Off road after care

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Salisbury Nick

Salisbury Nick

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790
Location
Dorchester
Hi guys, Ive got a P38 2.5d which I have been having some fun with on Salisbury Plain, Mid Wales, North Devon etc. All good until recently when the radiator exploded on Dunlop Lane in mid wales. Can’t work on it myself so took it into my local 4x4 specialist and got a bill for new alternator, radiator, drive belt guide wheels etc - anything with a bearing had been completely screwed by grit getting in from muddy puddles and river crossings etc, and the rad caked in mud.
What can you do after a muddy/wet day out to reduce damage to exposed motors. Bearings etc?
 
Hee hee, get it crapped up!
A bloody good jet washing down with care!!
You may have had bad bearings but the rad may have been clogged with crap also. I had the same when I did the electric fan on mine I removed the rad and found a ton of crap at the bottom of the rad, like clay it was... Nasty heat keeping crap.
Just clean it thoroughly and check it before leaving the ''playground".;)
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Hi guys, Ive got a P38 2.5d which I have been having some fun with on Salisbury Plain, Mid Wales, North Devon etc. All good until recently when the radiator exploded on Dunlop Lane in mid wales. Can’t work on it myself so took it into my local 4x4 specialist and got a bill for new alternator, radiator, drive belt guide wheels etc - anything with a bearing had been completely screwed by grit getting in from muddy puddles and river crossings etc, and the rad caked in mud.
What can you do after a muddy/wet day out to reduce damage to exposed motors. Bearings etc?
Click to expand...

The bearing etc should not be affected. The intercooler and the rad will as the mud bakes on like ceramic, so they'll need careful cleaning. Be really careful in the engine bay with a jetwash. Stay well away from injector #4. Ask @tomcat59alan what happens when you don't!

Off-roading seriously stresses the car (if you're having fun). So if something is about to go, it will. When you get back check all UJs, brake lines, airlines - like a mini MoT test. Range Rover Evolution used to do some good protective stuff for the P38 but I'm not sure if they're still going. I think Devon 4x4 had some of their stock so they might have a few parts still.
 
Grrrrrr said:
The bearing etc should not be affected. The intercooler and the rad will as the mud bakes on like ceramic, so they'll need careful cleaning. Be really careful in the engine bay with a jetwash. Stay well away from injector #4. Ask @tomcat59alan what happens when you don't!

Off-roading seriously stresses the car (if you're having fun). So if something is about to go, it will. When you get back check all UJs, brake lines, airlines - like a mini MoT test. Range Rover Evolution used to do some good protective stuff for the P38 but I'm not sure if they're still going. I think Devon 4x4 had some of their stock so they might have a few parts still.
Click to expand...
Injector #4 is not too much of a problem if the plastic cover is in place, but stay well away from the fuse box with a jet wash
 
Thanks Mark, sounds like good advice. Hicap, Staying away from the plain is difficult, it’s my local playground! However, the chalky clay is a nightmare, and it was caked all over the rad and baked on, so that was definitely an issue. Grrrrr and Datatek, thanks, I’ll follow your advice. I’ll follow all your advice. Sounds like a good clean before it is baked on is good advice.
 
Here is what it looked like after the damage
 

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Salisbury Nick said:
Here is what it looked like after the damage
Click to expand...
Not sure why that didn't work....
Any way, after wading/ missing wash everything with clean water. Then check all fluids and lube everything that needs lubing. Pumping fresh grease in might push some sort out. My main areas of concern were road, oil cooler handbrake (especially on the defender) and alternator.
 
I think maybe blocked. My rads gets pretty bunged up with mud, it can effect the temp gauge, like when you are towing uphill but iv never blown one. Good check for off-roading is condition of you diff/g.box fluids. People tend not to change them and they receive a lot of stress off-roading, especially the 2pin diffs. Surprising how much swarf gets on the drain plug :eek:
 
Just had a thought. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not but I'll put the idea out there for discussion. You can get that silicone stuff to waterproof brickwork. Doesn't cost a lot. I wonder if you could spray the rad and intercooler with that and it would take the heat and ease getting the mud off?
 
Used to have frame behind a 90 grill which had tights covering it. Let air flow but not the mud lumps.
Trouble was to much water was just as bad.
not tried silicon
 
I have a 6mm grill mesh in front of my rad, stops an awful lot of the crap getting into the rad mesh. .Tehn I hose thru the rad after I take the grill out to wipe it clean.

Cheers.
 
neilly said:
I have a 6mm grill mesh in front of my rad, stops an awful lot of the crap getting into the rad mesh. .Tehn I hose thru the rad after I take the grill out to wipe it clean.

Ive seen meshes fitted infront of rads on tractors/dumpers as standard. They clip over few tangs. Block up same as a rad but takes less than a minute to take out and beat off and do make difference keeping crap out
Click to expand...
 
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