Jocklandjohn

Aye that would help - unfortunately the local weighbridge can only do whole vehicles so that limits me somewhat.

Thanks Badger - yes that would be useful. The vendor of the new shocks I just fitted suggested from looking at pics I sent them that my front springs are sagging ("there should not be 4 coils touching" was his opinion) - so I just need to get some idea from other vehicles compressed length whether mines are around the normal compressed length or overly compressed, if its the the latter then that suggests they are indeed worn out or I need something slightly stiffer. I didn't expect fitting new shocks to affect the apparent damping efficiency so badly, I've never ever in 25 years of ownership of the 110 hit the bumpstops, and now I do it every time I leave the house and go over the speed bump!

Thanks Ralph - you've confirmed what I've just this minute figured out from searching. I'm *guessing* from comments I've read on forums that they behave similarly to standard 110 rears until you get a heavier load, and where the standards start to run out of steam the progressives can support an additional bit of loading.

Thanks Peaklander - are those front springs the Bearmach equivalents of LR parts? The rears you mention were more recent 110 fitments afaik, but progressives and going beyond the capacity of the ones I have. What shocks are you using? I'm a bit suspicious that I should have no problems with Armstrongs controlling the suspension (even though well rusted and knackered) and then I change to Monroes and start hitting the bumpstops. So I'm curious how the compressed length on mine compares to others with similar weight of vehicle.

Ok, any comments on this gratefully received before I commit to buying new front springs. I measured the compressed front springs as they are currently on the van. They're Land Rover OE parts - NRC 8044 white/white on driver side and NRC8045 yellow/yellow on passenger side. White/white is 384mm free length and in current compressed state 255mm, and the yellow/yellow is 368mm free length and 280mm compressed. Bump stop clearance (standard fitment) is 45mm. These are apparently progressive front springs so 115/215Lbs/In load rating. WIth the Monroe shocks I'm now hitting the bump stops very easily on a small bump/drop. Rear end is non-levelled NRC6389 red/red on driver side and NRC6904 red/green on passenger side. These are 330Lbs/In rating. Free length of red/red is 407mm and in current compresssed state 270mm, red/green free length is 395mm and compressed state 280mm. Bump stop clearance is 75mm. I dont hit the bump stops when driving off the same 'drop' as the front. I have AirLift airbags fitted but only running 8psi so not 'pumped up'. With this current setup the vehicle sits level front-to-back and side-to-side, the rear is not sitting 'up' as in 'normal' 110's I've seen, presumably because of the additional weight it carries (weighbridge result on Friday was 2700Kg) Do these figures for compressed spring state and bump stop clearance suggest knackered and sagging front springs (or are these shocks really so soft they cant cope with the 'bounce')?

Easier to be sure, than commit and have to spend more time undoing/redoing! 🙂

Aha thats a clever solution!

Thanks for the advice Jon. Aye, I'm leaning towards the timing being the problem (from what I've read, as I'lve never fiddled with it). I'm pulling the injectors next couple of day and getting them serviced so apart from any blockages between filter and pump thats it all overhauled - new tank, new fuel pick up, new fuel line, new lift pump, injectors serviced & new tips...and FIP was done not long ago was well and I've not messed around with it since. Only leaves timing belt and pump timing so at least that can be tackled knowing everything else is sorted. I'll report back with any more improvements!!

Cheers Ralph thats longer than the ebay one so it should be fine, PM sent.

Thanks Ralph, I'll have a look at the filler neck over the weekend and measure from any likely fitting location to the aux tank floor and see what length I require. I'm sure I can lengthen the pipe a tad with some nylon tube if needs be. I'll certainly take it if its goging to fit as the Ebay vendor in that link won't post to the Scottish Highlands because the Scottish Highlands is off the edge of the map in nowheresville apparently, and its out of stock anyway!! Is the long metal pipe flexible enough to get it to turn the corner to go down into the tank if installed in a nearly vertical pipe?

Thanks Ralph - thats interesting. I'm not sure where it goes though - is that for tank installation or can it be drilled through the filler neck and then the pipe run down into the tank and the feed led off to the heater? The bolt on the inside (if in-tank) would be the problem (but not if in the filler neck). The Eberspacher version of that has an oblong plate thats sized to slip through the hole you drill in the top of the tank and then its tightened from above with the seal external. I cant think of any reason why going through the filler neck wall and installing a small fitting like that would create any problems?

No thats dandy. The smokiness I was complaining about previously has been improved dramatically by the new fuel line. Off-boost is still noticeable, which I guess is not that unusual but its cleaned up a lot on-boost with the clear fuel supply which is what I'd expect. Lad who's doing the timing belt and pump timing check had a look at the turbo and said it was all fine, wastegate working as expected etc and has suggested I fit a 300Tdi air filter box and filter to give a bigger intake/surface (mine's is still the 19J version) which he thought might improved things a bit more. I'm getting the impression there's not *one big thing* wrong with the vehicle, rather an accumulation of small things impacting on each other and overall performance. So, I swapped the lift pump for a new one, that made a difference, installed a boost valve and wound back the threaded rod actuator and got the boost dialled in accurately with the valve and that made a difference as well, swapped the fuel line for a new one and removed the Eberspacher T take-off and thats really improved things as well. So if I get the injectors serviced as well that may see some other improvements too. With the clarity of hindsight - the reason why I've had several lift pumps fail (6 in the last decade) may be that the difficult pull-through the partially blocked fuel line (if that was the case) was over-taxing them and causing premature failure.

Thanks Ralph, any alternative suggestions very welcome.

I have a boost gauge and can watch it operate as the speed increases and its going up/down/up again as per vehicle acceleration as appropriate, reaching the 1.3Bar max I've set as suggested by supplier and lad who serviced my fuel pump. I'm getting the injectors serviced and new nozzles fitted next week so that might help too. I have to say though that the new fuel hose has made a very signficant difference - acceleration from standstill previously would struggle beyond 2k rpm and now its easily sailing past 3k and beyond so there was obviously some restriction being caused in the old line, or by the Eberspacher take-off. Still got some work to do but its heading in the right direction!

Expert opinion from LR guru is that my springs may be past their sell by date and sagging, which is likely the cause of the bump stops hitting at front. Since I fitted the springs/shocks and Airlift bags the van's weight has increased due to the addition of the lifting roof, fridge and water tank so thats not helped matters. So today I went to the weighbridge to get a more acccurate idea of its weight and its currently sitting at 2700KG with 1/2 tank fuel, 1/2 tank water. Assuming I add two adults, dog, gear, more fuel/water, filling the fridge and some clothes & gear, and occasionally two bikes on a towball rack it'll be up near 3000kg I expect. The VIN plate states 3050KG which I assume is the GVW and I'm rarely likely to get near that. I have the Salisbury rear axle (it was Vodafone utility vehicle) so that's well up to the task at the back. Can anyone give me some idea of what spring weights you're running on a 110 with that sort of load?

Thanks Ralph - I came across that post in my searching, but I could not figure out whether that would work with the wing tank I have which fills the space between the filler mouth and main tank. I've sealed the back of the wheel arch where the tank is fitted, with an ally offcut so the road grot couldn't get into the void above the tank so until I pull that off I can't get a clear view of it.

Well to be honest I've not pulled the old fuel pipe out yet! I decided to leave there for the time being as various wires & brake pipe are cable-tied onto it, and near the back the AirlIft bag pipes are fastened to it. I'd had a look more carefully at it and it was pretty tatty, and there is one join in it, so its possible that was compromising it. Thats odd behaviour with the Eberspacher - I've not had anything like that in 20 years with it fitted. They're pretty robust and relatively simple, but what might cause that problem I've no idea. Do you think Toyota owners are discussing the same problems or is it just a Land Rover affliction!! 🙂

Grand thanks Fridge. I assume it can cope with a modest dip in the return line to accomodate the tank fitting location, providing the exit-to-return is not too low relative to the rear tank return pipe? Or am I being unnecessarily picky and the return pressure is enough to flow-through?

Update: Timing belt NOT changed yet, but mechanic and his colleague inspected engine & ancilliaries, thought it all looked ok and no obvious visible problems, then took it out for a run with me and agreed it was lovely and smoooth running, but when he booted it we left enough smoke in the village to start a kipper factory. He agreed the hill pulling ability was compromised too, so we removed the air intake and fitted a free-flow filter on the turbo and had another go and it wasn't much better. He then told me to take his 200tdi 110 with standard turbo & slightly tweaked fuel pump and the same Disco gearing, out for a run and I have to say it was a revelation, it pulled like a clydesdale horse and emitted very little smoke and went like a train on the flat and seemed not to even notice the hill I went up. He said he pulls loads of hay in a twin axle trailer using it and easily manages hills, can cruise at 75mph all day pulling it with no effort. So we agreed to take mine back in a week or two and do the timing belt & pump timing and maybe swap out my fuel pump for one he has that he knows works properly to see if that helps. Meanwhile I decided to replace the fuel line and remove the Eberspacher T fuel pick up just before the lift pump. Did that yesterday, one nice new length of rubber fuel hose uninterrupted from tank to lift pump, and when I took it out for a run there was a very marked improvement in performance, but crucially also a reduction in the overall smokiness. Once it was warmed up I took it up the long hill out of town, it slowed in 5th but in 4th it continued to pull pretty well and I was able to maintain 45/50 for most of it though EGT's started to climb over 700. Normally I'd have struggled to maintain 40mph and depending on the wind direction often ended up in 3rd. On the flat its much much sprightlier, I can feel considerably more poke, and when rolling on the throttle in 4th from 20mph it really pulls and when the turbo cuts in you can feel the oomph and it continues all the way to 60, change to 5th and all the way to 70mph with no difficulty though I chickened out on trying to go any faster (but it felt it was able to) . What is VERY noticeable is that the acceleration in 1st and 2nd which previously felt like it had a rev limiter on it and prevented me going above 2000 RPM is now much more vigorous and I easily got to 3kRPM. Conclusion thus far is that possibly the fuel line was partially blocked, or maybe pin-holed, or the Eberspacher fuel take off was causing some problem with the fuel flow. Or a combination of both. So, its helped immensely just changing the fuel line. I'm taking the injectors in for a service next week and renewing the nozzles so will see what addiitonal benefits that brings. I now need to find an alternative fuel pick up point for the Eberspacher...

Resurrecting this old thread as I've just removed my Eberspacher T from the fuel line and needing an alternative that avoids drilling the tank and which may also avoid me having to pour diesel into a separate tank from a container if possible (although I prefer the latter to the former if thats my only two choices). Is this still working Fridge? Is it just a catch can type of can with the return line cut and put in-line and a feed taken out to the heater? If this correct, Ilm guessing any 3-port tank would do?

Yes, thanks. Aware its always a trade-off and previous experience with (frankly terrifying*) off-brand springs convinced me to stick to quality known entities, thus last time I renewed the shocks/springs I went for Land Rover original fitment fronts and rear springs, correctly colour-coded, and Armstrong shocks as would have been fitted originally. It was just as the vendor advised, very smooh ride, no wallowing on corners and with the AirLift bags in rear I could add some stiffness for when I was carrying a load of stuff. The 110 doesn't get hammered and no high-speed diving about off-road, but it does have to go on some really rough forest and hill tracks but usually slow and careful, and despite some big dips and whacks it never ever bottomed out. No Armstrongs currently available so the closest I could find was Monroes, correct fitment according to their website, but soft as cottage cheese and hitting the bump stops with even a modest on-road bump. Sigh! *Took the 110 to local independent LR mechanic to confirm my feelings they were very bad and he refused to let me drive home as he judged them so dangerous! He loaned me some old springs to install until I got the danergous ones swapped, the vendor assuring me ("nobody has ever complained about them before") but sent me another set the same as replacement. Which were exactly like the previous ones, lethal. I ended up getting the LR ones and it was all good.

Yes they definitley feel as if they need a much stiffer spring to take some of the sting out of things. Hmm. I've contacted the supplier so am interested to see what they say.

That sounds very positive. Let us know how they go when on the move.

Good luck! Be interested to hear how they perform if you do manage it.

Did you ever install these Monkie?