Finally arrived, ex-mil 110 soft top

After a 6-7 week wait it was finally ready last weekend, collected the new edition to the family from Withams;

1987 ex-medical regiment 110 2.5 n/a. 8 seats in the rear, fairly new bulkhead and tailgate, no rust holes and got it up to 110kph on the run home (overtaking lorries). Paint is a bit flakey and few dents but nothing serious.

We'd had a storm the night before picking it up so rapidly realised the canvas wasn't even slightly waterproof, pond and green slime in the back. Luckily the front was dry. Since picking it up its had a thorough pressure wash and waterproofed with Fabsil.

It seems to be a bit rough starting as it needs a tiny bit of throttle once its started otherwise it will stall. I've fitted new glow plugs and checked they work through the ignition switch so i presume its just a quirk. Once warm it starts and runs really nicely.

It also appears to have a leaky transfer box but for now i'll keep it topped up, it only leaks alot when the oil's warm after driving.

Next jobs will include;
Service
Waterproof the sides (only done the top so far)
Clean-off and re-paint rear crossmember
Shock cord to bottom of canvas for ease of use (a stolen idea )
Generally repair/replace anything thats broken

In the long term it'll get a new coat of paint and all the bits and bobs will be cleaned of and lightly refurbed.

Overall very happy

How are whithams to work with? and was that 1 of there 3500k specials?

Still, it looks good.After a tidy it should look swanky.

Withams were not bad to deal with obviously had bigger fish to fry. The guy who sold me it left the company shortly after but the guy I collected it from was sound. This one was on their "sales", but when I looked at it its solid underneath, just tatty on the outside.

Cheers lorri, it's a bit of a new venture but I hope it'll look good in the end.

"It seems to be a bit rough starting as it needs a tiny bit of throttle once its started otherwise it will stall. I've fitted new glow plugs and checked they work through the ignition switch so i presume its just a quirk. Once warm it starts and runs really nicely."

Even with new glow-plugs the 2.5NA D needs quite a bit of pre-heat.
In my experience you need between 8-15 seconds in mild weather and anything up to 20-seconds in the depths of winter. That said, with the correct amount of heat (you get the knack with experience) it should be a 100% reliable starter without the need for any throttle.


"Next jobs will include;
Service"

Give it an oil & filter change every 6-months (cheap & easy to do) and replace the gear & transfer box oils at 12-months. If using normal ATF in the gearbox I found the change starts to degrade if the same stuff was left in for 18-months or more whereas changed regularly the change was much smoother (I now use synthetic oils which last longer but cost accordingly).

Check your air-filter and if it is heavily oil-stained re-route the engine breather.
I found that a new air-filter would get contaminated very quickly but by disconnecting the breather and placing it into a catch-tank the filter remained completely clean (of course) but also without that massive induction suction the breather no-longer spouted oil so the catch-tank remained dry. It was a win win situation which was sorted in a matter of minutes.

Cheers for the info. Ive been trying to give it longer heat but I think the seconds in my head are too quick. I did wonder if its the cold start mechanism on the injectors not working but I'll give the new glow plugs and more patience a try first.

Filter seemed pretty clean and was dated nov 2010 but I bunged the new one in anyway. Is mineral oil better for this engine or semi-synth? Haynes said multigrade which I guess is the semi.

remember with a NA diesel NO Throttle until it starts as you **** off, the cold start mechanism and they're a fooker to start afterwards

I keep off the throttle until just after it fires, then give it a little to stop it struggling. I'll have a bit more patience with it and see how I get on this weekend. Taking it to the LRO show sunday :biggrin1:

1st things first, make sure you are turning the key far enough to make the glow plugs acutally work, you have to push the key against a spring and hold it - a light in the dash should come on (I doubt this is the problem but you ever know).

Also, I would add some advice a mechanic gave me about glow plugs: Don't hold them on for too long as they can get hot enough that the end of the plug falls off into your cylinder, which is not a good thing.

Huddy84 said:

Is mineral oil better for this engine or semi-synth? Haynes said multigrade which I guess is the semi.

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I just use the cheapest mineral oil I can find and change it regularly, my last lot was a special offer at ASDA, £10 for 5litres, oil and filter change for less than £20

Grimmer said:

I just use the cheapest mineral oil I can find and change it regularly, my last lot was a special offer at ASDA, £10 for 5litres, oil and filter change for less than £20

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huh snap! i got some from asda to

I have the 2.5na, and it shouldnt struggle once started.

check your timing, the army put things back together by the book and dont spend anytime setting it up. i have got good improvements in mine with starting and running by getting the timing spot on then tweaking the pump timing and setting the throttle linkages and idle speed up properly

deffo give it a good service aswell and drain off and clean the fuel sedimenter and replace every filter,

my 2,5na is great, its underated i reckon, yes it takes forever to accelerate but its pretty good once going.

roller paint it and that will look good. fabsil is a good idea my canvas only drips a small amount now, concentrate on the seams aswell and were the canvas straps are attached as they wick water in and drip. i replaced all the cord with bungee to, way easier now!

looks great though, get a thread up as you do work to it!

Ed

oh and from the age your truck was probably in bosnia with the nato peacekeeping force (isaf - international security assistance)

are you interested in the ex-mil history? i got all mine with a FoI to the MOD.

what was its mil reg?

Huddy84 said:

Cheers for the info. Ive been trying to give it longer heat but I think the seconds in my head are too quick. I did wonder if its the cold start mechanism on the injectors not working but I'll give the new glow plugs and more patience a try first.

Filter seemed pretty clean and was dated nov 2010 but I bunged the new one in anyway. Is mineral oil better for this engine or semi-synth? Haynes said multigrade which I guess is the semi.

Click to expand...

Motor was designed for mineral oil........... Use it and change filter at least 6k miles or once a year

I'm pretty sure isaf is afghan. IFOR and SFOR was Bosnia. KFOR was Kosovo. Doesn't mean the vehicle was out there. May have just been the hood on another vehicle. Is it full of sand??

yes your right, just googled it, my memory fails me lol

Cheers for the tips on oil. Id bought some halfrauds mineral oil as I assumed an older engine would prefer it.

38 KF 96 was its military reg, i assumed afghan and I did find a little sand in places. I am interested in its history so when I get some time I'll dig the thread out of here and send in a FoI request.

Sounds like doing the timing belt before the winter is a good idea. Once warm it runs really well, I wasn't expecting 110kph without fettling it! I'll keep a thread with pleanty of pics going, landrover porn as my mrs calls it.

Nice 110, I have a nice soft top if you are interested, it is a bit dirty on top but the inside is real nice (no rips/tears). It also has all the straps, rope, snaps, d ring thingies on it. I was going to put it on ebay but probably only get a few quid and it isnt worth the hastle. I bought it with the military roll bar and sticks for my 90 and I really only wanted the bar and sticks. I was going to cut it down and make it a bikini top for my 90 but it is too nice for that. You can have it if you want it. I would rather it go to someone from here anyway. I live in Mildenhall so PM if you are interested. If you are going to Perterborough on Saturday I can bring it and meet you there.

Cheers,
Doug

if the OP doesnt want it doug, how much do you want for it?

Then i can cut my manky top down into a bikini and use your one in the winter

ed

Ed, yea if huddy doesnt want it you can have it. I dont relly want anything for it but it is off a 110, will that work for your 90. I will let you know on Friday if he doesnt want it. Same as above if you are coming to Peterborough for the LRO on Saturday then I will give you my cell and we can meet there. If not I will PM and give you my address.

Thanks
Doug

My 110 is ex MOD with an NA motor, not fast but good solid and reliable, and cost of parts means it aint worth bodging, great stuff!
Mine starts well, though reckon my battery although brand new (fitted by previous to sell I reckon) is too small.
Good point earlier about holding the key in the right position prior to starting, give mine about 10 seconds and starts straight away.
Good luck with it, ex MODS are great