engine brackets.

The galvanised steel ( which my son got hold of for free !!!! ) was 12 ft long x 7.5 mm thick x 42mm wide.

This created a problem in itself because ALL the galv had to be ground off before fabrication and welding could be done. And that's where the pain/ fun started !!!.

 

[skirky dave]

I wanted to leave the existing chasis mount in place instead of cutting it off just in case i wanted to fit another diesel engine in at some other time.

So..First thing was to make a cardboard template, and create the crease where the mount bends, as shown by the pencil line. This blog may take some time so please be patient before asking any questions. So i can upload all the images with explanations.

[FridgeFreezer]

Are you sure that steel is thick enough - is there not a battleship or something you could cut a bit off?

[skirky dave]

Next..8mm thick steel plate was cut to shape and then using the angle grinder, i cut along the line in order to be able to bend it to the correct angle. Once that was sorted, i back filled with the welder, no comments please i'm still learning and i shall have a lot of practice before i can get anywhere near Les's standard, And i'm using a stick, so,,