V8 Land Rover project

[oldyella]

Hey Guys,

My LT95 front driveshaft output flange has some surface rust causing pitting which I think is the cause of an oil leak out of the front of the transfercase directly onto the exhaust

Tried to clean it up with some 800grit wet & dry with no sucess.

Does someone know of a company in dunedin that could put a stainless steel sleave on my existing one?

Cheers,

Pete

[juz]

Millers mechanical? They sometimes have down time and workers do perks or that other place down portsmouth drive by wilson saeco? Green building.

[Cameron]

get a CR speedy sleeve from skf or saeco.

[oldyella]

Taking it down to Saecowilsons tomorrow to size up a speedy sleeve.

Hopefully it isn't a factory oil leak LR designed

Cheers,

Pete

[Heath]

Is it possible to still call it a land rover if it doesn't have the factory leaks?

Looks good though.

[oldyella]

Well, did a few more finishing touches, like exhaust heat shielding. 3" stainless pipe i got from the scrappy.

Drilled some 6mm holes then punched them out a bit. I'm told it creates turbulent air between the exhaust and the shield which drops the temp of the whole setup.





Got the high low ratio lever installed. Just need a standard LR handbrake boot to finish it off and another handbrake lever boot for the handbrake.

Got the overdrive leaver finished with a gear lever boot from an old SAAB which was dying at a wrecker.

Installed the vacuum 4wd switch (incorrectly I might add) its guess work as to what vacuum line goes where. Caused a vacuum leak which caused me mixture problems today on my test run.



Looks like everything is going to hold together. Few rattles coming from somewhere underneath but think its to do with the drive-train not engine.

Engine starts to get onto the cam at 1500rpm and is away at 1800rpm. Think the power was tailing off around 5000rpm to 5500rpm. I like it

[oldyella]

I'm looking into how to improve the articulation of the standard disco suspension setup under the LR.

Did a quick test today.

As it is, when I lift one rear wheel with the engine crane, I get about 400mm under the rear wheel.

If I disconnect the rear shocks, and hose clip the top of the springs to the top spring mount, I can get 550mm.

So that's another 6" under the rear wheel. I'm sure it would make a noticeable difference offroad.

So I'm thinking of trying to get something like this installed.

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/retainers/

Then change to pin type shocks top and bottom. To do this I'll need to make new top shock mounts out of some 6mm plate.

Interested in hearing about other certifiable modifications people have done to disco's to improve the articulation.

Cheers,

Pete

[oldyella]

Right,

Some photos to show what I'm thinking.

This is the clearance under the rear wheel with the shocks disconnected, and the rear spring which is being extended, clamped in place with a hose clamp. Its just shy of 600mm.





This is the rear spring being extended with the hose clamp holding it in place.




And this is how much longer the shocks need to be. Another 50mm



And I have 100mm before the shocks bottom out. So the 50mm longer shocks will still have 50mm before bottoming out.



The shocks will get a bit twisted at the top. But I think its acceptable and shouldn't cause the shocks to fail.





Then I thought if I disconnected the front shocks, I might get some more drop out of the front suspension. But nope, it has bound up, mainly due to the castor correction bushes.



The spring is still firmly seated.



So I'm thinking spring retainers in the rear, with 50mm longer shocks but keep the same shock mounting bracket.

In the front, 6degrees castor corrected radius arms, or relocate front diff radius arm mounts and use standard radius arms. Then re-evaluate if spring retainers or relocation cones will be beneficial in the front.

[NJV6]

You can buy a new rear shock mount. as you see they just bolt on, the aftermarket one just has the stub 50mm lower. At the same time you put discolation cones in the centre of the rear spring. This is the mods my Dad did to his defender, the spring pops in and out of its seat but the cone sits it back in properly every time. I think 80 series rear shocks are longer and saves you needing to lower the top mount, but you still need the dislocation cones.

And for the front you can get a lower top mount for the shock also. It is all bolt on stuff, works well.

[oldyella]

Today I had a VIN number issued by Westside Compliance which the LVVTA certifier needs to do the Cert.

Its step one of three to get a modified de-registered vehicle back on the road. Next step is to get certed and attach cert plate. Then finally, complete VIN inspection, which is going to end up being a glorified WOF by the sound of it.

Got the speedo check completed. At 30km/hr on the speedo the GPS is reading 36km/hr. At 60km/hr on the speedo the GPS is reading 75km/hr and at 90km/hr on the speedo, the GPS is reading 117km/hr which is just bloody fast enough in a LR!!! Now need to send the speedo off to Christchurch for calibration

Reckon it might be legit by Labour weekend. Maybe

[oldyella]

Got some expedition exchange lower spring retainers.

Then wandered down to the profile cutters and got another two sets made up for the top.

Made a top plate out of 6mm with some nuts welded to it and thats it. Upper and lower spring retainers.







Also went for it and got some 6 degree castor corrected front arms.



Just a comparison between what the two sets of castor correction bushes versus the 6degree arms gives.





So now I just need to paint up my top spring retainers, fit then its time for another test. Hopefully I get a bit more flex out of the front .

Then its time to size up some new shocks. I'm thinking lifted 80 series in the back will be about the right length...

[Petemcc]

Looking good Pete. Those arms might be a bit shiny on the old landy though!

[oldyella]

Well I did a test with the spring retainers in and corrected radius arms so I don't need the restrictive bushes in the front. Just standard rubber ones.

580mm front and rear. Reckon that should be sweet. Was always thinking modest flex with locker in the rear but that might have to happen down the line...

The new front arms haven't free'd up the front end as much as I was thinking they might, but maybe after a bit of driving the bushes will loosen up.

Stoked I have managed to get a bit of flex out of it with the standard disco springs. I wasn't so keen to get softer springs and have a (more) rolly thing to drive on the road.

Need to scrounge some dollars up for shocks now...

[oldyella]

Something a bit more boring but needed for cert.

Radiator shroud. Tried to make it non-restrictive as possible.

Previous electric fan setup caused it to overhead just while driving down the road as the shroud was to restrictive. Couldn't move the fans back as I ran out of clearance to the engine plus, I think the fans were just to small.



So this is the new viscious fan setup

Shroud in the making. Used stainless sheet and tacked it togeather with the mig. Did most tacks from the inside, so you don't see them from the outside so much. Found out stainless wire isn't cheep ($140 / kg) but only used a small amount.

In the making



All done on the bench



Installed



Even tacking it warped the panel stainless a bit but I think it turned out ok. Most of the marks are just from the heat of tacks and a bit of weld penitration so could be buffed out

[oldyella]

What am I missing with the vacuum center diff lock on this LT95?

I checked that diaphragm on the gearbox wasn't leaking. Then plumbed up vacuum from the engine to one side of the diaphragm. Tested. Not engaged. Then connected the vacuum line to the other side of diaphragm. Tested. Not engaged.

Any pointers?

[De-Ranged]

easy way to see if its working drain the oil from the transfercase and take the cover with the vacuum pot off look inside you will see a dog clutch that slides on the center diff housing the dog gear is on the axle shaft, if there is no damage, blow into the vacuum pot see if air blows out the other side your diaphragm could be shot, if thats not passing air then remove the cover that holds the front output shaft and make certain there is a spline on the end of the shaft

[oldyella]

Sounds like a plan.

Cheers

[oldyella]

Got the 4wd working. I don't recommend the u-turn test to figure out if it is 4wd or not. Basically lead me up the garden path. As soon as I removed the rear driveshaft, it was way easier to figure out if it was working or not. And it was the entire time

So the rear drive shaft has been balanced by Otago Balancing Specialists and it is ready to go back in.

The front swivel hub seals were leaking a bit so I have stripped the front hubs and re-assembled with new seals and bearings.

Now the new front shocks are ready to go in. Got them off Tomsoffroad, will get them in tomorrow

[oldyella]

Problem: After hooning around all good. Pull over and let engine idle.

Then fuel pump stops sucking fuel and engine dies.

I have a theory that the fuel coming from the return of the engine, is vaporising in my surge tank. Does anyone know if this is possible or have come across this before?

I have a smaller 8psi piston pump feeding the surge tank. Then a high presser Bosch 044 chinese knockoff supplying the engine and back to the surge tank.

It has only done it twice to date. Both after driving up hill with a reasonable amount of right foot. Then pulled over any idled and poof. konks out.

[Cameron]

is your surge tank plumbed back to the tank in any way? I would've thought you'd want a return to tank form your surge tank, if not, your main return to go to the main tank rather than the surge tank. you may be getting an airlock scenario going on in there?

[oldyella]

Yip, there is a return from the top of the surge tank into the main tank.

Smaller 8psi pump sucks from main tank and feeds into the top of the surge tank.

Main fuel pump sucks from the bottom of the surge tank.

Return from engine goes into top of the surge tank.

There is also a transfer pump from the reserve tank, which tee's into the return from the surge tank to the main tank. This has a non-return valve to prevent fuel in the return from flowing into the reserve tank.

[lincooln]

I have done it so that the hot fuel form engine is returned to fuel tank, lifter pump pumps from tank to surge tank and EFI pump from surge tank, keeps the hot fuel out of the surge tank.

Two reasons, hot fuel is less dense and because it helps to stop the vapourising issue too. That is what I have been told anyway.

[oldyella]

That's interesting.

I didn't think my lifter pump wouldn't flow enough to keep up with the main high pressure pump.

But do the high pressure pumps flow quite a lot less with the pressure regulator in the circuit?

[oldyella]

Found this video on you-tube



So, my theory was, when the engine is idling, the majority of the fuel returning is vaporizing. This would be when there was the most heat under the hood and the most fuel returning.

And that is causing more than 8psi of pressure in my surge tank. Then the lift pump can't pump fuel into the surge tank anymore. The surge tank slowly empties, until it is entirely filled with vapour. Then, of course, it dies.

But, I am getting a new filter to go onto the pickup out of the tank as the original S2a metal gauze and pickup arrangement might be blocking so will rule that our first.

[oldyella]

Made a modification to how the steering damper mounts.

So normally the disco steering damper sits on the back of the steering arm and hangs down, gets bent, then scrapes while steering.

I took the bracket off the bottom of the diff



Modified it so the steering damper mounted up higher



Then, because Tomsoffroad made a clamp arrangement for the steering damper mount, I could just rotate the mount and locate it to ensure I still got the correct lock to lock. All done in 15 minutes. Sits about 1" higher and entirely above the steering arm.

[oldyella]

This was the cause of my fuel problem. A pre-filter I installed before the low pressure pump just after tank pickup. It looks completely fine, but its blocked to buggery.

When I first put them in, they looked the same, but were quite free flowing. Then you were meant to just wash them out when they blocked.





So, I don't recommend them. Have replaced with just a little plastic job in the meantime to see it they block up as well.

So, its ready for Cert inspection .



Fingers crossed

[Cameron]

if anything I'd run the largest, cheapest EFI style can filter I could, or an old lucas CAV style or something. Seems weird that it's all blocked up. with the other work you've done on the beast, did you include a good tank clean out?

Love your work. Good luck for cert!

[oldyella]

Yes, I used a POR15 tank sealer system after I modified the tanks. Hopefully its not leaching out. It didn't really look like there was any traces of it in that gauze.

I reckon your right. I think I'll get an identical filter to the one I use for the main filter which has a fine stainless steel gauze and is quite large.

[Cameron]

I used to have screeds of problems running the style of filter like you've taken out on motorbikes etc. such a weird material. much better to use a paper one, and keep your tank clean as possible
that por15 stuff should be fine. it's used by heaps of jokers so you'd think you would've come across heaps of sob stories if it were shit?

[oldyella]

Well the labour weekend trip was a success. Only a minor coolant leak. Need some better hose clamps.

MSII over-fuelled the engine due to excessive altitude compensation.

Was interesting because initially I thought it was because there was no altitude compensation and it was running rich because of the thinner air.

Then I found out, for a given MAP, the engine flows more air due to less back pressure in the exhaust. So you need to put more fuel in as you increase in altitude. So it was working but was going overboard. I don't even think it needs it at all because I drove from the bottom of the hill to the top and the mixture didn't really change. Then when you shut off the engine, and restart, it figures out how much above sea level it is using the MAP sensor, then compensates the fuelling. So after the restart once I was up the hill it was running mega rich. Lazy to start and gutless...

Thought I had fixed the oil leak out of my overdrive, but it came back Might have to pull it off and put some seals in the back of it.

Need to increase the rev limiter from 5000. Thinking 5750rpm should be about right.

The fuel gauge in my reserve tank isn't working. Think I need to replace the sender in the tank.

Even with the V8 running way rich it used the same amount of fuel as a 4.2 turbo landcruiser. So after a bit of a tune up and turning off the altitude compensation it should be probably 30% less I reckon.