Nigelw
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Posts posted by Nigelw
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I ahev just got home after a quick pint, well, it went a little bit further than a pint
Thaks to Dominique whe listened to my tales of woe with Rusty, stared bewildered into her ipad as she looked through the saga of what has been so far, 6 bttles of Duvel later, I can hardly walk and she crashed me on her sofa, got me a banging headache thismorning and think I want to eat but not sure my stomach woold take it.
So after getting rather hammered in the pub at the top of my road and sleeping on a sofa I thonk it a good time to go exploring under the dash, you guys are all right, come too far to end it now, but it would be nice to do smething other than spanner my days away.
So les hope thqt th problem is minor and does not rezilt in anither dash fire as I fquult find.
Now hunting the medicine cabinet as sure the screen never looked this blurrry lqst night.
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Going to the pub, have a think on this but it really is getting a bit beyond a joke now, I spent the last few days freezing my bolls off trying to refit the interior and get all the small fiddly, farty bits tidied up like spat boards and trims speaker wires and such that had a new electrical gremlin not decided to emerge under the bloomin dash then all was rocking for tomorrows plan, now it is dash out and find a rather odd noise that appears when the ignition is switched on, along with random illuminations on the dash lights now.
I have spent a year and a half trying to get this thing sorted to a good high standard but fixing other peoples bodges and figuring out what has gone before has worn me very thin, winter is almost over, spring almost here and it still aint done and not for the lack of trying these last weeks, breeding season is now about to kick off and time to spend on it will be dying day by day from today as the first mare was scanned so kick off is today until October, ok it begins slow but picks up fast then nothing for 3 months as no time then a few hours here and there, but I want something to drive not spend all my time thus far fixing, a bit like being an unpaid mechanic really, the idea is to enjoy it, but at the minute it's just pizzing me off, I get one day in the week off work to do decent stuff and every week I spend a day doing stuff on the truck and an hour or more of a night time when it's not too cold but it has just worn thin, it just aint fun when I never get to do anything but fix it.
Back after a pint or 5.
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The end is now upon me, I have had enough and have decided to throw in the towel and scrap that pile of s4!t that I once affectionately named Rusty.
All planned, trailer picks me and the car up at 10:30 we head to Halen for the safety test and go from there, but new problems have arisen and I am that sick of spending all my fuggin time working on it and not enjoying it I have decided to just scrap it, put the goodies in to storage and buy somethig that runs, most likely to be a Land Cruiser too as they are not fugged about with over here by half wit inbreds like Land Rovers.
9" grinder in the morning.
I'm done, stick a fork in me, quitting time.
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Buy the new outright one, recon is basically resealed maybe new bearings and no gaurantee, new is new 12months warranty.
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My place should be considered a flood risk, we are probably 300ft above local river which is a mile and a half away, but this was my place Christmas day.
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Basically there is very little adjustment available on the 4 bolt box, had mine apart a few times now.
New ones available at a good price direct from Adwest google them, although Paddocks stock them at the same price too.
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Interesting comment there Mav, gotta look at my new genuine seal now for potential problems.
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L.R.Series
:o No way!!!
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Oops my bad you mean rear passenger doors don't you?
Breakers yard or hunt the mail order suppliers, they clip into place, most likely a clip has rusted away and it's hanging, if it don't bother you too much you could tiger seal it back on as a get by method?
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Is that a D3/4 as you say "doors",?
Main dealer is your safest bet as it aint funny when the glass falls out.
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How much constant vacuum do you get from the WABCO units is the first thing to find out as there are a lot out there to choose from and by looking thru some types there are incredible variables in available ranges, from 4" to 22" constant vacuum.
Tell me how much you need and I will see what best suits from the catalogue.
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You have no idea how frustrating it is for me, even the carpest af carp is expensive here so Genuine is like gold bullion.
I think I am having anger management issues, again
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I wouldn't worry too much, there is a lot of others out there and as I am seeing the world of Rovers is getting smaller, it will be short lived when all he turns over is enough to pay the rent each month
Paddocks had better start getting smart too as a lot of guys I speak to are getting rather hacked off with blue boxes turning up when they specified a different brand, thing is it is a bit far to send it back, trouble is these guys are now shopping elsewhere.
I currently have issues with two part suppliers here who think they are the answer to your prayers and feel you need to bow down when entering the shop, shame they can't get the orders right for a hand brake cable that I even gave them the right part number and paid in advance for, tried to charge me for the part that was wrong and refused a refund until I put a hi-lift jack on the counter and told them it was going through the window if they didn't give me my money, the others got my message over the crank pulley for a 200Tdi with aircon needing to be genuine, part number given paid my deposit and get a standard one from BP handed to me with a big grin, really wanted to batter the guy with that OME Nitro charger shock I picked up too until the girl opened the till
Think I am losing my patients and you guys are finding them as I really don't see the funny side of these things anymore at all
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Mmmmm, the test drive.
Right, this is just how I prefer to buy a car, everyone is different!
Be sure to arrange a viewing time that you can be there at least a half hour early and that the car if possible can be stone cold from the night before, if it is likely that it is a daily driver then arrange an early morning viewing to be sure to catch out the warmer uppers with bad starting and smoking issues from cold.
When you get there look at the ground not only where it is parked now but in the area that it could usually be parked, oil leaks make mess, the bigger the mess the more chance of poblem leaks or a neglectful owner who just can't be bothered to sort them.
Now comes the fun bit, look round it from the outside, note dings, scuffs, scrapes and pay attention to things like mud and silt in the areas that are hard to get at with the high pressure washer, as you say rot in NZ is not a real concern but be mindful that the usual rot spots still apply!!!
Inside, look at the clock, and then the foot pedals, if the clock reads low but the pedals say otherwise then it could be a high mile clocked back or a low mile but stop start shunting around town, I prefer high mile motorway cruisers as they have always been in top gear and normally singing along with an easy life and plenty left to go, a shunting around town car has spent a lot more time ticking over crawling through traffic and will have had a hader life in the drive train dept, something not to be over looked either as that has a knock on effect with long term reliability, engines on these types of cars should have an hour meter as well as a spedometer as the engines are running longer than the miles are being racked up. What condition the interior is in tells you a lot, immaculate ready for sale means they want to sell but also means they have something that was easily scrubbed up, foot mats show wear but also what sort of driving it normally does too, rubbish ad junk usually means they don't care about the state and not a good sign! All switches should be there and should function accordingly, if it is a 5door and the back ones don't work ask why, it can be that they have been locked for a reason like it being used as a van or commercial truck, check the interior fuse board for missing or blown fuses, blown can be nothing or something, removed means you need to know why, could be heated rear window shorting or can be much more serious, windows tell stories too, scratches inside is a tell tale sign of a loose dog in the car where it can scratch the glass jumping at passers by, not a bad sign but worth knowing something of the occupants, gear shift sitting correctly in the center detent position, again not an issue but a niggle when you have to fight detent springs for 3,4 & 5, I think I'm right in saying that you get it warmer there for longer, and in that case look at the dash for signs of cracking and fading, the plastics age badly when in the sun a lot and a garaged car is more likely to have a better interior without such problems, headlinings can and do sag, this is the foam backing for the fabric breaking up, again, not an issue but can be tedious watching it flap in the breeze in the rear view whilst motoring along, easy cure but time consuming, you get rain there and always check for damp roof linings and carpets/trim, alpines can and do leak at the seals and sun roofs, well, very often the drain channels get blocked with dust and debris and it comes in the top, again, if fitted they should work, if not and they have been siliconed down then potential problem and requuires lifting of carpets as the insulation holds water and it will find an open seam to seep into and rust, SRS systems? Not sure whether you had them or not as it was only on some models in the UK and Europe, again the check light must come on and go off again, pain in the hole but if your safety test is like the UK or our technische Keuring then be careful of a bill to put it right, and lastly audio equipment, some had flashy multi disc changers under the seats whilst others had to wait for the valves to warm up before changing channels, if there is no radio then bargain a discount, if it is there and when you turn the car on it is loud then either they were enjoying the last song on the radio or use it to hide the annoying grinding and rumbling noises.
Before starting, now I always used the washer bottle as a good indicator of the owners habits, water says a lot as it is cheap and readily available but screen wash usually meant that it was thought about, here in Belgium it means squat, they do it out of habit and are taught to use it, not sure what it is like over there but maybe worth a look, check for leaks and low levels with the water and oils, low water on a 300 can mean a lot!!! Check the oil filler cap for mayo too, this is a funny one as it can mean one of two things, 1 it has a blown head gasket(no trauma on a 300 and usually easily and quickly sorted unless you need a new one) 2 it is the shunting around town car that starts, runs into town and doesn't get a chance to boil off the water vapour in the oil due to not getting hot enough, running temp is quite quickly achieved but a reasonable drive is needed to get the oil hot enough to boil the moisture off, if you are checking an auto then look up how to check tranny fluid, can't remember off the top of my head tonight, sorry, if you can sneak a peek in the airbox at the condition of the filter, if it's dirty then just note that it might be smokey! Clean or relatively fresh is a really good sign, as is the pressence of fresh looking filters, most likely freshly serviced prior to sale, rusty stains anywhere near the header tank are bad!!! Condition of the coolant and intake pipe wok, if there are furry crystals aound the coolant pipe joints that is an indication of a slight coolant leak and might just need the clip done up tighter or simply the pipe re-seating.
Starting up, very important is how easily it starts, lots of turning over or snif of the key, smoking, black usually means uunburnt fuel as does grey/white, blue gives a hint of burning oil, excessive oil consumption and blue smoke nearly always has me changing piston rings and honing bores, let it tick over and have the bonnet open to look and listen for rattles and noises, alternator bearings can squeal, water pump and power steering pump bearings can do likewise, check for fresh fluid loss, coolant can be "P" gasket behind the timing chest, oil, well usual sspects really, PAS fluid from a leaky steering box perhaps? There are two things that give annoying but functional rattles, one being the lift pump and the other being the vacuum pump, both run off the cam shaft and do rattle.
The actual drive, you need to have no music(I know how you love Miley swinging on her wrecking ball and all that, but) you need to hear what it is doing when you start the engine, when you press the clutch and select gears, any backlash can be felt and heard as clunks and bangs through the props and gear box, take off should be smooth and not juddery, juddering can mean a bunch but clutch springs and excessive back lash as you apply the torque through the props, but equally it can be indicative of a worn "A" frame ball joint and or trailing arm/"A" frame bushes, once moving note the noises from the car, tyres are good at playing tricks as aggressive tyres make a racket at even low speeds, wheel bearings rumbling, transmission hum and groaning, notchy changes and sticking shifts can show worn synchro hubs, also be sure to not only engage low but also to ensure the center diff is working correctly and the lamp illuminates and extinguishes appropriately, hills are a must!!! You need to have a good half hour drive and a blast on the highway too, it has to pull well in all gears and smoke should be at a minimum, overfuelling will show up as black soot and might be a sign of a tweeked pump, keep a stern eye on the temp needle too, it should rise into about 1/3 sit a while then rise to midway and sit there steady, sitting low can be sticky thermstat and not getting up to temp, same for over heating.
Above all things the inspection and test drive must be executed as though you are playing a hand of poker for a million bucks, let nothing slip if you are happy, negotiate and negotiate some more if you are not happy, and just remember, you went to look, buying was optional, if it is not what it should be then be polite and walk away.
Sure I missed some points but a list to give you something to think about
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Sounding better and more optimistic than my worst case scenario mind tells me
There was a lot of sludge in the pot of the filter plug that was silvery and as the fluid ran out it was "glimmering"
, not a big deal now as had a quick drive around the yard with it and within a few hundred meters it was already noticeably easier to go in and out of gear, there is hope yet and I will just be sure to keep that spare box handy along with a new H/D clutch for when either decides to give up. -
Main things to look for are poorly executed repairs and general lack of maintenance, depends on sellers but I have been known to crack off level plugs and using a 20ml syringe and a bit of tube pull oil out to look, kind of wish I'd done the same on my current one.
Check everuthing works and if they try and fob you off with, "oh but it is nearl 20yrs old, what do you expect?" Then just walk, they are looking for a mug who is looking to spend money.
Yes an auto is lazy but can be a blessing off road, although they will all be EDC which you stated you want to stay away from, really simple system, rarely goes wrong, and any and all problems have in reality been hyped out of context by people who in reality knew not enough to fix it, old skool mech works and when it don't you need a new one, a little more complex than a mech pump but can afford better economy if set up right. Manual boxes often suffer when some tool sticks the wrong oil in or get too slap happy during changes, look out for oil leaks and crunchy changes.
Interior wise, be sure it is all there and the switches work, check for missing fuses, some fuses are pulled deliberately in an ownets ploy to make you think cheap switch when it is really an expensive motor and dash out job(please do not ask how I know that one).
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I have been looking at alternators with vac off the back, but surely this would be easy enough to bring into the system of a pulley vac pump?
Or maybe you could do an alternator swap for one with a vac unit fitted on the back?
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Trouble is this thing has been so badly neglected that by the time I have actually got it back to a reasonable running condition it is going to cost me the trebble of what ot is actually worth
PS have to post accordingly now with my new title
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A***holeI'd give it about 7 days
Will swap it out when I do the clutch then :-[
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Tonight was time to drain the oils off and get the little jobs out the way before next weeks planned safety test, back axle was quite clean, front is clean as I changed that when I did the swap to 24 spline, but the gear box....
Like my christmas tree?
Only a couple of smallish fragments in the filter but quite a few flakes.
Here is a comparrisson of new ATF and what I drained out.
Would anyone be so kind as to give a prognosis on how long this LT77 has before it gets terminal?
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Jeff, when I told my girlfriend about you wanting to do another Disco, she simply said "if he wants a divorce why doesn't he just ask and not put that poor woman through it all again"
, she would have logged in and wrote it for herself but the high life sees her at a big international show in Austria this week. -
Google Hunters Car Transport Rob, they moved a Jag for me a few years ago, sure they would be willing to help as it is a "vintage" car and all that
Think they are based in North Cambs or South Lincs.HTH
Nige.
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You are a glutton for punishment Jeff
:rofl:
:o 
, not a big deal now as had a quick drive around the yard with it and within a few hundred meters it was already noticeably easier to go in and out of gear, there is hope yet and I will just be sure to keep that spare box handy along with a new H/D clutch for when either decides to give up.
, she would have logged in and wrote it for herself but the high life sees her at a big international show in Austria this week.
:rofl:
The straw that broke the camels back.
in International Forum
Posted
Head is still thumping and stomach feels like a washer on full spin but the dash is out again, here we go again, no noises now, oh deep joys of electricals, gonna pull all the looms back and see if there is something obvious.
Still wondering at the minute if perservering is worth it, will try and upload a video of what it sounded like later, gotta get over this hurdle as it seems to be the last thing holding me back.
It will live again and drive the black top!!!!