2a FFT ARN 114 032

So the sump is drained, the sump bolts are off but the pan is still sitting there smiling. I've run a sharp edge around the groove between the bottom of the block and the sump pan, and have left it for a while... will check again on the weekend. I've put a bottle jack and a piece of wood there in case it comes down suddenly while I'm not looking. Folks tell me that it might have a cork gasket!

While underneath, I'm impressed with the amount of effort gone to earth every part. There are earth braids going everywhere, including to the sump pan.
I guess this is for radio silence, which is good as I intend to get a a suitable HF set for it some time ( de VK2DLY ).

There is a bracket welded to the exhaust extractor which goes under one of the sump bolts. Presumably that was to stop the extractor vibrating off, but it's a nuisance.

Well one thing led to another. A bracket which had been welded onto the exhaust pipe was holding it under the sump and was just in the way. Rather than cutting it off, I chose to unbolt the exhaust pipe and hold it to one side with some effort and baling twine. That freed the bottom of the sump pan (which is still stuck on the gasket). I'll have to replace the two nuts and spring washers as they are in a parlous state, which is not surprising.

At the last club meeting, one person suggested that to get the sump pan off, you need to whack it with a bit of 4x2 quickly but don't let the vehicle see you coming :) which gave me an idea.
Since tapping with a rubber mallet was not getting anywhere due to lack of swing space, I managed to get a piece of pallet timber behind the front wheel and onto the front side of the sump pan. A few careful poundings with the mallet and then the joyous sound of the sump coming free. Very pleased!
The old gasket is cork! So probably original. One could see where it had baked on, leaked through etc.
Looking up at the engine looks nice and clean-ish apart from the oil being black. A few little bits of rubbish on the oil pump screen but nothing major.
I've temporarily covered the base of the engine with a polythene bag to keep the dust out (it's in an open-sided shed).
Setting the sump pan up on the rear cargo door (very handy height) the base was full of tar and some grit. Soaked up most of that on paper towel and have wrapped the pan in another bag to clean next trip.
Next task will be to get the rest of the gasket off the base of the block. Might need some steel wool.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jillr

Next task will be to get the rest of the gasket off the base of the block. Might need some steel wool.

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Scraper, you don't want bits of steel wool in the oil system.

Been a while - been a damned funny year actually. Well after the dust storms, fires within 6 km and then torrential rain, now a great pestilence going around... back to the vehicle. I'm sure it's smiling at me.
The sump pan cleaned up nicely, the cork is gone. A new gasket is in and hopefully seals.
Exhaust manifold is back on.
A redback has taken up residence outside near the left front wheel and some daddy long legs have put delicate curtains across the windscreen. Actually I don't mind the daddy long legs because they keep most other things out.
A couple of gorgeous books in hand now: LR series 2a workshop manual and owners manuals (thanks Roger!). Rivetting reading.
In between fleece preparation (in the shearing shed) and some weeding, I will have a look at the oil filter.

Last day of 2020 I replaced the oil filter, the o-ring for same and filled up with some new oil. Getting there was a bit of fun.

The nut on the back of the filter canister is 5/8", and I thought I could be smart and guide the inevitable dribble into an oil pan using a bit of poly bag. As others have commented, it's a silly design and there is no way really to avoid spilling oil onto the front drive shaft. Also, I didn't expect the canister to be spring loaded but there you are.
After a bit of a clean up, I tried to get the seal off the back of the canister, but the nut seems to be welded or similar to the bolt shaft. The other end has a small detente preventing the spring assembly from coming out. So I'm hoping that the old small rubber seal will still work as I am perplexed as to how to get to it. Another post mentioned to use more force, but did not say which end to force.

The o-ring was entertaining to get out. I ended up going into the wool shed and got one of those wool pack fastener clips, which worked a lot better at catching the old ring without damage to the housing. A bit more cleaning round the o-ring channel, in with the new o-ring and then the canister with the new filter. Tighten up and hope it's tight enough.

Another wonder is the small oil inlet filler point, accessed by me climbing up the bull bar and sitting on the radiator (yes, I know I'm short!). I've put 5L in and will put the rest in soon but want to look at the seals etc. I see the oil inlet ventilation hose which I think goes back to the carby is missing bits, probably a one-way valve.

- Jill

Oh the joys of the land. Fires then floods then rats up to autumn at least. The little B* climb up the windscreen and squeeeeeze between that and the home-made cab just to get to the unused pack of rat bait. I keep one bait in the engine bay to remind me to check on them. Interestingly they have never got into the tub where there is another tell-tale bait.

Took notes on the radiator hoses. I think my best bet would be to get those on-line. The hose clamps look OK. The radiator itself has some material blocking up some holes. Looks like putty or chewing gum. I'm thinking of getting it serviced at Bathurst rather than Sydney Metro. The thought being there are probably more people in Bathurst that know how to repair ancient radiators.
There was not much gunge in the radiator fluid, just a bit of rust after I drained both lines (radiator and block). The block tap took a lot of finding due to my long sight. The manual drawing was similar but I found the best way to find the tap was to just feel for it. The phone camera was better than my eyesight, too :)

These couple of months have been incredibly wet and then cold, hard to work on the vehicle under those conditions. Not to mention the difficulties of getting here and there with bridges going out! I have not liked night driving under these conditions, as I want to be able to see where the pot holes are and the roads are not under water!