Series 3 Vibrations.. but improved with handbrake on.

tottot said:

Series 2a and series 3 gear box's are interchangeable, it is only the feed to the clutch slave which is in a different place and needs to be changed.

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That is not entirely true. The Series 3 gearbox has an external slave cylinder. The Series 2 type chassis has gussets on the under-engine crossmember which will foul on the series 3 slave cylinder. I learned this the hard way when I bought a galvanised chassis that had this gusset and had to modify it after trying to mount the engine/gearbox to the rolling chassis.

See this thread for photos:

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/under-engine-crossmember-gussets-problem.268885/

I know but his is a series 3 chassis/ landy with a 2a box in it.

OK my applogies for not recalling orginal post, it has a 4203. I too run a 4203 and firstly , I really like it, but secondly it is dam heavy. It needs the "diesel" style (square) engine and gear box mounts and they need to be in good condition. There will be around 1/4" between the adaptor plate and cross member under the bell housing and if the gear box mounts settle at all it will hit the cross member. There is some adjustment (clearance holes) in the gear box mounts and I heave the box up and then tighten the mounts. I also have the mil (mine is ex-mil) tie rod to locate the engine fore and aft. The 4203 is at least 50% heavier than the std LR engine and that weight is shared between the engine and gear box mounts. The torque can also make the box hit the tunnel.

For those unfamiliar with the joys of a 4203 this is our camper (Dormobile roof, lockers, loo, sink, galley, beds and about a dozen lego kits etc over 2Tons, and with 3.54 diffs) going up the test hill at Brooklands its 1:4 at the top.
Start at 1.25.

Agree you need heavy duty mounts for the 4203 and the tie rod takes some strain off them.

It's got a perkins 4.203, of a slightly earlier vintage than the landie.

4203s have a date inside the sump (not much use) and are date coded in the engine number. My series is '70 and engine '68 ish. The 4203s come in 3 types, industrial, tractor and road. Obviously road is the one to have, the road engines rev higher, are more powerull (its relative) and have a brake vacuum pump. Sure sign is if it has the hydraulic governor rather than mechnical. I think they mostly cam from Dodge Step-thru trucks, the were quite common and must have been getting scrapped by the 80's but with strong engines. I think mine was fitted in the early 80's. At the time they were a big improvment, 30+ mpg and with right gearing 60 mph cruising (with ear defenders). Ours powers (drags...) the laden LWB with roof rack and box up to 65 on the level but we are down to 40 on a long hill. But 25 mpg overall towing a loaded Sankey for 200 miles is pretty good and that's holding 50-55 on the motorway. Very cheap to rebuild and can be done in situe.

Thanks @rob1miles, just seen your post. I had a little bit of time today but didn't complete it - I couldn't get the existing mount to unload and felt like if I took off the mounting plate I would never get it back on. Maybe I should have been braver with the jack.
Interesting comments on the 4.203. I did not know if mine was a hydraulic or mech governor, but I am thinking hydraulic now. The fuel pump code is AF47/600/0/2920, the zero being the governor spring position so I assume a 0 is hydraulic (?). The rpm being 2920, which sees it to over 60, but I wouldn't want to stay there too long. I would love to fit a tacho, which you can do off the alternator, but I am too tight, and skint as a result of this hobby.