Scotts90

Sheet metal and a shed load of patience! As yet no one as far as I'm aware supplies an "inner" repair panel. YRM do extended footwells which take the panels up to just under the vent panel...in most cases this replaces a lot of the usual rot spots. The internal area around the screen brackets and onto the vent apertures are down to yourself to make repair panels, time consuming but not impossible. If the bulkhead is severely corroded trying to keep things aligned is the biggest issue as the more you chop out the greater the chance for things twisting. Pretty sure Pegasus parts have a video of the jig they use to fabricate accurate bulkheads, I think Ashtree have a similar set up too.

Inside? Do you mean the internal strengthening which is part of the original pressing or the inner panels? (i.e dash/vent areas)

I've grown quite accustomed to the rear off centre plate, hopefully the new defender will have the same design cue and that'll be another nail in its hypothetical coffin

Squaddies would have had nowt to do with that. There's nothing to bolt to, it's a double skin and too close for any type of rivnut...back to your repairer I reckon.

Nice job but.... They forgot to weld the bonnet hinges on?! Four big plug welds on each one, not enough meat there to tap into.

As mentioned earlier on I have seen one in the metal and it did have issues, just not enough attention to detail for my liking. Having said that I've also seen an Ashtree bulkhead which considering it was a repaired OE item it too had some shocking repair work and a poor fit on the chassis. Unfortunately not everyone has the time/means or equipment to rebuild bulkheads (I've got 3 suitable for repairing when I get around to it), so it's a shame that these replacements can't be classed as "fit and forget". Hopefully they can refine their setup and produce a quality item.

Ashcrofts site has a gearing calculator which is useful for finding out where your engine speed is for a given set of ratios/road speed. Remember larger tyres will have an effect on your gearing too, I have a rebuilt 1.22 to go into my 90td5, I originally built it for my 200tdi but it's fine on its 1.41 (60mph GPS @ 2300rpm, 70 is about 2900 iirc), the 200 doesn't get pushed much. Going from my previous td5s, anything about 28mpg is average. The most I think I ever got was about 39....once...never managed to repeat it!

Was it not JLRs intention to move away from the very hands-on and Iabour intensive build process of the defender? Platform sharing is the key to major manufacturing in the vehicle industry...a truly bespoke hand built defender replacement with no shared power trains or components would see that £40k price tag rise substantially. Hopefully there will be some less disguised images to base any real criticism on with regards to its looks and until you can plonk your backside in the seat exactly how good it drives is open to individual opinion. Due in 2020?....my D5 will be ready for a change then

Just to add, you’d be easier sourcing a td5 engine loom to join into. My 200tdi uses a full XS td5 loom setup, there are few wires you actually need to use as you’ll be going from a full drive by wire system to a basic mechanical injection Setup. I have the td5 engine loom installed and it uses the charging/starting wires, the oil pressure wiring and I think that’s it, I made a secondary loom to get the water temp, fuel stop solenoid and glow plug relay to work

If you search for the 02on Td5 defender electrical library it will furnish you with the part numbers for the multi plugs. I’ve just ordered a load to replace broken/rotten ones on my td5 project loom.

All pipes back in the correct ports ? Anything kinked?

Well, owing to production mix ups, then the courier losing the first cover and having to get a second manufactured I've eventually got the replacement. I did spec it slightly deeper and the straps are now buckles rather than Velcro...easy to alter tho. It should smooth out a bit as it was tightly rolled up for delivery.

Just measure it and have a look on eBay at alloy wheel badges. Should find something suitable to stick on your boss

Bonnet catch at a guess. Lean harder!!

Not just any Freelander....a limited edition!

Not hard but time consuming...unless you have the hands of a child removing the whole wing assembly is easiest Its better to work from the front back, so you’ll need to remove the grill (screws) to access the bolts that are through the grill frame. Remove frame. Depending on spec you’ll have a power steering reservoir and radiator expansion tank on one side, the washer bottle and horn on the other...unbolt these. The wiring looms for the lights are clipped along the inner wing, you can either unplug at the bulkhead or at the lights. Either way it’ll need disconnecting. Remove the wheel arches, just push the small pin through the plastic rivets to release, again from inside the wheel arch there are two large self tappers that go through to the bulkhead bracket, another bolt into the chassis bracket and towards the front another bolt just above the chassis leg. These all secure the inner wing. Underneath the vehicle there should be a wing stay going from the bulkhead floor to the lower edge of the wing, also back in the engine bay at the top some models have brackets holding the top wing section...unbolt Looking through the gap where the plastic arch was towards the bulkhead you’ll see the 4 bolts that hold the wing to the bulkhead, some have bolts, some have large self tappers...it varies. The wing actually has slots that angle downward to save removing these completely but it’s sometimes just as easy to remove them. Also if you have an aerial fitted you’ll have to disconnect. I think that’s them all...the whole assembly now needs lifted up and over the spring turret. Bit awkward but not too heavy. This was from memory but I think it covers most of it lol. You can remove the outer and top skin and leave the inner wing in situ but the bolts that hold the lot together require the manual dexterity of a contortionist and the patience of a saint blessed with small hands!

Second hand 200/300 units are making up to £1k if eBay is to be believed, td5 units between £5-600, as with all pre-owned you're taking an educated gamble. Think simmonites were advertising remanufactured 2/300 units for just under £8k. Td5 short block with new crank/rebored etc and a new fully built AMC head from turners will set you back about £4.5k. My td5 is sitting just shy of a quarter million miles...if it needs a head and a rebore then so be it. At 250k with unknown servicing it's done ok, still purrs well!

Ralph is correct though, if it's "standard" then there's no reason why the OE system won't fit. Fabricating a couple of hangars if you can't find the ones you need may be an inconvenience at the moment but will mean future replacements are like for like. @Jon W, the td5 rear uses a 3bolt flange which is why I used the earlier 300tdi version as it uses a 2bolt.

I use the 300tdi (ESR4527) to clear my rear mounted tank (having done away with the steel 90 underseat one). My system uses the original front pipe which comes down from the turbo and steps over the gearbox crossmember, this then bolts to the standard 200tdi centre silencer which required a tweak to fit up to the 300 rear... Centre silencer rearmost bracket... flange cut off and welded to meet 300tdi rear... and the esr4527... It was my intention to fab up a stainless item using this as a pattern....it's still on the to-do list lol

I use the same as paintman with a length of tube attached. The biggest help is warming the new oil prior to filling. I can squeeze in a litre of EP in seconds.

Does anyone buy a defender on grounds of fuel economy? I think we all buy them safe in the knowledge that most foreign 4x4s can out perform them on the mpg stakes. My td5 was better on fuel than the tdi but not by a huge margin.

Ok, so if it's cheap and got a td5 lump it's a ticking time bomb but if it's cheap with a 300tdi it's not? The prices of td5 engines are less than 200/300tdi units these days and if a 300 needs a head then the downtime will be similar. You also have the same problems when trying to find a decent second hand unit regardless of variant. Personally I think the td5 is a great engine well suited to the defender and discovery alike. As Bowie mentioned nothing vaguely modern is cheap to repair and if you baulk at a td5 then go and have a look at tdv6 repairs....

Should we assume that it does nothing now when pressed? Given the mismatch of wire colours I don't think we can realistically use them to trace. Wh/Gr is a switched live, so it will activate the relay when the ign is on. Purple/blue is usually a door pin switch colour. Either way it's not the nicest of installs so I'd be getting that stripped out.

Scrape as much off as possible, the blasting should've got most of it out and the acid dip won't clear it all off...this results in black residue patches where the galv hasn't taken. A blow torch and a selection of old screwdrivers and scrapers to get into the nooks and crannies helps. I drilled a couple of extra holes on the underside of the drip panel...just to allow it to flow through (or at least that was the theory and has worked well with my last two). There seems to a be a load of sealer in the corners above the footwells and at the gearbox tunnel aperture. The more effort you put in to cleaning it will result in a better job from the galvanisers

Top pic uses standard ISO connectors...found in most OE stereo fitments for many years. Bottom pic is a standard Alpine multiplug...so you need an ISO to Alpine patch lead. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Alpine-16-Pin-ISO-Wiring-Harness-Connector-Adaptor-Car-Stereo-Radio-Loom/1741514167 like that.