No its not broken its just an ongoing resoration project )

[pamw]

The best way of staying warm in a 90 is to fit a V8, its the only motor I have had where you drive about with the windows down in the winter!

Mine is usually fine but on Friday it never got up to normal operating temp on the way to work due to the vvvv low outside temp and wind chill factor ! Had ice on side windows until I got into traffic in York and finally got up to temp!

One mighty improvement is the heated windscreen- I recommend highly to all defender drivers !!

[Zedman]

Thanks for the tips bo, will check the matrix if I can find the dam thing, where is it ?

Pam you may want to ask dave to slot in a new thermostat £6.60 for an origional spec item and its a 2 min job to change it, sounds like you have the same issue i had, ie coolant flowing through the rad even when the engine wasnt up to temp so the coolant never gets up to the temp its supposed to, since the thermostat change mine goes to half way on the temp gauge in 10 mins and just hold there never moving up or down.

Re the viscous fan, now thermostat is working properly the fan only effects the the cooling when the thermostat sences the enging is getting over 88 (or whatever it is set to) degrees and shoves water ino the rad so this shouldnt be an issue ? please correct me if I'm wrong.

I heard posts on other sites saying that removing the fan or fitting an eletric one can save fuel but can 1 little fan have much effect on fuel consumption v hauling 2.5 tons of land rover around ?

[Zedman]

heated windscreen ??????????? erm how much and wherre from please.

Interested cos mine has a dirty great stone chip in it and if not that expensive a new windscreen increases visibility massivly )

[pamw]

Thermostat fine, it was just the exceptional conditions on Friday. The usual operating temp is bang on for most days. Today it was more usual winter temps and inside it got a bit warm for my groceries and me and had to turn the heater off!!!!

[pamw]

heated windscreen ??????????? erm how much and wherre from please.

Interested cos mine has a dirty great stone chip in it and if not that expensive a new windscreen increases visibility massivly )

Can't remember exactly but it was about £140, fitted. A company in York, I think, perhaps recommended by Patrick at Maddison 4x4.

Dave put the electrics in as he was re-building over last winter - then when we were ready got in touch with the screen place to make an order and an appointment for the chap to come over to fit it at home.

I had a big chip out in my old one, on the passenger side, that I'd just put up with, but as it wasn't on the vehicle I couldn't really get it on insurance - but it worth looking into your insurance part funding a replacement if your chip is not repairable (presume you could make up the difference on the more expensive screen)

Anyway, it works fast, both for ice outside and and condensation inside and you don't really notice the wires once you've got used to them!

[Zedman]

I was actualy getting to like my Landy, but i hate the fact that all the tools needed are oversize / excessive, eg

Gearbox drain plug 32mm, and yes you cant get a socket in it has to be a bleeding spanner, its just a hole for c***t sake, couldnt they have used a 19mm ?, spanner ordered !!!

Gearbox filler, ohh how akward can we make this, i know, bet no one has a 55 Torx in there standard tool kit *@#@%$ idiots, bought from Halfords and an oversize TX set ordered !!!!!!!!!

Drop arm nut, 34mm jeez my socket set only goes to 32mm, Ordered !!!!!!!!

And just for fun and giggles on my landrover with bucket seats, length of seat belt buckle that is tucked down 14" below the edge of the bucket seat, ohh you couldnt have guessed its a floppy strap that sits on the floor, 300mm stalk seat belts getting ordered tomorrow !

Please let me know of any other tools i should be ordering )


And following an oil change for the gearbox with some borrowed tools the syncro on 4th is still non existant, will give it another week to 'self repair' before calling Mathew )

The working heater still puts a smile on my face though and out of the 3 vehicle i have the Landy is first choice (took the Jeep out for a short trip today just to make sure it was still working, felt like I was in a Mini)

[TwoSheds]

Wassupwiyaman?

Don't you LIKE buying tools then? Nothing pleases me more than finding an excuse to buy a new tool - especially if it's a really big spanner

Re the drop arm nut, you realise that even if you remove it you might not be able to remove the drop-arm? If you just need to change the drop-arm ball-joint then there is a nice thread on the matter here:http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=14338

[Zedman]

I love ordering shiney new tools, just hate paying for them but hey its christmas

Here what Santa is sending me (from myself )

Teng Tools Drive Regular 6 point metric socket 34mm 7.13
Teng Tools Combination Spanner 28mm Combination Spanner 12.68
Teng Tools Combination Spanner 32mm Combination Spanner 14.63
Teng Tools 2 in 1 Puller Set in TC Tray TT804 41.63
Teng Tools 1/2" drive 9 piece TX bit socket set on clip rail M1213TX 29.7

I will be replacing the entire arm and have the angle grinder standing by in case it wont play ball, but thanks for the link )

[nicks90]

I will be replacing the entire arm

i take it you are going with the disco drop arm route then?


Nick

[varleym]

Nick - I'm going down the disco drop arm route myself during the rebuild and ordered one from Paddocks but unlike the old defender one I took off, this disco one is a lot straighter ie. not as 'cranked', thereby making the drag link more 'angled'. I suspect there may be two types and the Paddocks web-site suggests there is an 'early' and 'later' model for the Discovery 1 although no pictures.

The part I've got is an NTC9236 but the earlier one is a QFW000020. Grateful if anyone who's done this 'mod' could confirm if I've got the correct part.

Cheers

Mark

PS Richard - I had to take my steering box to a local engineering firm to get the drop-arm off and they needed a hydraulic puller and a bit of heat to remove it. You can't use too much direct heat as you'll risk frying the seals and if you start trying to leather it with a hammer you may well damage the steering box internals.

[Jabba]

i take it you are going with the disco drop arm route then?


Nick

What's the 'disco drop arm route' ?????

[varleym]

Dave

It's replacing the defender drop arm with one from a Discovery, advantage being that the disco drop arm allows a track-rod end to be used on the end of the drag link, as against the ball-joint on the defender which is an absolute ball-ache to change when it gets worn.

Cheers

Mark

[davew]

Other than using a hydraulic puller, the easiest way to remove the arm is with the largest Land Rover Special Adjustment tool you can safely wield.

BUT, to do that you need to remove the steering box from the vehicle first and support it so it is sat on the main/output shaft onto a block of wood and that is taking all the weight of the box. Between 1 and 3 sharp blows with the Land Rover Special Adjustment Tool to the top of the arm will normally free it.

It's a slightly tapered splined shaft so once the initial "hold" is broken it will come off easily.

The important part is that, by supporting the main shaft on a block of wood you are not putting any strain on the seals or the internal components of the box.

As far as I am aware it doesn't make any difference which of the two arms you use but you do need to make sure you get the matching lock washer as the larger (later) arm needs a larger diameter lock washer.

[Zedman]

The link and the picture below show my backup plan in case its stuborn

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f41/drop- ... 63811.html

[Bo]

With the heat from the sparks and the miriad of metal fragments that are now embeded in it, I don't hold much hope for the bottom seal lasting!