Dave Smith's Freelander

The V is full of leaves..... Oh yes.

I have some UV dye I can push through. May end up with glowing carpets. If I'm lucky.

Now I have the V5C I tried the online MOT history to see what it failed on last time.

Shouldn't have looked:

Reason(s) for refusal to issue Certificate
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)
Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)
Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)
Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
Battery insecure (1.9.1)
Middle section Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)
Offside Power steering ram(s) leaking from a failed component (2.3.3b)
Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (3.6.G.2)
Offside Front near subframe Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)
Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)
Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)
Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)
Emissions not tested (7.3.A.1)

Advisory Notice issued
Both front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)
Rear diff leaking
EML on
Prop bearings deteriorated

Hmmm. At least we have a candidate for the exhaust fumes!

Borescope has arrived so I can have a good nose around the engine bay and grab some pictures. First port of call will be the thermostat.

Had a good look inside the oil filler cap and I don't think I like what I see. There seems to be a layer of oily scale that comes off in bits.

I have a feeling that this is going to be a non-project and I'll end up scrapping the thing.

Hope I'm wrong though.

Bad karma has lead me to order a coolant sniff test kit. My expansion tank doesn't smell as sweet as I'd like it to.

Having said that I ran the motor for a while yesterday and got

• no drop in coolant level
• no white smoke
• no pressure in expansion tank
• no steam from oil cap or dipstick
• unsure about bubbles in return pipe but surely that would go with expansion tank pressure.

Need to make a final decision about whether to seriously attack this car or offload it while it is still movable.

I'm prepared to pay for an HG kit and timing tools etc but I'm not convinced I have the skillz to do the biz. Obviously I would follow RAVE like a good boy.

All the issues are fixable but at what cost. Add up everything as best you can to fix the bits it failed on, then add things like VCU (if required) and whatever fun bits you want, then the purchase price, and if you can but a good one with MOT for the same price then dump it.
I bought a very clean 04 1.8 K series 104,000 miles with 11 months MOT and 5 good tyres for £1500. Granted the VCU is shot and a few other bits and pieces need sorted but it is on the road for well under £1600.

We'll see what the sniff test comes back with. I'd quite like the satisfaction of really being involved with the car; that's worth a few quid in itself.

But not if it kills me!

Alibro said:

All the issues are fixable but at what cost. Add up everything as best you can to fix the bits it failed on, then add things like VCU (if required) and whatever fun bits you want, then the purchase price, and if you can but a good one with MOT for the same price then dump it.
I bought a very clean 04 1.8 K series 104,000 miles with 11 months MOT and 5 good tyres for £1500. Granted the VCU is shot and a few other bits and pieces need sorted but it is on the road for well under £1600.

Click to expand...

...and I do have several hunderds of pounds to go before I get to your total. I only paid £650 for it. Painfully aware that a ThreeGrander can burn that cash for you in no time.

Have had a BMW and Volvo as my last 2 cars and couldn't give a hoot about either. The Skoda I had before was in and out of the wars and I loved that car until it fell apart around me.

If at all possible I want to save the Freelander (and then destroy it in a final blaze of greenlane glory).

Nuts to it. Going to fix up the brakes, lights and exhaust and try to get it through MOT. I'll use second hand and cheaper parts to minimise the risk, being aware that buy cheap, buy twice may apply. Once it can be moved then I'll deal with any engine issues. She needs a run to clear her out.

Promised myself I would get the old girl to the point where she did my work commute (at least once) without breaking down. That's 90 miles. :crazy_driver:

She will live again..... :clap2:

I'm lost here, did you buy it will all those mot failure faults?

Yep, but I bought it knowing about some of them. The rest were kept quiet by the nice honest salesman.

Caveat emptor so I can't really grumble. I bought it as a non-runner to fix up anyway.

Bulbs, shocks and brake pipes are not a real concern - I shall get those sorted by the power of my own hands. Would rather not do the (2) head gasket(s) if I can avoid it. Not the cost, just the lack of skill.

Will probably be quite good fun as the weather improves. Not my daily drive so I don't need it ready by any specific date.

It looks very tidy from the outside. Best of luck with it.

Cheers. I will put up progress photos when I finally make some.

Exhaust and brakes first.

Where is it safe to put axle stands?

Chassis rail? And is that the solid looking box section about 8" in from the outside edge of the car?

If I get stands that go from about 40-60cm is that OK or too high - Rail is 31cm off the ground normally.

I use that rail for axle stands. My stands need a 1/2 inch sheet of wood under them to lift the wheels oft the ground when they're set to max height. Jacking/lifting points are listed in rave and the owners manual.

It depends on where you lift the Freelander. If you use a trolley jack under the front towing eye, axle stands can be placed under the side jacking points. I avoid placing stands under the chassis rails as they are easily damaged. I use the front wishbone rear mount as is spreads the load better.

Going back to your O2 sensor fault. The faulty sensor is under the car. I suspect the sensor is faulty or the connections aren't good enough. It's obvious someone has cut and rejoined the cables. There is a plug for the O2 sensor under the centre console. This allows the O2 sensor to be replaced without hacking the wiring about.

Cheers for that. Do the heights sound reasonable as I know you have to lift these things a long way to get the wheels off the ground.

I need to replace a large chunk of the exhaust so I'll replace (or maybe try resoldering) the sensor as one of the first jobs.

I'll be posting a few pics for advice soon as she has peed on the floor in a range of ways!

Exhaust, lights and brakes as a priority then I may have a first MOT attempt. Worry about engine issues once she's mobile.

Have you thought about making some HippoRamps (TM)

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/hipporamps-how-to-guide.257760/


EGR3kqR

My carpentry is worse than my car mechanics!

Need the stands to have the wheels, disks and calipers off.

davidsmith1307 said:

I need to replace a large chunk of the exhaust so I'll replace (or maybe try resoldering) the sensor as one of the first jobs.

I'll be posting a few pics for advice soon as she has peed on the floor in a range of ways!.

Click to expand...

Rather than trying to solder the O2 sensor cables, why not just eliminate the problem with a new sensor. They really aren't expensive and would eliminate it completely.