English Gent

I'm probably beginning to sound like I'm flogging this stuff, but honestly I'm not. There is a specialist anti-corrosion treatment called Zinga. It's aimed squarely at the industrial markets, but they will sell it and ship it to anyone. It's a paint which is roundabout 95% zinc (or 97%?) which is applied to shot blasted bare steel or abraded existing galvanising. I bought a pattern IIA bulkhead from Craddocks, brought it home and built a large box so I could grit blast it back to bare metal and then painted it. I used an extension probe kit with waxoyl to treat the internal sections. Once the Zinga was dried (very quick drying) my Dad brush painted the bulkhead in marine coachpaint (luckily he used to be a coach painter/sign writer). It still looked perfect when I made the hard decision to let her go. Also I treated a set of secondhand sills by wire brushing all the surface dirt and oxide off and then gave them a coat of zinga at the same time as the bulkhead. I left those bare, but again, they still looked spot.

A sacrificial anode system generally only works when submerged in an electron carrying solution (sea water, for example) so a uniform coating is your only real option as even a small gap in the coating would act as a corrosion pit for the beginnings of rust. If the steel frames are sealed tubular sections, then you will likely suffer pressure build up during insertion to the zinc bath resulting in possible distortion. Exposure of the brazed joints may result in the braze (tin, copper?) melting out at the elevated temperatures, so if you really want to have internal hot dipped zinc then you're going to have to weld the frames. If however you're not completely stuck on hot dipping thin walled components, then a good second would be to abrade the sections back to bar metal and bush apply a substance called 'zinga' to the outside of the frames, and use a chassis treatment hose sprayer to apply lots and lots of waxoyl to the inner frames. I did this with my replacement bulkhead and it was still perfectly solid when the old lady went. As has been mentioned, you should insulate the alloy door skin from the steel frames as this in itself will set up a galvanic reaction whereby ion transport from anode to cathode (or the other way round... it's been a long time since I was studying corrosion mechanics) starts the breakdown of the alloy skin. This insulation can be achieved with thin rubber, wide insulating tape or even thick paint. I think Frost's use to sell body sealer for just this sort of application.

Yep, I'm afraid I stopped offroading a good few years back now so I wasn't using her at all really. Over the 18 years I had her I spent the first 10 or so seemingly rebuilding her every other year. Eventually she was very capable, even helping me to win a team spirit trophy in the Nene overland challenge... I was rubbish, got stuck everywhere, but laughed it off all weekend. I'd built her with the intention of doing solo greenlaning, which she was very good at, but a mortgage put a stop to all that. I'd decided that as long as she was still running I would keep her, and keep cycling to work. Over the last couple of months I had 'gremlins' instigating faults in a sort of will I get home or not manner. Then the starter motor started to play up, and I eventually deduced that the ring gear had been pushed off the flywheel by the mean-green custom starter. I didn't fancy having to do another partial rewire to go back to the proper starter motor as well as having to split the engine and gearbox to replace the flywheel. My drive isn't the best place to work as it's sloped quite a bit, and nor could I take it to my sister's as she's split from her husband who did a lot of work for me. I couldn't see the point in paying out to fix something I was only using two or three times a month. The scrappage deal was the simplest method of simultaneously clearing my parking space and getting a little run-a-round. I never thought I'd see this day myself.

Right, as I'm nearly chocking back the tears right now I'm in no mood to get back in the garage... My Landy has finally been hauled off by the scrapman. The only consolation is that at least some of it 'may' find another life elsewhere. One of the bits I removed was the rear axle Detroit locker. This is however a convoluted mish-mash of Land Rover parts. The differential is a 4.7 ratio standard SII/SIII unit but I specified the inner end of the half shafts to be 24 spline to suit the high strength martensitic steel shafts I purchased at the same time, these have the removable outer flanges as per the early 90 coilsprung back axle. So I have a 4.7 ratio diff with 24 spline shafts that presumably won't fit with a normal SII/SIII half shafts, and a pair of 90 high strength half shafts that won't fit anything other than a early 90 back axle, with 24 spline planetary gears. Would any 90 owner want to run with 4.7 ratio diffs instead of the 3.5 ratio?

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of the company you've highlighted, but I thought I might offer you a different option. I purchased a pattern part from Craddocks for my Series IIA which was supplied in primer. When I got my hands on it I sand blasted it back to bare metal and applied a cold galvanising 'paint' supplied under the trade name 'Zinga'. This is a high quality, really high zinc content paint that has to be applied to abraded bare steel (hence the sand blasting) or over prepared galvanised steel. The inside of the main rails were treated with waxoyl using a long insertion spray kit. I did this work several years ago and my bulkhead is still perfect, but still destined for the scrapman I'm afraid.

Whilst I admit the camshaft would've been nice, it wasn't an option when I had my engine converted by ACR. At the time I got the K&N filter, SU carb, induction manifold mated to a stage II head. The tubular manifold was merely an idea in Rowland's head, so the only exhaust modification was the straight through back box.

Kingdong2, this might be your mates lucky week... I have one of the early converted spec II heads and powerplus kits using the custom inlet manifold. I loved it, plenty of torque even from low down. It would also freely rev up. The straight through exhaust sounded delightful, but the back box rotted out so I replaced it with a standard back box. I know what the other poster meant with a throttle switch, I cured mine by converting it to a cable throttle using a Defender pedal. A bit fiddle to get the holes in the right place but it worked a treat. Here's for the lucky bit... as I'm doing a scrappage deal, I've already swapped an old head onto the block, and put the old manifold assembly in the back, so I will have a stage II head, powerplus manifold and SU carb, and a relatively new exhaust manifold up for sale shortly. I've got to make sure the deal goes through ok before I part with some of my 'retained items'. If it's something he'd be interested in, then just let me know.

Yes David, they still do a 4x4 version, a petrol and a diesel. However, I'm a bit skint, so went for the cheapest possible option of a 1.1 for £5000. Ideally had the landy been a simple fix I would've sold it on and bought a cheaper second hand Panda. For what it's worth, my £5000 would've got me an 2005 petrol 4x4. For the moment I shall see how I get on with the little Panda and maybe change to a 4x4 at some later date?

Erm, Sorry David, it was the final straw for me, I wasn't using her as I used to. For a few years she's just been a shopping trolley that only made sense as long as she was running. I've done a scrappage deal on a Panda. One or two people have said 'You'll have another within 12 months'

It's okay, its off now. Removed a finely toothed cog with a roller bearing which appears to be firmly attached. I wasn't hitting it hard enough before It was enough to simply put the gearbox into first to get it to stop rotating, and it wasn't even engine compression as there were no plugs in.

Right, I've got the overdrive off, but the castelated nut is round. I've had a look in the manual, and it says use a special tool (which I found for £170 ). Does anyone have a bright idea as to how I can get this bit off?

Oooh, I think I might 'accidentally' exchange the cylinder head... I 'might' also swap out the expensive diff with a cheap one. Do you think I'd get away with sending her away with no rear half shafts in and the end caps showing the open shaft holes?

As far as I can tell, it'll be towed a short distance on to a transporter and then to the scrapyard , but I don't want it to fall apart until it gets to the scrap yard, so my plan is to let it sit on the hand brake in 4wd (gonna 'liberate' the rear diff and shafts) then let the handbrake off when they tow it in neutral, so hopefully the gearbox bits shouldn't turn, and therefore hopefully won't explode as it goes through the estate. I shall however look at getting the castellated nut off whilst I'm underneath. I'm actually sad at the prospect of this. 18 years of blood, sweat and tears. I'm not convinced this is the right thing to do, but it's kinda too late to back out now

As I'm more of a 'remove big bits' rather than delicate fiddly bits, I thought I would take the opportunity to ask a question, prior to doing something potentially stupid. I had a company fit one of the last Superwinch overdrives to the back of my IIA gearbox. I'm just about to strip out the overdrive, but, if I undo whatever it is that holds it on, will the handbrake still work. Actually, as I've typed that I've realised that it should as it's holding the propshaft still. Okay, as I'm obviously thick at the moment, is there any kind of fittings inside the overdrive that I should be careful of loosing? Basically, I've reached a point whereby I don't use the old girl like I used to, and she no longer makes any sense in me paying to get it fixed (start motor and or flywheel) as it's never going to sell for what the govt will give me, however, if I can, I'm going to 'liberate' a couple of not critical bits

Hello David, I think we must be at crossed understandings. My mean green starter pushes it's starter cog towards the gearbox. I think it's managed to push the teeth ring from the engine towards the gearbox. I put a gauge down the casing hole to the back of the teeth, then compared that to the available extension limit on the starter.

Had another fiddle today. I refitted the starter and arranged the cables in the same way as per the bench test. I got the same noises but no go. I've had a closer look and I can indeed see that the gearbox side of the teeth are chamfered. I can also see a small gap between the edge of the flywheel casting and the beginning of the teeth. I've had a feel and I think my starter cog slides out just far enough to touch the back of the teeth rather than actually engage with them. I can make out some fresh marks on the back of the teeth on the flywheel. I think the teeth have come loose on the flywheel

Engine is a 2.25 petrol, 3 main bearing engine, with a Automotive Component Remanufacturing power plus head and SU conversion. Think I'll take it to the auto electricians tomorrow.

I've disconnected the main feed cable from the landy and used that to trigger the small terminal. The motor kicked like a mule and the drive cog shot out and spun up. What do I do now? Replace the wire from the push button to the small terminal even though I was hearing the motor do something? Assume it's some kind of clutch inside the unit? Refit the whole starter unit and see what happens, followed by calling Homestart

The way I had the jump leads was exactly as I removed it from the vehicle. The positive lead to the post visible in the top of the picture. The earth lead to the negative battery post and the casing mounting holes (I have a twin earth - one to the chassis and one off the top mounting hole direct to the battery). I 'attempted' to trigger the motor by using a small wire between the jumper positive clamp and the little screw terminal seen below the main feed in the picture. When this first occurred the engine caught after I turned it round on the starting handle. When I attempted to get it going again at home, it didn't want to engage the flywheel (checked again by trying to start in gear) I left the engine in a position where I new it wouldn't start and checked the teeth when I pulled the starter unit, and there is a full set of teeth visible. I'm not really convinced that the ends of the teeth are worn, I think they've been deliberately chamferred as the marking are virtually identical on each tooth. The whole cog section only comes out that far, and without the bit of card shown, it pops back inside the end of the housing.

Now I'm even more confused. When the starter motor was in the vehicle I could just hear the starter motor turning. It occurred to me that the flywheel might not be attached to the engine? With the Landy in gear (had to climb in through the back door as the front is frozen shut now), I can't turn the engine, so it's not the flywheel area. I tried turning the starter cog in both directions (I'm not sure which direction is the freewheel) but I do sense resistance in both directions. I clamped it in a workmate as I can't get to my shed for all the snow. With a pair of jump leads, one to the main feed and the earth on the casing, I attempted to trigger the solenoid. I got a small spark at the solenoid trigger but nothing else. I tried again after giving the clamps a good wiggle but still nothing. A voltmeter across the battery shows 12.9 V, but touching the black probe to the small terminal trigger show 12.9V also, and the case is also apparently live at 12.9V too. The other section of the unit (with the funny green sticker) shows no voltage.

Hello everybody, I hope you've had a nice Christmas and a happy new year. I've got a little problem in that my mean green starter won't start the Landy (just when I could do with a 4x4). When I press the button to trigger the inbuilt solenoid I can hear the starter motor run but it's not engaging the flywheel. I rotated the engine on the starting handle, and pressed the button and it fired up. I ran the motor for a bit, turned it off again, and it wouldn't fire up. I tried turning the engine and it didn't start, turned it again on the handle, and then it did fire up. I was beginning to think about damaged teeth on the flywheel. I turned it off again and no matter what I did it wouldn't engage the engine. I removed the starter and found that the teeth are all intact. I haven't 'bench' tested it as yet (I'm more of a remove and replace big bits rather than fiddly intricacies), however I have a friendly auto-electrics company (shut over the holidays) who today told me that they generally replace whole motors these days. The UK importer (LA Supertrux) told me that they've had difficulties getting their orders from Mean Green. I'm at the point now where I'm thinking about pulling it to bits, even though I don't really know what I'm looking at. It won't work, so I can hardly make it any worse can I?

If you think you want to try, then have a go, but don't expect to be a prize winner A fella I used to know got more and more into this, and I went along to film and photograph his exploits for the local 4x4 group newsletter I was editing at the time. It looked like a laugh, and my Series IIA swb was getting more and more equipment, so the following year I entered the local round of the Optima Winch Challenge (actually the July 2000 round, my how time flies) My brother and I were hopelessly out classed. But we had a laugh and tried not to get in the way of the nutters deliberately driving into trees to get nearer a punch. For two days we slipped and slithered round the forest laughing our heads off. I'm honest enough to say that my mechanical sympathies stopped me continuing down that route.... Much to my mates annoyance at the time, I came out with a nice Silver plate for winning the team spirit trophy

Those look like standard 90/110 arches, and if so you'll have to cut your wings back quite heavily. I have a coil sprung IIA and the extra track of the defender axles put the standard SWB rims just inside the body. I had a set of Mach5 rims made with a larger offset which meant I had to use arches. I chopped the wings back and then formed the inner lip to bolt the arches on. The problem is the front axle is offset forwards by comparison so the arch wasn't central. Also the rear position is controlled by the proximity of the fuel tank filler etc, and under axle articulation I ended up having to trim more of the plastic arch away. In the end I took them off and just use a very flexible clear rubber strip. Access under the front wings isn't a problem though

Ah, yes, well I did say the cogs haven't turned for a while... however, its fine particles of copper embedded in a nice grease. I wonder what would happed if I stuck a continuity meter in a tub of the stuff?

I used a large number of stainless fixings on my IIA during the various rebuilds, and I have always found that I get a small white powder residue at the panel joint which I would say will be aluminium oxide formed as a corrosion product. However, the SS nut and bolts always come undone so I'm not fighting rusty steel. I wouln'd say I've suffered 'massive' corrosion with bolts falling through the panels, but perhaps I'm lucky. If you want to protect against galvanic corrosion, then the simplest way is to provide a layer of inhibitor to stop the flow of electrons between the anode and cathode of the glavanic cell (Flippin heck, these cogs in my head haven't turned for a while) and the simplest method is a dollop of coppergrease on the bolts prior to installation and another dollop over the end of the thread. Buy coppergrease in the tin rather than a tube and just use a paint brush. Stainless steel bolts will fail at a lower torque value than standard high tensile steel and as such any load dependent bolt and nut should be HT but with a nice layer of coppergrease, although the application of coppergrease will alter the amount of torque required over a dry fitting, not htat I've had too many things fall apart so far.... touch wood.