[Unique Roof Rack - or purchasable?]

Looks like the right one.

Owner says homemade.

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic8473.html

[X-Like]

Great Idea !

How about a way to keep the doors open?

As in when I open the front or second row doors if I am on even the slightest of slopes I have to play a balancing game to get them to stay open ..... or is this just a case that my door stays are knackered?

EDIT: If there was a good solid way to keep them open I'm sure off roaders as well would appreciate them considering the angles they have to open doors at.

[Adding USB to dash]

Have you all seen this ?

http://www.amazon.co...37803277&sr=8-9

just hit the market in the states...

confirmed it charges a ipad2 and a iphone4

at the same time.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

Based on that and the fact getting stranded in the desert is slightly more troublesome than being stranded in a supermarket car park I'd be inclined to check all metal work in the cooling system, for example the metal coolant pipe that runs along the top of the engine towards the heater matrix. Last thing you want is to be springing a leak.

Have fun

it wasn't pretty....but it was still serviceable....cleaned and now working good....the heater matrix though, not so good.

Thankfully it doesn't get that cold here We bypassed the heater and will replace when i do the second flush of the radiator.

bottom line....water in the rad has cost me lots.

thanks and i will.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

The 'mud' in your cooling system and the corrosion of the thermostat sounds like your coolant was just water.

yep it looked like water with a little food coloring !

I should have replaced all fluids when i bought it then....but Life happens, and i couldn't afford the truck anymore... so it sat .... until now.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

Forgot to add...

Did the timing service as well.

I was worried he would want to use the Britpart timing parts that are popular here....

i mentioned that to him and he smiled..walked into the parts room and pulls out a Bearmach timing kit.

then sat down and watched them install it.

Old parts still looked real good...but i did not know when it was done last.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

i cant believe you own a Land Rover. most guys on here wouldnt bother with half of that. My radiator has about 70% of the fins missing and i wont change it lol

To sum up i think your treating that 300tdi very well

thank you remember though its going to get real hot around here in a couple of months.

Id rather pay now for the radiator flush than deal with overheating in the desert.

thanks again.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

Update: i towed the truck to the shop.

Opened the hood and chased out the birds and spiders living under there.

Started testing the hoses....all the water hoses sounded like dry straw when squeezed.

Job 1: swap out all water hoses.

The mechanic says...lets start it up to get it on the lift....we connected a battery...and it started immediately.

No struggling... people standing around commented how smooth it runs

on the lift we noticed:

P gasket leak.

started removing all the hoses and immediately noticed alot of "mud" / corrosion inside.

Radiator was then taken out and sent to the rad shop for refurb.

The thermostat was a disaster. Corroded to a point it was almost unrecognizable... caked in "mud"

so after replacing everything...my plan is to some how flush the cooling system.

im going to leave out the thermostat and run the truck for a few weeks....luckily we have cool weather here now.

Hopefully the newly cleaned radiator will catch the carp floating around. i will then go back and have them clean the rad again. (cheap to do here)

I also installed a digital thermometer with alarm....has very accurate readings.....im hoping it will alert during the flush stage before anything goes horribly wrong.

We also drained and changed all oils...diffs, transfer, trans, and engine...they all looked great.

Also cleaned and greased everything !

what do you all think ?

thanks everyone.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

If it was running before being sat then, I would fire it up and look/listen for problems. An oil change won't hurt, along with new filters and see how it goes.

yep i am changing all the service items.....

Unless you are being ultra careful or are about to set off into a remote area I would just start it up too. After a few minutes running let any water out of the fuel filter - catch what comes out, if no water, no problem! Look out also for things like coolant, oil or diesel leaks. Give it a good service, change the cam belt if you are of a nervous disposition! The tyres might be a little odd for the first few miles, check their pressures.

Chris

yes a very nervous disposition

Check that the brakes are properly free: 18 months of disuse can easily result in sticky pistons or the metal pad-backings rusting to the calipers.

I recall a SIIA which had been stood for a long while - when the handbrake was released, one of the linings had rusted solid to the inside of the drum and actually came unbonded from the metal part of the shoe. The drum would only rotate a few degrees before the shoe fouled on the internals - the owner thought it was a seized transfer-box.

Were the tyres kept fully inflated all the time? If they went down and the weight of the truck was supported on the sidewalls, and they are tube-type tyres, Bad Things™ culd have happened to the tubes.

--Tanuki.

yes sir, brakes are on the list as well. MOT is due, and im positive the parking brake needs relining.

He will replace/reline the brake and tighten the cable.

G90s all around..........a little bit of a loss of inflation, no real outward signs of cracking etc.

[Truck has been sitting for 18 months....Opinions on what to check ?]

Hi Everyone,

I need your professional opinions on what to check for.

My truck has been sitting for 18months. Its a

1997 110 300tdi

I am towing it to the mechanics on Thursday. I don't want to try and start it without changing all the fluids.

I just installed a new battery.

So far on my list of things to do and check are:

- change all fluids

- change all oils

- change all filters

- check for water in tank.

- grease and check suspension

- bearings

maybe have him do a timing belt as well.

what else can you all think of ?

It is much appreciated.

thanks everyone !

rob

[Cooking Food on a 300TDi Manifold]

its my wife does all the manifold cooking, dosnt look good though with an apperently broken down Landrover with the bonnet up and my Mr's rooting around in the engine bay whilst Im still sat in the drivers seat!

Thats hilarious !

You know....maybe all those people that say LRs are not reliable...think that way because

they see Land Rovers on the side of the road with the bonnet up....thinking its broken down.

while in fact.....they are checking the steaks and potatoes !

take care,

rob

[Cooking Food on a 300TDi Manifold]

Rusty Nissan: that looks good...from what i read about cooking via the manifold...you must be a pro.

Judging the cooking times seems difficult. Also you mentioned the 300TDI.....what about mounting it on the EGR blanking plate ?

Also....in my search i found a product that guys in the states use....originally made for snowmobiles.

FYI: Im not affiliated with the company....heck, im originally from Florida and now Jerusalem....not too much snowmobiling around here.

http://www.flat-o.com/snowmobile/hotdogger.htm

Here is another one, the MUFFPOT:

http://www.westernatvs.com/browseproducts/...OOD-COOKER.html

seems simple enough to make though...maybe it will give someone a few ideas.

hope it helps.

rob

[Headlight Alarm / Buzzer]

So what's wrong with checking all the switches are off before you get out of the drivers seat ? that's all I do. hate buzzers for lights on/keys in ignition,

While walking back to the truck to unlock and switch the damn headlights off.....

i say to myself......i swore i turned off everything .

Aragorn: Thanks for the idea....im electrically illiterate....your idea sounds exactly like what im thinking...but i was thinking of a simple hood pin switch.

though, if im understanding your double pin switch...it sounds perfect. Id have to buy the ebay switch from Ebay.uk and have it sent to the US or Israel.

Could you please tell me the name of the part type to search for it locally ?

also what do you all think of this ?

http://www.aeroflash.com/aeroflash_battery_guard.php

also this kit looks great for me to learn a little...its cheap....and it would be great if i put it together and it actually worked.

http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete...ive/VEK3505.htm

thanks alot guys for all the help....

Rob

[Headlight Alarm / Buzzer]

Hi Everyone,

I have a '97 300tdi 110.

I cant count how many times i've locked up the truck and then only later realized ive left the headlights on.

Every other vehicle ive owned has had a buzzer to remind my dumb-self that ive left the lights on.

Has anyone done this modification ?

I searched the forum but haven't found anyone mentioning the problem, let alone installing a buzzer.

I guess it only proves.......im pretty unique

anyway...all help and comments appreciated.

rob

[merry christmas to all]

Merry Christmas from Jerusalem.

rob

[Tree wires]

Called branch deflectors in the US...

i cant link to it....but follow this:

www.d-90.com

then click in the top menu - CUSTOM MODS

then on the left menu - Branch Deflectors.

its a D.I.Y.....real simple.

and the main part that tensions the cable...is called a turnbuckle.

Used a lot in boat rigging....also FYI, boat supply stores have them available in stainless.

Hope i helped,

rob

[Hello everyone....]

Goodyear MTR's would do the job as would BFG MT's, your wheels are use on the 130 & military 110's in the UK & are know as XD or more commonly Wolf wheels, there are very strong, I've got a set on my 1989 110.

Thank you Sir.

I was already starting to look for new wheels....then i searched and searched

and after reading your post on the BFG MTs your running....

im done....now i just need to save up some Sheckels.

thanks,

rob

[Hello everyone....]

Thank you for the warm welcome everyone !

First of many questions:

Western: I think the wheels are stock LR steel....at least stock for Israel.

the tires are Goodyear G90s. From what i understand...super tough tire

but a kind of rough riding tire.

being this is my first Defender, i dont have anything to compare it to.

(other than Dads 430 hp HEMI Dodge RAM)

Do you think that a more modern tire will give a quieter ride ?

My friends in the military here absolutly love the goodyear MT/R on the issue Defenders.

Fridge: yeah i keep a spare set of Decals in the truck, just incase i find myself in one of the villages near my neighborhood.

[Pics in Cosa Rica]

Aren't land rovers status symbols everywhere?

G.

AMEN ! :lol:

ROB

[Pics in Cosa Rica]

Hi everyone.

Just a quick post to show some pics i took while on my Honeymoon in Costa Rica.

i was told that LR's are a status symbol in C.Rica.

My Wife Limor almost had a heart attack, when i suddenly hit the brakes and jumped out to take a few pics.

Im too new at this to spot all the bits....but it sure looked nice with the volcano in the background.

take care,

Rob

[Hello everyone....]

Hi Everyone.

I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Rob, I am an American and i live in Jerusalem, Israel.

After many years of wanting and searching, I am now a Defender owner.

Most Defenders here in Israel are ex-Police/ Border Patrol vehicles.....once they have finished service,

they are sold at a blind auction. Now i dont have to tell you all the pitfalls in buying a used LR....

so, i searched and searched....and after 2 years i found mine.

Its a 1997 300TDI

Started out life as a leased vehicle, leased to CNN for 3 years.

Then into the hands of a very nice man for the past 7 years.

Now into mine.

It runs sound....and everything is straight, but

needs a little work. Like a leaky steering box and clutch cylinder.

but all in all......IM ONE HAPPY Boy.

i guess all i really wanted to say was HI and thank you all for your knowledge and patience.

Ive learned so much just lurking on this forum hopefully one day i can add something.....thank you.

rob