Daves D2 TD5 Project

Since I got it on Monday, I have done a whole bunch of small stuff on it so far, loadsa little jobs, a bulb here a bulb their, plus a first stage clean, washed it to get all the bird poo off it and green bits, hoovered it out to get rid of straw mud and animal feed etc, plus cleaned all the dog schmoof off the windows.

Topped off all levels, I've now done nearly 400 miles in it running around, hasn't missed a beat, hasn't used any Coolant or Oil, I know it leaks Steering Fluid, new Steering box is on it's way, hopefully that and a gazillion other bits will be here by the weekend

I am happy now I've driven it around a bit and been over it with a fine toothed comb, it was a great deal swapping my old Workshop Expert Van for it, that Van owed me nothing over a 4 year period, and would have needed around £500 spending in the next 6 months

The squint A Bar is getting on my OCD nerves too, I'm going to straighten the brackets, but at the same time fabricate a front Tow Hitch to go on them for easy manouvering trailers etc.

I thought it was a bit sluggish compared to my TD5 Defender that I sold about 3-4 years ago, but that was a Manual trans this one is Auto ...............

So yesterday I plugged it into the Snap On and pleased to say that does see all Modules, and the only Code in it, (which after clearing came straight back) was MAF, live Data showed it wasn't reading any Airflow, so one arrived Wednesday, that made it run smoother / better

I can also now confirm this one has no Immobiliser, (and I am happy with that) very little thieving where we live, can always fit a hidden cut out for when I head south at times Way less hassle than the ageing factory Immo system on a dark rainy night when it goes pear shaped !! I found no Transponder in the Key Case, being not certain I also removed the circuit board and stuck that well away from the Disco, it starts fine with just the Key Blade only, and the C/L works fine using the Key in the Door lock, the PCB doesn't work despite trying a new battery ...........

No real big deal, again knowing my OCD i will get a used PCB and program it, see if I can get the C/L working on the Buttons, but hardly important right now

I've bought most of the parts needed now, around £1100 so far, which includes a Rebuilt Steering Box, Rear Calipers and Discs / Pads / Sliders all round, Steering Damper and Drag Link Complete plus Track Rod Complete, CV Boot and Axle Shaft Seals both sides, Bump Stops all round, (there's only one left on it !!) All Fluids and Filters inc Trans, T/Fer box and Diffs, also a new left Headlamp because it doesn't have the black inside the glass, OCD again, perhaps it is from a D1 ?

I confess I did also buy some (ahem cough cough) "upgrade bits" including Clear Indicator lamps all round, 50" Curved LED Light Bar, rear Work Lamp, some new Mats etc

Also, rather than spending a few hours flatting and painting the Fuel Flap, I found a second hand one, same paint code in excellent condition, £15 inc p+p, that arrived today and took all of 2 minutes to fit .

So yeah, the old girl is coming on nicely, here's some up to date pixels ....





























So when I finish the Mechanical work I'll give it a full Valet and go round with my wee artist brush and just touch in the little scuffs and nicks etc .................

It's 9am and I have finished all the paying work, deliberately haven't booked owt for Monday, so I got a long weekend on the old girl (except Mel has detailed me to fit a Carpet in our Bathroom), but hey ho that won't take too long

L8rs

I may also fit a snorkel soon, although I doubt it'll ever need it, they look cool, a full width Roof Mounted LED Light Bar is on it's way, I had one on the Defender, 'tis like driving in Daylight on a dark Heilan night, now that will be a useful accessory

The MAF has improved it, Codes have stayed away, it definitely drives much nicer and smoother now gave it a 120 mile round trip last night up Skye, I think it is quicker now, didn't make a helluva difference like some Cars, but yeah it drives nicer with it working properly

It cruises nicely on light throttle at 80 - 90 mph, my old 300 TDI Disco 1 Auto would do around 110 flat out down hill with a tail wind, so this one should be a tad quicker than that
But that said, race car it isn't, I have a gaggle of MB's for going fast in

Basically I no longer needed a Van but I did need a towing vehicle.

Postman had to lay on an extra van today, just delivered most of this lot ....



Plus the rebuilt Steering Box ....



So battle is underway ....



Starting at the front, strip off Drop Arm, Steering Damper, Drag Link and its ends Ball Joints, Track Rod and its ends Ball Joints, Steering Box, then reassemble with all new Parts, being sure to Copperslip everything and squirt a little extra grease under the Dust Boots of all the new Ball Joints plus strip the Adjusters and Copperslip all their threads too. That little lot should all be stripped before tonight

It's 2 pm lunch time, I would have started much earlier but had a drop in, my local fleet owner mate couldn't calibrate the Steering Angle Sensor on a Sprinter he'd just fitted a Rack to, kept getting ABS ESP BAS lights up when he drove it So being the Kind soul I am I fixed that for him

Target for this weekend is to get Steering plus Front and rear Brakes / Axle Jobs done.

If it turns out I do actually need Front Calipers I can get them from my Factors for Monday Lunchtime Van, but should be able to get everything else done assuming all the Bolts come out OK, I have all new Bolts for Calipers, Carriers, Hubs / Bearings have to come off to do CV Boot and Axle Seals, only ones I couldn't get were the bloody Steering Box Bolts that go thru the Chassis, so will have to be careful getting them out

Dave is not here ............................................................

That'll do for today, it's all in bits Steering wise, track rod is left in place for now, I woulda been finished an hour ago, but 2 more interruptions from customers, how dare they Steering will be sorted tomorrow ....



The Drop arm was extremely tight on it's tapered splines but they are either falling off loose or FT

Should get the Brakes stripped as well tomorrow, I'm locking the gate now until Monday Morning

A couple of Shiny Shiny newwwwww bitz ....



Dinner Beer and Hot Tub calling

Well that's the Steering all back together, box bled, no leaks so far

As with everything it has taken longer than anticipated for several reasons .....................

I thought the Engine looked nice and clean and oil free, compared to everything else, and now I know why, it has had a good used Engine from a later TD5 fitted ..................

Great, so I got a Engine with lower miles than the car, brilliant ................ Except the eejit that fitted it decided he knows better than Land Rover and left out a load of P Clip bolts that secure stuff like Heater Pipes, Trans Cooler Pipes, PAS pipes etc, so I had to digress and cut down a load of 25mm long M6 Bolts and refit all the missing ones ..................

I suppose I'd rather find that now than when a Pipe fatigues or chafes on a long journey far far away

So on with the Steering Box, fill and bleed before moving on to fitting the new Drag Link and Steering Damper, so I strip the new stuff down and Copperslip all the threads then fit the Drag Link, and when I come to the final bit (Steering Damper) at this point I find that the pillock who picked my parts order has sent me a LHD Drag Link ....................

Now I am stuffed, because when I stripped it all down yesterday I cut the Adjusting Ball Joint pin (left side) as it's nut was seized, and the pin was now spinning, so couldn't undo it anymore, what the hell, I was replacing it anyways, so I cut the pin thread to remove it in 30 seconds flat

So what I had to do next was use heat to get that end free and out of the original Drag Link Rod, so I can now Copperslip the thread and use the Adjustable Ball Joint end from the new (wrong) Drag Link ................

Hence I can't send it back but will be expecting a part refund when I phone the suppliers on Monday

So Steering Wheel was left locked straight and the Steering Box was locked straight when sliding on the Column Coupling, which means they are centred correctly .................... That means apart from Zeroing the front wheels track so the Steering Box will be bang on centered when the Car drives up the road, (that's the purpose of the fancy smancy adjustable joint I mentioned earlier), will do that on a test drive, it is eyeballed pretty damned close

So change of plan for the rest of my long weekend ...............

Tomorrow I will do the Rear Brakes, and smaller jobs, I will leave the left and right ends of the front axle until next weekend, front Brakes are working fine with good Discs / Pads for now.

The right CV boot only has a tiny split, and the Axle oil leak on the left Driveshaft isn't that bad.

The Steering Box pouring Oil out and the seized right rear Brake were the most serious issues, so accordingly I will do the Rear Brakes tomorrow, and Monday I can tackle smaller jobs, like there is left rear and right front Mudflap brackets that need replacing, Bump Stops, etc etc. I can also fit small jobs in each day when customer work is going on

Pixels :-

The LHD (wrong) Drag Link Bar ....



Old Drag Link fitted with the left side Zeroing Adjuster pieces from the LHD unit ....



Drag Link final fitted and new Terrafirma Steering Damper ....





Rear Brakes it is tomorrow then

I think we're Chineseing it for grub tonight

Looking good, keep the updates coming.

Thank you kindly

I'm glad someone is reading my meanderings roflamao ...........

Hmmm seems my Emojis aren't all working

Well .........................

I told y'all it needed rear Brakes, and that I though a Pad had de-laminated the other night when I reversed it up the drive, check this sh1t out ....



Took the liberty of fitting the new Fuel Filter whilst the right rear Wheel is off ....



Ready to install the new Caliper, Discs, Pads and all new Bolts after Coffee ....



I also dun a slight faux pas, I should have had it slightly further back on the lift, because I need to do a Half-shaft Oil Seal on the left side of the rear Axle, and because the workshop wall is tight on the left I normally open the Window and draw the Shaft out, so later on I will have to turn the old girl round, no biggie really, just means I have to take the Wheels off twice on the left side

See wot I mean, Axle is further forward than the bloody window, there's enough room there for normal stuff like doing Brakes and rear Suspension jobs ....



All together now "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW"

OK, so once the Disc was off I looked in detail at that left rear Oil leak, turned out it wasn't the Seal at all ........................

Don't I just love numpty mechanics
Some moron has recently fitted an ABS Sensor, which is on the Oil Side of the Wheel Bearing, but wot said sphincter hadn't noticed woz the O Ring that stops Oil getting out was missing
5 minutes in my O Ring rummage box and that's that fixed So I fitted the rear Brakes without needing to turn the Disco round

The same eejit mechanic had replaced those rear Brakes too, I reckon this was all done for it's last MOT, but what the burke failed to do was change that right rear Caliper, if you look at the pic below you can see that the left side Brake was nowhere near as clapped out, pads actually look quite recent

The Brakes on the front were stopping the Car OK, and Discs and Pads look good, so what I'm going to do there is check that the 4 Pot Calipers are free, and if there's any sticky Pistons I'll get Calipers in the week, if not I'll leave them until they are worn out and keep my new Mintex Discs Pads etc in stock for when the time comes There are plenty of other jobs to do, without changing stuff unnecessarily

So, off to check those front Calipers after a late lunch

Rear Brakes Pixels :-

Old left side ....



All the old (s)crap ....

New left and then right with the wheel on ....





L8rs

Wow she’s a tidy looking motor! Very nice. Has she been lifted?

I want those bull bars, if you sell em! (Obviously I doubt that but some don’t like em so never know. Don’t ask, don’t get )

Rear work light and Led light bar - I would love to know what you bought, and some pics (fitted ideally) when you can.

Also would love to know your MPG, being the OCD-afflicted, I am sure you’ll be working that out at some point.

Watts the Watts Linkage like on her?

Never seen the Terrafirma steering damper. Is that an upgrade? Noticeable difference? Considering I am about to replace over half the chassis on mine, I am not trying to spend money, but am interested in any upgrades/improvements I can do while I have use of the ramp.

Great thread, keep it up, I’m hooked!

Very Tidy Body and interior for a 1999 reg PFL yes,

Sadly the Chassis has had more patches than a clowns trousers but tbh it is solid just needs a couple more plates which myself and my MOT Tester mate found this weekend, I will likely do these today. He owns several Discoveries, and MOT's lots of them up here, he reckons if I do the 2 bits we found then the Chassis will get 1 to 2 more MOT's after next Feb when it is due Hell Me and or the Car might not be here in 2 years time lol

I think its got a 50mm lift, my MOT Man (local Disco expert) says not, but he was comparing it to his daily driver, which is 6" Lifted so no comparison there lol

I'll be happy if the Chassis gets one more test, I need to save up some cash and buy a Galv Full Chassis. What with Covid disruption to my business and I have spent a fortune over the last 2 years on other (Mercedes) Cars so my Cars / Projects pot is well low
That's why I'm doing all the other work right now so everything else is up to scratch and ready for a Chassis Swap

I currently own 4 Mercedes and the Disco 2

The other Cars are all MB's, two x R170 SLK's, one is a current project, a V6 car, the other is my last project, the only RHD with a Mercedes M113 5.0 litre tuned V8 in the UK, likely the only one in the world, as MB never fitted them with a V8, the 3.2l V6 was the biggest (there are a few LHD ones, built by Osterle Tuning but not very many). The Blue one of mine does 0-100 mph in 8.2 seconds best, averages low 9's, that is very quick supercar territory.
The silver one will get a V8 at some point, I bought it to use as an R&D Car to fit a later 7 G Tronic (7 speed transmission) co's I want one in my V8, but don't want it off the road for months whilst I get the Programming right
Programming is the biggest issue with MB Engine and Trans Swaps, the Engine Swap nuts and bolts was easy, but the programming so it talked to all the other Modules properly took me 3 weeks 7am to 6pm + to get it right .............. If it wasn't for the first C-19 Lockdown I doubt it would be done now Hence I bought the V6 Car to do the Trans Programming, can take as long as it takes then
The other 2 are 2015 AMG E Class Estate and a 2002 W220 S55 Kompressor

A Bar is not for sale I won't tell ya what I did last Christmas .... Oh go on then (I'm crying now) .... I had a Stainless Full Wrap around Bull Bar, I had also added a front offset tow hitch, it came off my D1 300 TDI when I scrapped it
Over the Xmas holidays I got brutal and junked a bunch of stuff, and thinking I would never get another LR I cut it up and scrapped it. I had tried to sell it but just had the usual messers
NOW I'M CRYING AND WISHING I STILL HAD IT I don't know if it would fit the D2 but suspect it wouldn't have been rocket science to make a couple of 6mm Stainless Steel Brackets if need be

MPG, you're asking the wrong guy, I drive everything flat out everywhere

The Work Light and LED Bar (Curved 50") will hopefully arrive this week, together with all the other goodies, I will get some photies up when I fitted it all, sadly Mel has got plans involving me taking her to Inverness next Saturday, so that's a day lost

Watts is OK, as is most of the Bushes, Ball Joints etc. Bushes and Watts will likely get done when the Chassis does
The TerraFirma Damper is an upgrade yes, I don't do serious off roading, so don't need the real expensive stuff like Bilstein, Old Man EMU etc etc

When some more spare dosh comes in I plan on new Medium Duty Springs and Terra Firma Shocks, TerraFirma Tank Guard, and if I can ever find out the Trim Code a new base cover for Drivers seat, it's not bad for the mileage (190k) (except the Engine and Trans which came from an 80k miler) so yep I'm hoping it all pans out and I got a keeper

So update from close of play yesterday, regards the Front Brakes, Calipers were moving, so I popped out the Pistons and cleaned 'em up, all back together and bled now, but they aren't the greatest Calipers so I have ordered a pair, to go with the Mintex Discs and Pads I got ...............
Front Brakes are working fine now, can forget them for a while, will likely swap them when I get to doing the left front Driveshaft Seal, and the right front CV Boot.

A few pixels of my wee fleet, the first 3 are all project cars I bought cheap, the last 2 are our DD's :-

The V8 R170 ....





The Silver R170 getting new rear arches ....







V8 R170 with her big brother, the S55K ....



The AMG E Class Wagon (our go to Car, Mels DD) ....





And a couple of D15KOE ....





A big thanks to everyone taking an interest in my thread, (I don't get out much to talk to like minded Car guys due to having Mels mum next door poor old lady has dementia) which is why I am in my workshop playing with cars 6 - 7 days a week

My business is purely to fund my car obsession

This morning I took the car out for a test run and zeroed in the Steering, drives much better, still got a slight notch when travelling straight ahead, which kinda makes the driver / car wander left to right when on a straight road, a slight corner and it is planted, rock solid ..........

Not sure on that yet, could either be a tight spot on one of the column UJ's or perhaps summat else, I couldn't find any more play in anything, gonna have to get an assistant again, and get them to just rock the Steering Wheel really gently in the straight ahead position IDK right now, but I've owned enough Landy's and Rangeys to know it isn't quite right It is also extremely annoying too

Some of the goodies arrived today ...........................

LED Light Bar and rear Work Lamp ....







Clear rear Indicators for the Bumper, clear Indicator side Repeaters and clear front Indicator lenses, well all except the elusive left front one that I had to get from a different source because none of the usual Land Rover suspects had one, hopefully that one will turn up tomorrow ....







Found another job to do, like ya do when you're getting to know an older vehicle

After the long road test, car was Idling on the lift whilst I checked the Steering Box for leaks (all good), checked the torque on all the bolts etc etc and whilst finally doing up the Lock Tab on the Drop Arm Nut I felt a drip drip on my arm, yeah, it's Coolant, looks like a very very slight leak in the Radiator Better to find out now I guess than on a long journey somewhere, so I'd best be finding a Radiator for it before heading off to Shreks Swamp (far far away)


Better go find a Radiator then

TTFN

I had a load of customers work in today, but managed to get my rotten piece of chassis cut out and rebuilt with a one piece cut from 2.5mm sheet

I guess I got my Landy Zone "Welders Badge" now ............. Well I'm pleased with it anyhow, and I kept the template in case I need to do the right side next year, but ATM that seems a lot more solid, couldn't bash any holes in it

Pixels ....





Cheers for now

Great stuff, love the VRM D15KOE!! Bloody cracking mercs too!
"1999 reg PFL" - What does PFL mean?
Would love to see the work light and LED bar installed when you get around to that!
Nice job of the welding, let's see if you get a badge on't forum!

I used to DJ and KJ Pubs, Hotels and Holiday Parks, did Birthdays and Weddings in our local venues etc up here until a couple of years ago. All the locals then started calling me "Disco Dave" When I bought the Van a few years back I was looking for a cheap private plate on DVLA and came across "D15KOE" so I bought it, took it off the Van when it went Monday last and will transfer it to the Discovery when I get the V5 back in my name, that is why it has my Trade Plates in it atm

PFL .... "Pre Face Lift"

The Light Bar and LED Install will be a while yet, want to get all the Mechanical Work done first, Headlining will have to come out to do them, and it has the usual saggy bits, so will do all that at once

Welding is just practice and I've welded up more than my fair share of rusty old sh1t over the years, plus fabricated spaceframe chassis, roll cages, exhaust systems etc etc etc

Lovely thread, thanks for sharing.

Dave2302 said:

I'm glad someone is reading my meanderings roflamao ...........

Click to expand...

Don't worry too much if you don't get a lot of comments.
I'm sure the thread is being viewed by plenty of people.

Thanks guys I enjoy sharing my projects with others, and try and include details of my work as it sometimes can help others

Enjoying this thread.
Jealous as feck of anyone who has a decent place to work in and a lift. sure beats doing everything outside on gravel.
As to the seal on the end of the rear half-shaft/hub, I know you didn't have to do it in the end, but did you not have room to just ease it out a bit then replace the O ring? Or did you want it right out so you could clean up the seat?
Mines a year younger than yours but otherwise much the same, but a lot of what you are doing I will one day have to do! Trouble is it's my DD and at the mo our only vehicle as we are not in the UK.
Anyway it looks really nice and will be fab once you've got it finished.
Keep up the thread it is all of interest to so many of us!

Stanleysteamer said:

As to the seal on the end of the rear half-shaft/hub, I know you didn't have to do it in the end, but did you not have room to just ease it out a bit then replace the O ring? Or did you want it right out so you could clean up the seat?

Click to expand...

Yes I could have done that, but turned out it wasn't the Hub Carrier Seal
It has had an ABS Sensor recently on the rear left and whoever fitted it didn't notice the O ring was missing, I replaced the O ring, cleaned it all up and no more leak

Regarding workshops, my specific issue is whatever workshop / facilities I have had over the years they are never big enough
If ever I win the lottery we have room for a huge workshop building, but I would need to get someone else to build it these days, 59 years young now and riddled with arthritis thanks to all the nutty extreme sports stuff I did when I was younger

The one seal I really need to do soon is the front left Driveshaft seal as it is peeing out

This old girl is now my daily driver when working, and as I only have a single Car Workshop I prioritised the D2's immediate issues which were steering box pouring out, did that first, then rear brakes FUBAR, then the chassis welding today as the 2 customer jobs could be done outside in the good weather The smaller goodies like the lamp lenses and other little bitties I can fit in during the course of my day I try and only work on customers cars 3 - 4 days a week so may get the left hub seal done later in the week, then it needs a CV boot on the right front, the Roof Light Bar and Work Lamp can be done after everything else, I have all the parts here now a couple more bits should arrive any day now I'm also going to scrape the Chassis down and blast it inside and out with Waxoyl, it will help it, especially over the coming winter.

I need to finish a couple of other projects which are almost done, my Silver SLK and some bits on the S55K, (both small amounts of paintwork) then I can save up a bit and perhaps eventually treat my D2 to a Galvy Chassis, the Body and Interior really are in excellent nick especially considering it's age, as will be all the mechanical bits soon enough now

Cheers for now