My Britrpart silencer (sorry, muffler) lasted three years before coroding through.
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1971 Series IIa 88" Overhaul
- Thread starter SeriesG
- Start date
SeriesG
Offroader
The last couple of days was spent doing light-duty work like tightening fasteners and hooking up wiring and hoses to the recently installed engine. I reinstalled the original solenoid-to-starter cable for the immediate future but plan to put in something more "substantial" very soon.
I also installed a ground strap from the frame to the gearbox near the starting motor and I have another strap right from the battery negative to the timing chain cover so excellent engine and chassis earths are assured.
I finished wrapping safety wire on the remaining tappet guide bolts and fished the engine wiring harness into place.
I also checked and lubed the steering relay and readjusted the steering geometry a bit. Then I placed the radiator into position.
I've ordered new wheel "OEM" bearings and brake kits for all four wheels, swivel overhaul kits, and a new brake master cylinder and a power servo rebuild kit. New Girling flex lines for brakes and clutch too. All should be here within a couple of weeks and once installed should offer me the chance to go for a drive once the engine is running. I'm hoping to put off completely overhauling the axles until next winter if possible with the exception of new pinion seals just to keep the oil leakage in check. And yes - I still need to do the dirty job of cleaning out and checking the fuel tank before I can start the newly rebuilt engine. I think that stinky job will be the last thing on my list...
I also installed a ground strap from the frame to the gearbox near the starting motor and I have another strap right from the battery negative to the timing chain cover so excellent engine and chassis earths are assured.
I finished wrapping safety wire on the remaining tappet guide bolts and fished the engine wiring harness into place.
I also checked and lubed the steering relay and readjusted the steering geometry a bit. Then I placed the radiator into position.
I've ordered new wheel "OEM" bearings and brake kits for all four wheels, swivel overhaul kits, and a new brake master cylinder and a power servo rebuild kit. New Girling flex lines for brakes and clutch too. All should be here within a couple of weeks and once installed should offer me the chance to go for a drive once the engine is running. I'm hoping to put off completely overhauling the axles until next winter if possible with the exception of new pinion seals just to keep the oil leakage in check. And yes - I still need to do the dirty job of cleaning out and checking the fuel tank before I can start the newly rebuilt engine. I think that stinky job will be the last thing on my list...
It's all looking mighty fresh in there.
One thing with the lock wire, you need it so that as either one of the bolts tries to undo it pulls on the other one in the direction of tightening. Or to put it another way, you need it figure 8 rather than just in a loop as you have it now. All that will happen is one bolt can drag the other loose with it as you have it now.
One thing with the lock wire, you need it so that as either one of the bolts tries to undo it pulls on the other one in the direction of tightening. Or to put it another way, you need it figure 8 rather than just in a loop as you have it now. All that will happen is one bolt can drag the other loose with it as you have it now.
In later years Land Rover replaced the lockwire with loctite
SeriesG
Offroader
Yeah I did do the first pair properly but it was a pain in the you-know-what and I decided that it probably didn't matter cuz even if a screw comes loose the wire will still keep it from falling out, which is the real danger there. You're right though and it does look a bit sloppy...
You went to such lengths to change your steering arm angle, so you know the lockwire has to be correct too 
SeriesG
Offroader
You're probably right. Check back with me tomorrow.You went to such lengths to change your steering arm angle, so you know the lockwire has to be correct too
SeriesG
Offroader
My lower back was really hurting at work today - I don't know what I did to it but it wasn't good that's for sure. I made it through the day with lots of Tylenol. For that reason I took it easy after work and spent the evening cleaning up the shop and looking for my missing dizzy clamp while trying to take it easy on my body. I still haven't found it the damn thing...
I finally gave up looking for it and decided I'd better do something else for a while to help stay sane. I've been putting it off for months but it was time: the fuel tank. I removed the fittings on the top of the tank and took a look inside. It was very stinky and had quite a bit of crud in the bottom with corrosion on the sides but overall not too bad. I've seen worse...
The filler neck rubber is pooched so that'll need to be replaced.
The fasteners holding the tank in place let go with little trouble and before I knew it the tank was out. Nice!
So now what? I'm not sure what I'll do to get the greeblies out of it but I'm considering fabricating some kind of plywood face-plate to attach to the back of the spindle on my lathe with which I can strap the tank to and tumble it with some kind of abrasive media inside. If I can slowly rotate the tank with some gravel or rocks or something inside it should work itself clean. I've done this before with decent results.
I could also try harsh chemicals to get the junk out but that's its own hassle. Maybe a combination of the two will be the way I don't know. A new tank isn't too crazy expensive and obviously the easiest means to a positive end but if I can save the original and a few bucks in the process then that'd be nice. I'll sleep on it and see what happens tomorrow.
I finally gave up looking for it and decided I'd better do something else for a while to help stay sane. I've been putting it off for months but it was time: the fuel tank. I removed the fittings on the top of the tank and took a look inside. It was very stinky and had quite a bit of crud in the bottom with corrosion on the sides but overall not too bad. I've seen worse...
The filler neck rubber is pooched so that'll need to be replaced.
The fasteners holding the tank in place let go with little trouble and before I knew it the tank was out. Nice!
So now what? I'm not sure what I'll do to get the greeblies out of it but I'm considering fabricating some kind of plywood face-plate to attach to the back of the spindle on my lathe with which I can strap the tank to and tumble it with some kind of abrasive media inside. If I can slowly rotate the tank with some gravel or rocks or something inside it should work itself clean. I've done this before with decent results.
I could also try harsh chemicals to get the junk out but that's its own hassle. Maybe a combination of the two will be the way I don't know. A new tank isn't too crazy expensive and obviously the easiest means to a positive end but if I can save the original and a few bucks in the process then that'd be nice. I'll sleep on it and see what happens tomorrow.
Citric acid then down the drain afterwards.
Be sure to re-coat the now bare tank innards or it'll rust double fast.
Be sure to re-coat the now bare tank innards or it'll rust double fast.
SeriesG
Offroader
What do I recoat it with? I've looked at plethora of fuel tank sealing kits but reviews vary...
A lot of them are magic fix stuff, which are meant to be thrown over rust and essentially 'tank' the tank with it's own plastic liner.
If you do the work of cleaning it up, almost any sort of petrol safe epoxy will do nicely as your own liner.
www.fertan.co.uk
I've used tapox before and it seemed to do the job nicely. Not sure how available it is your side of the river though.
If you do the work of cleaning it up, almost any sort of petrol safe epoxy will do nicely as your own liner.
Tapox
Tapox is an extremely efficient tank liner. Originally developed to protect aluminium from pure ethanol Tapox is well able to handle all current and future fuel mixes. Tapox is designed specifically to protect the inside of a tank from fuel and moisture. This means…
www.fertan.co.uk
SeriesG
Offroader
Any idea what kind of mix ratio I should use with the citric acid? I picked up 2kg of the powdered stuff today. I figured I'd rock n' roll a piece of chain around inside the tank first to knock off the loose stuff first the soak it with the acid. Now that I have it drained it doesn't look as bad as it did yesterday.
20-40g per litre is roughly what I use.
Warm water works quicker, but it doesn't really matter as such if you dunk it and leave it a weekend or whatever.
Wash the part off in a strong tea sollution (for the tannin) to prevent flash rusting, save up your old bags. If you don't drink tea, stop messing about and start now.
Warm water works quicker, but it doesn't really matter as such if you dunk it and leave it a weekend or whatever.
Wash the part off in a strong tea sollution (for the tannin) to prevent flash rusting, save up your old bags. If you don't drink tea, stop messing about and start now.
SeriesG
Offroader
That's perfect, thanks. I flushed the tank out with water after rolling a piece of chain around inside it for a while, then I sloshed degreaser around in it for an hour or so, and now it's full of the acid solution. We'll see what a day or two of soaking does for it.20-40g per litre is roughly what I use.
Warm water works quicker, but it doesn't really matter as such if you dunk it and leave it a weekend or whatever.
Wash the part off in a strong tea sollution (for the tannin) to prevent flash rusting, save up your old bags. If you don't drink tea, stop messing about and start now.
So my wife wandered out to the shop to see what I was up to. I explained the tank cleaning to her and she surprised me by saying, "Of all the new parts you've bought for this thing I'm surprised a new fuel tank wasn't one of them." She's right as usual - I really should just buy a new tank.
You probably shouldn't.
A lot of the new ones are questionable in both fit and quality (no surprise there...)
That one fits and doesn't leak. It's a winner.
A lot of the new ones are questionable in both fit and quality (no surprise there...)
That one fits and doesn't leak. It's a winner.
SeriesG
Offroader
I can see the logic in that what with Britpart being what it is. Still, while it's true that this one doesn't leak (yet) I'm a tad leery of the double bottom design and would guess that the tank is rusting thin from the outside in. I can see where rust has swollen the tank and base apart to the point of popping the solder connections.
The more I think about it the more I like the idea of removing the base and replacing the bottom of the tank with a fresh piece of sheet metal. I've successfully done this with other tanks and it's a great way to get inside for cleaning too.
SeriesG
Offroader
I was very careful bagging and tagging each and every nut and bolt I removed from this machine and it's been pretty smooth sailing putting it all back together but I've finally come to something I just can't find: the distributor clamp. I've looked high and low for the little bugger but I just can't find it. Of all the things to go missing...
I guess I might as well just get one on order right now. It'll take a couple of weeks for it to arrive but at least then when the new one comes the missing one can mysteriously appear and we can get on with things. That IS how this works right? I order a replacement and when it arrives the old one appears? Yeah I know...
On a more positive but less Land Rover note, the ice finally broke up on the river so I took the canoe out for a bit of a paddle. It was nice to get out on the water again after another long winter. Lots of wildlife was active including gulls, geese, at least a dozen beaver, a fox, and a pelican. No eagles today but maybe next time. The sunset was lovely...
I guess I might as well just get one on order right now. It'll take a couple of weeks for it to arrive but at least then when the new one comes the missing one can mysteriously appear and we can get on with things. That IS how this works right? I order a replacement and when it arrives the old one appears? Yeah I know...
On a more positive but less Land Rover note, the ice finally broke up on the river so I took the canoe out for a bit of a paddle. It was nice to get out on the water again after another long winter. Lots of wildlife was active including gulls, geese, at least a dozen beaver, a fox, and a pelican. No eagles today but maybe next time. The sunset was lovely...
Yep, we’ve all been there. It’s astounding how the thing you lost reappears as soon as the replacement arrives 
SeriesG
Offroader
Ha! I know it's going to happen so I've resigned myself to it. After shopping about for a replacement I've found that's with shipping it'll cost me around $100 cdn to get one here and two weeks wait to boot. Sorry but I just can't do that. It's not so much the money, it's the principle of the thing. Fu$k it - I'll make one! I groped around my bins and found some materials I think might work. With a bit of lathe work and a touch of welding I'll turn these bits into a clamp.Yep, we’ve all been there. It’s astounding how the thing you lost reappears as soon as the replacement arrives
