300 Tdi engine swap story - and a few questions

My brother-in-laws old defender 90 truck has sat gathering leaves since I freed the handbrake and drove it home 100 miles with a slipping clutch and clouds of black smoke as the revs rose every time the road was anything but completely level, or downhill. I took a chance and bought a low mileage 300 Tdi engine rebuilt by another and then 'abandoned project'. It arrived on a pallet from the top of Scotland for £45 and sat in my shed for 2-years.

I pulled the old engine out a few weeks ago, thankfully I have a 1.5t excavator as sitting on range rover size wheels my 2T hoist wouldn't lift it over the front cross member despite removing the bumper and front end between the wings to make it easy. What did I notice at 140k. Well the turbo was knackered and I'm sure the black smoke was related to that. When I started it after a long spell of non use the dreaded revs rising without accelerator pressing happened so I engaged gear and stalled it quickly.

The clutch had recently been replaced and was in good condition and the crankshaft oil seal was good and a dry bellhousing so my theory of a knackered or contaminated clutch were wrong. I took out the clutch master cylinder that's made reasonable when the engine is out and found the adjustment nuts locked up. I watched a fantastic Youtube on clutch master cylinder adjustment so a massive shout out to Mike at Britannica Restorations Ltd. Whoever replaced the clutch got lazy did not sort out the jammed nuts and so adjustment would have been the issue causing my brand new clutch to slip. I see from the forums its a common problem when using many garages who are 'lazy' or non Landy.

Son Charlie came to visit and having replaced the clutch and clutch fork with a heavy duty one, I asked him to operate the excavator and used a £20 adjustable engine bar to line up and reinstall the engine. It was a rush there was a birthday party planned for the workshop area but we connected it together we with a few bolts and slid it back in. This time Mike's tip of removing the engine mount studs was used making it easy but leaving the studs yet to go back in. The old 300Tdi engine still had its EGR and is being kept for a rebuild.

The replacement engine has a stainless steel decat front pipe and will have EGR delete. Tomorrow I need to tug the engine around as my engine mount holes are not quite aligned to replace the studs. I can see its not in quite straight. I tried to jack it back using a screw jack against the bulkhead but its a heavy beast and that was no good. I'll use the power of the 1.5t excavator arm to give it a tug tomorrow.

A new rad is arriving so then it will be connect it all up, new air filter, oil, oil filter, antifreeze and fill, and heading towards the exciting key turn and see if I bought well, or a duff. It all looks good and tight, turbo feels good, engine builders grease used etc.

Once its going it'll be off for a test MOT, waxoil the rear end (front done), then all the little bits, replacement windscreen rubber, sort the clear coat peeling roof, a new back door frame repair, replace the seized solid standard foot plates, etc., Most of all it will be great to actually drive it and show our young adults (no loner kids) what having a Landy that works is like and how fun and useful that is.

Finally a few questions for all you knowledgeable folk. My new stainless downpipe has no hanger whereas the original did so I was going to make one up to use the hanging point after the cat - yes/no? 2. I assume I can pull all the bolts from the factory hard top with delux sunroof (lol) lift it out and get it on the floor to sand back and repaint as it looks dreadful, easy? 3. Cut the front screen rubber to get the glass out then soapy water and a cord to get it back in - do I need to 'pretty please' my good lady, or can I do it alone?

Enjoy your Landies - they can be good 'switch off' therapy

Jer

Welcome to LZ

Good post... welcome.

There is no hanger on the 300tdi front downpipe.
Easy(ish) to take the roof off.
Get new seals and nuts/bolts all round.

Windscreen rubber isn't to bad, get a decent rubber seal (OEM), rather than the ultra cheapy semi rubber/plastic variety.
Can be done with one, easier with 2.

miktdish said:

Good post... welcome.

There is no hanger on the 300tdi front downpipe.
Easy(ish) to take the roof off.
Get new seals and nuts/bolts all round.

Windscreen rubber isn't to bad, get a decent rubber seal (OEM), rather than the ultra cheapy semi rubber/plastic variety.
Can be done with one, easier with 2.

Click to expand...

Thanks for welcome.

The old down pipe had a flexible section and then the cat then pipe connector heading towards rear box. That had a rubber hanger somewhere back past the flexi and before the cat. New ss pipe replaces the lot. No weight probably ok without but feels like a long run.

I think I bought my seal fro Craddocks will check it was a while ago now.

Thanks for your reply.

miktdish said:

Windscreen rubber isn't to bad, get a decent rubber seal (OEM), rather than the ultra cheapy semi rubber/plastic variety.
Can be done with one, easier with 2.

Click to expand...

jer_300Tdi_90 said:

Cut the front screen rubber to get the glass out then soapy water and a cord to get it back in - do I need to 'pretty please' my good lady, or can I do it alone?

Click to expand...

I agree in principle it can be done alone but it is much easier with two people. i really struggled getting mine back in on my recent rebuild and in the end removed the windscreen frame again and fitted it while flat one the bench (was an extensive rebuild so frame had already been out once to fit a new bulkhead). I did not manage to break the new screen (many have) but I did tear the seal and needed a second one of those. Lots of washing up liquid and a couple of suction handles make things easier

dag019 said:

I agree in principle it can be done alone but it is much easier with two people. i really struggled getting mine back in on my recent rebuild and in the end removed the windscreen frame again and fitted it while flat one the bench (was an extensive rebuild so frame had already been out once to fit a new bulkhead). I did not manage to break the new screen (many have) but I did tear the seal and needed a second one of those. Lots of washing up liquid and a couple of suction handles make things easier

Click to expand...

I thought it might be a fiddle so I’ll start the preparation for a second pair of hands. You’ve reminded me I have two unused suction cup handles I bought for installing replacement glass in patio doors. Thx for your tips new bottle of fairy then.

dag019 said:

I agree in principle it can be done alone but it is much easier with two people. i really struggled getting mine back in on my recent rebuild and in the end removed the windscreen frame again and fitted it while flat one the bench (was an extensive rebuild so frame had already been out once to fit a new bulkhead). I did not manage to break the new screen (many have) but I did tear the seal and needed a second one of those. Lots of washing up liquid and a couple of suction handles make things easier

Click to expand...

When I done mine my mates buggered off cause I beat it in with a mallet

Welcome to LZ pal.

Hi and welcome!

Good write up Too.

Never use washing up liquid to fit windscreen seals.
it has salt in it to soften the water to give more bubbles.
salt will corrode the frame behind the rubber.
so, don’t use it!

my best suggestion is on a warm day use something like lanoguard or waxoyl.
both say they don’t rot rubber.
or you could use a big jar of vaseline - don’t forget to buy a big cucumber or something similar at the same time and wink at the shopkeeper when you pay.

V8bob said:

Never use washing up liquid to fit windscreen seals.
it has salt in it to soften the water to give more bubbles.
salt will corrode the frame behind the rubber.
so, don’t use it!

my best suggestion is on a warm day use something like lanoguard or waxoyl.
both say they don’t rot rubber.
or you could use a big jar of vaseline - don’t forget to buy a big cucumber or something similar at the same time and wink at the shopkeeper when you pay.

Click to expand...

I completely disagree with that having fitted several. Vaseline does not work as it is too sticky and not slippery enough to for the seal. Liquid soap is the best lubricant for fitting rubbers. The frame is aluminium so is not a susceptible to salt as steel although I doubt there is enough in soap to actually effect it. If you are worried possibly use hand soap but I have done serval over the years and never had a problem And have done several on the same vehicle and never noticed any undue corrosion.

Having fitted screens in Cortina, Escort, Fiestas, Jensen, Landies and kit cars, the fitting of a Fiesta one that I kept for a few years rotted severely and this was the last time I used washing up liquid.
The Jensen I kept for probably 30 years and this never had corrosion around the screen, never leaked and the rubber lasted all this time after using waxoyl.

A lot of professionals use washing up liquid because they just don’t care about long term issues.
I often wonder if the behind the seal corrosion that Defenders suffer is caused by windscreen replacements.
My Defender bought new, that had a heated screen replacement under warranty due to dead elements, corroded around the screen within 3 years.

I will stick with avoiding any soap on any vehicles I change screens on. But I do tend to keep vehicles along time - currently longest being 45ish years of ownership - so I care for them.

+1 for not using washing up liquid. It used to be okay on original 100% rubber seals but not on these modern semi-plastic compounds that give up after a few years.

I use glycerol for lube'ing rubbers/door seals etc,. It's readily available in standard liquid form costing £5-£10 a bottle and if you buy 99.7% food grade glycerol you can moisturise your hands, face, dry skin...and it's a very effective cleanser too.

I use a knife to cut the old seal first. Replacing is quite straight forward once you’ve understood which way round the seal goes. The mrs and me did the last one, was remarkably easy.