 | Home > My Defender > My 1994 300Tdi SW |
 
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829  |
Thanks Procta, I was going to give the repair panel under the floor the same treatment as the seatbox: remove, brush back to clean metal, prime and paint - but the Dinitrol guy has sprayed it all in a nice coating of black wax, so that's a job off my list.
I think these rear wings are still something yrm don't do, so that's why I was a bit cautious in how much metal I cut. I'll post pics of the repair though - watch this space! Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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9th Oct 2018 8:56pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Hard to believe I haven’t updated this since October. I’ve been busy at work, so while I’ve still been working away at the car, I’ve not found the time to post stuff on here.
But like I said earlier, as well as maybe helping or entertaining others, I can see me using this thread as a personal record of what’s been done and when, so well worth keeping it up to date. Here goes.... So, left things with the rear door swap underway, and the wheel arch to be repaired. I tidied up the hole in the wheel arch;  Click image to enlarge Made up the 'outer' and 'inner' patches: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Primed and sealed, and fitted: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge It's maybe not the 'tidiest' job - but it's going to end up being covered in 'silent coat' and something else anyway. From inside the wheel arch: Click image to enlarge Since this was taken this one has been sprayed with dinitrol, and will be protected anyway by the Gwynn Lewis shields..... These are a bit hard to photograph – glossy black bits of plastic, inside a black Dinitrol’d wheel arch – but I’ve fitted the full set – cross member shields, rear shield and mudflap, chassis guards front and rear. Hopefully these will keep a lot of the crud out of the chassis. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge As it’s a 300tdi, it should be easily possible to extend this last guard (the one that fits to the front of the rear wheel arch) to cover the whole panel. Something to ponder. It’s probably only on my radar because I’ve had to fit a repair panel here, and would like to protect it more from the underside if there’s an easy fix. Anyway, back to the back... I also painted the rear cross-member rail. This was replaced, but left as bare allu. when the chassis was refitted. Looks nice in glossy red. Click image to enlarge Although with the Optimill hinges it is alu to alu, I still fitted isolating gaskets between hinge and door. I’m not convinced it’s doing anything at all, but this is the time to do it. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge While I was in the vicinity I also fitted up the spare wheel carrier mount on the back of the chassis. I’d picked up a nakatenanga stainless one on here. Because of the crossmember tabs, bolted through the body work, I had to get a couple of ‘spacers’ made up by a local sheet metal shop. 2 of these in 3mm stainless fitted the gap perfectly, and made the carrier bracket fit beautifully. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge So, after sitting in the garage for about 3 or 4 years, I finally got the new rear door fitted. Well pleased with this! Click image to enlarge I've just put a grommet in the wiper hole for now. I'll need to do some more 'head work' to get the naka carrier to fit to a 300tdi door. I'll need to get measurements for the mounting locations of the later type wheel carrier, and then fit the door mount, bolted through to a chequer plate internal door 'card' for strength/rigidity. But I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I'm pretty much clear on what I need to do. Maybe something for the Xmas break. I also fitted one of the upper level gas opening struts. Click image to enlarge It works very differently to the original – pushes open with quite a force, and then when closing the door ‘pulls’ it in for the last 6 inches or so. But the fact that it holds the door open so effectively – which the old one never did, even when adjusted – is the key thing. No more waiting for the door to swing closed on your back when leaning into the car! More to follow..... Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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9th Dec 2018 5:39pm |
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| OJ Member Since: 23 Nov 2018 Location: North of Edinburgh Posts: 120  
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Brilliant thread,
 initially interested in the gutter seal, great job on everything, well done.
OJ |
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9th Dec 2018 6:09pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Update no. 2
So following all of that. I changed the brake calipers and pads at the front. No big problems. I thought I was going to have some real grief with one of the bolts. 3 came out easily, one threatened to give a bit of bother – but I found a good, tight socket; tapped it into place with a hammer; and careful use of the breaker bar persuaded it to come quietly. I don't know how you'd manage that otherwise - probably welding something else on, but as I don't own a welder.... Old caliper / new caliper. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Nothing terribly exciting here. I don't think the calipers were actually that bad in hindsight, but it's something else off the list, and it gave me a chance to play with my new brake pipe flaring kit. While in the area though I did notice some early pitting on one of the swivels; and one of the disc shields is well on the way out, so something to file away for the future. As mentioned in the post above, I knew I needed to replace the panel to the front of the rear inner wings - particularly the driver’s side. Within 30cms of a seat belt mounting, and possibly a chassis mounting too, I was pretty sure this would have been an MOT failure. I have the replacement panel for the N/S one but on inspection, decided it was OK for now. This is what it looked like... Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I also took out the 2nd row upstand / heel panel. It had been a bare aluminium one, from YRM. It’s now all dinitroll’d underneath, but needed tidying inside the cab. Click image to enlarge Getting a bit of ‘deja vue’ by now... Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Anyway, got it all painted and back together. Quite pleased with this. Click image to enlarge The MOT tester was quite pleased too. Sailed through with no advisories. He even commented that there had been a lot of work done. A bit of under-statement there! In fact he was pretty good to me. He said that they would let the MOT stand, as when they’d tested them, the brake lights worked OK, but as soon as they took the car off the ramp – no lights. Turned out to be a faulty switch. Soon swapped that, and all was good. Shiny MOT! While the seats were out (....and they’re still out!) I took the opportunity to give them a wee ‘refurb’ – I buzzed off any loose paint/rust and gave the frames a coat of hammerite. Click image to enlarge One of the cushions had suffered a tear ages ago when I’d loaded an engine hoist without protecting the seats. Click image to enlarge My wife had a go at fixing this. I'm under-qualified with a needle and thread...   There’s a patch and glue inside to strengthen this, so the stitching is a bit unnecessary. I could take it to an upholsterer – but the kids are leaving home anyway, and it’s a 24 y/o Defender....
Click image to enlarge Watch this space! Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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9th Dec 2018 6:13pm |
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| OJ Member Since: 23 Nov 2018 Location: North of Edinburgh Posts: 120
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What a great job Donald
very impressed |
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9th Dec 2018 6:20pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Thanks OJ! It's always good to get confirmation that someone's actually reading it! Donald
1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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9th Dec 2018 6:22pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
...and finally, for tonight.
I mentioned a few posts ago about replacing the power steering pump, and that a couple of the bolts holding it to the engine were suspect.... well... I know I’ve ‘dodged a bullet’ here. I’d been getting a rattling noise at certain revs, which would disappear as I got going. It sounded for all the world like a loose panel or grille, I made no connection with the PAS pump. Then, I started to get a whistling noise – exactly like the noise of the fan belt tensioner bearing. I lived with that for a while previously, so I knew what it sounded like. I geared up to do that job this weekend – changing the tensioner bearing. Not what I found when I had a good look around under the bonnet. The PAS pump was ‘hanging on by a thread’ – or one and a half bolts to be more precise. I don’t have a photo of that – it’s too embarrassing. So, on stripping it down, to see what I was dealing with, it turns out that two of the threads had previously been helicoiled – and that they had just crumbled away. I hadn't noticed this first time around. Click image to enlarge I’d thought I could maybe leave the ‘big’ auxiliary bracket in place - which holds the water pump; alternator; tensioner and PAS - and just helicoil the holes again. I thought I could maybe going up to M10 as there seemed to be room to allow slightly bigger bolt heads without fouling anything, but two of the four holes that the pump bracket fits into are gone – stretched and deformed. Easier to see in the second photo below - the holes at 10 o'clock and 2 o' clock. Click image to enlarge Came indoors last night, and worked out a parts list to do the job properly – between the bracket, gaskets, a new water pump (for all the cost, while I’m there anyway), new bolts etc. About £54 for most stuff, and then a lucky find from a Disco breaker on ebay, an engine auxiliary bracket for £30 or so – instead of £200-300. That meant that today was just a ‘strip down’ to save time when the parts arrive, and to see if I was going to have to deal with any other hassles like snapped studs or whatever. All very new territory for me, but no particular problems, and I wouldn’t anticipate any on the rebuild either, once all the bits and pieces get here. The new sump pan might have arrived by then too. Fun and games! Click image to enlarge I know I’ve been really lucky to pick this up in the garage – and not to lose the PAS pump, and hence the fan belt and everything else – while driving down the road. A lesson learned to keep a much closer eye on funny noises, and to double-check stuff once you’ve done a job and not just assume it’s fine. So this is where work stopped today awaiting parts.. Click image to enlarge Sometimes I do wonder what life might be like if I had a ‘normal’ car – that didn’t require all this attention. There’s no doubt the time I’m spending on the Defender used to be spent canoeing, or walking, or mountain biking, or diving. On the other hand, that probably means I had too many years where I was ‘neglecting’ the car. I still like to think that I’ll be “finished” of the refurb. by late spring/early summer, so that I can enjoy a good, relaxed summer with a strong, secure and reliable Defender. The list (not exhaustive!) now includes: New passenger doors ( I now have all 4, though they need painted) Deadlocks New wheels refurbed/fitted Replace the rear load floor before it gets any worse Silent coat/dynamat New headlining, from somewhere New “bulkhead” wiring loom and other ‘dashboard’ bits and pieces; Engine out and refurbished (to include a hybrid turbo) I know that I’ll never be ‘finished’ from maintaining the car – but at least with all of that and the previous work behind me, I’ll know that anything else will have to be less major. Ha ha! Now to go off and indulge in one of my other hobbies - before it's too late on a Sunday evening! Even noiser than a Defender at 70mph! Click image to enlarge Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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9th Dec 2018 6:59pm |
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| OJ Member Since: 23 Nov 2018 Location: North of Edinburgh Posts: 120
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Donald, your an inspiration to Land Rover owners, i thought i was bad until i came across your posts, what is they say about Land Rovers, was it something like 70% of Land Rovers are still going, Land Rover take the credit but its due to the hard work owners like you put into keeping them going, if you did have a normal car you’d be bored within a week, presume your good lady is very supportive.
Have a well earned break and a dram (or two) after the pipes.
Old Jock OJ |
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9th Dec 2018 8:09pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10476 
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Great work done there Donald
 yes you have had a very lucky escape with the find on the P.A.S pump 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.
Clayton. |
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12th Dec 2018 10:44pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Hey guys, thanks for the continued interest. It's been a little while since I updated this thread, but from the steady stream of other 'daft questions' you'll know I've not abandoned the LR or Def2.
Keeping things vaguely chronological, I changed the sump pan because I was pretty sure that it was about to become porous, with oil apparently leaking through the dinitrol coating. In fact, I think the pan itself wasn't too bad. Good enough for me to keep as a possible spare, if I strip all the paint etc off the outside and check that it's OK - but the worrying thing was how loose some of the bolts holding it on were. The ones in 'closed' holes were OK, but the ones into holes which are 'open' up the side of the block were only finger tight, if that. I guess it's oil running down the engine block and into the top of these holes and acting like a loosening agent. No pics of the sump - but while it was off I took some shots up into the block. I was surprised by how clean everything was, but I suppose that's a result of regular oil changes, and the detergent in modern oils. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Then I had a go at the roof linings. The middle and back ones were probably OK, but a bit dirty. Unfortunately the cardboard pressing of the front one has just disappeared, where the standard Defender leak happens onto the driver’s knee. There’s just nothing left. You can see the missing piece in the bottom of this pic. Click image to enlarge Unfortunately again, this is exactly where one of the lining fixing 'fir trees' goes, so I need to do something. I’m going to try a repair with fibreglass. I’ve now cut this little hardboard insert to fit the missing piece, and I’ll sandwich that between a couple of layers of fibreglass mat. Hopefully keeping it all thin enough to maintain strength, but not look obvious when the new fabric goes on. Click image to enlarge Prepping the linings – there’s a lot of the old foam to brush off; Click image to enlarge Then brushing in a dilute mix of PVA and water. I think I did about 3 or 4 coats of this on each piece, on both sides. They actually feel surprisingly more solid having done that. Unfortunately finishing this is still a ‘pending’ job. I’ve bought new fabric and glue, and I hope I might get round to this by about Easter. Click image to enlarge Worst case scenario is that my repair, or fabric recovering doesn't work well and I decide to scrap them and buy something new - but at least I'll have tried. Next thing was changing the oils on the diffs ( I did post a thread about this: https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic66305.html ) and the oil that came out of the rear was horrible; (on the right - green soup!) Click image to enlarge The consensus is that this is due to water getting in, because the breather fittings on the newer axles are 'pants'. New breather kit on the way from Gwyn Lewis. While lying under the car, I noticed that the NS swivel seal is leaking, and that its retaining ring is like paper. To be fair, they've probably been on there for about 13/14 years, so that's not too bad, but it's sill another fun job in store. The old swivel housings are the original, and at 24 years old, long past their best. New ones are very expensive, so I got a couple of complete 300Tdi axles off ebay for £100. Quite content that they are ‘kosher’. The story is that they came off a car with only 68k miles, and having stripped them down I can believe that. I now have a pair of good swivel housings I can refurb on the bench while the car’s still mobile. (More to follow, but I’ll do this in two posts) Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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18th Mar 2019 10:42pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Ok, next things, next.
I decided to try some ‘silentcoat’ on the back wings and inside the new back door. I took off the foam that was there, cleaned up the panels, and started to stick on the silentcoat. As it was pretty cold at the time I used a paint-stripping ‘heat gun’ on the panels and the silentcoat sheets, and it all went OK. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I’ve done more than this, but obviously didn’t take any finished pics. I got as far as the panel under the 2nd row seats, and the 2nd row floor. I didn’t do the tub floor, as I knew this was coming off. I’d noticed that the floor was flexing if I was kneeling on it, particularly up around the 2nd row seat belt mountings. So, even with a ‘half finished’ silentcoat covering, I reckon the car is quite a bit quieter. Looking forward to getting this finished. My plan is to make up a covering of 3mm rubber ‘chequer plate’ matting which will go from the top of the wings, down to the tub floor, and forward to the 2nd row floor. So, on to the doors. The ones on the car looked OK, from the outside. The allu. skin was bubbling a little, but not too bad. However, all four steel frames were cracked and heavily corroded. No real substance to the steelwork at all. Why do all Defender drivers' doors crack here? Click image to enlarge I’d got new doors organised a couple of months ago – the 2nd row ones came from SP4x4 – the galvanised frame/zintec skin ones. The fronts are the newer ‘rounded corner’ galved frame and skin ones. They have come back from the paintshop looking excellent: Click image to enlarge So, I now have about a fortnight to put them onto the car and fit them out before it goes back to the paintshop for the whole respray...! I’ve said elsewhere that I’m not really that bothered about having a shiny car, and it’s the truth, but it needs done because otherwise the car would look stupid, with 5 new doors, and everything else faded and knackered. Got the old OS doors off and stripped. Click image to enlarge Then I got waylayed by the rear tub floor. Don’t know why exactly, but I started with this earlier today: Click image to enlarge Foam layer taken off, and there’s more white powder than a West End cocaine party! Click image to enlarge As I suspected, the bit around the 2nd row seat belt mountings was virtually gone. Good old catalytic corrosion again: Click image to enlarge When I replace those seat belt mountings, you can be 100% sure there will be no steel/aluminium contact whatsoever! Some more grinding, drilling and levering, and ended up with this before play stopped for tea: Click image to enlarge I’ve got a whole new floor and supports from YRM. I’ll need to paint them up before fitting, but looking forward to that job and the doors this weekend. And that’s the thread up to date. A lot of work on the go, and a lot more to get sorted. So, until a couple of weeks ago I was more or less chipping away at things, big and small, while keeping the car going as my ‘daily drive’. I was also spending too much time on here, breaking one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s Defender!”. Rather than taking years to get the pennies and time to take the car forward to what I want, I’ve decided to find the cash in the short term, and come up with a plan to just get as much of it done during this year – so I get longer to enjoy it! I hope this means there will be some significant updates to this thread in the next 7 – 8 months. Watch this space! Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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18th Mar 2019 10:53pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10476
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Great update Donald
Your getting on with things now and making some progress and i'm hoping that you will get the doors on before you have to go out in the defender  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.
Clayton. |
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18th Mar 2019 11:43pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Thanks Clayton. I didn't mention another element of my cunning plan - buying a £600 rust bucket! A lime green Ford Ka. I just have to remember not to wave at Defenders.... The Ka gets me back and forward to work if needed, and just breaks this pressure to only work on the Landy in short weekend bursts. Donald
1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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19th Mar 2019 9:08am |
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| Blacksheep Member Since: 10 Dec 2017 Location: Highlands Posts: 190 |
Enjoying this, a great read
Time is precious, waste it wisely...
Defender 90 D200 |
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19th Mar 2019 10:17am |
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