FFR Refurb

I recently acquired a spare 6-cylinder motor but there was a spark plug sheared off in the head.

After multiple attempts I finally removed the threaded section of the plug but the seat was quite damaged....how to get into the recess to clean it up ?
Eventually I came up with the idea of a counterbore cutter.
A 14mm version had the correct diameter but the pilot was for a 14mm clearance hole (14.3mm) rather than the root diameter of the 14mm plug thread. I ordered a cutter from China via Ebay.
After speaking to a couple of people I thought the pilot would have to be ground down but I'm obviously out of touch...a customer said he'd turn it down with a ceramic tipped tool.

Pilot turned down but the sparkplug is recessed in the head so I needed to make up an extension. I found some 4140 hollow bar at work (used for guide rods on pneumatic cylinders). Drilled one end for an interference fit and cross-drilled for a tommy bar. I could have cut the hollow bar down but didn't bother.

Easy to manually clean the plug seats, I also used it on another head that had been left with the plugs removed to clear out dirt & corrosion in the plug recess.

Colin

I spent a few hours chasing an electrical issue at the weekend.
Basically the brake lights don't work.

While playing I found that the blackout switch is 'intermittent', I lost indicators but wriggling the blackout switch got them back.
What's odd is that I can only get power to the brake light switch when blackout lights are selected. I'm not sure if the brake lights should work when blackout is selected and it's the switch or whether it's been connected incorrectly. I think it must be the switch as the chap I got it from had it registered and on-the-road.

Next problem is that power leaves the brake light switch but doesn't get to the rear of the vehicle.

Looks like I might be pulling the harness out of the chassis ! I guess if I tie some cord to the harness and pull it out I can, hopefully, pull it back through when I've fixed the problem.

I've found a company that sell automotive electrical wiring at a reasonable cost (cheaper than Ebay) the only colour they can't get at the moment is green with a purple trace - brake light wiring !

Next I need to see if I can repair the blackout light switch or find a replacement (yes, I know it probably should be disabled).


Colin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gromit

I've found a company that sell automotive electrical wiring at a reasonable cost (cheaper than Ebay) the only colour they can't get at the moment is green with a purple trace - brake light wiring !

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I've found the correct wire, I contacted Tycab and they put me onto a supplier in QLD.
About $14 for a 30mtr roll plus GST & shipping, cheaper that where I was getting it from !

Colin

I was getting ready to strip all the wires out of the chassis when.......I found that there are two wires that are green with a purple trace (brake lights) going in to & out of the chassis.

I then worked out that there are two brake light switches, one (that I was checking) is only used when blackout lights are selected. It seems to go to the NATO socket rather than the brake lights themselves.
I can't see reference to this in the wiring diagram I found on the REMLR forum.

Wriggled the wires on the 'other' brake light switch and they are now working !

While checking the electrics in general i found I couldn't get the instrument lights to work. Turns out that it was a dodgy contact in the switch, flicked it on & off a few times and it works. Must get some LED globes so that the instruments actually light up !

Next I removed the blue tarp thats been keeping dirt/dust out of the back, then went for a hunt through the loft looking for the canopy. I sent it away years ago to have a new roof panel fitted and stored it in the loft, out of the way.
Managed to get the canopy roughly fitted, need to look at a few pictures taken when I first got the FFR to see how it needs to be tied down, I think there might be some notes on REMLR. Hopefully the creases slowly come out.

I hunted down some radiator & heater hoses purchased years ago so the next job is drain & flush the cooling system & replace hoses. I'll do a service at the same time and check oil levels.


Colin

I drained the coolant, replaced the hoses then found the heater valve wasn't working.

You can get a replacement valve made for a Ford, you just have to move a few parts to match the Land Rover setup.
I have a new valve 'in stock' but managed to loosen off the original so I'll re-fit it and check it doesn't leak. The Ford one was $75 some years ago, purchased for my SWB but not yet fitted !

I have some NOS heater hoses but decided not to fit them, the ones fitted seem OK.

Coolant was replaced and the motor run with the heater ON to get air out of the system.

Getting close to some road trials......the paint can wait.


Colin

Hi Colin

You are being resilient with posting updates on your FFR but without many replies, good work.

Given that you don't have the front exhaust, is there any reason to keep the muffler guard below the front bumper? Or just for originality. On my SIII FFR (which hasn't been out of its shed in a while) I have the guard but it is protecting a non functioning front exhaust (for appearances [biggrin] )

On the exhaust valves, my late mate Gary Cooke (ex-RAEME craftsman) re-cut the exhaust valve seats and fitted valves from a Rover V8 same diameter shafts but larger head, he also had to use hardened spacers under the springs. This gave better exhaust gas flow reducing the tendency to burn the valves on pot 5 and 6.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gromit

I've found the correct wire, I contacted Tycab and they put me onto a supplier in QLD.
About $14 for a 30mtr roll plus GST & shipping, cheaper that where I was getting it from !

Colin

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I don't know if its the same supplier, but I get my supplies of colour coded automotive wire from Rapid Cables Wiring Solutions Australia | Automotive Cable Harness & Wiring Looms

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I don't know if its the same supplier, but I get my supplies of colour coded automotive wire from Rapid Cables Wiring Solutions Australia | Automotive Cable Harness & Wiring Looms

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Thanks,
I used Camerons Electrical Cables & Accessories (CECA)
T: (07) 3865 1122
E: sales@ceca.au

It was approx $14 for 30mtrs plus freight & GST

Locally it was closer to $20 but it was Australian Tycab cable, not sure where the cable from Camerons was produced.

Colin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Hi Colin

You are being resilient with posting updates on your FFR but without many replies, good work.

Given that you don't have the front exhaust, is there any reason to keep the muffler guard below the front bumper?
.

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Hi Diana,
I do have the front exhaust ! It was removed by the previous owner to get it through a roadworthy but was supplied when I purchased it.

Once I have the paintwork finished and some road trials completed I'll quite possibly re-fit it. I'll keep the full length system in case I sell it in the future.

Everyone has moved to Facebook so very little traffic here and even less on REMLR !
Mind you, I got my son to post some parts for sale on one of the Series Facebook groups and what a waste of time. People telling me (via him) that prices were too high, can you take more pictures etc. etc. No serious buyers.

I purchased a job lot of parts and have a lot of odd things like NOS conrods, NOS diff pinion gears, gears in Army boxes. Several axles have been purchased to get good diffs then I ended up with about 4 more diffs plus two 4 pinion diffs. There are still 6 or 7 axles under cover in the back garden. I'll have to list all this stuff at some point.


Colin

Hi Colin,
Don't think that not many replies = no interest!

I always look forward to reading the updates to your vehicles, to see the progress ticking along.

Tony