dudley

Thanks guys, I think with all that help I will get it done in the morning. Regards Steve.

I will have a look at your suggestion of the fuel cut off solenoid tomorrow. Point taken about the fan requiring up to 30A. However the Kenlowe kit is complete with pre wired harness with 30A fuses and relays. The wiring diagram is simple but it is finding where to run the cables is my problem. Kenlowe wiring diag says take the large red 30A fused supply cables (two of them, in event you run two fans) directly to battery. Not convenient on Defender so they are going to my alternator. But it is this small yellow cable that is the prob. The wiring diag tells me to connect it to a... +VE IGNITION CONTROLLED FUSED SUPPLY... I think, all this does is tell the controller when the ignition is on, so the fan stops when ignition is off. so I was thinking either radio, clock or temp guage or something? Kenlowe say, they wire it that way so if the vehicle is left in a hot sun spot the fan will not come on when unattended if the rad gets hot, DERH.... But I prefer to keep it all in engine bay, so with what I have now said do you think your fuel cut off idea is still ok? Thanks Steve.

Were talking 1998 model 300TDi Defender 90 with air con. If I had not already bought a Kenlow fan before reading threads about them on here I probably would not be fitting one, but after a front end accident it was decided to go down electric fan route while the Defender was all stripped down under repair. So without stirring up a hornets nest about Viscous V Electric and Kenlow V Mondeo fans etc can I ask the following? 1) Is there an ignition controlled fused supply somewhere in the engine bay for the fan controller yellow wire? I am wiring the red live supply to the alternator. 2) If not and I have to get into the dash for a fused supply, ie for the radio, it means coming in through the bulkhead somewhere, and I did not really want to start removing fascia or dash panels unless I really have to. My air con makes it all a little more tricky under the dashboard as well. I am sure those of you who have removed dash panels and trim before will say it is a simple process to bring a tiny cable in through bulkhead from the engine bay, but I do not know where to start removing plastic trim, with this sort of thing I usually end up taking the whole lot out as I find you cant get that out without undoing that, and you cant get to that without pulling that out etc. So what is the easiest route?

Good point Steve. Thanks.

Hi, Thank you for your thoughts and recommendations. I have made all those phone calls, letters etc. That’s how I got to them accepting to pay out on the 60% market value estimate. I am getting a bit worried that this posting may start to bore everyone as I think this insurance topic has been well covered now, so maybe we should really move on. I shall update when I get a payout, but for now I shall just continue to post topics on the rebuild issues of my 90. Thanks to all for the advice, Steve.

Hi. Well, it is not sorted out as far as the insurers are concerned. After being told they wanted to total loss it, and then getting a quote for 6.3K to repair it by an insurance approved repairer I took the bull by the horns and started the work myself. I didnt send in the 6.3K quote to the insurers, I just called them and they said if I could get 2 quotes of less than 60% of market value they would pay for repair, and does not have to be insurance approved either. So a local mechanic is rustling me up two quotes for around 3200 and 3400 which should be well under 60%, not yet got the quotes mind!!! So I have gambled a bit by starting the work. I have been on a couple of eBay road trips buying parts. Wings including lights, Grill, Bumper from Wales for £250. Bonnet from the Midlands on our way back for £51. Intercooler via post for £25. Still have to get a radiator and maybe air con rad, but that may still be ok. When I get it all back together we shall see if the aircon is still ok. I have left that connected. So with £500 for the paint job, it looks to be costing me about £1000 if I dont have to do the Air con rad. It is all stripped now and while I have been waiting for the painting to be done I have been treating the chassis. I thought my 1999 TDi was a gem, it is I suppose, but it is surprising what two thorough jet washes and a de-grease to the underneath will uncover. From rear cross member forward all looks great, just very light surface rust on parts of chassis, with some Hammerite kills rust and then hammerite paint it looks great. But with the mud washed out the back box section of rear cross member its, oops , looks like a replacement is in order in the near future. Now the chassis is all painted I shall Waxoyl it. There is not a spot of rust on the bulkhead and with the wings off it will be easy to Waxoyl it well. The back door metal frame is looking sad. I have discovered a design fault with that. The water has been getting in through the spare wheel fixing bracket where the bolt holes are, I can see water stain runs running down inside of the ali door panel which has rusted the frame below. Also water has been getting in via the handle recess, which has rusted out the bottom corner. I have been taking pics and will post them asap.

Hi Rob, We are in Smarden but it is getting sorted now thanks. The quote was from Ashford Accident out by Jnt10 M20. But M C motors are spraying the panels for me now, thats all parts of both wings, grill surround, bonnet, and two wheel spats, for £500. Oh and it is metalic Rioja Red as well so I am pleased with paying £500. In fact they called today to say I can pick up tomorrow. Wont be able to as were off to the LRO international show in Peterborough , so have to be Monday. I will do post to uptate all on the progress. Thanks for thinking about helping out, Steve.

Na! I do most of that As I am still waiting on the paint shop to do my metalic paint job on the front end panels, and it is still up on stands I may as well seriously look into new shocks and springs. And we are going to the LR owners show at Peterborough this weekend for a few bits, I best leave Jane at home and take an extra credit card instead. Thanks.

No there is nothing bent or broken and the sloping back was there before the accident. Even though its 25mm its not bad, my wife didnt even notice it until I pointed it out. I shall check the spring tables in the tech archive as BishBosh suggests. Cheers.

Thanks for the replies guys. I will stick to standard I suppose . I have measured the existing springs, with the vehicle unladen and on level ground, and the front offside spring measures 5mm longer than the other front kerbside spring. The rear offside is also longer than the kerbside by 10mm, so not a lot of difference really, but when standing and looking at the rear you can see the roof and chassis are well out of level by at least 25mm, and a spirit level confirms this. So is 10mm in spring length bad and would that exaggerate the sag over the width of the vehicle to 25mm or could there be a secondary cause. I cannot see oil from shocks and bounce testing is very firm. Steve Matthews.

Hi MSE, My 300 TDi has intercooler on the right of the main radiator so my air con radiator can sit in front of the main rad. I think, but not sure as I am still learning that most defenders have the intercooler in front of the main rad. You may be able to see this in the photo. Thanks, Steve.

By now you probably all know that I am new to 4x4s, never even driven one until we bought our Defender in June this year. But I have to repair it due to a crash. Photo’s in my previous postings. It’s a 1999 300 TDi. With help of this forum I have finished stripping away the damaged front and I must say that our once shiny Rioja red metallic Land Rover really looks like a landie now, sitting naked on axel stands. And with grease under my nails and torn knuckles I feel like an old hand. But should I change the suspension. There is nothing I can see that is wrong with the spring/shocks that are fitted on the front but I do have to sort out the rear near side as she is sitting down quite a bit to one side. Cannot see any oil or anything untoward but something is amiss. But at the moment I am working up front, and with the wheels and wings off it very tempting to think, “ooh those springs look easy to change while I have it like this” We have a farm, I have had the necessity to drive across fields, a bit of lookering at the sheep and cattle etc (always used an old van before) but for the most it is just road driving and a little towing of livestock trailer to market etc. So is there any benefit to changing the suspension? Thank Steve.

All worked fine thanks Dave. If you had not mentioned pushing the centre pin out of the plastic rivets I would have been ages scratching my head. And once the flares were off there was plenty of room to get to the bulkhead bolts with a the long extention on the ratchet as you said. Thanks.

Job sorted now thanks, and I can see using shears would have been an option but i did want to retain the outer wing of one side.

That all makes sense, didnt give removing the spats/flares a thought. And yes mine are held with plastic rivets. Thanks again.

Ah cool, We will see how it goes when I get back from work tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

Yeah sorry, I should of said, I see the top ones ok, but presume there are bolts lower down that I cannot see.

Firstly forgive me for being a bit naïve about the basics on defender construction but this is a steep learning curve for me. And this will be a quick thread I am sure. Quite simply I am replacing the wings on a 300TDi, among other things, due to crash damage, and scratching my head working out how to access the wing to bulkhead bolts. The grill and bonnet slam are off, radiator intercooler etc and this evening started unbolting the wings. The lower wing bolts to the chassis at front are out and I have worked my way back removing bolts under the wheel arches. All I can see that remains now is the fixings at the bulkhead. I do not want to go too far removing the internal footwell and door shut trims etc or even the doors unnecessarily, but without doing so can’t see how to access the bolts/nuts on the back (inside) of the bulkhead. Thanks Steve.

Thanks Rich, So I am not going mad. Well I know mine was factory fitted, so maybe the glassfibre grille and special A bars are for retro fitting air con? But standard makes life a bit easier for me now, until i get all the parts together and start to do the refit and find I have no room to swing a cat. Regards Steve.

Thanks for that Steve. I have had a really close look at my grille and the one I plan to fit but cannot see any difference. Mine is definately metal not fibreglass and to be honest my A bar looks no different to those I see for sale for none air con vehicles. I think I must be going mad, but I know it has air con. I wonder if in 1999 LR managed to instal air con without adapting the grille etc. I must say even without the grille pushed back in the accident the air con fan was almost touching the grille. I have linked some photos you may care to look at? maybe you can advise me if it is an air con grille or standard? I am trying to get some better pictures on the web of the grille's. Thanks Steve Matthews.

Ahh thanks for that. You say the grille sticks out more on Air Con models which worries me now as I have already bought a used grille and wings and doubt they came off an Air Con model. Do you think the grille is different too or just its fitted possition?

I am buying parts to repair my accident damaged 1999 300TDi But I am having trouble locating a replacement A bar. My A bar was Land Rover fitted when new with driving lights etc. I can find companies like Craddock/Paddock selling old stock of none Air Con version A bars but as Defenders with Air Con are as rare as rocking horse s..t I cannot find anyone selling an A bar for Air Con. They tell me the reason is, Euro legislation has outlawed A bars, so although companies can sell old stock they cannot buy in new stock. But I am wondering what the difference is! The front grille is the same so what is the difference in the A bars? And why can I not bolt onto the bumper a none Air Con A bar?

I have taken your advice and am waiting on a replies to my letter/letters to the insurers but have decided not to wait as I have decided to repiar the 90 myself anyway. I will get money out of the insurers at sometime in the future but I shall progress with repairs in the meantime. I am buying parts, good old eBay and 4x4 salvage. 2nd hand wings, bonnet, bumper and grille etc are now already sitting on my workshop floor waiting to be painted. But I also have to remove the radiator, air con rad and intercooler to do the job and I am not 100% sure if they are damaged until I get them off, but they look ok except top hoses. So my question is, while I am at it should I replace all the hoses for silicone? Oh, I am sorry as I am sure this would have been asked before but I cannot find a thread in a search. Thanks Steve.

Thanks Steve, Thats exactly our plan. I have called the insurers again this morning to find out who their salvage company is, so I could contact them directly before I agree to the salvage option, just to find out what sort of people they are. But no way would the insurers pass on that info, it was "No we wont know who they are until they instruct them. I got the, same old, same old carp about the salvage arrangement with them not letting me keep it , but they did say they MAY consider paying for it to be repaired if I can get repair quotes below 60% of their out market value. (how nice of them?) But they will not indicate what their idea of its market value would be. I have a local mechanic who will give me an estimate for the repair at whatever amount I ask him for. He is happy to do that even with me doing the work. If the insurers go for it I hope they will write the cheque out to me. Obviuosly I want as much out of the insurers as possible, after all a total loss payout to me must be around £7000. So I am thinking of hitting them for £2800. I know I wont get much, if any, change after buying parts, labour and metalic spraying but at least we keep the landie. Thanks for your tips on the parts, Regards Steve Matthews.

Yes they are rare, thats what is worrying me, especially with air con and under 50k miles. When I was looking to buy a few months back I could not understand why I could buy a 2001 or 2002 TD5 for less than a 1999 TDi, but a dealer told me the last of the Tdi's are really sought after for export because they can be serviced and maintained anywhere unlike the TD5 which pushes the price up. But you will know all that. Anyway thanks for your help Western. Regards Steve.