Pete Attryde

I would suggest changing the clutch Slave cylinder as well if it hasn't already be changed.

Here you go around 8:05

Cheers Baz, She would be absolutely no good as working dog, Unfortunately. She's a rescue who someone has tried to train as a working dog, but only succeeded in training her to not come back , I have spent about 4 years trying to undo the harm that has been done and I still can't trust her off the lead Pete

Blimey 18 months since I last posted anything on here As is the way of things the Toy cars are taking over. I still have the ickle 90 and built it a trailer so I could tow it behind a Toyota Pick-up I aquired Then I got bored with the Toyota and sold it and the trailer to fund this :- Which I am in the process of installing this into Build thread can be found here :-Build thread Also built this as a change of pace Thanks for looking Pete.

Finally finished the re-build of the 90 :- Pete.

I suspect the is also a cost factor involved. It is often perceived to be cheaper to buy a 'simex' copy than a good AT tyre for example http://www.paddockspares.com/23585r16itst-235-85r16-insa-turbo-special-track-tyre-only.html and http://www.paddockspares.com/23585r16ggat2-235-85r16-general-grabber-at2-tyre-only.html ok not a big difference but people will try and save every penny at the moment I suspect.

Without intending to sound patronising, you do know that you need to have the engine running and then cycle the through the gears before checking the level with the shifter in neutral, other wise the level will appear to be high. Pete.

Check the oil level in the box and make sure that the gear selector arm and cable are free and moving far enough. I doubt the switch will have anything to do with the issue as all it does is switch the reverse lights on and stop the engine from starting in anything but N and P. HTH Pete

Well that proves my memory is shot to bit's . Glad you have found a probable cause for the failures. Have fun putting it back together and next time you see James give him a slap for giving you that cold. Pete.

As Chris has found there is no provision for a conventional dowel the are just the 2 studs. The box I removed was the same as the box I fitted in this respect. There was no evidence (in the service history for the Discovery) of the gearbox having been replaced prior to me changing it. Pete.

In the time that I owned the engine/gearbox the engine back-plate has never been off the engine so is as far as I know as it left the factory there were 2 solid dowels locating the bellhousing to the engine backplate (as mentioned above by Chris). The original (to me and as far as I could tell original to the vehicle) flexplate survived approx 100,000 miles, The gearbox and torque converter were then replaced with re-con items, when the gearbox died. When reassembled I drove the vehicle approx 1000 miles before the original flexplate broke (in much the same way as the one Chris has posted pictures of). This was then replaced with a new flexplate, (at this point I again checked the depth of the torque converter and made sure that the 2 studs/dowels were fitted correctly), which lasted I would guess 10,000 miles and then broke in the same way. This last plate (a genuine LR one) was fitted and has lasted less than a year although I don't really know how many miles. Pete.

Chris, I used a piece of angle cut to drop inside the bell housing and bolt to a couple of bell housing bolt holes to clamp the torque converter in place when I last had it apart. I got an assistant to hold the torque converter into the gearbox whilst easing the box away from the engine. Also the drivers side engine mount has a large washer as a spacer to stop the timing cover from touching the steering box. Pete.

Have been playing with this again, Got new axles for it and have started fab'ing up the suspension. I'll update the build thread here :- http://ukrcrc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12063 Also going to chop the roof off and make a rollcage for it. Pete Pete.

both times it failed on me it was the centre that broke out. I suspect it has failed in the same way again as the ring gear is still engaged with the starter. Pete.

The list and fitting guide, Les has posted was also supplied with the new box (it may actually be in the paperwork I gave you with the car) and I double checked the torque converter depth when I fitted the box originally and also when I last changed the flex plate. Pete.

I don't know, however this engine has always been an auto and the only things changed prior to this problem were the gearbox and torque converter (and now 3 flex plates have failed the original 100,000 plus miles one and then 2 replacements both from Ashcrofts in a relatively short space of time.) The box and converter were supplied by Ashcrofts so I am happy with them as units. I put the first (original flexplate) failure down to the mileage it had done, and the second one I attributed to the fact it was made of a different material to the original one (it seemed more brittle especially one compared to the current one that is a genuine Landrover part). However now this has failed also, I can only assume that in the process of replacing the box and converter I have missed out checking some critical measurement that has led to the failures. Pete.

(I am the previous owner)The dowels were there last time I took it apart and the alignment was double checked as I was aware of the issue with miss-alignment when I fitted the new box and torque converter/ flexplate. Pete.

Chris, Having to chatted to James at the weekend, he said something that I was not aware of. The bush in the end of the crank that supports the nose of the torque converter comes in a couple of sizes (large and small, but I don't know what the dimensions are). I suspect that the bush in the end of the crank is of the smaller size where as the nose of the torque converter is of the larger size. This would cause the flexplate to dish as the bolts that hold it to the torque converter are tightened causing it to be stressed in away it was not designed to deal with leading to the failures. Unfortunately without taking the thing apart and actually measuring the two bits I can't think of another way of confirming it. It is as far as I can remember the only dimension I would not have checked as I wasn't aware of the differences when I last had it apart. It would however explain the problems which only started after the new box and torque converter were fitted when the engine and box were still in the Discovery. Pete.

Did this method from the tech archive not work ? :- http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=14403 Pete.

Another great weekend. Good to meet some new people and catch up with some familiar faces. Thanks again Neil for driving and thanks to Les for the entertainment . Only casualties from our Saturday group, were Mo's front bumper and the near side mirror and offside wheel arch on my 90. Pete.

Here are our videos and photo's. http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b235/RACEFACE120/Wales%202011/ Pete

Mike, Don't forget it may have been starved of oil when a certain person parked it on it's roof a while ago. This may not have been all that good for it. Was this why you called friday? I did see the missed call until very late and then forgot to call you back Pete

I've thought about this a bit more and I'm fairly certain the symptoms don't fit for the flex plate being broken. The noise from the flex plate being broken would go away if the engine revs (not load) were raised slightly (although putting the engine under load will also stop the noise.) I think the noise of the flexplate comes and goes because the broken bits rattle against each at tickover but as the engine smooths out at higher revs they wedge against each other stopping the noise. When it broke on me, I could drive it fine (no odd noises) until I stopped at road junctions etc when the little bloke would re-appear with his hammer. Hope this helps Pete.

Chris, Did this sound like a small bloke with a big hammer in the bellhousing (particularly at tick over)? Much louder than tappets. As the only time I had a similar noise manifest itself was when the flex plate cracked. Unfortunately there is no easy way to check the plate with out dropping the gearbox. Pete.

Not been around much since selling the fullsize 90. Been playing around with the little 90 and upgrading the bit's that break (sound familiar ). Will update later. I wanted to have a go at building another truck. This time I decided to not make a replica of anything but scratch build a 6x6 off-road capable truck. Build thread here if your interested. Pete.