g&t

Looks like I'm going to need a replacement radiator for my 3.5efi RRC shortly. The low annual mileage the car covers makes a genuine LR item a bit OTT on price, so has anyone experienced the quality of any of the major suppliers (i.e Britpart) products?

If Vougese 39 is right about M&M then I think you may have your answer as to the 'interest' in these panels.

Forgot to mention, I'm running standard 205 tyres. These & 215's were the only sizes the classic was designed for so I don't know if your tyres will effect the ride height in any way.

'87 V8 Vogue auto, no air-con. retro-fitted with anti-roll bars. Coils & dampers recently replaced, all genuine LR parts - using your measuring method I have 31 inches (+/- half an inch) both front & rear. Hope this helps.

Or a complete GRP Range Rover Classic body - no rust only the chassis to weld/plate. Sorry, I was just being silly - you get like that at my age

Sorry I can't help you but please post in lower case, upper case (capitals) equals shouting

My 3.9 auto used to return about the same on a long run with 20-21 on petrol & this with a mixture of 70-75mph on m/ways & 50-60 on A roads. I don't 'drive like a nun' but neither do I drive like a certain TV presenter!

For my part Steve wash your mouth out with soap & water (or unleaded) (3.5 efi for the record )

I've had a mess about with the mixture screw and managed to make it run quite a bit leaner and also advanced the timing so hopefully that'll help the MPG. Guess i'll find out on the next fill up! The outfit that fitted my LPG (never again!) system warned against 'leaning' the mixture as the combustion chamber temp. with this stuff is high enough as it is. I'm going to upset some people now I know, but why are so many RR V8 owners so obsessed with mileage returns? You know that a 2 tonne, perm 4X4 with a V8 & auto-box is going to drink (lets not pretend that LPG conversions are carried out for the sake of the enviroment) so if you can't afford to run it, stick to a hatchback. If some owners sat down & worked out the true long term costs of their conversions they would discover that 'half-price' motoring promises are in fact a myth.

I'm not really into modern diesels but 'Parkers' list the 2.7 @ 205 bhp (vs 225 for the 4.6) but doesn't quote the all -important torque figure for the Citroen. If you compare the power-to-weight ratio of the two vehicles (& remember that the RR is subject to a much greater power-loss through it's complex transmission) you will see why the 'Cit' performs that much better! It's the old case of 'horses for courses'

Be very very careful, you get what you pay for. My independent fitted a 'recon' box a few years ago (from an outlet he had previously used) & it failed it's next MOT due to the 'box leaking, even though the RR had only done 4k in that year! Had a run in with the suppliers, got my money back but they would'nt re-emburse the labour. Adwest sounds the best bet here.

Had a 3.9 auto back in '02, LPG 14mpg (3.08miles/litre) on standard 205 road tyres, seemingly regardless of (on-road) useage. I don't drive any vehicle hard either.

I agree with LandyV8 the 3.5 doesn't need that much power to crank, even in high compression form, so stick to the makers battery spec.

I've been following this thread since it started. Very informative at first but now seems to have developed into a personal duel, which is a pity as that's surely not making proper use of a forum. At the considerable risk of being refered to as a 'boring old fart' I'd suggest that perhaps owners should accept the design capability of the vehicles they buy but if driver demands exceed that of the manufacturer's intentions it's probably better (& safer) to look for something different. My own standard 3.5efi auto is (like me) a plodder compared to later products, but should the day come when I want more performance I'll buy a car designed & built for that express (no pun intended) purpose. Perhaps folks with horns locked over a particular subject should make use of the site's PM facility.

Christ …. I need to get out more …………… I often think the same! In your case just make sure you stay in enough to post your words of wisdom, very informative

Used comp. gaskets on a 3.5, without having the heads skimmed as engineers confirmed faces were true. No noticeable effect on performance (such as there is!) but it does mean you can happily run on 95 unleaded as opposed to the 97 the engine, assuming 9.35 comp, should use.

That's one slant on it Reg! However, divide the number of prob. posts into the 8 years of '38 production, then do the same for the Classic! Mind you it could be said that RRC numbers have been decimated due to rampant corrosion, something the P38 seems to (largely) avoid. Interestingly in this part of Essex '38's are like rocking horse s..t but there's a plethora (that word again!) of Classics.

I've no doubt of that, no offence intended but I'm just going by the plethora of posts relating to P38 problems on this & other LR forums. I suppose it's the same story though, as with all vehicles designed (& priced) to be bought new by owners that have the income to maintain them. They go from Main dealer through Independent to D.I.Y whilst still remaining the same complex vehicle & each time they change hands they are that much older & worth less. By about the third owner the huge drop in market value tends to reflect the amount spent on them. The well worn phrase 'a lot of car for the money' has swayed many a perspective buyer whose past experiences have been confined to family cars!

There's a lot of info. around on this subject so I'll leave you to do the trawling! Brief explanation: the block is alloy with pressed in steel liners. Back in '89 LR decided to bore the block to 94mm thus increasing the capacity to 3.9ltrs.(from the original 3.5L) & this bore size remained unchanged to the end of Rover V8 production. The 4.6L capacity was achieved simply by increasing the stroke, however this 'overboring' exercise left less 'meat' around the cylinder liners. If the block develops the slightest cracking (again a discussion on it's own!) the liner is no longer tightly gripped. As the block starts to warm up it expands, allowing the piston to carry the liner up & down with it & producing the dreaded 'tapping' sound. Two symptoms stop you confusing the sound with tappet noise: (1)the tap will not be audible from cold, only as the engine starts to warm up or even reaches running temp. (2) the tap will be at piston speed as opposed to valve gear which is half that speed. Those with experience of rebuilding V8's should be able to advise you re. your technical queries.

HRW relay is on the bulkhead (under hood/bonnet) under the black plastic cover (if still fitted!) which is secured by a 13mm bolt. Should be the third relay, counting from the outside of the car.

Call me superstitious but I'd be wary of putting anything from a P38 into a Classic!!

In addition to David's advice, you could try adjusting the kick-down cable. Long shot I know but at least it won't cost!

I think this says it all! Sorry I'm not able to help further.