2.6 noise levels, mpg and top speeds?

Hi all

just got myself a S3 109 station wagon, 2.6 petrol / LPG - well I think it's a staion wagon, but all the insurance companies I tried say there isn't a 3 door 2.6 station wagon, only 5 door....

first landy, so I'm on the learning curve!

I've had a drive around, she goes up to 50 easily enough, but gets very noisy (sounds like transmission noise to me) - does that sound about right?! what sort of speed should I get? and roughly what mpg?

Is it possible to fit an overdrive to the gearbox to give lower revs at higher (!) speeds, and save my ears a bit!

going to have to do a few jobs, starting with the exhaust leaking at the manifold joint, and the back box having more holes than metal, so no doubt I'll be asking endless stupid questions!

cheers

Terry

50 sounds like about it for top speed bless you fit an overdrive.
s for the noise, well welcome to the world of the landrover. You can get sound deadening but I prefer to just get on with it.

First of all, you have a hardtop, not a station wagon. The only 3 door station wagons were SWB's, although many 109" hardtops have windows in the back, they are still hardtops. 50 mph is about right for the cruising speed, but the extra torque of the 2.6 lends itself well to fitting an overdrive, which should allow it to cruise at about 60-65 mph. MPG still won't be great though, expect low to mid teens on a motorway run and not much into double figures around town.

Surey a bt more than 50 is good for cruising speed? Is the gearing the same on the 2.6?

That's cleared that up then! I'll call the insurance and get them to change it, along with all the other mistakes they made on the forms...

I'm on gas, and don't do a lot of miles, so not too worried about the mpg, the noise I can live with too, but will look into an overdrive for a bit more cruising speed at some point

cheers!

rustyrhinos said:

Surey a bt more than 50 is good for cruising speed? Is the gearing the same on the 2.6?

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The 2.6 is probably a mod. They were usually only fitted to the 1 ton, and a few export vehicles. The hardtop he has was probaby a 2 1/4 originally, so may well have the original gearing, making 50 a comfortable cruising speed, but not really making the most of the 2.6.

you need to be sure if it's a 1ton first before buying an overdrive, i suspect an overdrive doesn't fit a 1ton gearbox (not sure), if it is a 1ton it would (i believe) originally have had 9.00x16 tyres (the reason for the different gearbox) so this would make yours undergeared with a 1ton gearbox if you have 7.50 tyres on it now

not all sixpots were fitted to 1tons as there was quite a few station wagons that were sixes and a few utilities were fitted with them, i know of at least one carawagon that was a sixpot until the engine was pulled to fit a diesel (200tdi i think)

you definitely need to learn a little more before spending a sizeable chunk of cash on an overdrive, it might be worth you registering on the 1ton register/forum and asking on there for more info to help you work out what you own

that's about as much help as i can offer

I checked with the heritage centre using the chassis number and it was originally a 2.6 109 basic, so that all looks OK, and i put it into the site at http://www.clifton.nl/index.html?calvin.html and got

941 Model: Land Rover, Series III
Body type: Basic
Wheel base: 109in
Engine: 6-cylinder
Model years: 1972-1979
Destination: Home market, right-hand drive (RHD)
XXXXX Serial number
C Design: Two significant design modifications

cheers!

Why is it allways about speed ffs?
if yer want speed buy a feckin Ferrari

just wanted to know what sort of speeds i should expect to be able to reasonably drive at, not having had one of these before!

cheers!

so yer expecting to be able to drive at least 50 mph in a 30 mph area?

nope, I was simply asking a reasonable question about the capabilities of a vehicle I've never owned before.

most people seem to have realised that and were helpful.

It,s an old land rover.
It,ll soon let you know if its happy or not
being a 6 pot keep it in tune cus it will bite if you dont

tbone, i'd suggest you get yourself over to the 1ton register if for no other reason than to learn about the care and maintenance of your engine or onto the old Rover P4 forum (1950s saloon car) you have an Inlet Over Exhaust Valve engine (a mixture of overhead valve and side valve,IOEV) and from what little i've read they're quite fussy about at least having thier exhaust valve gaps correct as regular sustained high revs/speed burn them out

this is just what i've read, no practical experience of this engine ok

i've suggested those two places as it's looking like you may get yourself some sensible help a lot easier, another place might be the carawagon forum/register C.A.S.P.A.
Carawagon And Six Pot Association Forum

tbone portly said:

nope, I was simply asking a reasonable question about the capabilities of a vehicle I've never owned before.

most people seem to have realised that and were helpful.

Click to expand...

Sounds reasonable to me..

You have got the big brother of the 1600 and 2-litre overhead inlet, side exhaust engines as installed in the Rover 90's, with your big straight sixes in the Rover 100's.

When fitted to my Series I 86" Landy, the 4-pot gave me an average of around 35mpg and I was pulled over by plod doing in excess of 90 going up Windy Hill from Rochdale on the M62!

If you set it up properly, although it's a bit of a bugger to get to the side valves, and get your timing right for that engine, you should get around the 25-30mpg as you will not be straining the engine.

What people seem to forget is that each engine is an individual, as they all have their own personality, and need to be treated as such!

Remember that the timing marks are only guidelines to help you set it up initially, from that point on, it's up to you!

Hope this helps.

There were far more six cylinder engines put into standard utilities and station wagons than specials like the FCs and 1-tons, probably ten times as many. The chassis number quoted is for a six cylinder utility. The gearbox will have the same ratios as a four cylinder vehicle and will take an overdrive without any problems. A 1-Ton box with 750s would put the maximum speed at about 40mph, although pulling power would be off the chart. A standard six with standard gearbox should be capable of 70mph+, but considering they are old engines, I would keep it to about 60. They ARE noisy, you just get used to that. I would disagree with the quoted figures of 25-30mpg in a standard vehicle, nobody I have ever known could get that from a four cylinder petrol, nevermind a six - expect closer to 12-15mpg depending on how its tuned.
And finally, please, please don't rip it out and put a Tdi in it, genuine six cylinders are getting rare now, and I can see good one appreciating in value over time.

We had a 109 hardtop 6 when I was a kid, learned to drive in it. Did 60mph easily without O/D. At 70 the doors flapped around a lot

Can't remember mpg as I wasn't paying.

My "Larry" started life as a 2.6 petrol, the engine was changed to diesel by the previous owner. Personally I'd prefer the straight 6, but what the hell. My diesel will happily drag it all along at 60mph, and will go over 70 no problem. Treat the engine like a rare swiss watch, lavish it with care, and you'll be surprised what it'll do.
Have fun with yours.

I had a 2.6 109 like yours a couple of years ago. It would cruise happily at 65, and I was getting around 15MPG at the very best.