Cornish Rattler

Once I have got the series 2a stripped and the old chassis cut up awaiting the scrapman to collect I can make a start on checking the disco engine over to see if it has been recond and if everything is ok I will replace all the gaskets and stuff ready for it to go into the 90 whilst we wait for the new 2a chassis to arrive

Removed the engine, bulkhead and gearbox today the on Monday I am going to remove the axles and cut the chassis up ready for the scrapman, pics to follow

Made another start on the 2a last weekend, split the roof from the sides and after lifting the roof off I removed the sides then undid the tub ready for when some came home from work to give us a lift to remove it off the chassis then son on his day off yesterday removed the front wings, this weekend I am hoping to get it to a bare chassis ready for the scrap man

We are thinking of getting the 2a bulkhead galved once it's been repaired, looking at using a firm called classic bulkheads anyone used them ?

Hi Jon Sorry we mite be fitting it into the s11a now once the engine is sorted as I bought a disco 200 for the 90 at the weekend and have been told it was fully recond two years ago so once I have part stripped the disco engine over to see if it has we will get the def engine done and put it in the s11a

Cheers for that Mo but i am staying with my old plan and using a disco 200tdi instead, I found out that Steve Parker do a conversion mount kit for the 300tdi into a 4 cyl chassis which gave me the idea of going with a 300tdi but although they are a more refined engine to the 200tdi they do have a couple of issues that crop up from time to time which the 200tdi doesn't so i have decided to go with the disco 200tdi now

Are ok i don't have anything to compare it with anyway so i will just have to deal with that issue when the new engine is in place and ive got a couple of spare fans just incase, the fan that comes with the engine, the old 200 fan that was on the def engine when i got it and a 300 fan that i am using on the def engine now. There isn't a shroud on the rad, the truck is already running a newish 200 rad assuming its a def one with 300 intercooler as i had the 300 intercooler as a spare as the one that was already fitted had a lot of damaged fins but the new engine comes with a rad and intercooler so if the intercooler is ok i will wash in out and re-use it. The Steve Parker down pipe will just have to do as i can't weld although i was rather hoping the disco 200 down pipe would have done the job but it looks like it won't, i did have an S.P. down pipe on my s11a swb disco 200 shaped slightly different but seemed ok to me, payday can't come quick enough now

Are brilliant that's great news, i am hoping to buy a disco 200tdi engine this weekend coming all being well and its just round the corner from me aswell

Are sorry forgot about my pm to you, right i am not really sure what bellhousing i have got on mine but its still on its original LT77 from when it was a 2.5TD if that helps

Could be the front radius arm or the read trailing arm bushes, engine / g/box mounts worth a look aswell

Ok i will let you no

I see what you are saying but the core engine will be fully recon'd as i intend on stripping the engine down myself, having the machining work done then build it back up with new Bearings, pistons and everything else that is needed to rebuild the engine then swap the two engines over once its done. As re-guards the fan i understand that the fan sits close to the power steer box so once the engine is in place and if there is enough on the blades i will look at trimming them down to suite, or it mite be a long shot but try and find out if there is another ( smaller ) fan out there with the same fitting at the tdi fan or if not fit an electric fan

Originally the 90 was a 2.5td which in the past has had a defender 200tdi put in it that was in it when i bought the 90 two years ago and since then i have done a rolling restoration on it, referb'd the axles, replaced the chassis with a galv chassis a couple of months ago and with the engine having the issue with the timing case which i have temp fixed as the power steer pump kept on coming loose and showing signs of having a bit of back pressure i thought i would get the engine done but with needing the vehicle on the road the easiest way for me is to buy another engine and do that one up and swap them over but i really do prefer the disco look, so whilst i am at it the disco engine would have everything i need

Yeah i understand with the 300 rad and hoses but the 300 into a defender idea is wearing off atm and trying to get my head round the def 200 to disco 200 idea

I don't have a disco to look at but with the disco 200 engine in a defender running a 200tdi rad and intercooler and more or less being the same chassis and engine mounts as a disco 200 the engine would end up in the same place as it would in a disco surely, granted may differ if using a 300 as i don't know, and i would have a new recon'd engine aswell

It could be but i really want the disco look, i could buy all the disco dressings to put on this engine but i would still need the 90 on the road to transport all the bits to the re-manufacturer's and back so buying another engine works better for me

Its got a smashed / repaired timing case it was like that when i bought it but i repaired it but really needs a better timing case and the front oil seal is now leaking quite bad, i no the oil seal can be done but as i don't know the history of this engine and have had a couple of other issues with it aswell i have decided to buy another engine as i need to keep the 90 on the road whilst the other engine is being done

As reguard's the 200 the only reason i want to go the disco route is because i prefer the disco look and with the 300 now i have found a sorce for the engine mounts its just made sorceing an engine easier the rest of the work fitting the 300 in is pretty easy as most stuff is readily available. But it depends on what engine i end up with as i am not mythered if its a disco 200 or a 300

Sounds like its the potentiometer on top of the throttle spindle then i am looking at

I am not sure what it is but on most of the 300's i have seen there is a black plug on a bracket next to the diaphram head on the injection pump will that cause a problem or is it a matter of just disconnecting it, i am awere of not using an engine from an auto

Ok i am running a 300 intercooler with defender 200 pipes atm the bottom intercooler pipe just about fits but as you say new pipes would be needed for that, rad hoses arn't a problem as i was going to go silicon anyway so new rad needed, anything else

Hi guys As you may know i am looking at replacing my defender 200tdi engine for a recon'd disco 200tdi engine but i have just seen on the Bay of E that Steve Parker's do a defender 300tdi to 4 cylinder engine mount conversion kit ok its 100 quid but i am not bothered about that as i can't weld anyway and also noticed that 300's are easier to get hold of aswell. So if i decide to go down this route instead, as reguards fitting a recon'd 300tdi in and mine currently being a defender 200tdi engine aswell as needing a 300tdi front down pipe and getting the wiring sorted for the alternator is there anything else i would need, engine mounts and front pipe is all i can think of, can anyone help on this please

Yeah you mite be right but i have had so many issues with this engine over the past two years i have owned the vehicle the main one is with the engine already fitted to the 90 before i bought it was i don't know if the engine was originally from a crashed vehicle or wether the timing case has been damaged at some point in its life but the timing case had been damaged where the two lower power steer pump bracket bolts hold the bracket onto the timing case and although i have sorted that problem out i am frightened to undo it all again and end up with a bigger problem as i can't drill the holes out any more than they are now, needs a better timing case really but they are like rocking horse poop to get hold of so think doing it this way will be better + i don't want to have the 90 off the road as i will need it to collect the disco engine and transport bits to and from the engine re-manufacturers, then decide what to do with the old engine once the new engine is in, fix, break or sell on

Yeah i did think of fitting a gas strut but if i needed to remove the bonnet the strut would be a pain when undoing and refitting

Like your bonnet stay i have just removed mine as for some reason when we was rear ended last year the bonnet stay had doubled over on its self and took us ages to undo the bonnet, i straightened it out but its never been the same since so I have been using a bungie strap for now then saw this pic and realized I had a length of threaded bar in the garage and tried it in the same position as yours and it works a treat