Maverik

I've just purchased a modified 86reg 90. it cost me 4900GPB, now its got a galv chassis (this is the best bit!! - its awesome), Recon 200Tdi Disco engine with "44k on it" - sceptical about this though! My experience so far after driving it for 1 week, I had to replace wheels and tires which cost me 500 squid, the exhaust is illegal so got to fork out for new one, spent 100's on totally oil change (diff's, engine etc), must have spent another couple 100 on new tools. Needs new door seals, new air filter, new breather cyclone, rocker cover gasket, fuel lift pump, rear prop shaft, heater cables... all small stuff but it adds up. I got a list that comes to about 250GBP and thats just to get it to a "comfortable" running condition, when i mean comfortable I mean i don't think it will brake down on me... non essential things are, new cab heater, dash, speedo, brake shoes all round, new springs and dampers, lower ratio trans box and recon R380 gear box. So already i've spent probably close 1500GPS on extra stuff, and got an expensive wish list too. Luckily i had a bit of foresight to put some money aside for a "immediate maintenance budget" Best bit of advice i can give you as a new owner/new purchaser is inspect it best you can for overall maintenance, if it looks ok go for it. But keep in your mind that it will need work when you start to find your way around it. After watching the market for some time, i came to the conclusion that there is no real typical price for a land rover that maybe 10 year-ish old. Its all very specific to the particular vehicle ur looking at. BUT i would advise against buying an older car from a dealer... they will rip you off, i was lucky...! i nearly bought a 96reg 110 with 88k on the clock for 5000GBP and after seeing the one I have now, that was a wreck. Also look at as many older landys as you can, give you a feel as to where to look for holes/oil leaks etc, if you aren't familiar (like i was) - i'm an expert now Some photo's of my wreck are here http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=49267 hope this helps. mav

I check out the Tech archive and did some searching, the below link is the replacement of a boost diaphragm on a 2.5TD, there is also a part number posted... could be a start point. I've looked high and low and not found much to go on, if you can locate the Original Bosch number on the pump, that might help. I'm still looking. http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=33384

School boy error - consult the good old Tech Archive, I'm learning! Try this thread, scroll down to #15, then see what you think - its pretty good. http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=12383&st=0&p=130141entry130141

Best thing is to talk to the guys that galvanise the chassis' in the first place (e.g. Richards chassis uk), they'd be the most likely people to help you. You can remove the zinc by immersion in dilute hydrochloric acid, the acid is converted to zinc chloride in the process - this is the method for small bits of zinc removal - this is a pretty toxic and dangerous method, but the only one i believe. Once it has been dipped in acid you'll have to paint it or something as it will be totally free of oxides and will start to corrode just sitting there in the air - could also have some problems with the box sections holding onto the acid, it will need to be flushed or neutralised well, you might have to drill some holes in the box sections to help drain the fluids... but as you wont be able to coat the bare metal inside the box sections chances are they'll start to corrode quite badly if not treated. Now i chassis is quite big, could be costly as if the zinc is as coated as thick as it is on my chassis then it will take quite a while for it to be dissolved. In summery, not sure the whole process will do your chassis much good, and factoring in the Faff, probably cost you more than just getting a new chassis, sell the one you've got, put it towards a new one - someone will no doubt want it. Hope that's some help Mav

20te crane huh, hehe alright, I think I'll be using the good old blood, sweat and tears. cheers Mav

Robotman - sounds like an awesome plan, can't really help with any of your questions, but by the ease that you appear to have pulled out your gear box, you've given me that bit more motivation to get mine pulled and changed out (I've decided to change my old LT77 for a R380 shortbell - when I eventually get paid that is...) A few questions though, it there plenty of hight with just having the front end up on stands to slide the gear/tran box out together? how did you let it down to the floor, a jack or sling it from inside the cab? Cheers - I'll be following your progress.

Might reduce your NOX and SOX, but probably wouldn't do much for your power output and your piston crowns!!!

Just to add to the post above, the small filter you see in the drawings, do people actually remove these and change/clean them? I didn't actually know one was present until studying the above diagrams just now. Moving slightly back to why I started the topic, is it worth the money for me to fork out for a R380 or should I stick with the LT77 just a much later version. (presently got a D suffix - the oldest one) On paper the R380 should be a much stronger box as it was scratch built to do the job, where as the LT77 evolved from originally a Jaguar "car" gear box design (is my understanding, not sure if this is totally correct)

I've taken 2 extracts form parts catalogue here: The first shows LT77 up to suffix G boxes, the drawings shows the mountain brackets for the "thermostat" housing, but doesn't include the actual fitting "thermostat" and temp sensor. The next page shows LT77/LT77S from suffix G boxes onwards, then the "thermostat" housing appears with the temp sensor too. As western says there aren't any blanking plugs etc. so I presume on the early boxes the foundations holes where cast into the box housing, but just never drilled/tapped out. looking carefully the mounting foundation for the temp sensor doesn't exist in the old boxed too. Attached R380 for completeness too.

Looks a decent enough kit, but way overpriced.

How much of a modification do you need to do? one of the main drivers for getting a short R380 was the ability to install the cooler.

Not at all familiar with a TGV, but just googled it and looking at some picture's its got a lot of similar parts to your average TDi, I'd agreed with Eightpot, sounds like a fuel feed problem, I've got similar symptoms on my 200Tdi Disco engine, I've got a suspicion its the lift pump on my unit, that or water/air in the fuel. What kind of fuel delivery does a TGV have?

- not into lift kits are you! hehe, well in this case I'm inclined to agree, she looks fine when nunloaded, but as soon as you put anything in her, including me, she sags all over the shop. I can confirm that the rear trailing arms have defo been upgraded, they've got the tell tail kink and a small L profile bar welded to the bottom to make them a little more rigid. Just pricing up dome HD springs and standard radius arms to bring her back down to sea level.

oh yeah forgot to say that too, sorry I hold my hands up, guilty of not doing that first.

From your pictures it looks pretty neat. I've just bought a flee bitten mut from '86' but its got a 200TDi mod and galvy Chassis, i paid just under 5k for it. After trawling the market for suitable cars this past few months, I came across various NA and petrol models going from 500 to 3k. Admittedly i was more looking at the 'TDI' market, which is vicious at the moment, especially in Scotland. From the few pictures you've posted, I didn't come across one in such good nick as your's looks. If you want a quick sale, then price accordingly. If you've got some time, post it about and put a higher price on it. Best thing to do is google the model and see what's out there already.

I'd agree with Retro, now on my 3rd week of ownership, if you're willing then you will soon loose any land rover "naivety", if you want to be able to look after the vehicle yourself then this is the perfect time to get involved - go for it, whats the worst that could happen! ;o) You wont find an easier vehicle to work on. This forum is incredible, the knowledge it holds is priceless. - if in doubt post a topic and ask someone.

cheers western

Hi, Landrover 90 Looking for a part number for a rear bottom link (or radius arm - why are they only called radius arms on the front?) Anyone got any good supliers to recommend? Cheers

Yeah I agree about the tape measure, but infortunatly I'm in Dubai at present and I'm doing as much "paper" planning as best i can before I get back and take the thing apart. I thought I'd scowered the Tech archive, but not enough obviously, I found your prop shaft thread - just what I was looking for, thanks I've collated all the comments into one table, when I've sorted it out I'll re-post and see if can get some more input for it. Regarding the lift kit presently installed. Question. - What I have to do to change it back to Standard is change: 1)the springs 2)Dampers 3)front radius arms 4)rear bottom links Is there anything else in there i will need to change out? Cheers

My modified 90 was purchased with; firstly a salisbury axle, which changes the rear propshaft geometry, secondly its got a 3inch lift kit, which changes the geometry once again. - now I have an hunch that the propshaft fitted is incorrect (too long). I'm trying to establish a grasp on prop shafts, what's correct length and what's not and how can you tell. Does anyone know of a definitive guide that shows "standard" LR propshafts with there part number and there min/max lengths and flange fittings? This is my 2nd line of enquiry, the first is the "propshaft clinic" - not heard back form them yet. Cheers Mav

hmmm, now not intending to tiddle on ur parade, but my first thoughts would be to scrap the idea and just invest in some "waffle boards" or a purpose designed sand bridge/board/matt. I work with steel/aluminium structures at work and i see what you want to do, but for the time and effort putting into converting them, you'd probably end up with something usable but probably a little on the heavy side. Firstly are they Alu or steel checker plate, I'm guessing Alu?? the problem you'd have is they are pretty deep with those U sections hanging down, the shallower the matt the better (easier to get out the mud when it does sink in a bit) tubing or square profile would theoretically give it more strength but only if you can anchor it sufficiently to either end of the top plate, otherwise you'd have a bendy collection of tubes and plate not working together "structurally" you could cut some holes down the centre partition, but again I probably wouldn't make them too big as you'd maybe get local buckling in the flat plate.. if it was slightly corrugated then it would be a different story. small holes will stop any sucktion when getting them out the mud. Yeah i do have too much time on my hands, see i even did a wee sketch. hope this helps. Mav

ok it may not have been Garrett the original supplier, but I have just found an "original" land rover turbo unit and its going for 1200GBP as apposed to a Garret unit going for 400GBP.

Try this one, Part No. ERR4802 Turbocharger 300TDi Defender, and yes I belive Garrett suplied the original land rover turbo's. Hope this helps.

Is it even possible to get a defender up to 80mph... and keep it there for any length of time?

One of the issue's is yeah I will be driving across Europe, but then have a bit of a desert to cross and then some... I do intend on using this truck for long distance rough stuff, I had wndered about wether going to 1.222 was a little to high. The vehicle will be loaded for the majority of the time.