Bye bye EWP

Hey guys,

So I did some real soul searching and talked it over with those in the know and I have decided that when DD and I go down to Wales later this week we will be removing the EWP and all related parts and refitting the PRT. This means buying new heater hoses and a new mechanical pump but that's an acceptable expense. I just can't bare the thought of going all the way to Wales and potentially returning without my car again.

Although I am confident that we could have got the EWP working, I am at the point where my trust in the system is so badly eroded that I will never feel relaxed driving it with the EWP - I'll always have that small worry in the back of my mind. As I believe that the EWP system offers no real and measurable advantage over the PRT and uprated head mods, I don't feel like the lingering insecurity of the system's reliability is worth the marginal advantages offered.

So, here I will attempt to sum up my experience having fitted and trialling the EWP mod for the K series engine:

Pro's:

- With correct hose re-routing, the EWP can indeed successfully replace the mechanical system.
- The run on feature is very useful and may prevent heat soak related SHGF.
- The ability to dial in your desired temperature gives you great control.
- I do believe that it gives you a bit more power and efficiency.

Con's:

- Too much to go wrong, more variables than the standard system and more vulnerable parts to fail.
- Cost, for the marginal advantages gained I think that you'd be better off putting the £300 aside in case your head gasket goes again.
- Worry, the PRT is tried and relatively trusted. The EWP is not and I just can't deal with the worry any more as it's ruining my enjoyment of the car.
- The heater is innefective after the mod and requires additional expense to correct.

If this was K series track car with a simple rad circuit I would heartily reccomend this system, but for a K series Freelander I would say that the cost/benefit ratio does not favour its application. I must stress that Davies Craig and MAW Solutions have been brilliant throughout this whole saga, and this decision in no way reflects the quality of their products or service. I really do believe this system is the future, but I feel like I've given all that I am prepared to give to the cause and will leave it be for now.

I just want to get in my Landy, having checked the coolant level, and not have to worry any more than is reasonable. Maybe someone will pick up where I left off but at this point I am just out of motivation and money, so I'm going back to standard and scrapping additional engine mod plans.

I'm glad I've been able to bring some info to the table on a previously theoritcal subject, and I'm happy enough that I was a guinea pig. It's dissapointing but the limits of my patience were reached on that xmas eve breakdown. I will now be trying to get replacement parts from DC in line with their warranties and I will save the parts for a future build project. At the bottom of this all there is a small part of me that didn't like the "shame" of being at the bottom of the Freelander (and indeed Land Rover) pile by owning a standard K series Hippo, especially when your defense and enthusiasm are rewarded by continuous breakdowns. I'm good with the banter here but sometimes it can get to be a case of death of a thousand cuts with the **** taking. I know that's silly, but I have to admit to it.

So that's the end of that, thanks everyone for your help and I think we're all much better armed with knowlege going forward.

Will.

There is an old saying that springs to mind (Kis) but i still think you had balls to give something different a go I hope everything goes smoothly from now on. I've enjoyed reading about your experiences that's for sure!!

Don't blame you Will. Innit odd that ooo's of Freelander owners quite happily just drive about in them, oblivious to all that can go wrong with em and if the worst happens they put it down to cost of car ownership and hand it to the nearest garage to fix. Also, they have no concept of a hierarchy of models or options (I get what you mean here) and don't consider LR politics foe one second. We are different, probably mad, and demand to know as much as we can, so as to avoid bills yes but also bcos we are that strange breed called enthusiasts. My issue now is that I have an irrational thing in my head that says every successful journey ie. there and back is a small miracle (slight exaggeration). All my years of owning bikes and cars, I've never felt this way - and my FL has been very reliable overall. Anyhow, well done for trying to give yourself (and the rest of us) piece of mind re our petrol FL's. Maybe we should just drive about in them!!!

Nothing ventured nothing learned

like Nodger said " at least you had the cahoonas to have a go"

Its a shame it would have been interesting in how it preformed long term and you were brave to try it out knowing the downfall of the Freelander was the small amount of coolant it has, but I guess if it was a simple process the big guys would be fitting it on all their cars as standard.

As for the morning checks along with the coolant don't forget checking the doors are on and the rear water carrier is not too full to create a tsunami at the first stop junction Keep your head up Will at least you tried and you could be driving a Suzuki Rhino:scratching_chin:

:cry:

You could have a header tank level switch just to give a kind of early warning.

Cheers guys .

Nodge68 said:

You could have a header tank level switch just to give a kind of early warning.

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Thats the plan.

I still think that it is a potential solution I'm just throwing in the towel before I'm a chronic nervous wreck about driving it. I've had enough, I think that faith is finite in this case.

I can see it working really well in racers and classics though.

I'm hoping for no trouble for a while, just hope that isn't too much to ask.

Burn it

WLJayne said:

Cheers guys .



Thats the plan.

I still think that it is a potential solution I'm just throwing in the towel before I'm a chronic nervous wreck about driving it. I've had enough, I think that faith is finite in this case.

I can see it working really well in racers and classics though.

I'm hoping for no trouble for a while, just hope that isn't too much to ask.

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I don't know why the Freelander doesn't have a low water level warning as standard? The K powered Rover and MG cars do??!!
I don't blame you for throwing in the towel but at least you tried just enjoy driving it for a bit, maybe saving up to have the improved HG Kit done at a later date? For now just drive it

Nodge68 said:

I don't know why the Freelander doesn't have a low water level warning as standard? The K powered Rover and MG cars do??!!
I don't blame you for throwing in the towel but at least you tried just enjoy driving it for a bit, maybe saving up to have the improved HG Kit done at a later date? For now just drive it

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Did a comprehensive HG job right at the beggining, all the best parts and really took care with it all. Hopefully that'll be enough. If it isn't I'm saving up for a TD4. Or something Japanese.

so for someone to have a go in the future, can you make any suggestions(assumptions) as to how to move it to the next level,ie: efficient heater and flow pattern?

WLJayne said:

Did a comprehensive HG job right at the beggining, all the best parts and really took care with it all. Hopefully that'll be enough. If it isn't I'm saving up for a TD4. Or something Japanese.

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Or a KV6
If it's had the works and the rest of the cooling system is up to scratch then you should be ok

freelance said:

so for someone to have a go in the future, can you make any suggestions(assumptions) as to how to move it to the next level,ie: efficient heater and flow pattern?

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I think that the heater hoses needed to go as directly as possible from the heater back to just upstream of the pump - up to the point of adding the ill-fated EBP the heater outlet water had to turn through 90 degrees in the t-connector joining the expansion tank feed hose to the heater hose. I think that a flow restrictor in the expansion tank feed would help, and the T should allow the heater hose to go right through. But I don't know how much of an improvement that would be.

Nodge68 said:

Or a KV6
If it's had the works and the rest of the cooling system is up to scratch then you should be ok

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I hope so mate I really do. I will fit the low level sensor when I can and hopefully this will prevent HGF as a result of leaks at least.

its just a crying shame that the execution by LR is so abysmal that peeps feel they have to rebuild the bloody car .

The Mad Hat Man said:

its just a crying shame that the execution by LR is so abysmal that peeps feel they have to rebuild the bloody car .

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tbh, most seem to survive alright without any major surgery

If I knew what had caused the failure and how likely it was to happen again then I'd have more patience, but I feel like I'm flogging a dead oss at this point. I think it's just time to take the hint and wait for the tech to mature a bit more.

The Mad Hat Man said:

its just a crying shame that the execution by LR is so abysmal that peeps feel they have to rebuild the bloody car .

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Sadly so, it was a shockingly awful setup out of the factory that should have had a recall thrice over.

But I'm going to put my faith, what's left of it, in the old setup and see how it goes. Bare in mind that the first HG job that the previous owner had done was diabolically bad - didn't skim the clearly bent head and used bathroom sealant to close up the rocker cover. A fairly serious coolant leak later and here we are.

Anyway new PRT on its way courtesy of Rimmer's. This will mean that my entire cooling system is brand spanking new - every hose, every clip. I hope that's enough!!!!!

Grrrr! It's a sad day in freelander land

Think it's probably the right choice, but absolutely good on you for giving it a go, for what it's worth, I've enjoyed reading your trials and tribulations....