Mossberg Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 Thanks Mike, that's good to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 A bit of an update to this thread I started a while ago. I had to hold on from installing the engine as when I took the gearbox off the 2.5na I found a worn main shaft. That led to a gearbox overhaul then a transfer case overhaul. In the mean time started sourcing parts, Td5 exhaust and engine mounts etc. The engine and transmission are now all bolted together, think it will be easier to install a single lump as the only help I have is my 7 yr old daughter. I have now turned my attention to the engine bay, there is some rust I need to care of on the bulkhead, plus one of the dumb irons its rusted through but should not be a big repair. I'm tidying up the bulkhead to give it a coat of paint, so out came the clutch box and brake servo with box.There was a hydraulic leak at some point as its all rusty but fortunately not perforated. I think it will be wise to replace all the hydraulics at this stage. Progress so far, engine and transmission. Dumb iron corrosion, hopefully will be able to fix this. Corrosion to take care of and maybe tidy up the wiring - looks original but still a mess! Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 Not sure if I'm risking my life!!.... Probably 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 42 minutes ago, muzaz said: Not sure if I'm risking my life!!.... Probably I find that Aldi dishwasher tabs to be the best for cleaning bits. They brought the V8 cylinder heads up like new. Warning, wife was not amused. Neither was she amused when I warmed up some freshly painted parts in the oven to speed up drying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 4 minutes ago, JeffR said: I find that Aldi dishwasher tabs to be the best for cleaning bits. They brought the V8 cylinder heads up like new. Warning, wife was not amused. Neither was she amused when I warmed up some freshly painted parts in the oven to speed up drying... Well surprisingly she was quite understanding when she caught me loading the dishwasher, she even suggested the temperature setting and a Finish tab... The wash should end soon, wish me luck! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 Still alive 😀 Parts came put pretty clean and dry...and also hot! To start with I had already degreased the parts in white spirit so most of the oils and grease was removed. All parts were steel and a bit rusty so they flash rusted straight away...but that's a good thing actually as I'm painting everything with the Wurth rust converter, and to be effective that needs the part to have some rust in the first place! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 I sent her shoping while washing. Worked. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 15, 2023 Author Share Posted August 15, 2023 Treated the parts with rust converter, which gave them a nice black finish. Will give them a couple of more coats to make sure I missed nothing. Next is the heater and blower to come off, this will be fun I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 16, 2023 Author Share Posted August 16, 2023 Heater removed, as expected the blower is jammed solid - no wonder moving the controls nothing worked! Took it all apart, the radiator seems ok, no leaks etc. Connected the blower to the battery - nothing, probably died ages ago, will get a new one. Next is the bulkhead, the plan is to clean it up and try to remove the corrosion. It looks like a big job and I'm already feeling discouraged, scraping the old paint off will take for ever, not sure if I should use paint remover or just paint over everything 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy996 Posted August 17, 2023 Share Posted August 17, 2023 If you want the paint to stick, you really need to get to bare metal. Can you find a metal blaster near you? Sand blasting will remove all of the paint and rust in one go, but you will need to get it fixed, (you will be surprised how many holes will appear), and painted before it starts to rust again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 17, 2023 Author Share Posted August 17, 2023 6 hours ago, jeremy996 said: If you want the paint to stick, you really need to get to bare metal. Can you find a metal blaster near you? Sand blasting will remove all of the paint and rust in one go, but you will need to get it fixed, (you will be surprised how many holes will appear), and painted before it starts to rust again. Hmm, I could get it sand blasted but it's going to be a major hassle to transport it. Probably I'll have to paint strip it. To be honest I'm not trying to restore it to original condition, but I would like to at least stop further corrosion eating into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted August 17, 2023 Share Posted August 17, 2023 How about a galvanized replacement Bulkhead ? Could be less expensive.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 17, 2023 Author Share Posted August 17, 2023 59 minutes ago, Arjan said: How about a galvanized replacement Bulkhead ? Could be less expensive.. 😳 replacement bulkhead! Was not planning that much work and besides the bulkhead is not that far gone...it's got some surface rust especially around the brake and clutch cylinder, but not totally rotten. Maybe a new bulkhead will be fitted when my daughter inherits it 🤣 I want to get it out of the workshop by end of summer latest...otherwise I'll never get to enjoy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 12 hours ago, muzaz said: ..otherwise I'll never get to enjoy it! Successfully suffering is the enjoyment you will have on a Land Rover 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted August 18, 2023 Author Share Posted August 18, 2023 16 minutes ago, Sigi_H said: Successfully suffering is the enjoyment you will have on a Land Rover 😃 True, true, I have suffered far too long!! I had bought this engine 20years ago for a similar project vehicle...ended up selling the vehicle after sitting for years in the garage. Not going to repeat the same mistake! So I'm aiming to get it mechanically sound, cosmetics are not really important for now... truth to be said, it is an ugly duckling of a landy, so I might give it a lick of different paint! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted September 11, 2023 Author Share Posted September 11, 2023 The summer heat is backing off so I can't find any excuses for not continuing this project 😏 So I continued where I left, the bulkhead... or to be more precise started rather than continued because I never started working on it! Attacked it with a grinder and wirewheel and got most of it to bare metal...ish. By tomorrow should have it mostly wireweeled, then will give it a coat of paint remover to get to the corners and any areas I missed. Now I need some advice on how best to reprotect it. My plan was to use rust converter on all of it. I have the Wurth rust converter which I tried and works ok. As a primer coat I was suggested to use a zinc phosphate paint like HG Body Chassis Coat. Then a top coat of what ever colour the truck will be painted ( still tbd). And maybe for extra measure a coat of dinitrol or similar? Is it a good plan? Progress so far: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 I would only use Dinitrol for cavities or hidden areas which won’t need much work doing to them. Waxes make a hell of a mess when you need to access the area in the future and are even worse if they get contaminated by small fuel or other fluid leaks. A zinc or lead rich primer, or red oxide primer, covered with an epoxy primer (like Gazzar has been doing on his 101) would be ideal, with something resilient on top like Raptor. If you know the colour you will retain the car, then getting matched Raptor would result in a very tidy but resilient engine bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted September 12, 2023 Author Share Posted September 12, 2023 5 hours ago, Snagger said: I would only use Dinitrol for cavities or hidden areas which won’t need much work doing to them. Waxes make a hell of a mess when you need to access the area in the future and are even worse if they get contaminated by small fuel or other fluid leaks. A zinc or lead rich primer, or red oxide primer, covered with an epoxy primer (like Gazzar has been doing on his 101) would be ideal, with something resilient on top like Raptor. If you know the colour you will retain the car, then getting matched Raptor would result in a very tidy but resilient engine bay. Thanks Snagger, didn't think of it that dinitrol would make a mess, will take your advice and keep its use to a minimum required. The primer I'm using is zinc phosphate so it should be ok then. Taking the wiring off the dash and bulkhead is a nightmare! Now trying to take the steering column off, the ingition switch seems to be retained by rivets! Drilled them out and found they were screws! Now trying to wriggle the column out of the bulkhead but it's snagging. Do I need to take the lower dash out as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 3 hours ago, muzaz said: Do I need to take the lower dash out as well? There's a tie-rod from the top of the column to the bulkhead, I'd check where it's snagging: https://www.lrworkshop.com/diagrams/land-rover-defender-steering/steering-column-upper/steering-wheel-column-to-(v)-ma962814_53723 https://www.lrworkshop.com/diagrams/land-rover-defender-interior-trim/trim/parcel-tray-heater-duct_53604 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted September 12, 2023 Author Share Posted September 12, 2023 3 minutes ago, FridgeFreezer said: There's a tie-rod from the top of the column to the bulkhead, I'd check where it's snagging: Yes, that welded tab at the top of the column, I can't slid the column out of the hole in the bulkhead as the tab is catching. The hole in the bulkhead is partially covered by the lower dash or parcel shelf from what I can see. Will take a pic to explain myself better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted September 12, 2023 Author Share Posted September 12, 2023 This is a view from the inside, the hole in the dash is oval but part of it is covered. This is a view from the outside Got a feeling I will have to take the lower dash out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 12, 2023 Share Posted September 12, 2023 It's been a while but can't you swing the column round to get that bracket through the hole and/or pull the column out "upwards" into the cab? Or could you just tie the column up out of the way to save having to remove it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted September 12, 2023 Author Share Posted September 12, 2023 I tried manipulating it around with no success, that tab keeps catching the bulkhead, and the column can only go one way out...from the engine bay side. Will think about it and try to convince myself it does not need to come out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 13, 2023 Share Posted September 13, 2023 17 hours ago, muzaz said: Thanks Snagger, didn't think of it that dinitrol would make a mess, will take your advice and keep its use to a minimum required. The primer I'm using is zinc phosphate so it should be ok then. Taking the wiring off the dash and bulkhead is a nightmare! Now trying to take the steering column off, the ingition switch seems to be retained by rivets! Drilled them out and found they were screws! Now trying to wriggle the column out of the bulkhead but it's snagging. Do I need to take the lower dash out as well? Dinitrol comes in different forms, all having different viscosities and drying hardness for different locations. They type you would use inside the cavities would be thinner and softer than the type you’d use on the chassis or foot well panels - that type dries quite hard and is used in the wheel wells of airliners, so is good stuff, but it still looks untidy and would be highly flammable, like any other wax, which is an issue any time you need to use a torch or welder. The security screws holding the ignition switch and steering lock assembly are easily available. They have the head you already drilled out and a second head on a thin neck that shears off once the screw reaches its required torque. Taking the lower dash out is prudent as you will likely have some rust on the inside and the separate corner piece (left side on RHD cars, and I think on LHD too) that covers the wiper motor tends to rust internally, so you would be able to save that part. I have never removed the column from a Defender, but it does appear that you need to remove the dash to get it out - I recall the bottom mounting bracket being significantly larger than the mid tab you are fighting with, so it won’t come out into the cabin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted September 13, 2023 Author Share Posted September 13, 2023 This project is a constant struggle! On one side my mind is telling me to close my eyes, hurry up and get on with it. But my hands will have none of that, and will end up taking the truck apart to the last bolt nut and washer! So be it, will take the dash out and dig deeper! Snagger I was going to use something like AV8 or 15, but not coat the whole bulkhead just the crevices and the rain gutter and try to get some in between the double skin. Not aiming to get in in like new condition, it's a 35year old bulkhead after all. But for its age it's in a very good condition so I'm trying to preserve it. The wiper motor needs looking to as it does not park, just stops where the I switch off! So might as well look to it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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