Thread: Getting into 4x4 and camping etc

Originally Posted by isuzurover

EDIT - re Aaron's comment about no modern technology... On last weekend's trip, my near new battery decided to die mysteriously (Completely 100% dead). I just got some people to help push start the IIA, and then made sure I was on a slope whenever I turned it off. I love having an engine with absolutely NO ELECTRICS

I like this trick. With a petrol engine, you need at least a small 8~12V source to fire up the coil. Or you need to push it quite quick to get the GENERATOR to excite. (Some ALTERNATORS do self excite, but you generally need to get the engine to rev to about 3000 RPM. This means that you have to push it really really quick.) With the Diesel engine, absolutely no electricity is need to start the engine. Just a small push start. Once running, all the electrics come back online.
I have never heard of anyone starting a Diesel engine by hand without using a de-compression lever. These 2.25L diesels have precombustion chambers, so to keep the compression ratio up, the piston is flat topped and comes up flush with the block. The cylinder head if also flat and comes down flush with the block. There is only room for the valves to open when the piston is slightly down. So no de-compression lever, and no crank starts. But push or roll starting is soooo easy.
Aaron.

Originally Posted by Aaron IIA

I like this trick. With a petrol engine, you need at least a small 8~12V source to fire up the coil. Or you need to push it quite quick to get the GENERATOR to excite. (Some ALTERNATORS do self excite, but you generally need to get the engine to rev to about 3000 RPM. This means that you have to push it really really quick.) With the Diesel engine, absolutely no electricity is need to start the engine. Just a small push start. Once running, all the electrics come back online.
I have never heard of anyone starting a Diesel engine by hand without using a de-compression lever. These 2.25L diesels have precombustion chambers, so to keep the compression ratio up, the piston is flat topped and comes up flush with the block. The cylinder head if also flat and comes down flush with the block. There is only room for the valves to open when the piston is slightly down. So no de-compression lever, and no crank starts. But push or roll starting is soooo easy.
Aaron.

What is even better is the manual stop control (fuel shut off). When I am on REALLY steep hills offroad I will pull the engine stop out. It makes engine braking twice as effective. I have a video a mate took of me going down a steep dropoff - it is really easy to spot the point where I pull out the engine stop.

The one thing that has started to concern me is what would happen if i rolled the car? The metal things in the back do not look too strong and I'm wondering if the doors / windscreen would be able to hold the weight if the car rolled.

I'd prefer to not get crushed

Originally Posted by Staminus

The one thing that has started to concern me is what would happen if i rolled the car? The metal things in the back do not look too strong and I'm wondering if the doors / windscreen would be able to hold the weight if the car rolled.

I'd prefer to not get crushed

Fitting a roll bar would be a good idea. There is plenty of space to fit one. I have never rolled mine, but I know a few people who have - however they all had ute cabs or hard tops (which stood up to the roll surprisingly well).

G'day Staminus

I repaired a rolled 2a soft top a couple of years ago, went off the side of the road on a hill, windscreen kinda folded down to the steering wheel, and there was a few dings in the body, the canopy and canopy bars were a write off but it was quite repairable, the driver just got shaken up and crawled out of the rear fitting a roll bar is a good idea, but I haven't got one in mine,by putting heavier wall gauge tubing in the canopy bars would also help, hope that is of some help.

cheers

I was interested to see how well these things tow and I got my answer
YouTube - 40 year old Land rover pulls 5 tonne container with ease

Originally Posted by isuzurover

What is even better is the manual stop control (fuel shut off). When I am on REALLY steep hills offroad I will pull the engine stop out. It makes engine braking twice as effective. I have a video a mate took of me going down a steep dropoff - it is really easy to spot the point where I pull out the engine stop.

It seems that us lucky fellows who have this delightfull engine all use the same tricks. It is a good one to use when you want to go really slow.
Aaron.

The U-Tube movie was of a diesel. It looks a little tired, as it souldn't blow any smoke when working properly.
Aaron.