Project 90 - Bustrucket's Bodged Banger

I didn't go looking for a 90. I wanted a Disco 2 TD5, auto and as high a spec as possible. Comfort and the ability to do long distance journeys were important, as well as load carrying ability. Then this popped up on eBay:



4 days to go, 70 miles away, £1500 start price and no bids. Long MoT but the owner reckoned in needed a new chassis. So I stuck my bid in of £1500 and won it - much to my surprise it has to be said.

It's a 1990 90, fitted with the 300Tdi/R380 from a Disco. Drove it back and apart from the rather wayward steering (quarter turn of play at the steering wheel) it felt ok.

The known issues at purchase:
Aux belt tensioner not running true.
Two holes in chassis behind where the gearbox crossmember was.
Steering play.
Temp gauge showing incorrect reading (wrong sensor).
Drivers door bottom quarter in very poor condition.
Passenger door bottom quarter deteriorated.
Rear door didn't lock.

So over the last few weeks I've been steadily acquiring a collection of parts to start putting right the issues. Today had been reserved for cocking around with the 90, so here's the progress so far:

First job was the doors:





Surprisingly I only had to grind off one bolt - the rest unwound easily.

The new doors were collected from Halesowen on Sunday as part of a marathon two-day parts collecting epic that took in Bristol, Redditch, Halesowen, Uttoxeter, Shrewsbury and Worcester.

The new doors fit well, but I should have bought new hinges - there's enough play in the bottom hinges to interfere (even after adjustment) with the door strikers. A job for another time.



Next up, sorting the aux belt. Fitted a new tensioner but this didn't cure it - stripped it all off again and found the stud that holds it in place was loose, thanks to shagged threads. Trip down the scrappy to get another and all sorted. On the way back I wanted to get some liquid gasket for installing a new water pump. Tried SIX ####in motor factors and farm shops before I gave up and went to Carrs Land Rover in Truro. Cornwall really is the arse end of the country - parts and consumables are almost always 'certainly, we'll ring you in the week when they get here'. ####ing useless, and no, doing it ####ing "dreckly" doesn't work for me when I have things to do TODAY.

And breathe.

Installed the new bits, belt runs properly now. Not knowing which belt I needed (there's a 1580mm belt and a 1595) I got both. If anyone wants a new 1580 aux belt for a 300Tdi, £5.



Next, the wayward steering. I'd already collected a set of HD steering arms, and a Terrafirma steering damper. However, as well as slack track rod ends, today I found the steering drop arm is loose on the splines. However, this was at 1630 so going and buying one wasn't an option for today. Still, I got the front steering arm and damper on, which has made a big difference already:





Managed a few final jobs, installed NAS-type reverse lamp (just the other 9 to fit now), and sorted rear door lock.

Obviously I couldn't have it all my way, as I refilled the coolant system I found a leak from the top rad hose - when I'd removed it earlier it had occurred to me that it had been shoved on to the top pipe as much as possible - now I realise it was to try and slow/stop the leak.

Oh well.

I do like a refurb thread,

where you too, I'll have that 1580 belt if you've still got it

Pm me

PM'd.

When I took the intercooler - inlet manifold pipes off, there was ****loads of black crud inside the pipe and the manifold. I guess this is from the EGR valve? Already done the EGR blank but is it worth having the manifold off and having it cleaned?

Also carpeted the rear tub a week or two ago, my Labrador didn't much like sliding round on a bare steel floor:



I want an extra seat so that the Doris, sprog and dog can all travel at the same time, but I don't want a folding bench seat. I do have the old centre front seat (doesn't fit in normal space thanks to gear lever), and I'm wondering whether that could be adapted to a side facing seat. Anyone done owt like this?

What did you do with the old doors???

They're going on fleabay on Sunday

I'll PM you.

I've got a spare drop arm, with a new ball joint fitted, hanging up in me garage.

Is it for a 4-bolt or 6-bolt steering box Trewey?

So the chassis isn't too bad?

I think you got a great deal, and a pretty smart defender to be honest!

Keep the updates coming - we like em!

Tom

Chassis has certainly had its fair share of patches, and it needs at least two fairly big ones to get through its next test (possibly a 3rd near the rear axle too). But certainly far from scrap.

Bustrucket said:

Is it for a 4-bolt or 6-bolt steering box Trewey?

Click to expand...

I dunno? Is there a difference in the drop arm?
Fits my 92 200TDI 90, I know that.

According to the man behind the counter at LRP in Camborne the splines are slightly different and a 4-bolt arm will not tighten onto a six bolt box. Don't suppose there's a part number stamped on it anywhere?

Fitted me cubby box yesterday. Had to modify the back to sit against the bulkhead as with the Disco 'box fitted it wouldn't sit in the normal position. Just need to staple down the vinyl now and jobs a good 'un.

Changed my temp sender unit last night (it had a Disco sensor which made the gauge read beyond the red permenantly), now assuming the new one is reading right, temp is holding just below the red when doing 60ish. At idle though it sits around half way on the gauge, so I'm guessing the rad is fooked. Rad does look very tatty and has loads of fins missing, which probably ain't helping.

Fookin poxy bloody cars.

Swapped the rad out today:



Rad itself was easy. Undoing the bleed point from the top of the thermostat housing was an absolute ball-ache. Some bugger had fixed it in and then mangled the top so normal removal just wasn't happening (tried socket set, big screwdriver, big mole grips and an impact driver). So out came the chisel, had to hammer off small bits and then punch the rest down into the thermostat space (on the upside, removing the stat showed it was virtually new). Found the thread is half-bollocksed so cleaned it as best as possible pending acquisition of a tap the right size. Forced in the plug from the old rad, its not perfect but it'll do for now. Old rad is see-through where there is no fins, and blocked with **** everywhere else - no wonder it couldn't keep cool at speed.

Still, all done now, and packed away just before it started ****ing it down.

Brilliant, love these rolling restos!

Re the centre seat in the back, I did exactly that although it was a while ago, but from what I remember you just bolt the frame to the wheel box and clip the base in, worked well for me, well my wee brother! Although he did ask that I install a jesus christ handle though, them vynils can be slippery under heavy braking!

New rad doesn't seem to have made much difference to the water temp. Bugger.

Pottering around the temp doesn't go above half way, but A-road/dual carriageway constant 60-70mph and it sits just below the red. However pulling over and lifting the bonnet I can take the rad cap off without it blowing water out (just a very slight hiss as its undone), I can put my hand on the rad without being burnt, and it just doesn't feel hot under there. I can see the water cycling into the header tank, it isn't losing any, and the oil doesn't look like the last oil change was done using a big bucket of Hellmanns' finest.

Quite inclined to go with the idea that the gauge is duff, less anyone's got any suggestions?

Probably a duff gauge, if I took the cap off mine while it was hot I would probably die, it gets fooking hot

Bustrucket said:

New rad doesn't seem to have made much difference to the water temp. Bugger.

Pottering around the temp doesn't go above half way, but A-road/dual carriageway constant 60-70mph and it sits just below the red. However pulling over and lifting the bonnet I can take the rad cap off without it blowing water out (just a very slight hiss as its undone), I can put my hand on the rad without being burnt, and it just doesn't feel hot under there. I can see the water cycling into the header tank, it isn't losing any, and the oil doesn't look like the last oil change was done using a big bucket of Hellmanns' finest.

Quite inclined to go with the idea that the gauge is duff, less anyone's got any suggestions?

Click to expand...

It might be the sender that needs changing? I have a feeling they are different for the 300tdi, you might need an early fender one to match the gauge. I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm if I'm right.

I fitted a 300Tdi Defender sensor initially, as the Disco sensor made the gauge read permenantly in the red. It initially had a 2.5 19J fitted, anyone know if the 19J water temp sensor fits the 300Tdi housing?