Boris113

Great advice- cheers guys Harry

Thanks Snagger! I've just been having a look at the bits required, will the clutch be the 9.5 inch version because of the diesel conversion, or is there a chance it could still have the original 9 inch? Sorry for the stupid questions, I'm more used to the coil sprung variants!

Thanks for that, I don't suppose you know the size of the quick fists used do you? I agree with Soren, this could make for a very interesting 80 inch conversion! How much work is required to waterproof the engine? I'm curious to know what sort of MPG you get in it's current state of tune also. Sorry to ask lots of questions!

Hi guys, a friend has asked me to give them a hand with a clutch change on a 1966 Series IIA The vehicle is an ex-mod vehicle that started life as a 2.25 petrol and later had a 2.25 diesel from a Series IIA fitted. She has said that the engine is definitely a Series IIA engine, but the gearbox has the vertical slave cylinder rather than the horizontal type that I thought should be fitted to a IIA - does this mean it's an earlier gearbox or have I got my dates wrong? Other than the friction plate, clutch cover and release bearing is there anything that should be checked/changed whilst the engine and box are split? Thanks in advance.

That looks like a lot of fun- great work! What brackets have you used to mount the Donaldson filter? I'm looking for a way of mounting mine at the moment.

Thanks guys Western, having had a good look at a 200 tdi hose, I think that due to it's shape, the 90 degree bend at the engine end will rub badly on the metal bracket that supports the plastic clip holding the smaller hose which is behind in the picture. Thanks for all of your help though, much appreciated. Eightpot, that sounds like great stuff- I popped into halfrauds today but they didn't sell the stuff and I didnt get to the motorfactors before it shut. I might get some just to chuck in the useful bits box. I've got to order some other bits for the 90 tonight so am just going to order another 300 tdi 90 top hose and extend it with a piece of ally pipe. In the meantime, does anyone know the internal diameter of a Defender 300tdi top hose so I can find some tube with the correct diameter? Many thanks, Harry

As above, it will definitely be a T55 unless someone has changed it. Last time I had a stubborn one, I put a T55 bit on the end of a half inch breaker bar and gave it a tug- seemed to do the trick. It's worth getting a stiff bit of wire to scrape out the inside of the plug and giving the surrounding area a quick rub with a wire brush. The bit will grip the plug much better and you wont knock dirt into the hole once it's open. HTH

Western thats very kind, thank you. I will go and have a ganders this evening to see if a 200tdi version will fit. Whilst having a browse on google for a potential solution, I noticed that Steve Parkers do a kit which consists of the hose in question, heater hoses, temp sender unit etc... However the pipe isn't available on it's own and the kit is £70 Harry

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone Western a measurement of your top hose would be great please. Eightpot -I thought that radiator hose would kink and impede water flow because of the tight 90 degree bend, however the 2.5 NA top hose looks like it could work If I lop the second bend off it. At the moment I am leaning towards Vulcan Bombers suggestion because it's cheap and I don't have to wait for parts to arrive. Is there any advantage to having less rubber on the main straight part and more steel so the hose works a bit like a heat sink? Thanks all! Harry

I've got a 300tdi / lt77 combination in a 1989 which means the engine sits about 6 inches further back than it would with the r380. The previous owner has extended the radiator top house by hacking it into 2 and bridging the gap with a piece of steel tube. The hose looks messy and also leaks. I'm going to fit proper jubilee clips rather than those compression-type rings to cure the leak, but wouldn't mind replacing the pipe at the same time. Does anyone have suggestions on what to replace it with? I've come up with a few options but any suggestions are welcome 1. Buy new top hose, cut in two bits neatly then bridge with nice piece of stainless 2. Scour scrap yard for suitable looking piece that is long enough that it doesn't need cutting 3. Flexible silicone pipe and hope it will bend tightly around the 90 degree bend without kinking or rubbing on the bracket that supports the smaller hose (seen behind in the picture) Thanks in advance, Harry

This may not be the best solution, but I've had good results with it. Get a twist-knot wire cup for a grinder and attack the crossmember until all rust is removed, then apply a couple of coats of red oxide before using Combi-Color by Rust-oleum, I've used it for all manner of things and have had good results...plus its a lot cheaper than Hammerite. It goes on well by spray or brush, even in cold conditions. Finally some stone chip over the top -Schutz seems to have a good reputation. And as above, inject engine oil or waxoyl type stuff inside the chassis

Thanks for all of the advice guys, I popped into Lidl to have a look at their offering, but they had sold out Based on the advice I am now seriously considering a CTEK charger (£120max), although still looking at the Halfords version I'm edging towards biting the bullet and going for the CTEK, especially considering I could be leaving the 90 tucked away in the shed for up to 6 months without being able to check on it (new job abroad). I've had a read around on the specs but still can't work out which one would suit my needs best? I'm looking at the MXS 7.0 (£82.50) or possibly the CTE XS7000 (£119), however I don't really understand where the other one gains £35 of useful extras. Simon- Sorry to hear about your german shepherd. I had a look and you were right- the mower was 12v! Any and all advice welcome! Harry

I've bent the ends of my standard bumper back into the wing on play days before- a sledge/lump hammer usually sorts it out but it can also be achieved with a smaller hammer and some heat. Chances are if it is badly bent, then you will have cracked the galvanising already.

No worries If you get really stuck you can always try TH White near Wootton Bassett, but prepare yourself for main stealer prices. Harry

Try Tim Fry Land Rovers in Cheltenham, Bourton Land Rovers in Bourton-in-the-Water or Ellisons in Ashton Keynes Harry

A friend's 300tdi disco had a similar problem, all the symptoms pointed to a failed lift pump, but that didn't fix it. It turned out that the fuel lines had small splits in them that were drawing in air. http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=78844&hl=http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=78844&hl=

Fantastic build, the quality of your fabrication is great - I especially like the front panel!

If you are going to the expense of buying a galv chassis, have you considered 2 sets of engine mounts? I bought a galvanised chassis from Richards last year, and after speaking to them in depth about the extras I wanted doing before galvanising, Alistair suggested having 2 sets of engine mounts fitted. This meant that I could retain the current 300tdi/lt77 set-up, but could convert to an r380 at a later date without having to damage the galvanising by welding new engine mounts in.

Wow- even after a couple of drams it still seems expensive The 8210s are great machines, I spent a few weeks driving one with duals a couple of years ago, it was great fun on tight country roads! Thank you for the advice so far, but having had a look around I have had to rule out the C-Tek, the price is astronomical and I don't think I would get the use out of it to justify it properly. Landowner's suggestion of the Lidl one is tempting, especially considering the price of it. I've had a couple of power tools from them before and really can't fault them. The 6v option is also useful for the ride on lawn mower/quad bike. http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_38025.htm The other option is this one from Sealey: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMC03-BRAND-NEW-SEALEY-COMPACT-AUTO-DIGITAL-BATTERY-CHARGER-6-12-24V-/250949992343?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a6dc8ff97 It is the same as the Lidl one, but a bit more powerful and has the option of 24v. It also features a monitoring screen so you can see what is actually happening, and is suitable for more batteries e.g. gel types whereas the lidl one doesn't say if it is. It comes with different connections so it can be used with croc clips or hard wired, and overall looks a bit more durable (IP66) Anyone have experience with the Sealey version or any other alternatives? Cheers, Harry

There are quite a few differences, not just the bellhousing. In short it appears that it's easier to get a different gearbox, unless you are able to strip and rebuild one yourself. This thread should explain it better than I can http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=79052#entry677394 Harry

Hi all, My mickey mouse battery charger has finally died and I was wondering what to replace it with. At the moment I use normal Halfords batteries on a couple of cars and the 90, but soon the land rover will have 2 Numax batteries and a split charge system. I think the current 90 battery is pretty knackered as it wont charge up, but not too sure whether it is the battery or the charger that is at fault. Having done a search, people seem to recommend CTEK units, do they charge as well as recondition? Are there any features that I should look out for in a charger, or a particular size/output? I've not really got a budget in mind yet, but would ideally like a decent one that will last a few years. Thanks, Harry

Thanks for that, I may well give them a call. I've got a full soft top at the moment but would like to convert to canvas truck cab with an external cage soon, are you pleased with your roof? - I cant decide between Trakkers or All Wheel Trim. Does it attach to the bodywork with poppers or rope? Dad has similar hood sticks to yours, but the metal is covered in moulded plastic. It used to squeak pretty badly so we put thin squares of rubber between the mating faces, along with tightening the bolts up a bit more. Hi Mark, glad to hear you are making progress, will you be doing a build thread? All's going well thanks, I drove the 90 for the first time in 2 years today!

They are called J B Rubber and are in Corby, I use them regularly and cant fault them. http://www.jbrubbercorby.co.uk/ HTH

It may be worth ringing AW Transmissions. I've not had any dealings with them, but a friend used them for his disco and found them to be very helpful.

Where abouts do you live? One of my local tyres places bought a huge ammount of XZLs and were selling them very cheaply. I dont know if they would post though. Harry