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Jun 25, 2017 10:14:46 GMT
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A nice Grand Cherokee V8 would also do the trick! Very comfortable although they don't like lpg conversions too much! I've seen a few gassed 4.7's, they seemed pretty happy. Ran an awful lot better when mapped properly though. The Explorer V6 on gas is also pretty good. I know of one that did over 130k on LPG without complaint, just standard servicing. Rover V8's are also good on gas, but work a lot better with a fresh cam and timing chain, maybe even some head work to get the best out of the engine, regardless of fuel type.
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Jun 24, 2017 20:06:38 GMT
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Only got the 4 litre version of the Cologne V6 in the UK I think.
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Jun 24, 2017 11:43:22 GMT
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I suppose technically accurate in this instance as the rear wing is all you can really see in them?
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What's the make of the gas kit? In my time spent fitting/working on gas systems I found that some were a great deal better than others, with the quality of the hardware varying quite a bit, even when they were all using the same basic AEB electronics.
There's lots of things it could potentially be, but as noted by several others above, if there's an issue on petrol it's not likely to be related to the gas system, but will certainly be exaggerated by it.
There is also possibility that the way the system was installed has left it with a few underlying issues, however, it's hard to tell things like that without actually seeing the thing.
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The Explorer isn't a bad thing if you get a solid one. Top spec ones with leather interior etc are better upholstered than most things available in the sale at DFS, and comfortable places to be for a long trip.
The American spec interlocks and bonging could get a bit loathsome after a while, but otherwise for the money they're selling at, you can't complain.
Some parts are impossible to get (or ludicrously expensive) which was proven by a mate who recently sold his one as spares/scrap when it snapped a front torsion bar and give up trying to source a replacement.
There's a lot of good things to be said about P38 Range Rovers, and the BMW powered L322's, although the newer they are the more complicated they are, with more expensive parts to boot.
A top spec V8 auto Discovery 1 or 2 also holds water, provided it's not got rot issues.
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My 110 seems to wear them fairly evenly, but I've come across many others which have some wierd wear rates.
300 Tdi 90 rears also have a habit of the pad rotating in the calliper which turns them into a handy cutting tool, machining the working surface off the disc off of the hub, usually when they're about ten years old and the calliper has worn a bit.
Fit Discovery rear pads and they can't as the locating pins go through holes in the pad rather than holding them in with spring clip type things.
On the subject of fuel fillers, I tend to keep an eye out for which side it's on and remember when it comes to filling up.
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Jun 19, 2017 18:59:24 GMT
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Blank off the swivel ball and leave the CV joint in there (with it full of oil/CV grease) as the king pin bearings rely on the CV throwing it about to lubricate them, otherwise it's nothing hideously complicated.
Yes I used an adapter plate, as detailed a little earlier in the thread. There are other ways of doing it, but this suited me with what I had 'in stock' as it were.
Sump clearance is excellent as the 3 Series varient of this engine had a rear bowl setup. It's like they were designed to fit in a Defender from the outset.
The other novelty is that since the BMW lump went in, it's stopped leaving dribbles of oil everywhere it's been parked for more than ten minutes.
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Jun 19, 2017 12:06:59 GMT
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If you're after a 2wd setup then you're as well making up a new front axle tube without the diff in the middle.
Personal preference would be to keep the four wheel drive as the front end holds onto the road a bit better for it.
I ended up with the M52 as it came up on ebay at a good price and it wasn't far from a friends house, and they were kind enough to go and snatch it for me. It dropped in with less effort than the Merc engines would have to boot.
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Jun 18, 2017 20:23:27 GMT
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Two weeks on, how about a running report?
For a start, I'm absolutely in love with the thing again, it may be that I'm still in the honeymoon period with the new engine, but all things considered it's the best engine I've yet driven in a Land Rover. I will conceed that there are other engines with more power/torque that have been fitted, the fact this one works so well within the capacities of the standard drivetrain means it's an absolute gem.
As for the driving experience, the torque curve is pretty flat, and whilst the peak is only 210lb/ft it pulls very strongly from just above idle.
It'll happily pull away in second on the flat, whilst around town it has enough grunt that third gear is all you need from around 10mph upward, squeeze the throttle and it will pull past 60mph before you need to shift up. Let it rev and acceleration up to 60mph or so is suitably brisk, pulling even harder once the VANOS does its thing around 3000rpm, and it copes very well towing.
To top it all off it has a nice throaty bark, and running with the windows down close to a high wall and on the throttle gives a wonderful howl which I can only liken to the old Jaguar XK six cylinder. It really appeals to my inner child.
I was really amused when in town the other night with it, pulling out of the co-op car park I spotted a group of ten or twelve youths all gathered round a lad and his on finance Corsa at the other side of the street. Pulling away in second and giving the throttle a reasonable squeeze saw them all spinning round like Meerkats to stare at this faded old bus picking up its heels. Similarly it's had a few glances from people who can't equate the sound coming from it with the noise they think it should be making.
It's awesome.
I will however add that there's a few teething issues that need to be addressed. I'm going to change the ATF in the main gearbox for MTF94 -a specification specifically designed for the R380 and other Rover tramsmissions- and possibly something a little heavier than EP90 for the transfer box, whilst the box will need to come out again in the near future as the brass spigot bearing that I put in with the new box makes a rather interesting shrieking noise when the input shaft is spinning at a different speed to the engine. I can drive around it, but it will need addressing properly. The plan at the moment is to use a standard Tdi type spigot bush and make another steel adapter ring for the crank in the same arrangement as I started out with.
I've also discovered the Viscous fan doesn't seem to be doing a lot, so it'll be coming off in favour of an electric fan. I also need to change the plastic thermostat housing for an ally one, I might also consider a new aluminium core radiator for it as they're not overly expensive.
It could do with the rear pads changing first though.
Did I mention it's awesome?
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They all have their issues. Rot can be a big thing on all the Japanese models, with Navara's being pretty prone for it. Mechanically L200's crack heads, Navara's can have engine issues, but are better known for lunching gearboxes, Toyota and Isuzu seem better in that respect.
The Isuzu Rodeo is fairly hardy thing all round, whilst nobody has mentioned the Ford Ranger.
Perhaps not the best or most capable pickup available, but certainly bats a good average, with consistency and pretty good reliability.
Unsurprisingly, I'd rather have a Land Rover for the job, but you've already noted you don't want one, and truth be told, you'll likely only get a real nail for the money you'd spend on a cheap J pickup.
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It looks so much more cohesive with the black wheel centres than the chromed spokes, absolutely stunning! Seconded.
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Jun 13, 2017 19:22:07 GMT
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I can't stand the offset number plate on the new Discovery What was wrong with hanging the spare wheel on the back door like the first two generations? Even the 3/4 looked better when they had an aftermarket carrier holding the wheel where it had been on previous models.
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every "perfect" thing in life has flaws (eg , kylie is australian) I see the Australian bit as a plus in that particular example.
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I agree in principle, but it would annoy me more buying a new tyre to hang on the back of my motor doing nout.
A better plan is buy a part worn one in the same size and keep it as a spare.
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I can switch between the two quite easily, but 16 years hopping between cars in the motor trade, and latterly all sorts of ag/plant machinery means it's something I need to be able to manage.
I've had an auto in at least one vehicle for about 11 years now, and only recently gone back to an all manual fleet when I couldn't find a suitably priced auto option for the BMW conversion in my 110.
My biggest gripe with autos is ones where the engine ever and box are hideously mismatched. A lot of the early front wheel drive autos with 3 speed boxes are bloody awful, as are -to my mind- most diesel auto Japanese four wheel drives, the 3 litre Hi-Lux Surf being one of the worst.
I'd agree with the early Smart cars being horrible too.
Of simple/robust autos, then you don't have to look much further than the ZF 4HP22/24. It was one of these behind a 3.9 V8 in a 4 door Range Rover that convinced me autos were actually not bad at all, and I've owned several vehicles with them in through the years. Relatively unbustable, and not that complicated to sort if they do. You can still ruin them with the wrong engine up front, but I'm yet to be completely dissapointed by one.
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MOT'd yesterday, now doing some miles. Rain has shown wet roundabouts to be interesting with a bit too much throttle.
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So, an update. After the box failed it ended up on a wagon. Always nice to get something for the annual RAC membership fee. After continuing our weeks holiday with the car (Seat Leon) the 110 was shipped from home to the workshop by the chap I rent the place from. It's a Valtra T154 for those who are interested in such things. Floors out, followed by the seat box as I decided I wasn't for doing it all lieing on the floor. Box out. Caption not really required. The replacement box is a Tdi Discovery one, which required a few alterations to make it fit, one of which was swopping the selector shaft for a Defender type, which involved pulling the old box apart, and revealed the cause of the problems. The 4th gear baulk ring having disintegrated. New box stripped of its casing. The discovery shaft on the left, and the longer defender one on the right. Fitted into the box. Going back into its casing. Back together with the defender selector yoke in place. And ready to go back in. Turned some brass down into a replacement to spigot bush. Hmmm shiney... Old spigot adapter removed with the help of the die grinder. No pictures of the box going back in, as it fought me all the way in, and the job was done in fairly sweltering heat, so as you can imagine pictures weren't the major concern, reverse of removal or summit? A few MOT related jobs were tackled whilst the seat box was out, including this tiny little hole which got bigger... And the hole in the drivers footwell did the same. Which was followed by the door pillar. Easily welded... After that I put the remainder of the interior back together, including the addition of a new gear knob to suit the R380, then threw some paint at it... And took it for a test on Wednesday. It failed on rear shock absorber bushes, and the horn deciding it had enough. These were replaced on the lift at work Friday night, and it goes back for a retest tomorrow. The roads await!!!
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In all honesty I appreciate a car for the story behind it.
A clean tidy and original vehicle can be quite interesting if the tale behind it is good, and importantly it's still used.
I find modified stuff can be better still as the stories are usually better, and they're used for a purpose.
Over restored trailer Queens start to lose appeal.
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Not a great deal of choice in aftermarket parts, and often suzuki dealers don't keep a great deal in stock.
They can dissolve just as well as previous models, whilst fuel economy is pretty tragic for a 1300, with a couple of people I know who owned them reporting low to mid twenties mpg.
Asides that they're a capable little things, agile off road, if not the most nimble on it, and cheap and cheerful for what they are.
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May 29, 2017 18:56:27 GMT
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The V6 is the only sensible option for a Frontera B, the 2.2dti is -as mentioned- adequate, but loaded up or towing can only be described as miserable, get one with intermittent issues and you'd rather walk.
The Frontera A isn't actually a bad thing if you can find one without rot issues, with the added bonus of the relatively bomb proof -and tunable- Isuzu 4JB1 diesel engine or again, a decent V6 option, I think the 3.1 for UK vehicles.
I know which I'd rather go for.
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