Thread: Ghosts 101 Adventures

Hi All,

Some of you may have read my trip report about my recent 5,000km journey from Melbourne to Birdsville and back.. For those of you interested - you might want to look at the report located here:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/victorian-...ip-2016-a.html

But I thought that I would write a quick report specifically relating to the 101 here.

I am proud that this 40 year old vehicle did 5,000km in 3 weeks of sometimes rough terrain. Yes - there were some issues (see below) but overall I'm quite pleased with how things went..

TOTAL FIGURES
Total Petrol cost - 1,294L and $1,812.
The 101 average fuel consumption was 26.5L per 100km
The worst fuel consumption was 30L per 100km
We covered approximately 5,000km
Oil and Filters - approx $100
Mechanic in Quilpie - $30
Welder - $50

FLAT TYRE
While on the Birdsville Track I had a flat tyre.. (The only flat tyre for the group on the entire trip). Much to my surprise it wasn't a puncture.. All we did was pump it up, and it's been right ever since (about 2 weeks now):


DOWN ON POWER
For the last 1.5 weeks of the trip, the 101 was driving poorly. It simply had no power - I was struggling to reach and maintain 70kmh.. Normally I would sit on 80-85 comfortably, and reach 90+ on the odd downhill run.

The following things were done to try and help. All of them helped but only marginally:
1. Cleaned the Air Filter
2. Cleaned the Fuel Filter.
3. Cleaned the Points.
4. Adjusted the Points.
5. Checked the timing.
6. Aired up the tyres (once back onto the black top)

I was prepared to wait until we got home, to do further diagnosis.

On the last day I stopped at a Shell service station in NSW, and was about to put 91 Octane fuel into the 101. The female attendant walked out and said: "You probably should put 95 in it - our 91 contains Ethanol, but our 95 doesn't"

I normally run 91 - figuring that the 3.9 in my 101 wouldn't be tuned to run on a higher octane fuel anyway.

Anyway - I topped the tank up (88L) of the 95 - and let me tell you it transformed the 101...

Instead of struggling to maintain 70, I was comfortably sitting on 85-90.. In fact I hit a top speed of 98 going down hill, and often found myself braking on the downhill run to try and reduce speed back to 80-85.

Is this just a co-incidence? Maybe the quality of the fuel in NSW/QLD was poor and/or included Ethanol?

Am I dreaming? What have others found? All I know is - since putting in 95, I can honestly say that the 101 runs like a DREAM.

I have checked with my local petrol station (Caltex) - and they DO NOT have Ethanol in their petrol... 99% of the time I fill up the 101 there..

RON
While in outback NSW I was approached by a guy that said: "I've got a mate that has a 101"... I asked him to show me some photographs - and I soon recognised Ron's 101... It's a small world Ron - you are famous!

MARK COFFEY
While in outback SA I was approached by a guy that wanted to take a photo of the 101... It turned out to be Mark Coffey!!! What a small world - and nice to meet you Mark. Perhaps you should come over to Winter Wombat?!?

OIL FILTER
While driving north of Lightning Ridge, I hit a pot hole hard and this happened:


The front diff hit the oil filter hard enough - that it popped out the o-ring on the filter, and resulted in a total loss of all oil.

We installed a new oil filter, filled up the oil - and the 101 runs fine now.

Unfortunately there is a weep from the housing (I had to add 5 funnels of oil to the engine, over the remaining 1200km)..

BUT this leaves me with a few questions:

1. It appears that the oil filter in the 3.9 points downwards, but the original oil filter on a 3.5 points upwards... Is this true?
2. If this is the case - it explains why the pump stops didn't prevent the damage?
3. Perhaps my springs are past their used-by date?
4. Can I swap the oil filter housing from a 3.5 onto the 3.9, and eliminate this issue?
5. If I can't swap it - should I look at either using a shorter oil filter OR remote mounting the oil filter?
6. Should I just replace the oil filter casing, hoping that it doesn't happen again? (I believe that it will, because the replacement oil filter was replaced in Lightning Ridge as it had also suffered a hit, although I can't see how as I was driving the 101 like a granny)

REAR PINION SEAL
At the start of the trip (day 2) - I noticed that the 101 had a bad oil leak from the rear prop-shaft. With the help from Gav (over the telephone) and Mick from Mildura, we soon thought that the problem was a faulty rear pinion seal.. In fact investigation showed that the nut was finger tight, and the seal itself was ok... It's all sorted now.


SUSPENSION
The Ho Har's drove my 101 when it was originally imported into OZ and commented that the shocks were past it.. I don't know how a 101 should ride and neither Gav or Mick (who have also driven it) have mentioned anything in particular.
But after the oil filter issue above - and all of the rough terrain covered over the last 5,000km, and the fact that the vehicle is 40 years old - perhaps it's time for new springs / shocks?
Can somebody post a picture of your springs - so I can see how they sit normally? Mine (in my eyes) seem to be a little flat.
This could be because it's an ambulance (and thus weighs more), it could be normal, or it could be that they are past it..
Can somebody please post some photo's - if you have them available?
If I get new springs - I suppose a danger is that unless they match the original specification, it might cause the diff slap to become worse? As the geometry might get out of whack?

ELECTRONIC DIZZY?
While trying to work out why the 101 was running poorly, it was suggested to me that I should fit an electronic dizzy.
Has anybody installed one of these to a 3.9?
Recommendations?
(Should I ask this question in the Classic Range Rover Section)

JERRY CAN HOLDER
I am very happy with the Jerry Can holder that I had installed - it worked a treat.


BEFORE and AFTER PICS



As always - any advice is greatly appreciated.

The 101s have a unique oil filter arrangement that points the filter up. As far as I know all other rangies have them pointing down. If I were you I'd fit a remote filter as brute has suggested. I've seen his up close and it would be a lot easier to change than my standard 101 setup.

A couple of observations.

I believe NSW (not sure about QLD) mandate ethanol in all their 91 octane petrol, unlike VIC where it is law that says you have to seperatly identify any fuel with Ethanol in it - that's why all the E10 pumps are marked in Vic. The 95 and 98 doesn't have any.

I would have thought the 3.9 would have come with an electronic dizzy - or did they stick the 3.5's dizzy in it when the engune swap was done?

Re the oil filter - a tape measure would tell you pretty quick how much the diff will hit the filter by, if it's only 1/2" or so, maybe some spacers on the bump stops could be an easy and cheap fix.

The rear pinion seal - might pay to buy a new crush tube and seal and make sure the preload is set properly now you're back.

All in all, I think the 101 did you proud mate.

I'm really jealous of the trip you did in it - I really want to do something similar in mine at some stage.

I run a z9 oil filter in my 101 which has the standard 101 motor, oil cooler and filter housing.
The z9 threads and housing shape is a common one.
Z10 filter should screw straight on and work well and the filter is about 25mm shorter.
Z89a should be a good

Interchange and again with shorter filter body than a z9

If your running a points distributor, get rid of it.
Electronic ignition is one of the best things you can do for your 101.

The motor will stay in tune much longer with easier starting too boot.
You can fit electronic ignition a few different ways.
1/ fit a conversion kit to your points distributor.
2/ fit a 3.9 motor distributor which is a factory electronic ignition.
3/ fit a after market distributor as a complete unit.

Note there is a change in distributor and oil pump drive design from the early v8 motors to the later ones..
You need to find out what sort of distributor drive design you have.
If fitting a points to electronic conversion kit you will need to find the distributor model number stamped on the side of it........about 10 digits.

Did my mate have a imparement and talk alot about flying ?
Where did you talk to my mate ?
Ron.

Your mate was probably in his early-mid 30's, with a wife and a few kids? He was walking his dog - stopped in Windorah.

I think that he was driving a modern Japenese 4WD.

No - he didn't talk about flying or have a speech impediment.

He had a video on his phone of your 101 and mentioned that he had been for a drive in your Alvis.

I think that you both belong to the same 4WD club in Cowra?

Sorry - I was in a bit of a rush at the time!

Hi Gg, as 101ron has said the z9 can be replaced by a z89a as I have done on my s2a with spin on adaptor. The z9 was too long and almost fouls the chassis so I fitted the z89a. About 40mm shorter and same diameter. Good trip report btw.

Cheers Rod

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