1995 Range Rover P38 4.6 HSE - Cool Running

Can someone make this a 'famous last words' quote?

Get the thing back in the vehicle but nothing bolted up as I need to reattach the two lines that come in at the very bottom, on the engine side, and this can't be done with the modulator fully in situ.

Line 1 slips in like a good 'un and I can do it up most of the way by hand. Lovely.

2 hours later and I'm still trying to get the second one in, it doesn't want to know. I used an old bleed nipple and ran that into the thread and it went right in just using hand, so no issue there. Tried again and again with the line but the only way the union will go in is tight. Very tight. The thread on the union doesn't look mullered but maybe not as pronounced as it could be, it's difficult to see given the location. But what I can't understand is how the steel male thread on the union could be knackered but the female thread in the alloy block be OK. I'm sure I did something at school about hardness of metals and ally came right down there!

I really don't know what to think. I remember it was tight coming out (remember the 5 degrees, 5 degrees?) but the SOB really doesn't want to go back in. I thought maybe it was binding on the pipe due to angles but it doesn't seem to make any difference if I move things around.

In my defence, someone's been in here before me, but I still don't understand how you knacker the steel thread yet leave the ally one intact?

I suppose I could just wind it in again and keep fingers crossed, but it's not really what I want to do. I'd hate to get the whole system in and filled only to find the modulator had to come out again.

To give you an idea of how long it has taken to get nowhere, I have massive blisters on forefinger and thumb, and my hands were wrinkled as if from too long in water, but it's just sweat!

Beer o'clock.

Is it possible to put the tight one in first (then the other lower one)? If so, you may have a bit more movement on the block to aid alignment.

If you don't have a thread file, careful use of a bit of a hacksaw blade can sometimes fix a burred thread.

This is what I'm hoping. Unfortunately there is only room for one hand, let alone two pairs. I'm guessing it's better access on a RHD as it's towards the outside of the vehicle, but on LHD and up against the engine, it's a pig!

Edit to add; if any unions were crying out for a banjo connection, it's these two. The only banjo is on the other side, which is easy access on mine but on a RHD would be the equivalent of these two little barstewards.


If I do that,I can't get at the other one at all! As I say, I've got the modulator floating loose, so there's good movement there.

I'm going to remove the thing again tomorrow and chase out the female thread. That should give me a better view of the male thread as well.


At last, someone who understands the way things work!

The more observant of you will note that my youngest, who has very small hands, has disappeared off to our beach house in Tondo for the weekend. Selfish cow!   

In the meantime, have a blister.



I'm trying to cure it by holding a very cold glass of alcohol. It's not worked yet, but I'm having fun trying! 

Way past that!

It's that well anchored vice again......


Another to watch for on those fittings is that the short, un-threaded section of them that butts up against the back of flare in the pipe can get splayed out if it's been previously over tightened. As well as making it feel tight and perhaps slightly flattening the female thread, this can make getting it restarted more than a little tricky - especially if access is awkward.

Usually reasonably visible if this is the case and can be given a careful tickle with a small file to sort it - taking care that the filings don't get into the pipe.

Nick

Good work on the modulator rebuild George.

I was wondering how they built it in the first place. Not having the engine in would help. But I can't imagine they messed around in the dark jammed up against the bulkhead. I had wondered if it was bolted up and went on the car in one piece.
Evidently you've been thinking the same...

For a start, they'd have had light!

If you imagine this in a RHD vehicle, then the line giving me trouble would be to the outside of the engine bay, with easy access. On a RHD, what would be the difficult one has a banjo connection.

Sense would say that on a left hooker, you'd reverse the fastening layout and have this SOB with the banjo, with a normal union on the easy side. But no, let's stick with what we've got and make George's life a misery in 22 years.

It just so happens that I may be able to sneak the line out, as it's the shortest one, start it off the vehicle and then snake the whole lot back in. Then I can just tighten it up in situ (5 degrees at a time!)

Heading down in a moment to see if my theory works.



I never thought of Land Rovers being build on a line. I have visions of a dungaree and flat cap wearing, Park Drive smoking little artisan, who wanders in on a Monday morning and given a big box of bits whilst the Foreman says, "See if you can have it ready by Friday, Charlie"

Right, the malevolent ba5tard is on!

Decided that removal of the line and modulator wasn't a viable option, so...

First thing was to get the mod out again. Not hooked up to anything, so just pull it out. Yep, the thread is goosed for the first couple of turns. Take one brake banjo bolt with the same thread, get it started looking straight (Zippo lighter as set square) and when happy, wind the curse word in. Thread sorted.

The next problem is that the line in question runs under the modulator, so when I had it loose to make it "easy" to get the union in, the weight of the mod was altering the angle of the pipe, hence the problem. The only solution was to get the mod in place and put the mounting bolts in loosely, break four fingers on your left hand, snap your forearm and wiggle the resulting mess into the tiny space left. Doing this did, however, put the pipe at the right angle and the union screwed straight in (5 degrees, turn spanner, 5 degrees...). One down, six to go!

Apart from one, the others went in without a fight and, all bar a single jubilee clip which stripped (I have it's replacement in my pocket as I type), it's done!

Even the fork slipped straight over the pedal without any fuss, couldn't believe that one.

Now, about those hoses?

Edit to add that a good cure for blisters is to soak them in brandy...from the inside!

Edited again to confirm I've just replaced the jubilee clip, before I forgot. It holds a high pressure hose from the ABS pump to the reservoir - that would be messy if it was missing!