[Removing Steering Wheel]

I did it!

I just cut two openings in the plastic shroud and pulled the wheel using the regular gear puller.

The plastic is really soft (polyethylene?) and bears no load, other than the wheel cover box. The cuts are limited in scope and won't spread (I believe and hope).

Thanks a lot for the suggestion to leave the loosened central nut in place, otherwise wheel would shoot straight in to the air.

Huraaah!

[Removing Steering Wheel]

Unified National Fine

Jaroslav ... your best bets are Valley Hardware on Bentley or OFS (Ottawa Fastener Supply) on Robertson.

That's where I got the M6 bolt. The thread on it was about an 1.5" long, so I had to thread it all the way to the top to make it into a stud. I don't remember seeing anything with UNF on it.

Perhaps I can buy on the internet a set of dies and make the stud myself?

[Removing Steering Wheel]

Also my steering wheel had imperial thread, UNF i think. Close to metric but not quite right. Mind your jaw!! Leave the large nut loose as suggested.

Could it be that mine is also UNF - whatever the hell does this mean. The M6 bolt I got in the hardware store is too loose. It doesn't hold and pops up when I start tightening the nuts.

:-(

[Removing Steering Wheel]

Wind 2 lengths of 6mm stud into the threaded holes in the wheel... Place the bar/angle over the studs... Tighten each nut in turn ...

Well, this makes a lot of sense. Actually, this is similar to what I've decided to try after typing this post. I wanted to get to bolts of the right length and wind them instead. Using studs is obviously much more elegant. Thanks a lot!

Jaroslav

[Removing Steering Wheel]

Hi All,

I'm out of ideas...

I am trying to install a new signals switch on the steering column, but I can't remove the steering wheel.

I have a little pulley tool (in the picture below) that, as I understand is supposed to pull the wheel up using two M6 bolts. The pulley's shape is such that the bolts turned out to be quite long, so when I tried to rotate the pulley's middle bolt, the two long thin M6 bolts got all twisted. I was even afraid of breaking them with the ends stuck inside the holes.

I thought I might try to enlarge the holes on the steering wheel and make thread for a bigger and stronger bolt, but I'm not sure if that would work.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Jaroslav

[Air Filter Sensors]

Hi all,

I just replaced the air filter (paper insert) on my Diesel 110, 1987. I noticed that there are two strange sensors the purpose of which I can not possibly guess. I don't know what they are supposed to do and how to check if they're still working.

The top seems to be a small pneumatic device. It's connected via a thin rubber pipe to the air tube that goes from the top of the air filter to the engine. There is a reset button on this device. I would guess that it shows the measure of vacuum in the air intake, so, if, for example, the negative pressure is too high, the filter must be clogged and needs to be replaced. There is some text printed on but I can't read it because half of it is smudged with paint.

The second sensor is an electrical one. it's connected to the bottom of the air container. The container itself is kinda rusty and there are holes outside. When I opened it up, it was full of ash seeds. I can not think of anything that could be possibly measured there.

Could somebody please tell me what are these?

Thanks

/Jaroslav

[Rubber Wheel Hub Cups & Axle Questions]

Yes, tilting the axle allows oil to run to the bearings. They only need a covering though. You will need to keep an eye on the back of the brakes for oil leaks from the hub oil seals - in the hub behind the brake rotor.

OK, this I can connect with the picture in the WSM.

You answered your own question about the rubber caps. They keep in any oil which leaks out past the splines. If you remove them then you risk getting oil all over the wheels and allowing the ingress of water into the splines and bearing.

Well, we're back to my original question: why there are rubber cups in the first place, especially that they are supposed to keep the gear oil inside? Oil is much more liquid than grease and can get hot. If they are not for regular maintenance, why didn't they make them from metal and permanently attached? The rubber is just so flimsy. A tree of a stone could scrape it off.

The other question is this: now that I've filled the cap and covered the splines with grease, should I go back and clean the whole thing?

Thanks,

/Jaroslav

[Rubber Wheel Hub Cups & Axle Questions]

When you pull the halfshaft a couple of inches in from the flange is a raised machined bit. The oil seal sits on that.....

There are no machined bits on my shafts; they are simple cylindrical rods.

[Rubber Wheel Hub Cups & Axle Questions]

Land Rover for some reason decided they wanted oil seals on the halfshafts near to the end of the axle tube.

I am at loss here. Mine doesn't have any oil seal. Nor does the workshop manual. Maybe we're talking about different matters?

I am saying that the half-shaft is inserted inside the stub axle, which is attached to the axle flange. The oil could then travel along the shaft all the way to the end of the axle flange. It then can go (a) outside, via the splines of the driving flange and into the rubber cup (and mix with the grease); and (B) inside the driving flange and ultimately into the bearings.

Looks like a strange design.

Where are the oil seals? Maybe inside the stub axle? If so, it's really screwy that the the workshop manual fails to show them there.

Now I damage those end seals to let the oil run along the halfshaft because although I take my hubs off every 6,000miles I also want those splines lubricated.

Try leaving those rubber/plastic caps off. Let the diust and dirt get into the splines, then see how long they last......

What's wrong with using the grease on the splines?

/Jaroslav

[Rubber Wheel Hub Cups & Axle Questions]

Hi everybody!

Could anybody please explain it to me why the heck there are rubber cups on the wheel hubs of my 110?

I can't think of any possible use for them: sure you can remove it without a tool, but then what? You'd need to take out the flange if you wanted to replace a half shaft anyway, so what's the point?

Another mystery is this: what happens when the rear axle becomes tilted? Let's say 30 degrees. Will the oil that is contained in the differential reach the hub cap? None of the pictures of the rear differential I have would show any kind of washer that would keep the oil in the middle part of the diff.

I've just replaced the half shafts. I put a liberal amount of grease on the splines of outer side of the shaft, but didn't put anything on the splines of the inner side, assuming that it's splashed with the gear oil anyway. But now I'm thinking that maybe the gear oil doesn't get there and I should have greased it as well?

/Jaroslav

[Running on waste engine oil]

Carbon or not! The real question is what is going to happen to the synthetic polymers, additives and all kinds of enhancers they mix into the engine oil nowadays?

Also, dirty engine oil has microscopic metal particles that it's supposed to remove from the engine to prevent them from grinding the gears. It will end up in your fuel system.

Vegetable oil can also contain all kind of carp, but at least that would be non-abrasive organic carp that stands a good chance of getting burnt.

[Soft top supplier]

I am very pleased with it what with the amount of Sun and heat it see's here in Aus

Well, don't know much about sun; it's the snow that worries me

I just bought this ex MOD Defender, 1987 with a soft canvas top (painted in camouflage colors). I don't know for sure, but it looks like it's an original one. The previous owner used to keep the truck outside year-round for the last 6 years, in rain and snow. And how did the army store it in the winter during the first 15 years, I don't know; probably outside as well, plowing though shooting ranges somewhere in Alberta.

Is it possible that this canvas top is all original, i.e. 21 years old? It looks very good (save a few worn straps). If so, I could probably keep keeping it outside for the next 20 years?

As an alternative, I could park it inside my garage, since I'm not planning on driving it in winter. The problem with that is that it's too high, so I would probably have to disassemble the top bars.

The question is this: will it rot?

/Jaroslav

[Recommended Fluids]

On the Series trucks, you are not supposed to use the North American brake fluids. It is not compatible with the English rubber. Silicone-based fluids are supposed to be ok but you need to start with all new seals, at least that is what I have read. Having said that, most folks over here use Castrol GT LMA brake fluid in there Series trucks. It's what I have used for the brakes and clutch systems for the last 24 years on mine. Exceeds DOT 3 and 4 requirements.

I don't know if the NA spec fluids will harm the rubber in the later trucks, but I am using the Castrol in my 110 too. And the only place I can find it is at Zellers.

This page states that British cars use natural rubber in brakes seals, which necessitates the use of a vegetable-based fluid, and that of all NA brake fluids only Castrol GT LMA is like that.

But other threads, notably this one, seem to be implying that it's, in fact, just an urban legend and that Castrol GT LMA is no different from others and that all break fluids are synthetic.

Here is another long but inconclusive thread on the topic from www.landroversonly.com/forums.

[LT77 / R380 Gearbox Fluid Selection]

Strangely enough, one advantage of MTL (apart from the normal advantages of using a Cat 5 polyolefin synthetic as mentioned above) is that it has a HIGHER coefficient of friction than other oils, especially all ATFs. This helps the synchro rings to work better.

I just bought my truck and I have no idea what kind of fluid is in the gearbox. But I do know that I have difficulties to shift into the 2nd gear, which is kinda annoying.

I thought that using a Redline ATF would fix this problem, but you seem to be implying that the Redline MTF will do just as well? Am I correct? This would be good news because Redline does say that MTF is better in protecting the gear comparing to ATF.

[LT77 / R380 Gearbox Fluid Selection]

This page seems to be implying that Redline Synthetic Hi-Temp ATF is suitable for manual transmissions.

[LT77 / R380 Gearbox Fluid Selection]

The following posting is buried deep in this thread, but I think it deserves a thread of its own. My summary: using synthetic fluid is a must for LT77 and R380.

"5-speed LT77 and R380 main gearbox (Land Rover 90 & 110, Discovery, Range Rover)

Firstly, let’s deal with the somewhat notorious LT77 and R380 5-speed main gearbox. These are famed for a poor, notchy gear change, especially from 1st to 2nd gear.

The notchy gear change is due to a combination of a weak synchromesh and the use of a plain mineral ATF fluid.

ATF was originally specified for the LT77 5-speed gearbox and, theoretically, could be used in the later R380 box. Type DIII is the best grade currently available. ATF was originally specified because of the weak synchromesh in the LT77 and R380 boxes (especially second gear).

ATF has a very low viscosity (rated as 5W20 since it falls below normal gear oil viscosity grades) and so it has minimal drag on the gears, enabling the weak synchromesh to do the best of a bad job.

BUT ATF has several drawbacks which is why it is NO LONGER recommended for use in such boxes. These are:

It is generally a plain mineral base stock formulation (even DIII) and this, coupled to its very low viscosity, means that it is poor at preventing metal to metal wear in manual transmissions.

This is compounded by the fact that the viscosity improvers within (thickeners) are more rapidly sheared down in manual transmissions. Again, this reduces the protective film strength of the ATF in those areas of high pressure contact and also increases transmission noise.

ATF thickens as temperatures drop (increasing that drag on the gears) which is why folks notice that gear changes are worst on cold mornings and improve after a few miles motoring when the ATF has warmed up a little.

So, what are the alternatives?

Land Rover currently has commercial arrangement with Texaco/Chevron that leads it to recommend a Texaco/Chevron MTF94 fluid. From the freeback we have received and read on this Forum and elsewhere, we feel it’s a little too viscous (5W30 or 70W80) to give the best results. Nonetheless you should use it in preference to ATF if your choice is limited to the two.

However, there are better alternatives such as the fully synthetic MT75D gear oil we have developed. Rather than simply plug our MT75D I’ll give pointers to what you should look for when seeking alternatives to ATF or MTF94.

Firstly, the lubricant must have the original 5W20 low viscosity of ATF fluids to give minimum gear drag. However, it MUST also be formulated only from fully synthetic base stocks since these will have a much higher lubricant film strength so as not to be squeezed out of those all important high pressure contact areas where wear might occur. This, and the low viscosity, has the added benefit of reducing friction which lowers transmission noise and improves economy.

It must also be highly shear stable and able to maintain its optimum working viscosity over a very wide temperature range. This and a very, very carefully matched coefficient of friction (probably the most critical parameter) will ensure that it dramatically improves gear shifting in LT77 and R380 boxes (especially from cold).

It is the improved shear stability and higher film strength that enables synthetic gear lubricants to outlast their plain mineral counterparts by up to 5 times. However, we err very much on the cautious side and recommend only a doubling of drain intervals.

Note that unlike engine oils, gear oils do not have combustion by-products building up in them, nor do they suffer the higher temperatures of engines, so extending drain intervals is entirely acceptable if the lubricant is of the highest performance and the increase is modest. The exception to this would be if the gear oil were contaminated, perhaps by water or mud during deep wading, though this is unlikely. If the oil is contaminated in this way it MUST be changed immediately, regardless of its formulation.

LT230 Transfer Box (Land Rover 90 & 110, Discovery, Range Rover)

That’s the problems of the LT77 and R380 boxes solved, but what about the LT230 transfer box to which these are commonly mated?

You should NOT use ATF, MTF94 or MT75D in an LT230 TRANSFER box. It must use a thicker gear oil such as EP90 (monograde), EP80W90 (multigrade which is better for cold starting lubrication on winter mornings) or EP75W90 (typically fully synthetic giving the best lubrication of all). This is the same lubricant that you should use in your axles and you should look for an API GL5 specification for best protection."

[Recommended Fluids]

diesel or kero for parts washing, need to be careful on disposal tho , unless you got a way of recycling for heating etc. not able top advise on canadian eco law sure someone will JMHO

So, if nor with diesel or kerosene, how do you wash parts then, using what product?

[rear diff]

...there was a small amount of oil coming from the wheel flanges when I was removing them. Is it normal?

Maybe it was just old decomposing grease?

[Recommended Fluids]

Thank a lot for the help! I am going to summarize all the recommendations:

Engine - Shell Rotella T 15W/40 (an NA Diesel doesn't need synthetic; regular changes to remove grit are more important)

LT77 - Red Line Synthetic ATF, if I can find it here

Transfer box & diffs - Castrol Hypoy C, 80W-90 or Redline Shockproof Gear Oil, when feel fancy

Brake fluid - Castrol GT LMA Brake Fluid (less than 500F, but is less water absorbent)

Grease - Lucas X-tra Heavy Duty Grease (because outlasts lithium grease 4 times)

One thing I don't get. If I use the truck only occasionally, i.e. make less than 5000 km a year, should I still replace the oils regularly? I understand that brake fluid needs to be replaced because it ages, but what about engine and gear oils? Do they age too? Is there any difference between mineral and synthetic oils?

BTW, I have an unrelated question. How do you clean old parts? Back in Russia, 20 years ago, we used to drop old parts in a bucket of diesel fuel to get it clean of dirt and grease. I don't like to use the break cleaner for this purpose because it's very expensive and it stinks.

/Jaroslav

[rear diff]

Rotae the drive flange gently in either direction and feel for any play between the pinion and crownwheel. Pulling down hard on the flange while turning it will tell you if the bearings are worn (you will feel any roughness).

And so I did, although I forgot to pull down hard on the flange (damn!). Rotating the flange was smooth and I could feel no roughness. However, I think there is a point (points) where something drops inside the diff with a little knock. Maybe it's a satellite pinion wheel sliding on the cross-shaft?

The wheel flanges and shafts need to be replaced as there is a significant free play. Even if there is a problem in the diff itself, I won't know it for sure until I replace the half-shafts and the flanges.

BTW, there was a small amount of oil coming from the wheel flanges when I was removing them. Is it normal? I put some grease on the shaft ends, but now I think I shouldn't have done this. Well, it depends on how the half shafts are lubricated. Does the gear oil come all the way along the shaft to the wheel flange or, perhaps, it's contained inside the central diff enclosure?

[Recommended Fluids]

According to this page http://www.fourfold.org/RoverWeb/OilFAQ.html

Red Line, Shell Rotella w/XLA and Valvoline Turbo beat Castrol on every account in the 15W-40 category. I am not sure what is the price premium though.

[Recommended Fluids]

Hi Harv, thanks for the reply!

Don't use DOT5 brake fluid - it is silicone-based. You can use DOT5.1 but DOT3 or DOT4 is fine - I just grab the Prestone DOT4 sold in Canadian Tire.

Well, DOT 4 does not provide the minimal boiling point of 260C (500F). Perhaps it's just a mistake and they meant DOT3 or even DOT5.1?

- gearbox is probably the trickiest one, after some deliberation I am using Redline MTL, this seems like the best fit of the available North American fluids

Is it based on somebody's recommendation? I do want to use the best materials, because nobody pays me to do this job, so whatever I do I want it to last. I am concerned that just going with the most expensive stuff could be counter productive. I could be wrong, but I think most of "exotic" oils market is directed towards high-speed/power racing stuff, whereas my goal is longevity. I ain't gonna street-race in my Defender.

- I have the Castrol 80W-90 Hypoy in my diffs, but for the transfer box I got extravagant and went with Redline Shockproof.

Redline is offering Synthetic Gear Oil as well: 75W90NS. Can we use synthetics in Land Rovers? I just bought a used BMW and I was shocked to learn that the synthetic oil I have is good for 25,000 km or a full year! As I said, I am looking for longevity first.

Do you just drain the old mineral oil and fill it (engine, diff, whatever) with new synthetic oil? I remember using synthetic oil once on my car and I think they've charged me with "flushing" the engine, which I was told needs to be done before you put the synthetic stuff.

Would be interesting to hear comments on that.

[Recommended Fluids]

Hi all,

It seems that here in Canada they don't sell the fluids that my user manual recommends. There is a lot of stuff, but it's all not exactly the same as in the book. So far I've been to Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart, but I suspect what they sell is probably representative of the local market. Well, the truck (and the book) are 21 year old, so maybe the brands they are referring to do not even exist anymore.

My truck is 110, 1987. I just bought it and my plan is to replace all fluids, filters, grease whatever I can reach etc. I do not drive it in winter, so -10C to +35C temperature range is probably enough.

Anyway, I would greatly appreciate if somebody could confirm that I am not doing something silly:

Engine (Diesel, 2.5L NA): the book recommends Castrol GTX 15W/50, “Castrol Deusol RX Super 15W-40”, “Castolite 10W-40” and a whole bunch of others.

What is available here is “Castrol GTX, Diesel, 15W-40” and “Shell Rotella T 15W/40”. Close, but not exactly the same. I am not sure if using 15W-40 instead of 15W-50, is acceptable.

Gearbox (LT77): the only familiar brand name I saw was “Castrol Import Multi-Vehicle ATF”. The book recommends “Castrol TQF”, “Mobil ATF 210”, “Shell Donax TF”.

Transfer box and differentials: we have “Castrol HYPOY C, 80W-90” here, but book recommends “Castrol HYPOY SAE 90EP”, “Mobile Mobilube HD 90” and others. What’s the key attribute here – the “90”?

Brake fluid: the book says that I need FMVS 116 DOT 3 compliant fluid having a min boiling point of 260C (500F), but according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT_3, only DOT 5, which is silicone-based, has these characteristics. Now I am really confused

Grease: of the mentioned brand names I could only find “Castrol MP Grease”, while the book mentions “Castrol LM Grease”. Don’t know if it’s the same… I am probably being ridiculous at this point.

Dextragrease Super GP. The book says I need it for the ball joint assembly, top link. Haven’t seen anything like that.

Thank you in advance,

/Jaroslav

[Battery light dimly lit all the time]

I think I know why my battery light keeps glowing until I rev the engine up. It's because the alternator fails to get excited, and why is that happening? It's probably because the ignition light resistor, which is connected in parallel to the battery indicator, is dead. With no resistor, the current flowing through the bulb alone is probably not enough to excite the alternator.

What's left is easy: to replace the resistor! Does anybody have any idea where can I find it on the truck?

[Battery light dimly lit all the time]

I did some reading on the topic:

http://www.alternatorparts.com/understanding_alternators.htm

http://www.alternatorparts.com/FAQ.htm#one%20wire

Maybe what I have is a self exciting one-wire alternator? On the other hand, the battery light seems to be working, so it must be wired to work using the two wire setup.