Thread: What have I done! IIa sitting out front.

After a quiet week, a parcel arrived.

New speedo wire, suspension bushes, fuel filler hose, filler cap rubber, replacement brake and clutch master cylinder kit and a headlight switch ( which is now superfluous).

Speedo wire was a breeze to install. I'd expected that the screws connecting the wire to the transfer might be seized but nup came out nice and easily. The supporting bracket attached to one of the bolts on the PTO cover was a bit harder as the nut had seized to the stud, but the stud actually unscrewed from out of the transfer case, so same effect.
Stock standard the cable sits on the heat shield for the exhaust which I wasn't happy with so I zip tied it up out of the way. Not rivet counter correct, but...

Fuel filler hose was a bugger.
The Britpart bit isn't exactly the same shape as the original and there aren't really any instructions as the best way to go about it. That combined with the fact that the original hose slid off really easily meant I was duped into thinking it would be a doddle and didn't really go about it the right way.
The best way ( ie not the way I did it) would have been to undo the jubilee clips attaching the hose, and remove the filler hose. Cover the fuel tank opening to stop any muck getting in. Undo the jubilee on the breather hose at the top and remove the hose leaving it attached to the fuel tank ( I tried this but the hose was firmly stuck to the barb and I didn't have a replacement ).
Remove the filler cap and undo the 4 bolts holding the metal filler pipe to the body work. Pull the pipe through the bodywork, so you are free to move it around.
Using a suitable lubricate (soapy water, Lanox) push the new hose on to the metal pipe, ensuring the hose is oriented correctly so the other end points toward the fuel tank inlet, also ensure the hose is pushed a good way on to the metal pipe to reduce kinking.
Its easier to refit the metal pipe back onto the body at this point rather than fitting the other end of the hose to the tank opening, as the hose is really hard to compress. Easy is a relative term, you still need to adjust the hose position inside the bodywork as you align all the bolt holes. Give yourself a good perimeter away from the kids to allow for some swearing.
Once everything is fitted up top, work from the drivers seat to fit the bottom end of the hose to the tanks, making sure the hose isn't kinked at any point. Tighten all the jubilee clips and refit the fuel cap and you're done.
It would be a lot easier if the holes into the bodywork were larger and if I was doing it again I'd probably enlarge them by 5-10mm at the ends nearest the hose. It would also stop the hose from contacting the bodywork when fitted. The holes are covered so this 'improvement' can't be seen.

Next thing was to paint the new brake reservoir bracket, I just used some POR-15 I had lying around, and make sure the bolts holding the OEM bracket to the clutch master box could be undone.
Here I realised the bracket supplied was the mirror image of the shape it needed to be. Instead of holding to reservoirs to the left of the clutch master, as the original, it will hold them to the right. Bit of a shame but it will do the job for the moment. (I'm intending to refurb the OEM reservoir and refit in due course, but I want to keep Bill on the road.)

He goes to have the brake lines made up and the reservoirs fitted tomorrow and, fingers crossed, get a rego at the same time.

Bill chassis number gives:

243 Model: Land Rover, Series IIA
Body type: Basic or Station wagon
Wheel base: 88in
Engine: petrol
Model years: 1962-1971
Destination: Completely knocked down (CKD), right-hand drive (RHD)
17091 Serial number
G Design: Six significant design modifications
Suffix used from April 1969 till October 1971
He failed rego. Nothing too serious, but needs the rh bulkhead outrigger replacing. There are some fairly ugly previous patches on the chassis in that area between the bulkhead and fuel riggers.

OK here's whats been done since the rego failure a week ago.

I suppose I should list what it failed on first of all.

No indicator light on dash ( there never was one, but happy to put one on as the idicator level does sometimes stay on)
Indicator flash too slow.
Exhaust doesn't exit bodywork.
Fuel tank leaking.
Rust in chassis outriggers
Oil leaking from front timing case round crank, and from the oil filter.
Holes in bulkhead need to be closed.
No rubbers round gearlevers and handbrake
No rubbers around doors.
Missing bumpstops on the front.
Leaking pinion seal.

There's also a little rust in the base of the bulkhead by the door pillars and a bit in the footwell with a hole in the corner that will need to be sealed. I'm unsure whether I'll just patch the hole to get it back on the road, then hit the door pillar rust properly at a later date or do it all now.
I'm tending to the former, but it will depend on what happens when I remove the bulkhead bolt from the outrigger. The bolt is almost rusted through and the outrigger is toast.

I've coated the bulkhead and door frames with SW2 to prevent any further rusting as most rust present is surface from being sanded back then not repainted by the PO.

I've stuck a screwdriver into the chassis going through the RHS bulkhead out rigger and the opposite side chassis rail will need a patch cut in and welded.
The front fuel outrigger is solid but a welded mess of patchs which will need to be cut out at some point and tidied. Unfortunately at somepoint the fuel tank was welded to the outrigger, so a new tank will need to go in.

There's a heap of muck inside the RH chassis rail which I want out. I've drilled a couple of 1" holes into the x-member under bellhousing to provide better drainage. Looking inside shows the original base of the x-member that was just plated over rather than being cut out. I suspect this will be the case with the fuel outrigger and the bulkhead outrigger, and the reason for the muck inside the chassis rail. I need to drill some more holes and then hose the chassis out (looking to get a Karcher drain clearing attachment).

I've ordered a heap of stuff from Paddocks, outriggers, exhaust, fuel tank, bumpstops, etc, but whilst thats coming I got some stuff from Roverparts to keep me going. Timing case crank seal(OEM), timing/ waterpump gaskets and a washer pump(priorities right?)

So the radiators drained and out. Its pretty new(within the year according to the invoice), so the hoses came off fairly easily. Fan and water pump came off nicely, probably cause the rocker cover leaking stopped any of the bolts seizing up.

Here's a shot of inside the water gallery in the engine. Its pretty grungy.



Apologies for the photo. It was dark, and I was using a torch to illuminate the gallery.

I want to flush this out. I was thinking of removing the thermostat and back flushing through the top. After having covered the alternator with a plastic bag.
Anyone got any better ideas?

Once thats done, I'll remove the starter motor and attempt to remove the crank pulley.
Whats the best way of removing this? I'm unsure of which way the bolts is threaded and which way the engine rotates under cranking. Is it possible to brace a breaker bar on the chassis, remove the coil HT lead and just crank the engine on the starter? Would that remove the nut or just tighten it?

A bit longwinded, but hopefully now I got Flickr sorted there'll be more pics.
Cheers
Duncan

Crank shaft centre bolt is normal RH thread. I usually put gearbox in 4th gear and handbrake on, should be enough to loosen the bolt.

So no need to pull the starter motor out?

Originally Posted by Ozdunc

Here's a shot of inside the water gallery in the engine. Its pretty grungy.
I want to flush this out. I was thinking of removing the thermostat and back flushing through the top. After having covered the alternator with a plastic bag.
Anyone got any better ideas?

Flushing will remove some of the muck but I think the best bet would be to remove the core-plugs and attack inside the water jacket with screwdrivers etc. after you have flushed it.

All of that crap has probably blocked the radiator, so get that rodded as well.

Use a Tefba filter in the top hose when you get the engine running if one will fit (check their website), or some sort of strainer inside the hose, because muck will be coming out for months.

I have used this product before on my 3500 P6 and it completely de-scaled the cooling system, which was mainly hard-water lime deposits RMI Source | RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment

Cheers Charlie

"Whats the best way of removing this? I'm unsure of which way the bolts is threaded and which way the engine rotates under cranking. Is it possible to brace a breaker bar on the chassis, remove the coil HT lead and just crank the engine on the starter? Would that remove the nut or just tighten it?"

That is how I got mine off. Breaker bar rested on the chassis rail and a short kick of the starter. Didn't need much to break the bolt loose.

Cheers,

TimJ.

Ended up using a plumbers wrench and a lump hammer, couple of big taps and it loosened up nicely.

Rest of it came apart pretty well, well once I'd realised I needed to remove the 3 front bolts in the sump.

The crank seal was pretty hard and inflexible and had worn a groove in the pulley, so when fitting the new seal I positioned it a few mm inboard so it seals on an unworn section of the pully. To prevent the now exposed outer seating surface from getting rusty or pitted I put a smear of gasket goo over the surface. I used goo in preferance to HTB grease as I thought it was less likely to attract dirk and also migrate under vibration.

Back flushed the rad and the block, and didn't get much crud at all. The rad looks very new, so just decided to go with that for now.
Put it all back together and filled up, put in 5 litres of coolant, and let it idle for a while expecting the level to drop. But it didn't. Either the thermostat didn't open or I'm getting my units mixed up and the system only takes 8 pints not 8 litres.

When I ran the engine with the cap off the coolant started to 'erupt' after a few minutes - I'm thinking that may mean a new head gasket. But that can wait til I've done the suspension bushes.
Now where's that gas torch...