Land Rover Series III

[KaJuN]

Oh man this makes me miss taking my Disco onto the trails. It looks like you found a nice little spot to go out and play with some other Land Rovers. Hope to see more photos of yours in action.

[matt2000]

Thanks for the comments, thought I was subscribed to this thread but obviously not.

I'm lucky to live near about 5 off road sites so plenty of places to drive it. I've not been able to for the last two weeks though because of a mystery problem with the starter motor (not engaging the pinion) which turned out to be bad earthing. Now it's fixed and a brand new fan belt is fitted I can go playing again.

Don't know what prices of SIIIs are like in the US, but they're huge fun.

[KaJuN]

An electrical problem in a Land Rover? That's unusual.



The old Series vehicles, along with Defenders, are unfortunately on the rare side in this country so they can be a bit expensive for good examples. I've only seen a small handful of them around.

[matt2000]

So now the SIII has a brand new carb - to the tune of £110. That was actually last Saturday but I couldn't be bothered to post it until now. There's an off road event on Sunday along with an autojumble so that should be good, might even get to buy some rubbish I don't need.

[matt2000]

Bump! Back from getting the brakes done, which took 3 weeks and set me back £275. They were shockingly bad before, but that was down to me getting them full of mud.

Now I need to look at the steering, it slowly drifts to the left on a straight, level road. This isn't helped by the wheel, which is designed to fit on splines that aren't there (I didn't fit it). Might need to invest in a new wheel boss, assuming I can get the old one off (It was clearly forced on).

[JipJopJones]

Check your tire pressure and your alignment before you start anything with the steering, because drifing to the left wounds like an alignment problem, not a steering problem.

[matt2000]

Pressures are all fine so I think it could be a track rod problem. I did have a heavy impact on that side last time I took it off road, and that might've damaged the track-rod end bushes and left too much play there. Or something.

[Crazyjeeper]

I would check the tie rod ends. Grab the tie rod and see if you can rotate it forwards and backwards. If you can, the ends are shot and need to be replaced. Do the same with the drag link.




(Drag link comes down from the steering box to one knuckle and tie rod runs parallel to the front axle from knuckle to knuckle. I know you know what these are, I just don't know if you brits call them something else )

[matt2000]

Just a quick update for CrazyJeeper, turns out one of the track (tie) rod ends was past it's best, so that had to be replaced for the MOT. Steering feels much nicer now.

[Crazyjeeper]

Originally Posted by matt2000

Just a quick update for CrazyJeeper, turns out one of the track (tie) rod ends was past it's best, so that had to be replaced for the MOT. Steering feels much nicer now.

That is one of the first things I replaced on mine when I got it. Much easier to keep on the road now eh?

[JipJopJones]

Good to hear it passed the MOT. I'm so glad we don't have regular inspections here.

[matt2000]

Went out driving some lanes again last weekend, got my friend (victim) to act as the photographer. Only just got around to processing these.

[matt2000]

Made a start at changing the oils on Saturday. It hasn't had an engine oil change for at least a year (and from the condition it was in when I got it, I suspect it had been in there for a while before that.

Started off with the engine oil. First I sloshed in a tin of engine flush. The chaps at Rockingham Landrovers (my local knowledge base) said this is good stuff, so in goes a full tin. 15 minutes of idling later and it's ready to drain. Gunk goes in to a drain pan. Not as bad as I was expecting, but it's black. Nothing metallic in it though, and no lumps, so I'm pretty happy the engine's running well.

Next job is the oil filter. For those of you who are used to the comforts of spin-on filters, it will come as a shock to see a canister-and-element filter on the SIII. This being my first oil change, I didn't know where the oil will come from once I started undoing the centre bolt of the filter. I was fully expecting it to come gushing out around the bolt at the lowest point all down my arm... But it didn't. I drained as much as I could before removing the filter, then carefully lowered it down and tipped the rest out. The old filter was filthy so that went in the bin bag. Next the big O-ring had to come out of the rim on the filter mount on the engine. It took a bit of wriggling with a screwdriver, but it came out, and was replaced with the new one that came with the filter. New filter goes in and the whole lot is tightened back up. the 12lbs-ft it needed didn't even register on the torque wrench so I did it up hand tight.

Drain plug goes back in with a new washer (the old one was rubber and metal, this new one is two copper washers joined with a thin strip, designed to compress and seal). In goes a whole tin of oil (at £16.99 a tin) and a little bit more to bring the level up.

Next, gearbox oil. Nothing special here. Old EP90 gets drained out, the smell almost kills me. Drain plug goes back in, and a length of hose with a funnel is used to fill it back up through the inspection panel in between the front seats (very useful feature). Filler plug goes back in, job done.

I've not really driven it enough to notice a difference since, but the oil is super clean now (it's difficult to see it on the dipstick, but it's there). I still need to change the front axle and transfer box oils, but they can wait for another week. I've also got to check/change the plugs and put a new rocker cover gasket on (It's been spitting oil, I don't want to lose any new oil.

So there's the work for the next few weekends sorted. I'll try and get some pictures next time.

[Aston Martin]

Whats the insurance like on those? I'd assume a couple of hundred?

[matt2000]

For me last year it was £755 Third party, this year that's gone down to £550. My parents are on it for free though if that says anything, but I don't let them drive it.

Just paid my tax too, £190. It's classed as a van though so it's unlikely to go up.

[JipJopJones]

yeesh. Over a year since an oil change. Damn dude. Even in a sturdy old landrover I wouldn't let it get over 4/5 months tops. And that is stretching it to the edge.

[argatoga]

You would be amazed at how sturdy those old Brit engines are. The design tolerances where so low that you can lubricate them with tar and they will run just fine.

Plus if it is a proper British engine it will leak like a sieve. After enough top offs it will essentially have had an oil change minus the filter replacement.

[Posmo]

Originally Posted by JipJopJones

yeesh. Over a year since an oil change. Damn dude. Even in a sturdy old landrover I wouldn't let it get over 4/5 months tops. And that is stretching it to the edge.

If it gets driven regularly, but not too much, 5 months is not a long time at all between oil changes..

[JipJopJones]

I supose, but I think it's his DD. (correct me if I'm wrong)

Also, I am the oil change Nazi. My cars always get regular oil changes.

[matt2000]

It's not my DD, I can't afford to drive it to work. I go on the train and keep it for weekends and driving to the pub in the week. In the last year I've only done just over 3000 miles. But yeah I should change to oil more, it's just so bloody expensive to do it.

The engine doesn't suffer either, it sounded sweet before the change. It's also developed a couple of leaks around the drain plugs, so it's become a proper British Leyland car.