Ian's 90 300tdi rebuild

Hi all back for another installment , this time attention was on the engine rebuild . This is how it looked at the start

and with the brake servo fitted and the blanking plate for the clutch .

So first the engine was stripped the head, block and crank were sent off to a engine house for a check over , crank was balanced , block was hot washed and checked and the head was pressure tested and skimmed . Then I did a bit of porting on it nothing major just opened up the inlet and outlets to match the gasket and smoothed out the inner , we'll see if there's any difference .

All the inner parts where cleaned ready for the rebuild ,



then the block was painted a nice red colour , theory being I can see any leaks easily , and new core plugs fitted . Engine paint was from Halfords , just a word of warning to any one else buying some it's runny and if you put to much on at once you get big runs ,

but came out alright , then balanced the pistons and con rods

and started re-assemble , using plenty of assembly oil on all parts ,first up oil jets went in then the crank .

next up pistons





then the cam shaft

then the timing case after new oil pump gears were fitted




then the tappet assemblies

then sump was fitted and all the other external parts




fuel injection pump and injectors were overhauled by a friend of a friend and he even upped the power by 10% for me , which was bloody nice of him .






then took it off the engine stand and fitted the auto back plate and rear crank seal


Then it was installed back where it belongs



next up head was refitted

torqued down then the inlet outlet manifolds werefitted

with a new 120amp alternator and a bosch starter , I refurbed the turbo , new oil pipes and a new brake vacuum pump which I changed as when I installed the old one oil run out of the pipe when left over night so presummed the disides where knackered , and this is how she looks now .


So that's exactly how she stands in the shed at the minute , there's still a bit of catching up to do as I've started my custom dash and center console , also I've got a wiper mod half way through using the linkages and motor of a disco so no more crap wipers .
cheers Ian

Seriously impressive work!

Thank you.

Could you run us through exactly how you balanced the conrods please?

I used this this video

There’s also one from the same bloke showing you how to make the jig

This will explain how to do it better than I can , there’s also a few other videos on YouTube explaining how to do it . Don’t know if it will make any difference, will have to wait and see .

Ian Maycock said:

I used this this video

There’s also one from the same bloke showing you how to make the jig

This will explain how to do it better than I can , there’s also a few other videos on YouTube explaining how to do it . Don’t know if it will make any difference, will have to wait and see .

Click to expand...

There was a guy who blue printed his 300Tdi, completely carbon cleaned and rough casting edges ground back and he had the head gasket matched and gas flowed, he did the balancing of connecting rods and the crank too, he said it was much better

Ian, this looks great, crackin job.

By any chance, do you have any other close up pictures of the bores after you had them machined and honed?
I'd like to compare them to mine, as mine has been burning oil since I rebuilt it. Cheers.

Thank you A1203 , unfortunately I haven't only the one above . I got the machine shop to do it while they where washing and checking the block over as it wasn't costing me any more , just a thought did you replace the piston rings ? If so did you put them in the correct orientation ? as I think if they aren't lined up correctly that can cause them to burn oil , but I'm no expert .
If it was a chap from Australia dieseldog69 I remember reading about it on a forum ,the idea when I did it and the minor head porting was to see if it will run smoother , I know it's never going to be a race car but would just like it to be a bit more responsive and smoother . So we'll have to wait and see how it turns out .

Ian Maycock said:

Thank you A1203 , unfortunately I haven't only the one above . I got the machine shop to do it while they where washing and checking the block over as it wasn't costing me any more , just a thought did you replace the piston rings ? If so did you put them in the correct orientation ? as I think if they aren't lined up correctly that can cause them to burn oil , but I'm no expert .

Click to expand...

Ok, no bother. Just a thought as it would have been good to compare. Yes, replaced rings, but staggered them around the piston. It might also be my reconditioned turbo.

So on to some more fab work and modding , first up is the wiper my view is it's pants so after watching project Binky on youtube were they modded a mini's wiper system which is the same as a Defender's , I got to thinking and talking with a few other peoples on another forum and set about trying something out . First was the wiper wheel boxes , as most will know pre TD5 ones have a round spindle so would need to be secured somehow to the bulkhead so after cutting an old one up I decided to use TD5 ones as these have flats on them where they go through the bulkhead so would secure themselves , but this then meant the bulkhead wheel box holes would need opening out so that was the 1st job ,




I have jumped the gun slightly prior to this after a root around eBay I'd decided to use a discovery 1 wiper mechanism ,

I was hoping to use the complete thing and attach it to the bulkhead but it was a total no go so this led to using the TD5 wheel boxes , so I then stripped the disco mechanism down and discarded most of the bits , all I kept was the motor the operating linkages and the linkages off the wiper spindles


the linkage pegs were removed as I needed to swap them round as the linkages would fit together differently to the disco set up this will become apparent later ,

the disco spindles were drilled out the arms and the wiper boxes were hacked up so it would all fit together nicely ,







the spindles in the TD5ones are bigger so they needed opening out and came out like this ,

the middle linkage was also extended


and we ended up with this set up , this was an earlier picture

and later


That's as far as I've got for now as I need to build my dash and center console to see how everything will fit , only down side is you won't be able to use the dash vents but as I'm in England the wipers are more important than the vents . I've got an idea so you can keep the dash vent look but they will be secured to the bulkhead and not moveable , I'll be trying it later .
cheers Ian

Ian Maycock said:

So on to some more fab work and modding , first up is the wiper my view is it's pants so after watching project Binky on youtube were they modded a mini's wiper system which is the same as a Defender's , I got to thinking and talking with a few other peoples on another forum and set about trying something out . First was the wiper wheel boxes , as most will know pre TD5 ones have a round spindle so would need to be secured somehow to the bulkhead so after cutting an old one up I decided to use TD5 ones as these have flats on them where they go through the bulkhead so would secure themselves , but this then meant the bulkhead wheel box holes would need opening out so that was the 1st job ,
View attachment 178403
View attachment 178400
View attachment 178401
View attachment 178402
I have jumped the gun slightly prior to this after a root around eBay I'd decided to use a discovery 1 wiper mechanism ,
View attachment 178410
I was hoping to use the complete thing and attach it to the bulkhead but it was a total no go so this led to using the TD5 wheel boxes , so I then stripped the disco mechanism down and discarded most of the bits , all I kept was the motor the operating linkages and the linkages off the wiper spindles
View attachment 178405
View attachment 178406
the linkage pegs were removed as I needed to swap them round as the linkages would fit together differently to the disco set up this will become apparent later ,
View attachment 178407
the disco spindles were drilled out the arms and the wiper boxes were hacked up so it would all fit together nicely ,
View attachment 178411


View attachment 178414

View attachment 178421
View attachment 178409
the spindles in the TD5ones are bigger so they needed opening out and came out like this ,
View attachment 178424
the middle linkage was also extended

View attachment 178423
and we ended up with this set up , this was an earlier picture
View attachment 178420
and later
View attachment 178408
View attachment 178412
That's as far as I've got for now as I need to build my dash and center console to see how everything will fit , only down side is you won't be able to use the dash vents but as I'm in England the wipers are more important than the vents . I've got an idea so you can keep the dash vent look but they will be secured to the bulkhead and not moveable , I'll be trying it later .
cheers Ian

Click to expand...

Great work there, love to see people who think outside the box and create the solutions to their problems

Thank you all , so apart from a few minor bits this post brings us up to date . So as you all may remember I'm fitting a auto out of a Disco and the only solution that I know of for a center console to fit the shifter and such into a Defender is the one from Ashcroft's , and although it's very well made I'm a tight bugger so I've had a go at making my own so this post is all about that , well to the point that it's at now .
So first up I used an old cubby box I had lying around to get the general sloping shape cut 1 side out then set about shaping it to fit on to the seat box .


then using the 1st one cut and shaped the other side .

and I ended up with this .

I managed to get a disco gear shifter surround off ebay in very very good condition , as most I'd seen were well shabby .

So next up I added a back and shaped it to fit .


the front bit was just added for support .

Next up was to make a fixing plate for the shifter surround and the gear shifter itself .

then 2 brackets for the back ,

and I ended up with this .


Next added the top surround and the proper front plate ,

And in the truck .


Then I cut the front plate down and fitted a front support and sides .

Then made the top plate for the shifter surround .

and in the console .

Then finished off the mount for the shifter .

I then decided that the shape needed altering were the shifter mounted so made these for the sides ,

also decided to fit a Disco handbrake lever , I've done this to the 110 and it's a good upgrade .




Then finished off the shifter mount after I'd remade it out of thicker steel as I wasn't happy ,







And the handbrake mount ,

And fitted in the truck .


Then made the hi/low shifter plate and it finished up like this .


So that's as far as I've got for now I need to work out how the lower part of the dash will join with the center console , also need to start forming the dash panels up which I'll start to crack on with that tomorrow . I'm planning a heater upgrade and I'm also moving and changing the fuse box , I'm looking to either try and use a disco td5 engine by or a couple of fuse boxes I've got off ebay . On the heater front either a disco, puma or a suitably sized unit from another car , I've found a unit on ebay from a berlingo matrix blower heater controls for £30 so might try that , but still plenty to work out and lots to do .
cheers Ian

Seriously impressive work there and the metal fabrication skills are top banana buddy.

I think I've missed your heater plans, what are you looking to do exactly??? I'm going to fit a Webasto diesel heater in my Disco at some point with both a stand alone heating circuit and connection into the coolant system.

No you haven’t missed em mate , don’t think I’ve put them up hahaha . So plan is to make it more efficient and better at heating and demisting , instead of the hot air running along the inside of the dash the plan is to rework it so the pipes go from the heater box to the dash vents so no power or heat is lost . I could rework the original, but looking at alternatives like the disco heater box which fits internally I believe as these are £20 on eBay , but it all comes down to size and if I can get it to fit . You wouldn’t be able to measure your heater box for me would you please ? Or anyone one else who has one lying about . A webasto or eberspatcher might be on the cards as well at some point but it depends how well this works out. This is the berlingo unit I found
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/163669227505
as you can see everything is there all I’d have to do is fit it , but the problem is size it looks small enough but the last thing I want to do is start spending money on lots of different units that end up in the bin .

So as we've caught up things will slow down a bit now and I won't have to try and remember what I've done so here goes , so new exhaust and a larger intercooler and new rad were ordered .


Exhaust was brought from Regis exhausts on ebay , he was a very helpful chap laying them out to check fitment for me as I've moved the fuel tank , it has a center silencer .


He did say a minor tweak might be needed and the end of the rear pipe needs cutting , turning and rewelding .
Next up was the gearbox tunnel bulkhead flange , this needed some minor repair work to the bottom corners

sanded old bits off and cleaned it up

next made some repair panels .

Fitted ,


Then a bit of a slide show how I did it ,






then used some rust convertor on the ends

then welded it all up ,




All finished .

As some may notice the strip of brass on the floor which is cooling down is very useful when welding gaps or filling holes , put the brass in the corner or at the back of the hole and weld on top . The weld won't stick to the brass so you can fill the gap easier and the weld won't fall through , bit of a tip there for the less experienced welders amongst us .Right , sprayed the flange black as no one will see it and all fitted along with the tunnel ,

next up was the rad frame which I had to modify the intercooler end as the new one is 115mm deep so cut the old one up made some new plates to mount the intercooler ,

tacked them in ,


and welded it all up , haven't got any pics of it finished as I was still spraying it will put some up tomorrow , then moved on to finishing up some loose ends which hadn't been done .
cheers Ian

So bit more done ordered some ali off ebay 3mm cut to size and shaped them myself to make some floor plates ,

then assembled the rad frame and installed that ,


it's not fully tightened down yet as got a few other little jobs to do but I wanted to check fitment of the gearbox oil cooler , which I'll do tomorrow, then spent the rest of the day faffing around doing small jobs like fitting the accelerator cable , last job was welding the center console up pics tomorrow .
cheers Ian

Ian Maycock said:

So bit more done ordered some ali off ebay 3mm cut to size and shaped them myself to make some floor plates ,
View attachment 180512
then assembled the rad frame and installed that ,
View attachment 180511
View attachment 180510
it's not fully tightened down yet as got a few other little jobs to do but I wanted to check fitment of the gearbox oil cooler , which I'll do tomorrow, then spent the rest of the day faffing around doing small jobs like fitting the accelerator cable , last job was welding the center console up pics tomorrow .
cheers Ian

Click to expand...

Awesome

Thank you.

Top-notch work there, mate and very impressive.

Ian Maycock said:

No you haven’t missed em mate , don’t think I’ve put them up hahaha . So plan is to make it more efficient and better at heating and demisting , instead of the hot air running along the inside of the dash the plan is to rework it so the pipes go from the heater box to the dash vents so no power or heat is lost . I could rework the original, but looking at alternatives like the disco heater box which fits internally I believe as these are £20 on eBay , but it all comes down to size and if I can get it to fit . You wouldn’t be able to measure your heater box for me would you please ? Or anyone one else who has one lying about . A webasto or eberspatcher might be on the cards as well at some point but it depends how well this works out. This is the berlingo unit I found
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/163669227505
as you can see everything is there all I’d have to do is fit it , but the problem is size it looks small enough but the last thing I want to do is start spending money on lots of different units that end up in the bin .

Click to expand...

The D1 heater box is massive, it's the first thing they fit in the vehicle before they build the rest of the cab up.

I have a mate who is working on a demister blower set up for his 110 using an electric heater element from a Volvo V50 and a fan, he says it's all going to work but I'm quite worried about the home brew fire hazard lol

Ask @Bobsticle for the supplier of his diesel heater, it's a cheapo Chinky one but it seems to work fine and it's 1/10th the price of a Webasto.