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Number Plates & Cleaning

Land Rover Rebuild
Posted by min200 Sat, January 31, 2015 16:18:32

I awoke to the sight if snow falling yet again and it was pretty bloody cold to boot. The cough that my eldest daughter had donated to me overnight had settled in for the long haul and my bones ache from a mixture of hard work with germs...the day ahead didn't bode well. The plan was get some plates made up and go and have a bit of a play in the Landy but seeing as I was moving at the pace of an elderly snail plans were thrown out of the window.

I have worked so hard then worried so much on this old motor that another day wont hurt. The number plates were bought when I finally ventured out then as I went to fit them I saw that the wiring was out and about from tracing the brake light issue last weekend so I set to putting all of that back into place. That done it was time to fit the plates! I carefully marked them up in a geeky way as to where the holes needed to be gently drilled through and after laughing at the guys in the shops who wanted £2:79 for a pair of capped number plate screws I bolted them on instead...



I mean what difference does it make when it comes to me breaking them off road in a few weeks?? because I will I am sure and in anticipation of this I have just ordered a cheap replacement off of fleabay to carry around in the back.

The tools from the rebuild that have lived in the back of it for months have been taking out and put away properly for the first time in forever the boot now seems very bare.

Still feeling rough I have decided to wait until tomorrow to take a proper test drive out along with the fact that seeing as I worry like a woman as you all know the RAC membership I have bought doesn't kick in the recovery side until tomorrow afternoon I shall err upon the side of caution to start with.

Next steps will be the rear interior the winterised lining is coming off and will need to be replaced but that will be over time along with having to wait for warmer weather to paint the inside.

But guess what folks? I am only going out driving in it on the road for real tomorrow and I cannot wait :) Now where did my Lemsip go???

www.justturned40.co.uk
 
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Hearty congrats, typical of the lurgy to strike now. Makes me want to start on mine, oh... good luck on the bidding for the coil !!
 
You couldn't make it up...

Land Rover Rebuild
Posted by min200 Sun, February 01, 2015 12:27:01

Well the sun was shining I only had a couple of chores to do and Wifey was off out so today was the day Mator and I were going on our first proper drive. I had planned to take lots of pictures of it in different places just to show it out and about but first I had a couple of things to do.

Soon enough the bike was fuelled up the parcels dropped of for delivery from some junk I had sold on Ebay and I was sitting in my Landy feeling good with a grin onmy face ready to roll.

I popped the keys in the ignition turned them to get only a flat battery click. I mean for Gods sake I only had it running yesterday but then a memory popped in of me thinking the lights looked a little on teh dim side but I put it down to the sun being out for a change.

So I dragged the batteries out and put them on charge then set to seeing if it was anything obvious as to why the batteries weren't charging. First and final stop was at the generator where it was obvious that the main cable that comes out of it to the shunt box was very loose. That'll probably be it then because any more loose and it would have dropped off.

Next chance to drive the old boy??? That will be next weekend then...bugger.
 
Great thread. Could you put black number plates back on or do you have to fit white and yellow plates?
 
Charging and Connections

Land Rover Rebuild
Posted by min200 Fri, February 06, 2015 20:54:57

Mator has decided that even though he has been loved and lavished attention on over the last ten months he did not want to play out. He was not going to give up any electrical power had gone into a full scale sulk not even pointing me in the right direction of where to look to start.

So I asked those good folk online in various forums and got a dozen different maybes so I started with the Alternator. I stripped it out of the engine and suck it indoors because what I was about to do was fiddly as hell for my monkey fingers and sitting down at the dining table to do it seemed to be a good idea. What I forgot was that I was not the only one off of work today and just when I could not be making more of a mess Wifey walked in the door with a look of horror on her face at the various bits of very greasy alternator gubbings strewn across the tabletop. I don't think I deserved the tirade of abuse that followed seeing as I had put newspaper down on the table before I started but it seems that this was not quite enough to appease the woman of my life so I suppose that will cost me a bunch of flowers tomorrow.

Anyway I stripped the back of the alternator off to check and clean the connections and bushes...







It was filthy in there and greasy as hell so a good clean out with Meths sorted that problem and the bushes were showing wear but still had some life left in them so I put it all back together did not loose any of the tiny screws and refitted into engine bay. The key turned the engine fired up so I checked the batteries they were still only showing 24v.

Bugger.

I resigned myself to the cost of a new alternator but I asked again on the forums and was told to run through it all again checking for loose connections etc. One comment stood out as the chap said "check the cables going into the regulator box are not over tightened and popped the retaining D ring out as this will cause the wiring to work loose" Now this struck a cord because way back when I had started to strip the landy down for rebuild I undid a lot of that cabling by mistake but hell it could not be that easy could it?

Yes it could. In my early day eagerness I had over tightened them and popped out the D ring so I put it all back together reconnected the batteries and fired up the engine...



A healthy 28+volts coming through and charging nicely. So a days worth of buggering about because I buggered up one connection months and months ago.

Still at least it kept me away from Wifeys wrath for a few hours.

www.justturned40.co.uk
 
Enjoyed reading this. Well done with the refurb. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of it being used in anger :)

Thanks I hope I made you smile at some point! It will be used now I know I wont get stuck out with a flat battery...It will be something else that breaks now instead ;)
 
The First Time

Land Rover Rebuild
Posted by min200 Sun, February 08, 2015 09:30:19

Well I sit here working up the bravery to take Mator out for his first run. We wont be going far just around the city to do a few chores but I feel as nervous as a virgin on prom night.

This is all depending on whether I get to the petrol station before he runs out as he is running on fumes!

See you all on the other side...
 
Then there was rough running.

Land Rover Rebuild
Posted by min200 Sun, February 08, 2015 15:17:57

I apprehensively jumped into the Landy with Wifey joining me on teh passenger side and fired him up. He started well enough of course but he always has I checked the road and set off clunking through the gears wiping the condensation that appeared instantly on the windscreen all the while trying to keep his drifting steering in a semi straight line.

1/4 mile down and he is going ok as we attack the first roundabout double back and made it no worries to the petrol station...



I had noticed there was a bit of a delay when you put your foot down on the accelerator and the engine actually doing anything but I thought that might just be me some how.

We then drove a few miles to the next stop which was a sunny supermarket car park as Wifey had things to pick up but it was nice to see him in a different place for a change...






As we wandered around the Supermarket I was deep in thought as to why this delay was happening on acceleration as it seemed to be getting worse. I knew there would be teething problems but at least one trip out without one would be nice but another realisation was dawning upon me and it was one I did not really care for...I hadn't enjoyed driving him at all. I have driven plenty of them over the years so the ride handling and noise were not unexpected but I hadn't smiled once and I am hoping that it's because it's running a little rough and once I have fixed that I will enjoy him again.

Maybe I just enjoyed the rebuild...I do quite fancy doing a Discovery as in conversion to off road beast but that will be some time down the line.

Anyway after buying what looked like stuff that could have waited until the shopping was delivered tomorrow night we walked back out into the car park and I couldn't see the old boy to start with...



Must of been the camouflage colouring and the other folk parking up with nothing better to do on a Sunday morning ;)

Driving home the flat hesitation seemed to get worse so I set to looking into it as soon as he was back onto the driveway. I checked for air intake issues but all was fine then checked the ignition system but all was good there as well but after doing some research and asking lots of questions it would seem it is the carb that is at fault which is no surprise seeing as it was parked up for years so a new one will be ordered today ready for fitting asap. I will pick up a rebuild kit as well and have a stab at rebuilding the old one as well for a new experience.

So watch this space and see if we can get the old chap running sweetly once again.
 
Number plates

Land Rover Rebuild
Posted by min200 Sun, February 08, 2015 18:24:57

After fitting the rear number plate last week it became apparent that the ladder does indeed block a lot of it off but just in case plod takes a dim view of this I ordered a set of extra plates to see what I could do about it.

I thought where could I put this that it wont look stupid but it seems that this was a bit of a tall order. In the end I settled with attaching it onto the roof rack...



Looks a bit pants if I am honest but at least plod wont be on my back for something stupid.
 
Keep your spirits up, you can't properly adjust/fettle things till you start running about. Looks fantastic!

Yea I know I will have a couple of rough months of teething problems but wouldn't it be nice to just jump in and drive...never in a Land Rover lol

Oh and thanks if one thing it does well is it looks good even if I say so myself :)
 
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