Revitalising your defender

[ted44]

Hello, to cut along story short, next year the plan is to spend about six weeks traveling the Simpson desert various tracks, nothing written in stone just yet. But I want to start to prep my Defender for the trip its a 1996 110 300 Tdi that I love its been fantastic, but like everything its starting to get to the age where rubber pipes are starting to perish so I was going to ask MR to give me an appraisal on what they recommend to renew on a Defender of this age?
What would you recommend?
Cheers ted

[steane]

Depends how it's been maintained I guess. I bought a 94 last year to build into a tourer and I replaced all hoses, belts and pretty much anything that was bolted to the engine. It was all knackered. Also did swivels, bearings, shocks and all bushes. Again, all knackered.

Brakes also needed attention, as did radiator and intercooler...all knackered.

Water pump and p-gasket.

Had 300k kms on it when I started. Most of the issues were due to a combination of poor maintenance and just being worn out.

I dont want to go bush and struggle with reliability so I opted to go through it like a dose of salts. Can't see the point in spending thousands on a tow from a remote area, seemed better to spend it on the defender to avoid the tow.

I always smile when guys get on here looking for cheap defenders....no such thing IMO.

If you know the vehicle and it's just getting a bit old then I'd definitely replace all cooling system hoses, the water pump and p-gasket and get the radiator rodded. Then check fuel lines (plastic and I found them rubbing through in spots), change all fluids and filters and pack one or two spare fuel filters.

Just give everything a good eyeball under the bonnet and replace anything split, cracked, weaping or leaking.

[Greyfox]

Don't forget to replace you brake and clutch fluid , if it has not been changed in a while. They deteriate with age.
Carry spare belts and radiator hoses, and adequate tools to work on the veichle, you not do need a full mechanics tool set , but not tools from the dollar shop either, just a good range of sockets , spanners , screw drivers, pliers ,etc.

Hope you have a great trip and enjoy the Defender where it is meant to be out in the great Aussie backyard.:D

[ted44]

Thanks, just as I thought, I have been good with the maintenance, because I love it, The plan is to change Brake master & all fluids, clutch master & slave, I have these already, all hoses, not sure about the clutch?? I've had the P gasket & water pump done, intercooler uprated & fuel pump, I've done all bushes and springs and dampers!

[tonic]

I bought mine about 18 months ago from a great young bloke with no idea.

I would do all of what Steane has said.

So far I have done all bushes, 1 swivel seal, all uni joints, clutch from top to bottom, have bought all new hoses, done lift pump, shocks, dampener. Just did starter motor today.

Have on order, water pump, p gasket, timing kit, all bolts for water pump and housing, redo kit for old starter (I keep spares for planned long trips).

I have read somewhere that MR also hire/loan parts boxes with most of what can go wrong. You only pay for what you use when you get home, worth asking.

Mine gets serviced and new filters every 5k if it needs it or not.

Before I go on our trips in 4 to 5 years I will uprate the radiator and intercooler. I believe the standard ones are only just for Australia and made more for UK/Europe.

I would also look at an alternator. When I put in the second battery, fridge etc I am getting from the UK a 120 amp unit.

These are great cars but they are getting on. My mates 98 130 which he has had from new has only done a clutch and a head and had the shocks replaced. But looking around it will start costing soon.

Mine was bought off a young guy who only did things that broke, what needed repairing took a while to do. He had bought it off a couple from Europe who had travelled OZ for 18 months. So it needed a lot of work.

Have fun, I would be coming with you if our boy was old enough, that's what we're waiting for and why I have started preparing now.

[Bushman83]

Have been doing the same... pretty much change everything you can afford to and if it it leaks ie. power steering pump or box.. replace it!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/151777-around-australia-touring-defender-build.html

[Bush65]

Steane's post was very comprehensive and covered most things.

Some of those will not stop you if you have spares and ability to replace in the field.

Will you be solo or with other vehicles/Defenders?

What can seriously spoil your trip are the cooling system (refer Steanes post), head gasket, and clutch. It would be prudent IMHO to replace the head gasket and clutch as both are common weaknesses.

A 300Tdi of that year has probably exceeded 230,000 km, and be at good odds to having the head gasket fail.

The clutch on a 300Tdi is a weak thing, and heavy work in sand dunes will take a toll of them.

[ted44]

Thanks john,
There are two up to now going a pootrol & a toy, my defenders only done 190,000 and I've had it for the last 6 years so I've done the mundane stuff like oil fuel and air and the timing belt, clutch and brake systems need looking at though. My real dilemma is the cost of doing all the stuff you guys recommend or cutting my losses and buying new or almost new! there I've said it I just hope she wasn't listening!!!

[Nomad9]

Hi Ted,
I recently bought a Defender, doing much the same as the others, I've put synthetic oils in to give the mechanics that extra bit of "glide", saying that it the vehiclehas done a truck load of klms the synthetics will find the leaks.
Changed the radiator and all the hoses, did the head gasket, nothing wrong with it just preventative maintenance, belts, checked the brakes and wheel bearings. Did little things that would eventually become annoying, the glove box latch was broken, fitted a set of gullwing windows which have been a real god send from an access, rain and dust perspective, best money I've spent, HID conversion, nice but not necessary, reduced load on the wiring loom.
Over to you..........

[ted44]

Cheers,
What would it cost roughly for the head gasket to be done? Is there any tutorials/projects on here showing how to do it? I'm going to try doing as much as I can, but time isn't something I've got a pocket full of!

[tonic]

Youtube has some great clips from UK shows. I always look in there before I tackle any job, that way I can determin if I have the skills and patients to do the job.

[Nomad9]

Hi Ted,
If you get a manual it is pretty straight forward, just follow the steps, undo the head bolts in order and do them up as instructed, a couple of the bolts near the bulkhead area bit if a nuisance with the head of the angle gauge but it is OK.
I use Elring gaskets they seem to be the best in my opinion, cleanliness is next to godliness, make sure everything is clean before you put things back together.
Get the right head gasket, 1 hole, 2 hole etc etc As mentioned you tube is a great resource.

[Didge]

You'll most likely need to replace all the head bolts as they apparently become fatigued over time and can't be loaded to the required torques. Good advice guys, and I'll also take it as mine 300 is also at 230,000kms. Good luck on the trip, wanna do it myself soon.
Hah, had a Hyundai salesman telling me the other day that Landy's had all sorts of motor and gearbox problems - had to put him straight, I did :D