Resto/Mod of 2A 109 Isuzu Diesel Ute

[Sideroad]

Hello all,
I have been without a Land Rover for too many years now and have been too ashamed to show my face until I had another.

I've been getting about with a lifted and diff locked 2005 Ford BF ute, but as good as the AC is, I long for the rattles, unucomfort and constant repairs an old Land Rover brings.
I have a few pics from yesterday when I bought this 1970? 2A 109 tray back and am now starting down the path of getting it repaired for road worthy. I have a few ideas what I would like to change down the track, but nothing solid.
Biggest concerns at the moment are replacing the bulkhead (very rust eaten), get brakes working, sort out excessive transmission leak and fix rust in radiator mount front panel (what do we call it?).
I am having to re-learn how to post images to this forum. So far I'm failing. Guess I'm too used to the ease of Facebook and simlar site uploads.
I have pics and will try to upload them asap.

Anyone out there near Brisbane or Ipswich or even just in or near SE QLD have a 2A 6cyl bulkhead?
Cheers

[Sideroad]

Shared album - AKA Nathan - Google Photos (https://photos.app.goo.gl/x3nl8dJP06aRWK052)
I'm not having a win here. Other forums let me post images from google photos, but it isn't working now.

[Sideroad]

Test for image upload from google photos.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/387.jpg

[Sideroad]

So I got one to work, but can't seem to get any others to post. Why must this be so difficult? Even resizing images on the pc to upload directly is hit and miss.
I can see why so many just us facebook now. so easy and quick to post images.

[gromit]

So I got one to work, but can't seem to get any others to post. Why must this be so difficult? Even resizing images on the pc to upload directly is hit and miss.
I can see why so many just us facebook now. so easy and quick to post images.

I guess it's what you're used to......I have no problems posting photos here but I don't use Facebook.
I'm hosting on Flickr then post a link here.

You list yours as an Isuzu diesel ute, what Isuzu motor ? Is it a C240 like the one fitted to mine ?

Isuzu C240 powered Series 3 (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/other-powered-series-land-rovers/151959-isuzu-c240-powered-series-3-a.html)


Colin

[Sideroad]

I guess it's what you're used to......I have no problems posting photos here but I don't use Facebook.
I'm hosting on Flickr then post a link here.

You list yours as an Isuzu diesel ute, what Isuzu motor ? Is it a C240 like the one fitted to mine ?

Isuzu C240 powered Series 3 (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/other-powered-series-land-rovers/151959-isuzu-c240-powered-series-3-a.html)


ColinHey gromit/colin, I'll have a look into flickr. I have noticeed most forums have image issues with photobucket no longer hosting the pics. It's a shame when the threads have so much valuable info shared.
Hope Flickr doesn't do the same down the track.
Yep, it's a c240. I'm guessing same as yours. I have follows your thread and learned heaps.
I have no idea on how to gauge an age of my engine or origins though.
Due to not being register or even road worthy yet and with the wife disapproving of any illegal activities I am yet to have much of a drive. I did a few laps in the small back paddock and it seems to go great. Felt like it had plenty of get up and go. Can't wait to drive it around.

To do,
Fix electrics-nothing works, no lights of any sort, no wipers, just starter and glow plugs. I'm hoping with that much not working it will be a ground wire or something.
Replace brake master- new one on the way.
Patch rust enough to hide it till I can do a decent repair. Bulkhead and grill support/breakfast.
Need a set of tyres-current are all cracked and past it.
Sort out excessive engine sump and gearbox leaks. Hope a re-torque of the bolts will help.

[gromit]

Seem to have been quite a few C240 conversion, Dellow couldn't remember how many but I must have come across 10-15 now.
They came from a Elf truck Isuzu Elf - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Elf) . From Wikipedia the C240 was used from maybe '75 to about '81
Here it suggests from '69 List of Isuzu engines - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Isuzu_engines)

Parts might be interesting to track down in the future but the local Isuzu dealer had a parts manual and a lot of the part numbers still exist. I was told that the motor is still made (copied ?) and used in forklifts & generators.
I did locate a C240 workshop manual and oil & fuel filters were readily available.

Best of luck with it.


Colin

[Sideroad]

Seem to have been quite a few C240 conversion, Dellow couldn't remember how many but I must have come across 10-15 now.
They came from a Elf truck Isuzu Elf - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Elf) . From Wikipedia the C240 was used from maybe '75 to about '81
Here it suggests from '69 List of Isuzu engines - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Isuzu_engines)

Parts might be interesting to track down in the future but the local Isuzu dealer had a parts manual and a lot of the part numbers still exist. I was told that the motor is still made (copied ?) and used in forklifts & generators.
I did locate a C240 workshop manual and oil & fuel filters were readily available.

Best of luck with it.


ColinThanks Colin, sorry for the huge delay in replying. I have been very side tracked with work projects and the ute has been just sitting there.
I'm on holidays for a couple of weeks and plan for a big push on it.
Where do you get your filters, fuel and oil? Do you have the part numbers?
I had a better look yesterday and am horrified to notice that the fuel filter has a hand written date of 2002.
Bloody hell, the filter is almost vintage. I'm comfortable guessing that the oil filter would be just as old, or older, as it is harder to get at.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/11.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/12.jpg

[Sideroad]

I have rebuilt the brake and clutch pedal boxes. New brake master and refreshed clutch master, new seals in fluid tin and new cap.
All parts electrolisis striped and epoxy painted. Gear oil injected into bush pivots and fibre washers. I don't think those had been oiled since new.
I made up gaskets for the box to bulkhead, master to box and cover to box. I have modeled them up and saved as a PDF for printing and sticking on the gasket sheets to make cutting out super easy.
I'm happy to share the files to any interested.
I have successfully bled the clutch, but the brake is still spongy. I have always used a vacuum bleeder on and rover brakes as they are such a pain to remove all the air. Sadly after 10 years + of use my bleeder isn't working any more.
Looks like I need to buy another one.
Brakes will have to wait till I can order and have a new one shipped out.
A previous owner tried to quieten the cab down with insulation matting on the engine side of the bulkhead and carpet throughout the cab.
Not hard to imagine what that has done to the steel bulkhead. It is a bit stuffed. Needs removal and rebuilding down the track. (I'll just patch and cover for now)
I am trying to get all the matting out if the engine bay, but it is going to be a multi stage process.
I don't think having an absorbent fabric mat soaked in oil is a good way to reduce the threat of an engine fire.
Have a look at the awesome couch slave hole that was covered in carpet.
I have a few ideas of how I'll patch it, but bending the spiky shards out of the way sure made bleeding easier. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/13.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/14.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/15.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/16.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/17.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/18.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/19.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/20.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/21.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/22.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/23.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/24.jpg

[Sideroad]

I did a MOD to the boxes that I learnt about years ago. Drill a 28mm hole in alignment with the master cylinder push rod to allow access to the end of the push rod. I cut a slot in the end of the rod to take a flat blade screw driver. Now I can hold my spanner on the adjustment but and spin the rod to adjust. Still a pig of a job to do an adjustment, but so much easier now.
I trimmed the lip of some firewall bung plugs to cover the holes, so now with new gaskets and the bungs, I shouldn't get any water or mud coming through the pedal boxes. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/25.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/26.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/27.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/28.jpg

[Sideroad]

So, after a failed attempt at bleeding the brakes I decided to drain the black ancient water from the radiator.
Should have been a simple job, undo the threaded bung and let the liquid out.
One little turn and the bung and the bung base just fell out.
Turns out the PO thought that using thread tape to hold in the normally soldered bung base would be good enough, well good enough to get the ute sold at least.
Glad I didn't find this out on the road.

So a simple rad flush has turned into a radiator swap.
The cooling fins are pretty sad and a swap was due down the line anyway.
I picked up a diesel radiator some time ago and think this will be a good swap. More cores and better condition.
I will have to make up a new shroud though as this rad is a different width.
My engine fan is ages away from the radiator due to being a 4cyl in a 6cyl chassis, so a shroud is a must.

First 3 pics are the old one, and the last 3 are the planed replacement. I will need to fix the drain cock (seems to need a spring to keep tension on the ball), but I like the simplicity of easy draining. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/29.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/30.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/31.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/32.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/33.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/34.jpg

[gromit]

Mine is running a standard S3 radiator and it keeps the temperature under control OK. The original one in it was like yours, corrosion and the Isuzu vibration meant that the fins just crumbled away......

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/98.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WCw8Qr)DSCN2789 (https://flic.kr/p/WCw8Qr) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

Did you check the paint you used on the brake components first ? Most will bubble up with brake fluid but 'Caliper Paint' from SuperCheap is 'brake fluid proof' (there will be others but it's worth checking).

Just posted oil & fuel filter numbers in my Isuzu thread (Z169A fuel and R2383P oil).


Colin

[Sideroad]

Good old brake fluid. I did plenty of searching on paints. Most can't take brake fluid. I checked out the caliper paint and the material data sheet, but as far as I could tell it needs cooking to reach its full potential.
I ended up using an epoxy metal spray sold at autobahn. It was the only one claiming chemical resistance.
I hope it lives up to the claims. It has taken me over a month to get the peddle boxes back in after paint, so maybe the good cure tine will be helpful as well.

[gromit]

I physically checked the caliper paint on a test piece and it survived, the epoxy paint bubbled up.


Colin

[Sideroad]

I'm off to get a spare C240 engine this week. It's in a S3 without a gearbox, sitting in a paddock.
I have been planing on making up a hitch mounted ute crane for a while now, for such times as these.
I picked up a 1ton ute crane a month back and have been trying to come up with the best design. I kept getting stuck between too many design features, complexity of fabrication and cost.
Funny how a deadline helps iron it all out.
Apart from the actual crane, all the steel and fasteners are recycled from my 'stuff'.
I know it is overkill, but I don't want the bits I made to be the first to go. :)
I still need to make the extension legs for stability. In the pics I have a small jack as support to get the leg lengths.
I have allowed for the crane to be used from either side of the ute and also from the rear. It does require breaking down to reconfigure though.
The brackets and pivot plates required to make reconfiguration easy were too complex in my available time frame.
The hitch block can be flipped to have the crane high above the hitch bar or low, below the hitch bar.
I have a hitch on the front if my ute as well, so I can lift from the front.

The crane unit can be fitted to any car with a square receiver hitch.

It has turned out pretty heavy. The crane isn't light to start with.
I can easily carry each of the crane parts, but the whole thing would need a crane to move. :)https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/123.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/124.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/125.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/126.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/127.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/128.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/129.jpg

[mick88]

Good old brake fluid. I did plenty of searching on paints. Most can't take brake fluid. I checked out the caliper paint and the material data sheet, but as far as I could tell it needs cooking to reach its full potential.
I ended up using an epoxy metal spray sold at autobahn. It was the only one claiming chemical resistance.
I hope it lives up to the claims. It has taken me over a month to get the peddle boxes back in after paint, so maybe the good cure tine will be helpful as well.

DOT5 Silicon Brake Fluid won't destroy paintwork and doesn't have a predisposition to attracting moisture.
I use it in all my vehicles, it's good stuff. I find the easiest place to get it is at Harley Davidson outlets.
DOT5, not DOT5.1

Cheers, Mick.

[Sideroad]

I physically checked the caliper paint on a test piece and it survived, the epoxy paint bubbled up.


Colin

That sure trumps any data sheet. I'll have to test the paint I used, now that it is too late. :( (never too late, but they are painted and installed)

[Chops]

Love your crane job. [biggrin]

[gromit]

Love the crane, you must have more spare time than me........I just folded the engine crane and loaded it in my trailer. An old tyre thrown in for the engine to sit in.
Picture below is unloading when I got home.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/208.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25P7JR2)DSCN2282 (https://flic.kr/p/25P7JR2) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

The engine was covered in bird poo where they had been roosting under the bonnet ?!
If I get problems it will be handy for an alternator, starter motor, injection pump etc., it may even run.
4-branch manifold instead of the cast jobbie on the motor fitted.
The thermostat housing sits on a fabricated housing, not sure if this is original so maybe the original corroded away.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/209.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25KbdcJ)Spare engine 1 (https://flic.kr/p/25KbdcJ) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

Hopefully your spare engine will help at some point in the future.


Seems there were quite a few Land Rovers converted, most seem to be LWB and I was told the motor in mine was from a LWB. Dellow don't have any spare parts his comment was "do you know how long ago I did these conversions.....?". Would be great to find an old advert or something detailing what it cost etc.


Colin

[Sideroad]

Love the crane, you must have more spare time than me........I just folded the engine crane and loaded it in my trailer. An old tyre thrown in for the engine to sit in.
Picture below is unloading when I got home.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/208.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25P7JR2)DSCN2282 (https://flic.kr/p/25P7JR2) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

The engine was covered in bird poo where they had been roosting under the bonnet ?!
If I get problems it will be handy for an alternator, starter motor, injection pump etc., it may even run.
4-branch manifold instead of the cast jobbie on the motor fitted.
The thermostat housing sits on a fabricated housing, not sure if this is original so maybe the original corroded away.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/209.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/25KbdcJ)Spare engine 1 (https://flic.kr/p/25KbdcJ) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

Hopefully your spare engine will help at some point in the future.


Seems there were quite a few Land Rovers converted, most seem to be LWB and I was told the motor in mine was from a LWB. Dellow don't have any spare parts his comment was "do you know how long ago I did these conversions.....?". Would be great to find an old advert or something detailing what it cost etc.


ColinIf I had an engine crane I would have done the same as you, but I had an unmounted ute crane and didn't want to bolt it through the floor to the ute.
Currently on holidays. Was hoping to go hard on the 2A, but got side tracked on the crane rig.

I'd like a fabricated exhaust, my cast one has been cut and welded to fit the firewall. Also has a broken stud at the back of the head, with some slight exhaust leaking past.
Engine out job to fix, guess that's why its still broken.
I pulled the thermostat housing of the other day. It has shocking corrosion inside. Almost through the wall. Need to find another or try brazing this one. I bought all you braze rods, would be a good first attempt. :)

Wouldn't it be great if some drawings of the conversions popped up? Be great to see sales listings sprooking the wonders of the C240. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/211.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/04/212.jpg