Will She Make It?

[SolihullBeast]

Hello all,

I am considering doing the Balkan Rally (http://www.balkanrally.com/) in my 200tdi '93 Land Rover Discovery, however I am very hesitant as I'm not too keen on any major breakdowns in Eastern Europe!

The rally does not involve any off roading, it purely a road event, so there will be no off road related damage.

I am essentially curious as to what type of things go wrong when you subject a vehicle of this age to prolonged high speeds (motorway)? What type of breakdowns could I expect? Am I being to hopeful that it will go smoothly?

Bit of Info on the vehicle in question

- new timing belt and kit

- all new suspension

- all new bushes

- new track rods

- full service

- new front prop

- 113,000 miles

Apparently according to my local specialist the transfer box has seen better days, but functions!

There is no support from the organisers when breakdowns occur, so I would like to try and anticipate any problems!

What are the most useful spares to bring?

Many Thanks

Sam

[redneck]

From a personal perspective, I was doing 1000 miles a week commuting for the first 6 months of last year in a 200tdi 1994. Now has 138,000miles.

Total amount of problems, wheel nuts came loose on 1 wheel and fitted a new radiator ( fins were looking a bit worse for wear).

Previous to this, I had a new clutch fitted at 96,000 and a new steering box at about 98,000.

Late last year I did all the usual rust repairs sills rear cross member etc.

[mmgemini]

Sam In 2007 I took my 1996 Defender with over 170,000 miles to southern Africa for six months. We did 13,000 miles. We only had one problem. A top hat on a valve shattered......There is a list of spares I carried over on landroveraddict....Would you like a link ?

[Happyoldgit]

Sam In 2007 I took my 1996 Defender with over 170,000 miles to southern Africa for six months. We did 13,000 miles. We only had one problem. A top hat on a valve shattered......There is a list of spares I carried over on landroveraddict....Would you like a link ?

Posting a similar list here would be useful.

[Turbocharger]

Should have no problem. See if a parts supplier will do you a kit of bits on a sale or return basis, grease and service everything before you leave, and learn how to make simple repairs. If you're carrying wheel bearing bits then you can always get towed somewhere, might be worth a second spare wheel though?

[keithjh]

Hello all,

I am considering doing the Balkan Rally (http://www.balkanrally.com/) in my 200tdi '93 Land Rover Discovery, however I am very hesitant as I'm not too keen on any major breakdowns in Eastern Europe!

The rally does not involve any off roading, it purely a road event, so there will be no off road related damage.

I am essentially curious as to what type of things go wrong when you subject a vehicle of this age to prolonged high speeds (motorway)? What type of breakdowns could I expect? Am I being to hopeful that it will go smoothly?

Bit of Info on the vehicle in question

- new timing belt and kit

- all new suspension

- all new bushes

- new track rods

- full service

- new front prop

- 113,000 miles

Apparently according to my local specialist the transfer box has seen better days, but functions!

There is no support from the organisers when breakdowns occur, so I would like to try and anticipate any problems!

What are the most useful spares to bring?

Many Thanks

Sam

Of course it will do it i took my 200tdi 110 to the Balkans several times.

Spares i took were

Head Gasket+Manifold Gasket

Water Pump

LiftPump

Wheel Bearings

U/Js

Alternator

Plus bits of hose, tape, wire, electrical bits

Parts are easily available in Croatia and Bosnia, though pricey compared to mthe UK

All i ever had to change in several trips were a Lift pump.

Keith

[hobson]

I think as long as your vehicle is in good shape, maintain it regularly and keep an eye on the things you've listed as well as your usual engine consumables, you should be fine.

you could replace almost every part and sods law says it'll be either the one thing you didn't replace or the thing you never thought would go that fails!

to me thats part of the fun of long distance travel!

you can take spares of most things, or things that will be hard to come by, but don't go mad or you'll end up with a car full of spares you'll most likely not use (hopefully!)

best of luck for your trip, hope you have a good 'un!

[TheRecklessEngineer]

you could replace almost every part

My advice would be to service everything that would normally be done. Taking things apart just because, can often do more damage than good IMHO.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[mmgemini]

You need to remember when reading this list that I could be a couple of days away from a garage if anything went wrong.

Here is a list of spares I carried on my last two trips.

I have rear lockers fitted to my Defender at the rear copies of the series three 109 set-up.

These carry so many spares.

For this year I had two aluminium boxes made to sit on the inside of the rear body where there's a wasted space.These boxes took quite a few spares.

The clutch was carried in the locker under the drivers seat.

One of the reasons for so many spares was the distance we travelled.I serviced the car once!!!The other was I don't speak the language.

Also I carried a full set of tools.

I also carried masking tape and tank[gaffer] tape in the car.

Tank tape was used over the rear lock barrels all the time to stop dust entering.

Oil Safe-gear oil

oil Safe gearbox oil

Oil Safe pump

Grease gun

Engine oil drain tube

Brake fluid

Power steering fluid

Grease nipples

Drive shaft flanges[rear axle]

Push rods

Wheel studs and nuts

Alternator

Vacuum pump

Water pump

Powersteering pump

Serpentine belt adjuster

Oilfilters X 2

Lift pump

Track rod ends 1l/h 2 r/h

Wheel bearings X 4

Hub lock washers

Timing belt gear tools.

Oil seal T/box output

Oil seal front diff

Oil seal rear diff

Oil seal hubs X 2

Oil seal gearbox-transfer box

Hub flange gaskets

Grease

Fuel filters X 2

Angle gauge for torquing head bolts

Rocker shaft complte with rockers

Clutch withdrawl fork

Fuel hose and clips

Glass barrel fuses

Brake pipe flaring tool

Tube cutter

Brake and clutch master cylinder repair kits

Front shock absorber

Rear shock absorber

Brake pads front and rear

Brake spares [pistons and seals]

Hose clips

Adhesives Araldite gasket cement etc

Propshaft u/j's X 2

Drop arm ball joint kit

Petro patch putty

Core plugs

Flexi brake hose [rear] can be modified to fit front

Bundy pipe [a couple of foot]

Tube nuts

Brake pipe clamps

Oil filter removal tool

Nut,bolts,washers a variety to suit

Complete clutch assembly

Bottle jack

Recovery gear

Gloves [both gardening and mechanics]

Spare bulbs and blade fuses

WD 40

Tool rool [spanners and pliers]

Cable ties

Stanley knife

Engine oil [10 litres in metal jerry can]

Sand mats

Battery operated compressor [to blow tyres up]

Warning triangle

Inner tubes X 2

Foot pump

Wynns radiator stop leak

Windscreen water additive

Millers diesel additive

Battery charger

1/4 drive socket set

3/8 and 1/2 sockets and 3/8 drive ratchet

3/8 drive torque wrench

1/2 drive torque wrench

Elora torque wrench [for setting cam belt]

Head gasket

Timing cover gasket

Both inside the center headlining to stop them being damaged

Throttle cable.

Sits in the left side where the roof joins the body sides.

Timing belt

Serpentine belt.

Added

Two cylinder block/ head dowels

[mmgemini]

A well serviced vehicle should do the 4,000 miles no problem. Things do go wrong.

I service mine three weeks before going away, even if it isn't due for servive. I expect to service mine at least twice on this next trip.

Steve

It might be useful to keep this list in the archives.

[zim]

I'm still trying to pack all of that stuff up there ^^^^ into this, and it's just not fitting

G

[plasticbadger]

My Discovery 2 did 3000 miles + to Romainia and back and then 1600 miles to South of France and back in quick succession last summer, both towing full load and the Romainia trip was with the truck fully loaded and off roading once there.

We took basic tools, the Haynes manual, cable ties, gasket sealant, insulation tape, that's it!

In that 4600 miles of heavy use the broken passenger door lock started working and the transfer case input seal sprang a leak, which required buying some gear oil in the South of France.

I'd recommend a fully service, which it sounds like you've done and I'd also recommend putting a NEW radiator in as this is normally the first problem you have with this kind of trip.

[freeagent]

I did a round trip to southern Bosnia in my old 300Tdi defender, which had over 100k on the clock - only problem I had was a knackered wheel bearing..

I also did a trip to Morocco in a >100k 300Tdi dsico in 2006 - only problem we had was a knackered Alternator..

I'd check your wheel bearings over, and make sure your cooling system is up to the job.

Might be worth putting a spare fuel lift pump in your box of bits - and if the transfer box is on the way out keep an eye on it.

[rusty_wingnut]

some friends of mine have just been to a rally in the Czech Republic and back in, a 2.25D 88", 2.25P 109" No spares needed. One motor had not done more than 10mile trips in recent history....

I'd take:

-wheel bearings

-lift pump

-cam belt and pushrods

-head gasket

-prop shaft UJs

[FridgeFreezer]

4000 road miles? I'd take spare wheel bearings, a tube of instant gasket, a hammer, a basic socket/spanner/screwdriver set, and a bag of sweets. Everything else you're either not going to be fixing roadside anyway, can be found/bodged locally, or it's not critical.

The last time I drove a few thousand road miles I took a credit card and a sat nav.

[SolihullBeast]

Thanks to all, well the common opinion seems to be that she can make it! great! and I have got some bits and bobs to get!

A couple more questions,

If a radiator is the first thing to go, then how is it possible to tell the condition of the radiator? I would like to ascertain whether mine has any life in it!

Secondly on another note regarding security, I'm aware that rally vehicles can be a target for thieves, are there any little tricks known in the land rover world to immobilize a vehicle, like hidden cut of switches etc?

and are there any way to prevent the vehicles from being towed?

Cheers

Sam

[tychoS]

Last summer we drove our 1988 90" TD softtop from Copenhagen, up along the Atlantic coast of Norway, across Lapland to Vardø then back through the forests of Sweden. 6686 km in a bit more than two weeks.

At the time we started, the odometer said 382.000 km, the engine is still on std. size pistons.

I brought some spares, oil, grease, tools etc., but only needed to tighten a hoseclamp and top up the engine oil at the regular interval of 0.5 liter pr. 1000 km driven.

Actually the only reason for the hoseclamp issue was that I had been changing the timing belt a few days before departure and apparently not put the hose back on properly.

[plasticbadger]

If the radiator is original or you can see any fin damage / blockage through the grill then replace it. It's cheap enough, easy to do and a good rad is very important when doing big daily mileage, particularily when loaded. It will also force you to change the water with fresh water/antifreaze mix, another good idea!

Security wise, it's pretty easy to add a hidden switch in-line with the key switch, my 200Tdi used to have one and it even caught me out at times (imagine me mid call to the AA then my wife flicks the switch, calls me an idiot and drives off... without me)

There's not many options to prevent it being towed away, but leaving the truck parked up with the steering locked and at full lock is a good start. Also one of those expensive steering wheel lock covers is a good investment.

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Secondly on another note regarding security, I'm aware that rally vehicles can be a target for thieves, are there any little tricks known in the land rover world to immobilize a vehicle, like hidden cut of switches etc?

Very little will stop a vehicle being towed.

If you want to immobilise a TDi, the only thing that springs to mind without modification is loosening all the injector unions. A little extreme for everyday though.

[mmgemini]

Very little will stop a vehicle being towed.

If you want to immobilise a TDi, the only thing that springs to mind without modification is loosening all the injector unions. A little extreme for everyday though.

An FIA battery master switch wired in correctly will do a good job.

[nicks90]

prepares to get lynched by the collective........

a properly maintained landrover in good condition - that has been serviced correctly - will quite happily go between the 6000 mile service intervals with no mechanical breakdowns.

therefore if you are confident your disco is in good condition then take the normal ammo box of spanners, screwdrivers, cable ties and your european recovery breakdown card and go for it. Ask yourself how many times has it broken down in the previous 4000 miles, 8000 miles, 12000 miles and then judge your likelihood of breakdown on that figure. If you're under your truck every 200 miles fixing something - that should tell you not to trust it to get 4000 miles without problems.

[freeagent]

I would also leave the second spare wheel at home, and just take a tyre...

I took 2 spare wheels to Bosnia and Morocco, and wouldn't bother agin, however I would chuck a spare part-work tyre on the roof rack just in case.

[FridgeFreezer]

If a radiator is the first thing to go, then how is it possible to tell the condition of the radiator? I would like to ascertain whether mine has any life in it!

Visual inspection, AKA point your ocular orbs at it and look they usually rot away from the back, so if you can remove the fan cowling, or just pull it back a bit, and have a good look, that will tell you what's going on.

I'm aware that rally vehicles can be a target for thieves, are there any little tricks known in the land rover world to immobilize a vehicle, like hidden cut of switches etc?

We make sure we never never never leave anything of any value in the car, especially on display. Never had a problem yet. We also tend to keep a "box of life", usually a small peli-case or similar, which contains passport, money, car docs, insurance, phone, etc. and it NEVER LEAVES YOUR HAND. This means all the important stuff is in one place, and is hard to lose. Immobilisation wise, a battery cutoff is a decent idea, as is a hidden ignition kill switch, but frankly if someone wants it they'll take it.

[jules]

4000 road miles? I'd take spare wheel bearings, a tube of instant gasket, a hammer, a basic socket/spanner/screwdriver set, and a bag of sweets. Everything else you're either not going to be fixing roadside anyway, can be found/bodged locally, or it's not critical.

The last time I drove a few thousand road miles I took a credit card and a sat nav.

I'm with John

If you carry too much carp you will lead to problems caused but excess weight

If its of any use the Dakar freelander had a small locker box hidden under the seats for emergencies/ to store bribe cash in