'96 Defender 90 County 300TDi

Following on from this...
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/24-hours-with-a-defender-some-advice.317886/

I've now done a good 300miles in the Defender the last week and got a real feel for it.

Issues...

• Water Ingress From Alpine Windows
• Water Ingress From Front Vents
• Water Ingress From Windscreen Hinges
• Clunks/Clinks When Taking Up Drive In 3rd, 4th & 5th
• Clutch Fluid Keeps Dropping (Not Long Had New Clutch & Slave)
• Battery Light Stays On Until You Give The Engine A Little Rev
• Windscreen Wipers Wont Park And Noisy
  
• Rotten Fuel Tank
  
• High Handbrake
• Rear Crossmember Rust
• Rocker Cover Leak

Plans For This Year...

• New Gauges (Rev Counter, Fuel gauge, Water Temp, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp & Boost)
• Full Engine Service (Oil + Filter, Fuel Filter, Air Filter, Valve Lash & Valve Caps)
• Transmission Oil Change (Diffs, Transfer Box & Gearbox)
• EGR Removal & Intake Clean
• De-CAT
• Fix All Interior Leaks
• Rip Out Interior And Clean/Wet Vac
• Get Crossmember Patched Up
  
• Remove Old Waxoyl & Protect With Bilt Hamber Products
• Replace Window Wiper Park Switch, Cables And Wiper Boxes
• Rustoleum 'Rolled-On' Paint Job (Unsure What Colour? White?)

Plans For Next Year...

• Overhaul Cooling System (Radiator, Water Pump, Thermostat)
• Electric Fan Conversion
  
• Replace Fuel Tank
• Interior Retrim
• Remove LR Alarm/Immob & Replace With Aftermarket
• Brakes Overhaul

I popped about 5 litres of veg oil in with 15 litres of diesel (can't put more than 20 litres in at a time or it all falls out) and it's quietened the engine down no end!

I've been 'umming and 'arring about what gauges to fit and I found some gauges made by Durite that I liked from their Marine range. I decided to order a rev counter to see what they're like and got it fitted this weekend.




I really like it and I will definitely be going for the same gauges for the water temp and fuel gauge. However, they're about 3" long so wouldn't fit in a the small 3 gauge pod I want to fit on top of the dash above the ash tray so may need to look at something else.

And my cat, Bertie who thinks he's a dog also seems to approve of the truck!


The start of many things to come!

I had plans for a boost gauge to be fitted on top of the dash by the drivers side A pillar. Therefore I decided it wasn't vital it matched any other dials, which is a good thing because standard these things boost to 15psi and tuned around 18-20psi and I managed to find the perfect gauge!



It's hard to find a gauge that doesn't have a vacuum scale let alone is in PSI and also in the perfect range so I had to have it. I imported it from Australia and typically got stung for import duty.

I'd removed the clock to fit a rev counter and as the rev counter needed a switched supply I just piggy backed it off the temperature gauge. BUT the boost gauge needs a permanent feed so I decided to solder the old clock loom onto the new boost gauge loom to have a 'plug and play' type install! :cheesy:




So hopefully I'll get that fitted at some point this week and see what she's boosting as because it sounds like she has a little leak. I've got all new intercooler hoses as a precaution/preventative maintenance already!

Managed to get a day working on the Defender yesterday. Engine needed a service (although I haven't done the fuel filter yet) and it's habit of leaking oil is driving me nuts.

As I was planning on replacing the valve caps and adjusting the valve clearances I decided to remove the glowplugs to make it easier to turn over the engine. I must admit, I was a bit worried that the glowplugs would snap off. However, it would seem the rocker cover oil leak for the last 2 years had freed them up nicely and they practically fell out!


The engine was looking in a pretty sorry state where it's been leaking oil for YEARS!


I whipped the rocker cover off to find she was very very clean internally.




Stuck a new set of valve caps on and adjusted the valve lash to 0.20mm.


Old valve caps looked okay if I'm honest but the valve lash was excessive.


I degreased the rocker cover to remove as much of the varnish as possible and threw a new gasket on it.



One of the breather hoses was split so I've ordered a new one and bodged this one up with insulation tape for the time being.


I replaced the 'O' ring on the catch tank as the old one had gone flat.



New glowplugs got a healthy smearing of this stuff.


Read somewhere that it was designed by Mercedes for use on glowplugs and spark plugs. I use it on both and has done me well!



Although I'm convinced all the oil leaks are a result of the rocker cover leaking and running down the block I threw a tube of this stuff in too. Hopefully it will soften and swell all the old seals.


I decided to go for a heavy duty diesel engine oil. They have much better detergents and soot holding characteristics, also cheap at £50 for 25 litres. I've used a few HDEO oil on sludged up engines and it's amazing what a few thousand miles running a HDEO will shift!


I then soaked the engine in a strong TFR for half an hour and pressure washed it off.





I also flushed out all the chassis while I was at it. It's amazing how much crap was in them. I don't think the chassis has ever been injected at all. Certainly something that needs doing ASAP.

That does look like a pretty clean engine. Nice to see an old diesel where the engine oil doesn't look like tar!

Try spraying Dinitrol cavity wax into the chassis when it has dried out. If you can get hold of one, use an endoscope to study the before and after effect.

Turboman said:

That does look like a pretty clean engine. Nice to see an old diesel where the engine oil doesn't look like tar!

Try spraying Dinitrol cavity wax into the chassis when it has dried out. If you can get hold of one, use an endoscope to study the before and after effect.

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I'm more of a Bilt Hamber guy myself. I'll probably go with Dynax S50 for all the cavities.

The existing waxoyl that's been put underneath has held up pretty well so I may just give it a good clean and a top up with more black waxoyl. Or strip it off and go for Dynax UB?

Bailes1992 said:

I'm more of a Bilt Hamber guy myself. I'll probably go with Dynax S50 for all the cavities.

The existing waxoyl that's been put underneath has held up pretty well so I may just give it a good clean and a top up with more black waxoyl. Or strip it off and go for Dynax UB?

Click to expand...

Never used Bilt Hamber, but I have heard it is as good as Dinitrol, Waxoyl is good on the outside if the prep is good, I like something thinner on the inside.

Gutted. Took it out for a drive and the engine is covered in oil again! :frown: :cry:

This was after 3 miles...




The oil level hasn't been dropping quick enough for this amount of fluid and the new rocker cover gasket isn't leaking anywhere so I can only assume it's the injector seals. Strange how it looks oily. Maybe it's a bit of carbon in with it?

At least the injectors should come out easy as it's been leaking so bad.

Bailes1992 said:

Gutted. Took it out for a drive and the engine is covered in oil again! :frown: :cry:

This was after 3 miles...
The oil level hasn't been dropping quick enough for this amount of fluid and the new rocker cover gasket isn't leaking anywhere so I can only assume it's the injector seals. Strange how it looks oily. Maybe it's a bit of carbon in with it?

At least the injectors should come out easy as it's been leaking so bad

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I wouldn't be so sure about that. A little bit of hot oil goes a long way.

Try dipping your finger in it, and smelling it, that should reveal if it oil, or diesel.

Turboman said:

I wouldn't be so sure about that. A little bit of hot oil goes a long way.

Try dipping your finger in it, and smelling it, that should reveal if it oil, or diesel.

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It certainly seems oily but there's no oil comming from the rocker cover at all. Where else could oil come from?

Bailes1992 said:

It certainly seems oily but there's no oil comming from the rocker cover at all. Where else could oil come from?

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I haven't worked on a 300Tdi for years, but just off general principles, maybe around the injectors, from the seals at the end of the rocker box, crack in the head.

Remember the leak may be nowhere near where you are seeing the oil or diesel, both will run long distances across the metal when hot.

Mine is exactly the same!
I have tried 2 rocker cover seals, the second one applied with rtv sealant and it still weaps and runs down the same as yours. I look carefully and can just see oil wetness under the rocker cover.
I'm just going to let it carry on for now!!! (Until it annoys me too much - I hate oil leaks!!!)
Rich

I've run along the bottom of the rocker cover with a cotton ear bud and it's totally clean. I'm convinced this is the injector seals.

Having looked closer at your pictures, your rocker cover does look dry. One source of wetness on mine was a spill pipe. With the engine running I could see it sort of bubbling through the braid. Maybe worth a check before doing injector seals?

Rich

callisr said:

Having looked closer at your pictures, your rocker cover does look dry. One source of wetness on mine was a spill pipe. With the engine running I could see it sort of bubbling through the braid. Maybe worth a check before doing injector seals?

Rich

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I'm pretty sure mine does this as well. Can you get silicone replacements for this (200TDI)?

Apologies - mine is the braided hose from the cyclone breather.

Dunno about silicon .
I just use fuel hose from the motor factors. It's cheap as chips!
Rich