Thread: '70 IIA Wagon questions

The few problems look to be only minor issues.

Nice one cobber!

I am a bit concerned of the shot of the steering rod-end showing an awful lot of thread; they should be screwed home much farther than that, so get someone qualified to look at it and make sure that the system is safe.

The radiator looks to be missing a few fins, so if it gets a bit hot and bothered it will be time for a new one.

Buy some iridium spark plugs and Gasmaster, or Magnecore high-tension leads, so that it will run at its best on LPG,

Cheers Charlie

Originally Posted by chazza

Nice one cobber!

I am a bit concerned of the shot of the steering rod-end showing an awful lot of thread; they should be screwed home much farther than that, so get someone qualified to look at it and make sure that the system is safe.

The radiator looks to be missing a few fins, so if it gets a bit hot and bothered it will be time for a new one.

Buy some iridium spark plugs and Gasmaster, or Magnecore high-tension leads, so that it will run at its best on LPG,

Cheers Charlie

Thanks Charlie.
I'm going to test the temperature sensor because it kept down at the lower 1/3 of the dial for the drive, despite the electric cooling fan coming on at times when parked/stopped. The overflow catch bottle seemed to do the right thing. I figured I'd see what was available in the way of a bigger radiator for it, replace all the hoses and thermostat, check the temp sensor and put some proper coolant in the system. If I can find a shroud to suit for the fan I'll fit one of those on too. I'm also thinking I may remove the bull-bar and all the spotlights mounted in front of the radiator, but I'll think about that some more later.

I'll sort myself out a set of all the ball joints needed to overhaul the steering system, replace them and then take it to a specialist to set up and align everything. The steering lock is really, really dismal and I suspect it's partly because of the limitation of the hydraulic ram stroke. I might see about disconnecting it and see how it drives without it and see if the steering lock is better. A previous owner (the one before the guy I just bought it off) was an older guy I think and he needed the power assistance I suspect. I don't mind the old "strongarm" power steering units. Never had a problem with old HQ Holdens back in my younger days and I'm far fitter now than I ever was.

Thanks for the tip on the leads. I'll look into that.
Cheers
John B

I'm going to test the temperature sensor because it kept down at the lower 1/3 of the dial for the drive, despite the electric cooling fan coming on at times when parked/stopped.

Hi,

This is a similar problem I had and I thought the temperature sensor was faulty as my engine was always runnung at about 60 to 65°C but then I decided to take a look into the housing where the thermostat is and found out there was NO ! thermostat in there. So after putting in a Thermostat (summer variant) now my engine is running smoother and warmer at about 75 to 80°C.

regards Rainer (driving the Land Rover in the semidesert of central Mexico)

Congratulations

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

If you do need to replace tie rod ends,make sure you get the correct type. SIIa usually have a flat shoulder for about 1/2" before the stop. This shoulder is used for secure clamping of the tie rod. SIII tie rods had the thread all the way to the stop and clamp in the thread. There is not enough clamping pressure on a IIa tie rod when using thread only ends.

Even if the tie rod you remove had a thread all the way, check inside the tube to check if there is a thread inside the end. If there is no thread then you need to get the shouldered tie rod ends.

Some vendors will try to tell you that the threaded ones are for all Series Land Rovers. They are wrong and their use could have fatal consequences if a tie rod end comes away. (Which has happened on numerous occasions.)

Originally Posted by chazza

I am a bit concerned of the shot of the steering rod-end showing an awful lot of thread; they should be screwed home much farther than that, so get someone qualified to look at it and make sure that the system is safe.

Putting the above two comments together leads me to suspect my SIIA is actually fitted with SIII tie rod ends. This would partially explain the extensive amount of thread showing and maybe the vagueness in the steering also.
I pick her up in the morning so will have a really good look at it all this weekend when I get everything cleaned up so I can see it. My plan is to take things apart that need sorting (steering system, cooling system and handbrake system) and sort them out before using the car too extensively. When everything is "put right" then I can take the Nissan off the road for a week or so to sort out a couple of issues on that and prepare it for sale. Brave move having the Landy as my sole transport??

The tie rod ends on the drag link may well belong to the power steering addition - but regardless, you need check that there is adequate thread engaged and that the clamping is thread to thread or plain shoulder to plain tube.

The bashed cross member is quite common, and virtually impossible to straighten - either leave as is or make a new one.

From the photos it does look as if it is originally a six - the key is that the engine bulge on the bulkhead protrudes further into the cab. (Calvin on the serial number will confirm this - something you need to know for things like prop shaft replacements and a few other items.

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

The tie rod ends on the drag link may well belong to the power steering addition - but regardless, you need check that there is adequate thread engaged and that the clamping is thread to thread or plain shoulder to plain tube.

The bashed cross member is quite common, and virtually impossible to straighten - either leave as is or make a new one.

From the photos it does look as if it is originally a six - the key is that the engine bulge on the bulkhead protrudes further into the cab. (Calvin on the serial number will confirm this - something you need to know for things like prop shaft replacements and a few other items.

John

If you are wondering what John means by Calvin, go here and enter your serial number. (There used to be a stick on this section of the forum with the Calvin address and a few other helpful places but it disappeared a while back)

I can't quite make out the last character in your picture above - I can read the 25330460 but not the suffix - maybe a 'G'? In any case, Calvin, in this instance, seems to be generic in engine description:

253

Model: Land Rover, Series IIA

Body type: Basic

Wheel base: 109in

Engine: petrol

Model years: 1962-1971

Destination:Completely knocked down (CKD), right-hand drive (RHD)

30460

Serial number

G

Design: Six significant design modifications

Suffix used from April 1969 till October 1971