Snagger

If you can post some photos, it'd be inetresting to see the differences.

It's a really bad idea to try to charge an NAD. LR uprated the pistons, conrods and big ends to cope with the additional stresses for the TD, and it was still very prone to cracking heads and pistons. A converted NAD will be worse. One melted piston in 32k is surprisingly good, but I doubt it'd do 100,000, so won't justify the cost and effort. I have had a 12J (2.5NAD), two 19Js (TD) and now a 200Tdi in my 109, and would strongly advise against trhe 19J or any turbo charger modified NAD.

Does this always happen having parked the vehicle in the same spot, facing the same way, especially if the weather is damp? If one side of the vehicle is more exposed to the weather than the other, it's common for a little surface rust to form more on one side than the other, with the result you describe.

That sounds like oil contamination of the shoes, probably through a weeping hub seal. It could just be the seal itself, or could be the seal land (the thicker part of the stub axle that the seal runs on) having a wear groove. If your axle is 10 spline, then you just need the new seal and a seal land collar. If you have a 24 spline axle, then a damaged seal land requires replacement of the stub axle, as it's not a separate component on the later axles.

I think I just answered your post on the other forum, if you use the FI moniker. The engines pull a SII/SIII fantastically well, and will not risk the transmission while doing it. The mpg will be about the same as with the NAD. Its problems are the propensity with which it cracks pistons and heads. turner Engineering insist the engine is OK, as long as it's religiously maintained, especially the coolant, oil and fuel systems, including regular injector cleaning and callibration.

My 109 is pretty heavy, with all the extras and the thick tub floor. It must have weighed very close to the 3.5T limit on the Alps trip, but the drum brakes coped without any trouble at all - sensible speeds on the way down on the roads and the drums didn't even get hot, while all the disc braked Defenders had been driving faster and had cooked brakes. The main reason I want Defender axles is for the steering radius and CV joints - the disc brakes are a much lower issue on the wants list. I'm told the Rocky Mountain is easy to fit. Their kit doesn't need any machining, from what I understand.

Some people who have used Discovery mounts on their conversions have said that mine vibrates less than theirs. it could be the injectors, but it could be the mounts too. Either way, apart from the fact that Marsland cocked up the chassis brackets' alignment, the 19J mounts work well. Since your engine is a good one, not just a pull-out and drop-in swap, then the rubbers may be worth swapping - they aren't that dear, and it'd be simpler to try 19J rubbers bfore going to the trouble of fitting Discovery mounts.

Sorry - i completely forgot until surfing just now. The photos aren't great, being taken in the dark (and cold!) - let me know if you need more taken in daylight.

I suspect the vibration is as much due to the condition of the engine and mounts as the type of mounts used. I have relatively little vibration, despite using 19J rubbers instread of Series or Tdi, as RJBlank saw at Glencoyne's workshop. Then again, the engine was rebuilt, I have new injectors and the engine is set up dead right. Try setting the timing and valves as accurately as possible and flushing the injection system with a cleaning additive before you worry too much about the mounts.

I'll do it later today for you.

It would need an SVA anyway, wouldn't it, because of the chassis alterations for the rear cross member and outriggers, regardless of whether it was the chassis or body which was adjusted to match lengths?

Thanks for all the replies. I'll treat the engine mountings as the prime suspect. An interesting prospect has come up, though. I have access to a mint condition s/h Discovery II rear anti-roll bar. I am still planning to fit a 300Tdi Defender rear Salisbury axle and anti-roll bars, but this shorter anti-roll bar will fit between the chassis rails, ahead of the axle, so I don't need big drop-mounts from the chassis to clear the fuel tank. The interesting thing is that it would also work as an anti-tramp bar too. I might combine fitting this anti-roll bar with the axle swaps just in case - a LR mechanic friend was telling me how he saw the axles of a PS10 wrapping as it pulled away from his workshop.

The 4wd housing on the fornt of the transfer box ahd been cut to about half its normal length - refitting an un-modified one may help with the clearance of the bell housing cross member, though it looks like you'll still have to alter it.

OK, thanks for the answers so far. The engine is a 200Tdi, and the transmission is standard SIII (except for the overdrive). The chassis is a Marsland unit, built with a standard left engine mount and a 2.5 diesel rhs mounting (12J/19J) as I was using a 12J at the time of the rebuild. The 12J and 200Tdi both used the left bracket from the original SIII engine, and a 12J right side bracket. Both had the same fitting problem: The gearbox mounts went on fine, though the nut on the bottom side of the rubber didn't have much space inside its steel bracket. I later put large washers between these "feet" and the cross member lugs to raise the feet 1mm to make sure that the nut on the rubbers' bottom studs weren't vibrating against the cross member. This had no effect. The engine mountings don't line up with the brackets, and the rubbers had to be forced, even though the gear box rubbers look straight. The rhs slopes forward, while the left one slopes aft, and they're at significant angles. Given that the left chassis mounting is standard SIII, and that the gearbox seems too far aft, I think this chassis and engine bracket are correct. The rhs chassis bracket is clearly in the wrong position, about 1.5" or so behind where it should be. Interestingly, I was contacted hrough my website by a fellow SIII owner who had Dunsfold LR rebuild his 88" with a Marsland chassis with the same engine bracket mods, and he had exactly the same trouble. DLR had to remove and refit the mountings. A further result of this aft engine position is that when I fit the Tdi with Defender manifolds and turbo, the turbo's elbow fouled the left foot well. I shimmed the left bracket away from the block by about 1" to widen the engine's "V", raising it higher and shifting it a little to the right to gain the turbo clearance (it also helped line up the mounting rubbers a little). This, of course, means the engine axis is now pointing very slightly to the right at the front end. Do you think that's the cause? I do intend to modify the rhs mounting. I also wonder whether the gearbox cross member is in the wrong place (too far aft) because the gearbox mountings all look fine.

Hi folks. I'm just after your opinions on the likely cause of a gnashing noise and increase in floor vibration when accelerating and going over small bumps or undulations on the road. It's more prevalent in 1st-3rd and when accelerating hard, but happens at all speeds. It also happens on bumps when cruising in 4th, but not as harshly. Smooth tarmac results in none of this unless accelerating in low gears at full throttle. The gearbox and prop are in mint condition, having been rebuilt. Now, I have a few ideas on what may be going on: 1) The torque going through one prop shaft instead of two is causing the slip joint to bind, so any bumps cause the axle to shove the transfer box; 2) The Marsland chassis was made with 19J engine mounts, and the right side one is about 1.5" too far aft, shoving the whole engine and transmission back about 1" (witnessed by the gear stick positions, turbo initially fouling the foot well and the engine mounting rubbers distortion) - the torque reaction could be bringing the flywheel housing into contact with the bulkhead (there's not a great deal of clearance); 3) Axle wrap from having all of the Tdi's torque sent to the rear axle, combined with the use of parabolic (albeit 4-leaf HD) springs. I intend to realign the rhs engine mounting when the weather and time permits, and that would eliminate one potential problem. I also plan to eventually fit Defender/Discovery axles while retaining the leaf sprung suspension. If axle wrap is a likely candidate, would fitting HD standard leaf springs be of that much help, or should I use an anti-wrap bar to the A-fram ball joint bracket?

With the Defender/Discovery front axle, I'll have a couple of inches extra clearance laterally from the tyre and the 1-ton suspension arrangement gives a little more vertical clearance for the drag link from the spring.I have seen some American conversions where they bolted the steering box to an 8mm plate, tack welded the nuts to the back of the plate, and then welded the plate to the outside of the chassis, having drilled holes large enough in the side of the rail to clear the plate's captive nuts. I don't like that idea because it puts all the load on one side of the rail, not spreading it across both, but I'm not an engineer and the principle may be sound. I'd hope that two of the four bolt holes would be sufficiently clear of the cross member to pose no difficulty, and that the other two could have their nuts affixed by cutting a semi-circular access hole in the bottom face of the cross member near the chassis rail without disturbing the front and rear faces, leaving plent of strength for its lateral bracing role. Fridge - I'll be retaining leaf sprung suspension.

Has anyone tried a P38 steering box? I gather that they fit the outboard side of the chassis rail, so you wouldn't need to chop lupms out of the chassis cross member. I'd be interested in that, because I don't want to foul up my galv chassis, and the Defender axles should allow plenty fof clearance for the drop arm once fitted.

I tink standard 109/110 rims are 5.5", FC rims 6" and 130/Wolf rims 6.5".

Sounds very sensible, making the mod reversible. My rear wings were cut, so I can't remove the wheel arches in the future (though the plan to fit Defender axles would prevent that anyway).

Only if you cut the body panels to match the profile of the Defender wheel arch. However, it looks daft unless you have the later wide axles or wider wheels (spacers alone don't move the wheel far out enough to be proud of the panels - you need at least 2" of outer side wall adjustment). If you do this, make a cardboard template to transfer the shape accurately onto the panels, remembering to leave 2" long tabs that will be bent 90 degrees inwards after cutting. These tabs will be for the plastic rivets holding the wheel arches in place, so need to be in line with the rivet holes on the wheel arches. Consider that while replacing the outer panels on the front wings to later return the body to standard is easy, repairing the tub is all but impossible - it's a one-way mod. Before you do it, have a close look at other vehicles that have had it done to make sure it's what you want. Mine is in the December LRe magazine (subscribers received it yesterday), so that's one you can look at (one note - the wheels are 7" rims with a 2" offset over the standard LR rims, not 7" offset as written in their article).

Do you remove the 4wd housing from the front of the transfer box too, when you do that, or do you only separate the transfer box from the gear box?

You may need to rebuild the box as the Craddocks chap said, but the main shaft nut and new detent springs sometimes work and are a cheap and simple first try - it'd be a shame to go to the trouble and effort of a rebuild if that's all that was required.

I find the best way of setting the inner hub nut is to fit the hub, washer and first nut back onto the stub axle and tighten the hut up finger tight, rotate the hub both ways several times, heave and pull the hub in and out and rotate it again to try to settle it fully into its position. Once I'm satisfied that the bearings are full seated, I slightly undo the nut, then with a healthy smear of grease all over the hub nut box spanner and a light grip, tighten the nut until the spanner spins in my hand. Then I fut the new lock washer, the second nut finger tight, lock the first nut with the washer, fully tighten the second nut and then lock that. You don't want to apply much torque on the first nut - it should be just strarting to nip. ANy tighter and you'll have excessive pre-load, resulting in bearing failure.Clear as mud.

I'm still waiting for the p[revious owner to give me the manual - it's only been six years so far! His daughter goes to the same school as mine and he's promised to get it to me soon...

Well, it's an odd colour, hence my hesitation. It's a pale beige-grey, neither one nore the other, and it's not dirty either. Here are some photos to try to show the colour. They're not great for that, but the one of the A pillar shows the contrast between the grey and this colour (the plasic wind screen surronds match the head lining perfectly). I also included a photo showinmg the complete single-piece lining that is not available from after-market suppliers.