Range Rover Classic- back from near death

**happykid55** · 13th March 2011, 07:40 PM

My beloved 1975 2 Range Rover tragically caught fire in the engine bay 2 weeks ago, destroying both carbies, brake and clutch master cylinder, and just about all hoses and electrical wires (including leads and distributer cap ect.) beneath the bonnet .
The fire was started by poor wiring between the dual batteries (not me but a previous owner) the positive ran over the engine, inevitably wearing through and shorting on the engine (which is earthed) this quickly lit the fuel lines and the rest is history.
this all happened out the front of my house, after i had driven it. The fire brigade got rid of the fire but not without damage caused.
I thought i might aswell start documenting what i have done so far to fix it and what i will do in the future, just incase somebody cares.

the fixing began with a trip to the wreckers where i was able to get a new intake manifold with carbies and associated hoses for the price of the 2 carbies which i thought was a steal! i also got brake master cylinder + reservoir and clutch reservoir, plus various odd and bods that were destroyed.

below is the engine bay after the fire, the new master cylinder and clutch reservoir after being installed, the old ones removed and the engine with the old intake manifold and carbies removed.
there will be more to come, im still waiting on a wiring harness to fix all the destroyed wiring and once that is done the new intake manifold with carbies can go on.

**happykid55** · 13th March 2011, 07:44 PM

Here is a couple of photos of the girl in all of her glory.

**Scouse** · 14th March 2011, 03:30 PM

Good to see that it will live another day

.

**eb220** · 14th March 2011, 07:48 PM

Sad to see her get damaged, but looks like she'll be even better in the end.

**happykid55** · 14th March 2011, 08:06 PM

That's very true, its given me a chance to fix up any of the dodgy wiring and renew some of the 35 year old parts that probaly weren't far off anyway

**happykid55** · 17th March 2011, 05:22 PM

Ive replaced all of the damaged wiring, turns out it wasn't nearly as bad as my first impression was.
However a piece tore out of the back of the alternator,it had 2 terminals and was made of some sort of fibrous material destroyed by the fire, i can't remember what it was called but it was an external something (maybe regulator) but after lots of looking at the auto electrician they had one in stock from about 20yrs ago (he tried calling to get another but bosch didn't even recognise the part number) and the alternator was back in business.

**bee utey** · 17th March 2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by happykid55

it had 2 terminals and was made of some sort of fibrous material destroyed by the fire, i can't remember what it was called but it was an external something

Brush holder. Obsolete since 1975 or thereabouts, replaced by an integral regulator/brush holder assembly since that date.

Looks good, your progress.

**happykid55** · 20th March 2011, 04:53 PM

put the inlet manifold plus carbies on today and connected all the hoses required.
she runs awesome when the choke is out, but when the choke is backed off the engine revs up and down by its own accord and then stalls. At high revs it runs well also until the throttle is backed off and the same thing happens again.
i pulled the carbies out and pulled it apart a bit and made sure the injector and needle were free of any crap, but they were spotless on the inside.
im starting to think that its got to do with the mixture and tuning.
any ideas would be appreciated.
i cant fiddle with the tuning just as of yet because i dont have the tool required as my old carbies had the mixture screw adjuster on the bottom.

**bee utey** · 20th March 2011, 05:42 PM

Sounds like its lean at idle, double check for vacuum leaks, especially along the manifold faces. Water in a tin and dribble it along the gasket edges.

**happykid55** · 20th March 2011, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by bee utey

Sounds like its lean at idle, double check for vacuum leaks, especially along the manifold faces. Water in a tin and dribble it along the gasket edges.

i gave it a good once over for vaccum leaks in any of the lines, but i didnt check the manifold, i used a new gasket and cleaned both surfaces pretty well but ill give it another look.

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