Build Thread: 1988 Saudi Spec 110
- Thread starter RBBailey
- Start date
I use to order a lot from them but now order from Bearmach. They ship way faster without asking for extra $$$$ to expedite. RLE10 gets you and everybody else 10% off. Hope this helps.
Thanks, I have support here, good club group. It's just that things like not knowing what parts, then having to get them shipped, then waiting, then having the part be bad when it gets here (like a few times in the past year) and then having something else going wrong. I guess it's more about the one-thing-after-another that is keeping it from being on the road.
I'll keep posting!
I'll keep posting!
The winds of change and good fortune are blowing on the horizon!
Behold! The last of the parts have shipped, and are scheduled to be here on THURSDAY! The Defender shall be reborn! (Again... for the third time...) And most importantly, before the official end of summer. So I should be able to focus on actually driving and getting to work and back and finishing up the project while actually using the vehicle.
I'll get it out for a test drive when I'm done, and will report back without any mention of a breakdown. ....I hope.
Behold! The last of the parts have shipped, and are scheduled to be here on THURSDAY! The Defender shall be reborn! (Again... for the third time...) And most importantly, before the official end of summer. So I should be able to focus on actually driving and getting to work and back and finishing up the project while actually using the vehicle.
I'll get it out for a test drive when I'm done, and will report back without any mention of a breakdown. ....I hope.
LostChord
Well-known member
Good luck!! Pulling for you!
Well, after the semi-resurrection back in June, some failures, and now almost two full months later, I've been on the road daily for a week now with virtually no issues.
I'm watching the PSI closely, but today was the first drive in sub 70 degree weather, and that alone kept the PSI from dropping to those low numbers I was seeing earlier.
It really seems like it has less performance since putting the new turbo in! It's odd. It's not as if it was a horrid before, but I'm sure I was able to accelerate a bit better than it is now.
Also, I'm curious about the possibility of the timing being a bit off. It feels like it is running too rough, and too loud, but it may not be consistent from drive to drive. So this is something I'm thinking of looking into. The last time I checked with the pins in the flywheel, and pump. They did line up, but they may have been a tiny bit off center. That was before I was driving it though. About 2000 miles ago.
Now that school has started, I'm lucky to get the chance to sit down and write this update. I really should be planning and grading papers. But if I'm lucky I might be able to upgrade now!
I'm watching the PSI closely, but today was the first drive in sub 70 degree weather, and that alone kept the PSI from dropping to those low numbers I was seeing earlier.
It really seems like it has less performance since putting the new turbo in! It's odd. It's not as if it was a horrid before, but I'm sure I was able to accelerate a bit better than it is now.
Also, I'm curious about the possibility of the timing being a bit off. It feels like it is running too rough, and too loud, but it may not be consistent from drive to drive. So this is something I'm thinking of looking into. The last time I checked with the pins in the flywheel, and pump. They did line up, but they may have been a tiny bit off center. That was before I was driving it though. About 2000 miles ago.
Now that school has started, I'm lucky to get the chance to sit down and write this update. I really should be planning and grading papers. But if I'm lucky I might be able to upgrade now!
Current list of stuff to get done, in what I think is the proper order:
- Try to fix roof leaks
- Battery box, Blue Sea fuses, cut-off, set up for dual battery, solar input, all accessories wiring
- Rear cargo shelving/tie downs
- Refurb rear cargo windows with Garrison felt
- Try not to break down
- Blast and paint new wheels
DefendersNW
Well-known member
Boost numbers are consistent - not loosing pressure anywhere? Are you running a fuel additive? Have you cleaned the injectors?
Sounds like things are starting to wear in and it should continue to work better with time.
Injectors have 2000 miles on them. I had additive in last tank.
Odd thing... probably not connected, but the pattern seems to suggest they are:
When the truck has a smooth, quiet run, as the two drives I did this morning were, it will not shut off instantly when I turn the key off. The fuel solenoid seems to be sticking.
But when I was driving it the other day, and noting how loud and rattly it was, the fuel shut off instantly when I turned the key.
Odd thing... probably not connected, but the pattern seems to suggest they are:
When the truck has a smooth, quiet run, as the two drives I did this morning were, it will not shut off instantly when I turn the key off. The fuel solenoid seems to be sticking.
But when I was driving it the other day, and noting how loud and rattly it was, the fuel shut off instantly when I turned the key.
Today I actually graded papers, an 5 miles, mowed the lawn, went to church, and I even had time to seal the seam running across the top of the Defender roof.
Not sure if it will actually be the thing that stops water from coming in, but I think it worked OK, and I'll have to move on from there if I find that it is leaking more.
Not sure if it will actually be the thing that stops water from coming in, but I think it worked OK, and I'll have to move on from there if I find that it is leaking more.
Yesterday I managed to build an extension to the standard center console.
I've been wanting it to serve as an actual armrest, and I've always liked the feel of being tightly enclosed in the car. Maybe it's from all those hours in my old Crssna many moons ago.
Also, this gives me the room to put a divider inside, along with plans to put accessories switches in there, and my 2 meter mounted to the back side. This means I will be able to wire everything properly without digging into the dash.
It isn't done. I painted it black just to camouflage it till I put the finishing touches on, and wrap the whole thing in new black vinyl.
I've been wanting it to serve as an actual armrest, and I've always liked the feel of being tightly enclosed in the car. Maybe it's from all those hours in my old Crssna many moons ago.
Also, this gives me the room to put a divider inside, along with plans to put accessories switches in there, and my 2 meter mounted to the back side. This means I will be able to wire everything properly without digging into the dash.
It isn't done. I painted it black just to camouflage it till I put the finishing touches on, and wrap the whole thing in new black vinyl.
Attachments
I've relocated the hood release.
I got tired of the stupid weak cable always coming loose. I've had to reset, or re-route and reset it several times in the past few months.
So I dug through my box of stuff and found an old hand-brake cable. It is more robust, and it has factory fittings/loops at each end. It is too short to make it to the cabin, though. So I created an anchor point on the radiator brace that won't come loose, used an actual pin in the release lever (it used to have a tiny screw to simply pinch the cable...) and routed it in a nice, even loop so that the handle end is now behind the front bumper, in a small recess just behind the skin of the wing. I added a large keyring to act as the pull.
It works much better. And I am pretty sure it will last much longer.
The only thing I need to do is to add a dust cover to the pull end so that dust and mud don't get into the wire and sleeve. I'll post some pics later.
I got tired of the stupid weak cable always coming loose. I've had to reset, or re-route and reset it several times in the past few months.
So I dug through my box of stuff and found an old hand-brake cable. It is more robust, and it has factory fittings/loops at each end. It is too short to make it to the cabin, though. So I created an anchor point on the radiator brace that won't come loose, used an actual pin in the release lever (it used to have a tiny screw to simply pinch the cable...) and routed it in a nice, even loop so that the handle end is now behind the front bumper, in a small recess just behind the skin of the wing. I added a large keyring to act as the pull.
It works much better. And I am pretty sure it will last much longer.
The only thing I need to do is to add a dust cover to the pull end so that dust and mud don't get into the wire and sleeve. I'll post some pics later.
I've had several weeks of trouble free driving, other than a few water and oil leaks that I'm pretty sure are just due to hoses that I have been tightening here and there.
However, I'm bothered by a few things.
First, I can barely get 21 mpg on the highway.
Second, the knock/ding/ringing bell sound that I've mentioned before is still annoying me. Imagine tapping on the front cover with a small hammer. That's where it sounds like it is coming from, usually from the water pump area. The thing is, I don't think it is always there. The rest of the engine is so loud that it's difficult to pick the sound out from the rest a lot of times. But when it is there, it is so loud that standing over the radiator with the bonnet up actually hurts the ears. When I use the stethoscope, it becomes difficult to hear.
The thing is, along with this sound, something else that is either here or not for no particular reason, is that the engine sometimes seems to run rough... well, it runs just fine, but some days it is just louder and more diesel-engine-rough than other days. Just today, going one way for ten miles was rough and loud, but after sitting for a half hour, the same drive back was much smoother. The vehicle does not perform any different one way or another, it?s just more annoying.
The video below is at warm idle, and although it is probably difficult to hear, the ring/knock can be heard during the last five seconds or so as I pan back towards the water pump.
https://flic.kr/p/YUXYRm
However, I'm bothered by a few things.
First, I can barely get 21 mpg on the highway.
Second, the knock/ding/ringing bell sound that I've mentioned before is still annoying me. Imagine tapping on the front cover with a small hammer. That's where it sounds like it is coming from, usually from the water pump area. The thing is, I don't think it is always there. The rest of the engine is so loud that it's difficult to pick the sound out from the rest a lot of times. But when it is there, it is so loud that standing over the radiator with the bonnet up actually hurts the ears. When I use the stethoscope, it becomes difficult to hear.
The thing is, along with this sound, something else that is either here or not for no particular reason, is that the engine sometimes seems to run rough... well, it runs just fine, but some days it is just louder and more diesel-engine-rough than other days. Just today, going one way for ten miles was rough and loud, but after sitting for a half hour, the same drive back was much smoother. The vehicle does not perform any different one way or another, it?s just more annoying.
The video below is at warm idle, and although it is probably difficult to hear, the ring/knock can be heard during the last five seconds or so as I pan back towards the water pump.
https://flic.kr/p/YUXYRm
Tbaumer
Technical Excellence Contributor
I don't have an answer for the "knock/ding/ringing bell sounds", I just wanted to thank you for being so open and descriptive in all of your build posts.
As a first timer with Land Rovers and not being a car guy/mechanic, I sometimes feel like the kid in class that is glad someone else asked the question or made the comment that I was thinking, but afraid to ask.
You know what I'm talking about, you're a teacher - You see it in class every day!
As a first timer with Land Rovers and not being a car guy/mechanic, I sometimes feel like the kid in class that is glad someone else asked the question or made the comment that I was thinking, but afraid to ask.
You know what I'm talking about, you're a teacher - You see it in class every day!
Sounds normal
mgreenspan
Founding Member
I think some guys use the Imperial gallon for their calculation, round up significantly, or get 30mpg out of 1 gallon driving 45 mph in 5th gear downhill and fill up and convince themselves that they're doing it. More than likely they are just trying to convince themselves that the cost of conversion was worth it because the fuel cost savings break even point is 5 years earlier than the 15 years of ownership required or some nonsense.
I took it on a drive today from a relatively cold night, start, to warm, to 65mph on freeway, and some hills on some back roads. The smoke clears up almost completely once it is warm, even within a mile or two. Happy about that.
I hear a lot of guys getting 22-24 on most driving. That's what I would hope to get.
Again, it seems to be running well. I can't complain about performance (much). But I can't shake the idea that it is running rough. I know these are loud and rattly, but it just feels wrong when actually driving. The pinging knock is what is really bothering me. And I am sure it runs rough one time, then nice and smooth the next time I drive it.
So... no one hears that on the video? Especially in the last few seconds?
I hear a lot of guys getting 22-24 on most driving. That's what I would hope to get.
Again, it seems to be running well. I can't complain about performance (much). But I can't shake the idea that it is running rough. I know these are loud and rattly, but it just feels wrong when actually driving. The pinging knock is what is really bothering me. And I am sure it runs rough one time, then nice and smooth the next time I drive it.
So... no one hears that on the video? Especially in the last few seconds?
nas90tdi
Well-known member
Honestly sounds fine to me as well. I didn't hear anything I haven't heard from most
300 Tdi engines. Even put my headphones on. I have certainly heard rougher with nothing wrong with them.
I suspect you are suffering from Land Rover hypochondria. We have all had it at some point. The only cure is time.
300 Tdi engines. Even put my headphones on. I have certainly heard rougher with nothing wrong with them.
I suspect you are suffering from Land Rover hypochondria. We have all had it at some point. The only cure is time.
Around town I get 18ish MPG with about the same setup as yours. Highway I have seen 20-28 MPG depending on grade, speed and wind conditions. 50-55 MPH got me the 28 MPG.