Andyhf49
New Member
- Posts
- 3
- Location
- Como Italy
Hi, I recently bought a series 3 military lightweight from a well know dealer in Yorkshire. I paid for an extra deep service and a promise from the owner he would thoroughly check everything knowing It was my plan to to drive the landy back to Italy. Included in the work was new carburetor and fuel pump. For some reason known only to them they only fitted the csrburetor leaving the new pump in the box. More on that later.
I managed about 40 miles before the fan belt broke for the first time! My delayed from Itsly meant I only arrived in Yorkshire as they were closing. So my inspection of the car was rushed as I was driving to Dorking before stopping the night. Arriving just before 4 in the morning. Fortunately, the road side assist in UK is a mechanic and he wad able to fit the spare belt. The probable reason for the belt failure was the alternator, not made for a landy, pulley was not lined up with other 2 pulleys. Good thorough check!! I had a mechanic near Dorking check this and he managed to reduce the mis alighment. And fit another belt because the spare and presumably the belt that broke the day before were not the correct type. The engine temperature started to increase rapidly clearly the fan was not turning. I stopped within a minute of the generstor light coming on. I had to top up the water about a litre.
I arrive in Dover that afternoon to take the ferry as I started up the ramp the car stalled. I called Yorkshire told this was common problem, vapourization, The mabual primer had little effect so it was suggested I remove the fuel pipe and suck fuel into the inline filter. This is something Id done years before and he no surprises guess where where the fuel arrived. Its not my favorite taste! I managed to start the engine and was the last one on the ferry. Everytime I stopped for fuel I had to repeat the process!!!
50kms or so after Calais there was a thunderstorm with hail the new canvas top did its job, but I discovered all the possible ways for rain to enter snd a few more. Several cars had stopped on the side of the road I used the logic that by continuing I would leave the hail and this I did after just a few kms.
After a very much needed night stop I continued where there was heavy traffic and short stops and starts the temperature increased fortunstely I was able to move sufficiently to not find out how high the tempersture went. Each time I refueled I had to suck fuel and I also checked the fan belt. No wear or change in the tension. About 50kms from Srazbourg the temperature started to increase then the genny light came on. I was just about to pass a service station so entered. The fan belt had gone for the second time. It was Friday at 1700. I called the assistance with the help of the service staff fortunstely I ha Europe Assist just the tow of the motorway wad €230 they are not mechanics so they took me to their deposit and the insurance organised an hotel for 3 nights. On the Monday the car was taked to Land Rover Strasbourg. They ordered a new fan belt and spare but as it would take 4/5 days to arrive I returned to Como the following day and went back 5 days later to finish the journey. I also got them to look at the fuel problem. Part ofthe problem was one of the jubilee clips was too big even at its tightest the fuel tube still moved. I still had the over heating problem and I had to stop in the tunnel of the motorway in Basel. I was stopped for about 40 minutes with a top up of water and a resupply of fuel to my mouth I was able to continue.. It was gettting towards evening and cloudy so the temerature was ok until road works near Lugano. I pulled over and stopped the engine. I waited 30 minutes until the traffic eased and managed to restart the engine, without the taste of fuel, and arrived at my home near Como.
My mechanic here has taken a few mill off the fixing lugs of the alternator and now its lined up perfectly. He fitted the new fuel pump checked and changed some of fuel pipes and fixing and it starts normally. We have come to the conclussion it is not the engine overheating causing the water to boil off. It is we thing, and hope the water is leaking through the head gasket and then the engine overheating because of little or no water. The head will come off next week and I hope we find the problem. Im ordering a complete set of gaskets Im hoping this solve another problem of several small oil leaks.
I have 2 questions having taken the off should I have a full servive done including hardened valve seats (so it can run on unleaded fuel). The other my engine number is 90454759E the 904 is correct for 2.25 petrol engine but the is no 0 after the 904 and final letter is an E not an A. The waterpump housing appears have nine bolts instead of the 7 I thought the military version should have?
My aim is to sort all the mechanical issues so it is fully reliable then I have plans to tidy up the doors , wind screen and inside driving area. The underneath is so covered in 'gunk' its impossible to know the state of the chassis. Ive tapped around with a hammer and not found anything so far.
I managed about 40 miles before the fan belt broke for the first time! My delayed from Itsly meant I only arrived in Yorkshire as they were closing. So my inspection of the car was rushed as I was driving to Dorking before stopping the night. Arriving just before 4 in the morning. Fortunately, the road side assist in UK is a mechanic and he wad able to fit the spare belt. The probable reason for the belt failure was the alternator, not made for a landy, pulley was not lined up with other 2 pulleys. Good thorough check!! I had a mechanic near Dorking check this and he managed to reduce the mis alighment. And fit another belt because the spare and presumably the belt that broke the day before were not the correct type. The engine temperature started to increase rapidly clearly the fan was not turning. I stopped within a minute of the generstor light coming on. I had to top up the water about a litre.
I arrive in Dover that afternoon to take the ferry as I started up the ramp the car stalled. I called Yorkshire told this was common problem, vapourization, The mabual primer had little effect so it was suggested I remove the fuel pipe and suck fuel into the inline filter. This is something Id done years before and he no surprises guess where where the fuel arrived. Its not my favorite taste! I managed to start the engine and was the last one on the ferry. Everytime I stopped for fuel I had to repeat the process!!!
50kms or so after Calais there was a thunderstorm with hail the new canvas top did its job, but I discovered all the possible ways for rain to enter snd a few more. Several cars had stopped on the side of the road I used the logic that by continuing I would leave the hail and this I did after just a few kms.
After a very much needed night stop I continued where there was heavy traffic and short stops and starts the temperature increased fortunstely I was able to move sufficiently to not find out how high the tempersture went. Each time I refueled I had to suck fuel and I also checked the fan belt. No wear or change in the tension. About 50kms from Srazbourg the temperature started to increase then the genny light came on. I was just about to pass a service station so entered. The fan belt had gone for the second time. It was Friday at 1700. I called the assistance with the help of the service staff fortunstely I ha Europe Assist just the tow of the motorway wad €230 they are not mechanics so they took me to their deposit and the insurance organised an hotel for 3 nights. On the Monday the car was taked to Land Rover Strasbourg. They ordered a new fan belt and spare but as it would take 4/5 days to arrive I returned to Como the following day and went back 5 days later to finish the journey. I also got them to look at the fuel problem. Part ofthe problem was one of the jubilee clips was too big even at its tightest the fuel tube still moved. I still had the over heating problem and I had to stop in the tunnel of the motorway in Basel. I was stopped for about 40 minutes with a top up of water and a resupply of fuel to my mouth I was able to continue.. It was gettting towards evening and cloudy so the temerature was ok until road works near Lugano. I pulled over and stopped the engine. I waited 30 minutes until the traffic eased and managed to restart the engine, without the taste of fuel, and arrived at my home near Como.
My mechanic here has taken a few mill off the fixing lugs of the alternator and now its lined up perfectly. He fitted the new fuel pump checked and changed some of fuel pipes and fixing and it starts normally. We have come to the conclussion it is not the engine overheating causing the water to boil off. It is we thing, and hope the water is leaking through the head gasket and then the engine overheating because of little or no water. The head will come off next week and I hope we find the problem. Im ordering a complete set of gaskets Im hoping this solve another problem of several small oil leaks.
I have 2 questions having taken the off should I have a full servive done including hardened valve seats (so it can run on unleaded fuel). The other my engine number is 90454759E the 904 is correct for 2.25 petrol engine but the is no 0 after the 904 and final letter is an E not an A. The waterpump housing appears have nine bolts instead of the 7 I thought the military version should have?
My aim is to sort all the mechanical issues so it is fully reliable then I have plans to tidy up the doors , wind screen and inside driving area. The underneath is so covered in 'gunk' its impossible to know the state of the chassis. Ive tapped around with a hammer and not found anything so far.
