Thread: 84 RRC purchase

Have purchased another 84 RRC. 5spd 3.5 with holley & extractors.
Only problems are minor electrical, and the panel and paint could use some TLC.

My father is buying the old one off me.
Now have something without all the rust and running great.

Will be starting a project on one of the 2 doors in the coming months.

Pretty happy now though! Will still be putting the cheviots on it, but need to source the wheel nuts and maybe look at flares and lift kits... will see how we go.

It can only come out looking better.

Wow, you've got the Rangie bug bad!

The other week the 'new' one sprung a leak. Small pinhole in the back of the water pump housing (timing belt cover?)

I've so far been advised to pull the water pump off and put some sealant of some kind on the hole from the inside.

Any suggestions on what to use?


I've looked at just sourcing a new timing belt cover, but at the prices they're asking, it'd be cheaper just taking one off a second hand engine!


In the attached photos, the hole is a couple of cms above the 2 hoses coming out the back of the water pump.

No, sealant won't work. When you pull off that cover you'll see why - it will be very badly corroded and you'll wonder how it didn't just fall apart. Yes, been there, etc.

Some places sell reconditioned ones. They weld up the corrosion and then machine it. I've only heard about them and haven't actually chased one up, so it would be worth ringing the usual specialists. The oil pump pocket needs to be in good condition as well.

This is a really common problem and is why you need to change the coolant every couple of years.

Update time.

Pulled off the water pump, and the cover wasn't pretty!



Sourced a better nick timing cover from a local RR enthusiast ($20 )



Now, usually with the bigger jobs on my cars I will take them to my old man's place as he has the tools, experience and space to get any job done.

But as he works away/FIFO now, I decided to give the timing cover swap a shot in my humble garage in suburbia.

Pulled the radiator and it's bits off pretty quick, in the process discovering a heap of muck in the cooling system. I hope to get the radiator serviced at NatRad or something, as it appears to be in fairly good order.
Water pump came off pretty quick and looks to be in ok nick too - is it worth the hassle/money of sourcing a new one in this case?
I got all the belts and most of the related ancillaries off and then came the crank pulley bolt.
Firstly, I didn't have the right socket in my random collection...
Secondly, the damn thing wouldn't budge! I tried:

• threw a breaker bar on it, jammed it against the chassis rail and cranked the engine.
• 1/2 inch drive rattle gun/compressor combo

....without success.

After a quick chat with my neighbour (also a LR enthusiast) he suggested heating it up. We took a butane blowtorch to it for 3-5min, and what do you know, it came loose with a breaker bar w/extension.

From here it was just following the workshop manual steps to remove all the bolts and so on.



Now, my crank pulley seems to have a bit of an indent around where it seals.



Apparently this can be fixed locally by some mob that does bearings etc... or I can purchase a new crank pulley. Will see how that one unfolds...


Cannot wait to finish the job and get the old girl out and about!

Speedi-sleeve is your friend for repairs like that.

Sump bolt is now being an annoyance....seems like it is 1 1/8
Not enough room for any kind of socket due to exhaust, and adjustable wrench only wants to strip the bolt.
Local auto one has the spanner for $25, but out of stock.... Local masters want $58 for the same thing, a single spanner.

All my gaskets and bits and pieces arrived today so now have everything to put the front back together
Here's hoping that the 88 degrees thermostat is the correct one!