JST
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Posts posted by JST
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it would have the road manners on the MTs not sure the 12J will pull it OK though
anyone here running 255/85 or similar ht tyre with n/a who can shed some light on the subject?
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i have a silver/chrome one available, as new, if your interested.
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When i first got my TD5 and doing the odd gentle greenlane i was forever either having to rewire the tow pack electrics or at the minimum clean them out after the mud had been forced through them, normally bending the bracket in the process. so i moved them to the convenient hole already in the cross member:
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just dug this out again, my findings from the GKN overdrive, it raised some questions on the old forum:
Having being asked by several forumers for my thoughts on the GKN overdrive I thought I would compile the points as below and post for all interested parties. Primarily i thought these points may be of interest to those considering fitting the unit off set against cost/economy gain. I fitted mine on 22 April 2000 at 22,700 miles. The vehicle now has 67,900 miles on it.
Prior to the purchase I looked at engine speed per 1000rpm for the different gears and worked out what reduction the overdrive (O/D) would make assuming a 25% reduction in engine speed. Results are shown:
mph 50 60 70 80
RPM RPM RPM RPM
Gear Mph/1000rpm Std O/D Std O/D Std O/D Std O/D
3 12.57 4.0 3.0 4.8 3.6 5.6 4.2 6.4 4.8
4 17.56 2.8 2.1 3.4 2.6 4.0 3.0 4.6 3.4
5 22.81 2.2 1.6 2.6 2.0 3.1 2.3 3.5 2.6
Note:
a. All engine speeds x 1000
b. The figures in italics show theoretical engine rpm.
c. Shaded boxes show likely main usage area.
The table shows that 3rd + O/D is the same engine speed as std 4th, 4th + O/D is the same engine speed as 5th. (when I same the same within 200rpm)
Thoughts prior to purchase and subsequent Findings
1. 70-75mph with the O/D engaged has the same engine noise as 40mph in 5th, although still have the tyre noise and wind, just makes them more apparent. You don’t need to turn the stereo up!
2. My economy went from:
a. ‘A’ roads old 27/28mpg now average 30/31mpg
b. Motorway old 29/30mpg (65-70) now 31-34 (70-80)
c. Constant 60 motorway old 31mpg now up to 33/34mpg
3. To recover the purchase price of £992 it will take the following miles to break even:
Fuel Cost O/D saving on fuel
20% 15% 10%
0.889 p/ltr 40,200 miles 50,800 miles 73,700
The different % savings are applicable to how you drive the vehicle. I primarily stay at the same speed as I used to drive without the unit fitted and have averaged a predicated 15% saving
4. I use mine primarily as a 6th gear although it can be engaged in nay gear above 30mph, It is suggested not to use O/D in third due to the high level of torque that can be put through the unit.
5. The O/D puts less stress on engine, drops revs I reckon by 800rpm at 70mph which was calculated and is proved by the fitted rev counter. Which now means 70mph is closer to peak torque for the engine at 2100rpm.
6. Easy to use, the button is ideal on gear knob although it looks ………. Different. You soon get used to it
7. The whole unit is transferable to other vehicles on sale.
8. Excellent for towing as smooth full on power shift from 4th to 4th + O/D instead of using 5th which means no loss of momentum. The TD5 will pull 65mph with a trailer and O/D engaged although you will need to change down for hills. See note below on economy though.
9. For economy have found it best to change to 5th at 70 on hills rather than stress the unit in Overdrive.
10. No problems off road with it fitted – its seems quite durable and is well machined finished. It is not used off road but is obviously still fitted. Clearance of the td5 exhaust middle box can prove to be a problem and should be monitored when first off roading to ensure it doesn’t foul the unit. If it does I would suggest a straight through pipe to replace the middle box. Mine is still running the mid box, off roading hasn’t proved to cause any problems in this area.
My Problems experienced.
11. It takes about 1000miles (of O/D engaged) for the O/D to wear in. Up to this point due to the lack of room for oil within the unit, mine used the breather pipe as an escape route for the ATF. This mean’t when the unit had warmed up the fluid moved up through the breather pipe, due to heat expansion, resulting in the engine bay being covered in ATF. (This is where the breather head was routed to). To overcome his I mounted the breather up by the air cleaner/bulkhead, incorporated a ‘U’ bend and cable tied it into position. I then fed it through the top of an old orange squash bottle so that any ATF that came up the breather was contained. You could also see how much oil had come out and top up the unit as needed. It started off emptying about half the oil over a 2hr motorway journey. As it bedded in it threw out less ATF. The total oil used was about 1.5L total over 1000miles. It is my understanding this issue has now been overcome with a different breather set-up. My O/D was one of the first units produced and no doubt like LR do the customer was the trials period!
12. I found no difference in economy for the 1st 500 miles of O/D use. Although this could have been because I was driving faster!
13. I had problems aligning the unit to start with on the interface resulting in a leak, I had to remove unit and refit (twice) used instant gasket in the end having destroyed the original that came with the unit.
14. The filler plug leaked, I overcame this by adding a home made washer from an old inner tube. You can otherwise over tighten the steel filler plug in an ali body and end up trashing the thread.
Fitting the unit.
This was reasonably straight forward, remove PTO cover on back of transfer box, remove transfer box gear and associated bearings, then offer up the O/D interface plate with appropriate gasket, torque up. You will need allen sockets (sockets with part of an allen key in them) to get the right torque (40Nm) and add O/D unit to plate. It extends about 9ins from the rear of the transfer box as it stands now, I had to make up a bracket to drop the exhaust 1†as the mid box just caught the end of the O/D unit, although I believe this is unnecessary on a 110 as the mid box is further back. It took me about 2hrs to do the above in slow time, plus you need someone to help with the O/D unit as its quite heavy to man handle under a vehicle. I did it in a garage with no ramps etc, so therefore had to remove the cubby box etc to allow top access.
Its then only a case of fitting the breather and electric’s. I fitted the control box to the base of the cubby box.
The whole lot is very well explained in the pack that comes with it.
Make sure you have about 3L of ATF prior to fitting to allow 1L to fill and subsequent refills – see problems!
Overall it took me about half a day total to fit the unit. My recommendation would be to fit the unit yourself.
Tools Needed(suggested min)
Sockets
Spanner
Screwdrivers
Allen sockets
Torque wrench
Extra cable ties
About 3L ATF
Nimble hands
Sense of humour
A helper for actual fitting of unit
Other
I told my insurance company about it (NFU) and it made no difference to the premium.
The unit has now been fitted for over 40k miles and since the first 1000 miles has been completely trouble free. I change the ATF in it every 36k (so have done it once) and use it daily.
Out of interest I was going to get a set of disco high range gears fitted. However as I live in a hilly part of the country and do a lot of towing I was advised against this. The general consensus around friends with disco gears fitted is that overall economy around ‘A’ roads goes down as you are in a lower gear e.g. 4th when you would have been in 5th however motorway/dual carriageway journeys the economy improves as you can now pull 5th gear.
The above is my experience with unit that I was supplied in 2000. I believe the breather problem/oil coming out has now been overcome. I have no connected with GKN I am just pleased with their unit and after sales service regarding advice on the initial oil spillage. Please feel free to contact me if you require any further info.
I hope this helps anyone thinking about getting the unit or similar design.
All the above are my own personal findings and I am not saying you will have the same experience/fuel saving if you fitted the device.
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snorkel went on yesterday, still need the top clamp to attach it to the cage though, hence visit to Daves'!
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ok, got it now.
dont i look stupid...............
whos Darth..........!!!!!!! ok ok no need to take the tiddle
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i am running 255/85s on 2 " lift, no rub on full articulation see front:
and on the flat:
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i guess this is a follow on thread from the lre forum regarding the fitting.
when i first had my td5 i went through the same thought process but decided against the 1.22 box due to the area i live in being quite hilly and i tow alot, and thats with 125 or so bhp so 15bhp over a tdi in std tune. i am running 235/85s.
in the end i bit the bullet and fitted a GKN overdrive, thus retaining the std gears but with that longer gear for motorway/main road crusing. it will pull o/d from 50mph. abd drops rpm by 800 at 70mph. it was fitted at 20k miles and i have done 70k miles now with no problems attributed to the o/d and mpg increased 10% or so as well.
Western recently picked one up for considerably less than the new price so they are around. try ringing someone whos selling a defender with one fitted and ask if you could have the o/d separately. in my opinion its well worth the investment. plus you can keep the 235/85.
alternatively rebuild the t box (again) back to the std 1.4 gears, as prev mentioned theres noting between the 1.4 and 1,22 box and keep the 235/852
or another option change to 4.11 diffs, thats a mod fitted that will take a 1.2 high range box almost back to std 1.4 box, it may be slightly higher than a 1.4 box in the end although again prob cheaper to just go back to 1.4 box.
try ringing Dave at Ashcrofts if he doesnt shopw here.
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Les,
many thanks its now working a treat, or will be once i get my head around how it all works!!!
thank you for all the PMs as well, problem resolved.
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mt tdi chucks out plenty of heat whilst the td5 heater is carp and there no air flow when the fans are off unlike my tdi which blows aor through the ventilation(!) system dependant on speed.
i have tried most things to improve the cabin heater on mine to little effect.
however the webasto greatly improves engine warm up time and removes that harsh td5 rattle that they have when cold, and reduces engine wear, the heater fan also blows faster and hotter (it seems) when the unit is running.
there are some after market replacement 'improved flow' heater matrixes arounds, anyone tried them?
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Bos, any news yet
anyone else interested? Will???
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Bos, any news yet
anyone else interested? Will???
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i have a copy then when you go to run it it comes up with this msg:
'microcat has not found an authorsied dongle' contact your microcat supplier'
i tried my supplier but he didnt have any ideas
anyone else any ideas what i need to do to make it run?
i am running XP.
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JB, you up for it then?
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JB,
theres a pinned thread in the events forum about it, or try the same in the old lre forum if its still up(?)
its a challenge event in Bampton woods, 1 dayer, 2 vehicles per team, thats about it i think - Tony anything to add?
although no low range would be a 'giggle' i think it woul dbe a very expensive one and probably at your expense, i would say, guessing at what Tony ahs planned, Low range is essential!
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see my thread below, if i dont get another team mate (as in vehicle) then yep spare willing, young able co driver available.
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as it says, my team mate, Dan, is unlikely to make it as his TD has died, unless that is we can source and fit a 200tdi in the week before the event! unlikely me thinks.
so it looks like my team will be a team of one vehicle, unless theres anyone out there whos available???????? - its a week Sat @ Bampton, Devon.
His co-driver is still available, if required.
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you can also buy the delay timer relays from vehicle wiring - works out alot cheaper although no instructions an dyou will need to make up three extra wires.
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richard,
exactly what i found, if you put it on a smooth surface (POR15 that is) it just peals off, but sticks to rust like bu****y.
in the end i sued 1 coat of POR15, 1 coat of chassis black from the same people. the finish looked horrendous though so it then got 3 coats of spray on smooth hammerite. will see how long that lasts.
i last did it 2 or maybe 3 yrs ago with just the POR15 and the chassis black which shows why the chassis black was now a poor finsih being 2/3 yrs years old - that stuff, like POR15 is difficult to keep.
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Wlafy,
i am about to start in Tidworth on the 5 sept. which one you in?
that T box came out today if you are still interested. it needs a new front oil seal which i have!! let me know if you still want it, its a 1..4 ratio one, 140k miles on it.
email me on trem417@aol.com or drop me a pm
oh yeah those fans work a treat - many thanks.
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cheers for the info.
i have just got a replacement turbo and that had 14 showing, i was going to phone them tomorrow to confirm as it was looking like 11 was std, but 14 now sounds good to me.
thanks for getting back to me
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many thanks John.
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Tony,
i will let you know as soon as i am in the picture.
no need for you to drop out i can do it as an indvidual and then claim 1st place for sole entry!!!!
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no longer needed but thank you anyway
Trundle Around Salibury Plain
in Getting out and about
Posted
yep i am up for it, 10/11 inclusive onwards, how about gb+, same as Turbocharger.