Series III NW London service help!

Seriesiiilandy · Nov 2, 2020

Hi i live in North West London, have a much loved series III but think the water has got in.

Does anyone have any advice on a garage (the car is quite new to me so i havent had it services in London yet) that knows their stuff but charges reasonably in North West London (or failing that not far from London).

Does anyone also have a recommendation for a rain cover? Do they work? Or generally just leave everything damp?

Many thanks for any help!!

Claire

Colthebrummie · Nov 2, 2020

Hi and welcome to Landyzone. My series won't fit in my garage cos it's too tall so consider that before you rent a garage. My landy lives outside all year round and yes it does get wet inside when it rains. They were designed as farm vehicles and farmers would regularly hose out mud and crud. My advice would be, don't fit carpets or anything that will hold the water, they drain on their own.

Col

rob1miles · Nov 2, 2020

My Series lives outside all year round, you can seal a few leaks and its a continous task finding each tiny hole, but its usually more effective to focus on draining it out. A few well placed holes and drip trays work wonders. As Col says, get rid of everything absorbant, NO soft furnishings!! You want the water to pass though and out and not hang around and evaporate then condence everywhere inside and behind things. A puddle on the floor is no big deal, condensation inside the speedo is.
My tricks:
Leave one dash vent slighty open in damp weather
Fit rubber mats with lips on that hold the water, then tip them out after rain.
Find out whether it leaks less facing up hill or down then stick to that, this can make a big difference
Clean the gutters and seal with gutter mastic.
Sit in it in heavy rain and look for the leaks, then put a small amount of gutter mastic on.
I use bitumous gutter mastic because its black, doesn't set, its easy to get off and can be put on damp surfaces.
Do not get a cover, they massively increase corrosion as they work like a green house - temp goes up and condensation stays inside the cover. Also if its windy they can rub the paint off.

Seriesiiilandy · Nov 2, 2020

Colthebrummie said:
Hi and welcome to Landyzone. My series won't fit in my garage cos it's too tall so consider that before you rent a garage. My landy lives outside all year round and yes it does get wet inside when it rains. They were designed as farm vehicles and farmers would regularly hose out mud and crud. My advice would be, don't fit carpets or anything that will hold the water, they drain on their own.

Col

Thanks Col, i do feel quite sorry for it sitting out in the rain! any advice on where to service in london?

Seriesiiilandy · Nov 2, 2020

rob1miles said:
My Series lives outside all year round, you can seal a few leaks and its a continous task finding each tiny hole, but its usually more effective to focus on draining it out. A few well placed holes and drip trays work wonders. As Col says, get rid of everything absorbant, NO soft furnishings!! You want the water to pass though and out and not hang around and evaporate then condence everywhere inside and behind things. A puddle on the floor is no big deal, condensation inside the speedo is.
My tricks:
Leave one dash vent slighty open in damp weather
Fit rubber mats with lips on that hold the water, then tip them out after rain.
Find out whether it leaks less facing up hill or down then stick to that, this can make a big difference
Clean the gutters and seal with gutter mastic.
Sit in it in heavy rain and look for the leaks, then put a small amount of gutter mastic on.
I use bitumous gutter mastic because its black, doesn't set, its easy to get off and can be put on damp surfaces.
Do not get a cover, they massively increase corrosion as they work like a green house - temp goes up and condensation stays inside the cover. Also if its windy they can rub the paint off.

Thanks for coming back to me! all good advice! i have sat in it when its raining and after its been raining but cant see any water internally. but if not that im not sure why the electrics have gone (but front lights still work). thanks for the advice on a cover - i was worried this might be the case - i will steer clear. Any advice on getting a service in London? Many thanks! Claire

steve2286w · Nov 2, 2020

They are very easy to service, if you’re reasonably agile you can change / top up all the oils
http://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/2010/03/series-iii-workshop-manual/
This has the service schedules in and how to do them, it’s good to get to know the vehicle and it’s working bits and what to look for so DIY servicing much better than paying a garage
For oil changes and brakes the local Kwikfit should be ok and that’s the most important things to service

Have you got petrol or diesel S3

rob1miles · Nov 3, 2020

There are a number of levels of vehicle servicability, for example, from most clostly to least:
Main dealer plus manufacturer registered code to access systems
Main dealer plus diagnostics
Competent garage
Competent owner
Field
A Series Land Rover is (in the words of Land Rover) "field serviceable". They don't mean fix it in a farm field but they do mean a competent owner should be able to service it in its service location. ("in the field")
This is very rare, very few vehicles are "field serviceable", its usually agriculturual and military equipment and simple aircraft. Do not dishonour the Land Rover designers who in the late 1940's went to considerable effort to creat a vehicle that would run for 60 years and should never need to go to a garage. There are Series working in Africa and South America that I will bet have never been near a garage but are still giving great service 60 years on. Mine is 50 this year and gets driven every day, it only goes into a workshop for welding and that has been 3 times in 5 years. The Series Owners Manual begins with what the controls are and how to change gear and works its way through the full service regime up to how to do the timeing. The message is clear, this is how how you drive it, this is how you service it. It is your duty as an owner to master the necessary skills for ownership, to do otherwise is disrespectful. A buyer of a new car will spend hours learning the info-taiment system and connectivity and it will come with a whole DVD on how it works. The whole Series manual for owners from "This is the accelerator" to "time the ignition..." is 79 pages (and you can disregard 20% that are diesel or petrol only since you can't be both). Hell I bought a car sound system that had 125 pages.
Think I'm being harsh? Go to 5:25 of this offical Land Rover film made for Series owners:

I quote "A Land Rover immobilised is a moral defeat for the owner.."
Note if you watch from the start, that the driver is expected to know how to fit the wading plug and slacken and tension the fan belt, - not use a mobile phone to call someone to do it for them.

Colthebrummie · Nov 3, 2020

Seriesiiilandy said:
Thanks Col, i do feel quite sorry for it sitting out in the rain! any advice on where to service in london?

I'm afraid I can't advise on anywhere in London to get it serviced but I'd just try any local garage that has a good reputation, they might not do landies but might be able to recommend somewhere.

Col

Trench Rat · Nov 3, 2020

Colthebrummie said:
Hi and welcome to Landyzone. My series won't fit in my garage cos it's too tall so consider that before you rent a garage. My landy lives outside all year round and yes it does get wet inside when it rains. They were designed as farm vehicles and farmers would regularly hose out mud and crud. My advice would be, don't fit carpets or anything that will hold the water, they drain on their own.

Col

+1 to this.

I got mine and the guy before had put in some very nice footwell mats, they fit perfectly however they also trapped water under them. It is what it is. They have water ingress.

Seriesiiilandy · Nov 3, 2020

steve2286w said:
They are very easy to service, if you’re reasonably agile you can change / top up all the oils
http://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/2010/03/series-iii-workshop-manual/
This has the service schedules in and how to do them, it’s good to get to know the vehicle and it’s working bits and what to look for so DIY servicing much better than paying a garage
For oil changes and brakes the local Kwikfit should be ok and that’s the most important things to service

Have you got petrol or diesel S3

Hi Steve, its petrol. im absolutely planning on being able to do most things myself but the electrics arent working (nor the engine starting). is that within the remit of a novice? maybe so?

Seriesiiilandy · Nov 3, 2020

rob1miles said:
There are a number of levels of vehicle servicability, for example, from most clostly to least:
Main dealer plus manufacturer registered code to access systems
Main dealer plus diagnostics
Competent garage
Competent owner
Field
A Series Land Rover is (in the words of Land Rover) "field serviceable". They don't mean fix it in a farm field but they do mean a competent owner should be able to service it in its service location. ("in the field")
This is very rare, very few vehicles are "field serviceable", its usually agriculturual and military equipment and simple aircraft. Do not dishonour the Land Rover designers who in the late 1940's went to considerable effort to creat a vehicle that would run for 60 years and should never need to go to a garage. There are Series working in Africa and South America that I will bet have never been near a garage but are still giving great service 60 years on. Mine is 50 this year and gets driven every day, it only goes into a workshop for welding and that has been 3 times in 5 years. The Series Owners Manual begins with what the controls are and how to change gear and works its way through the full service regime up to how to do the timeing. The message is clear, this is how how you drive it, this is how you service it. It is your duty as an owner to master the necessary skills for ownership, to do otherwise is disrespectful. A buyer of a new car will spend hours learning the info-taiment system and connectivity and it will come with a whole DVD on how it works. The whole Series manual for owners from "This is the accelerator" to "time the ignition..." is 79 pages (and you can disregard 20% that are diesel or petrol only since you can't be both). Hell I bought a car sound system that had 125 pages.
Think I'm being harsh? Go to 5:25 of this offical Land Rover film made for Series owners:

I quote "A Land Rover immobilised is a moral defeat for the owner.."
Note if you watch from the start, that the driver is expected to know how to fit the wading plug and slacken and tension the fan belt, - not use a mobile phone to call someone to do it for them.

Gosh, straight for the jugular! its not that i dont want to learn but electrics doesnt feel like beginners. Ok, i shall keep your moral defeat comment in mind and see what i can do. and then revert back.

Colthebrummie · Nov 3, 2020

Just deal with one issue at a time. Explain the problem here and there is bound to be members who have the knowledge to provide good and useful advice, tackle the small stuff first. As far as the electrics go, there can't be a car that's more simple electrically than a series, there is only 3 or 4 fuses in the whole system.

Col

steve2286w · Nov 3, 2020

This has a great fault finding step by step to getting it started starts about page 100
http://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/2010/01/series-iia-owners-manual/
and as Col said explain the problem and the petrol heads on here will,help,you get it going

Trench Rat · Nov 3, 2020

Seriesiiilandy said:
Hi Steve, its petrol. im absolutely planning on being able to do most things myself but the electrics arent working (nor the engine starting). is that within the remit of a novice? maybe so?

I'm a bit dicky with electrics too, i tend to be nervous as it's borderline witchcraft to me.

However if the engine isn't starting on the key/starter, there's a few things to check. (mine currently doesn't, i consider it an extra security measure. I start mine with a push button solenoid under the locked bonnet).

Do you get the ignition light when the key is turned?
Does the the starter spin at all when you turn the key?
Is the battery good/charged?
Lights/horn/wipers work?
Can you start the engine on the starter handle (careful with that one if you're unsure of yourself).

Moorhouse2 · Nov 4, 2020

rob1miles said:
There are a number of levels of vehicle servicability, for example, from most clostly to least:
Main dealer plus manufacturer registered code to access systems
Main dealer plus diagnostics
Competent garage
Competent owner
Field
A Series Land Rover is (in the words of Land Rover) "field serviceable". They don't mean fix it in a farm field but they do mean a competent owner should be able to service it in its service location. ("in the field")
This is very rare, very few vehicles are "field serviceable", its usually agriculturual and military equipment and simple aircraft. Do not dishonour the Land Rover designers who in the late 1940's went to considerable effort to creat a vehicle that would run for 60 years and should never need to go to a garage. There are Series working in Africa and South America that I will bet have never been near a garage but are still giving great service 60 years on. Mine is 50 this year and gets driven every day, it only goes into a workshop for welding and that has been 3 times in 5 years. The Series Owners Manual begins with what the controls are and how to change gear and works its way through the full service regime up to how to do the timeing. The message is clear, this is how how you drive it, this is how you service it. It is your duty as an owner to master the necessary skills for ownership, to do otherwise is disrespectful. A buyer of a new car will spend hours learning the info-taiment system and connectivity and it will come with a whole DVD on how it works. The whole Series manual for owners from "This is the accelerator" to "time the ignition..." is 79 pages (and you can disregard 20% that are diesel or petrol only since you can't be both). Hell I bought a car sound system that had 125 pages.
Think I'm being harsh? Go to 5:25 of this offical Land Rover film made for Series owners:

I quote "A Land Rover immobilised is a moral defeat for the owner.."
Note if you watch from the start, that the driver is expected to know how to fit the wading plug and slacken and tension the fan belt, - not use a mobile phone to call someone to do it for them.

Am I the only person who finds this very unwelcoming to the original poster - someone who looks fairly new to the forum and LR ownership. I'm not quite sure what your intention is with this answer but basically condemning someone for not currently having the skills to do what you consider simple maintenance is hardly the way to encourage them to ask again for help on here to maybe learn how to do it as they go forward. I know I still learn things about fixing our equipment and myriad old and new vehicles every day - and I'm a middle aged farmer with plenty of experience of "in field" repairs - still resort to specialists when I need to. My message to the OP is to maybe join a local LR club member or similar - most of these owners are happy to spend some time with newer owners who are enthusiastic and keen to learn more and can show you the ropes. Or maybe even a general classic car club if there isn't a local LR specific one - some of the clubs have facilities which are shared among the club members and they help each other out. All the best.Ian

Stretch · Nov 4, 2020

My advice is to avoid car covers. On the whole I think they are only suitable for indoor use placed over a clean car. In my experience it is too easy to end up scratching paintwork even with the nicest (seriously expensive) covers.

I appreciate there has already been a lot of just let it get wet advice - and for many that's arguably the best solution - however, I do think if anyone has the space to build a car port they are going to have a nicer ownership experience.

I'm all in favour of car ports - I think they are actually better than garages. Air has a chance to circulate whereas a wet car in a damp garage is just dreadful.

#######

Maintenance - if you still have a local technical college that hasn't turned itself into a "university" that also runs car maintenance classes I can hardly think of a better way of spending a few hard earned pounds. That's how I started way way way back when.

Keeping a Land Rover or virtually any commonly used pre-1985 classic car in good running order is a fairly simple state of affairs - it is just getting a bit of exposure.

(Sorry can't advise on a place in London. I wouldn't necessarily be looking for anyone who specialises in Land Rovers however - anyone who looks after old cars would know - even perhaps an ancient employee at Kwik Fit {Now that will probably upset the apple cart!})

Seriesiiilandy · Nov 6, 2020

Stretch said:
My advice is to avoid car covers. On the whole I think they are only suitable for indoor use placed over a clean car. In my experience it is too easy to end up scratching paintwork even with the nicest (seriously expensive) covers.

I appreciate there has already been a lot of just let it get wet advice - and for many that's arguably the best solution - however, I do think if anyone has the space to build a car port they are going to have a nicer ownership experience.

I'm all in favour of car ports - I think they are actually better than garages. Air has a chance to circulate whereas a wet car in a damp garage is just dreadful.

#######

Maintenance - if you still have a local technical college that hasn't turned itself into a "university" that also runs car maintenance classes I can hardly think of a better way of spending a few hard earned pounds. That's how I started way way way back when.

Keeping a Land Rover or virtually any commonly used pre-1985 classic car in good running order is a fairly simple state of affairs - it is just getting a bit of exposure.

(Sorry can't advise on a place in London. I wouldn't necessarily be looking for anyone who specialises in Land Rovers however - anyone who looks after old cars would know - even perhaps an ancient employee at Kwik Fit {Now that will probably upset the apple cart!})

Thankyou for your reply. Thats a good idea. maybe i should sign myself up too, because i do ultimately want to be ablt to fix it.

If i start 'looking under the hood tomorrow does anyone have any suggestions on where to start - it was running well and starting every time, then it didnt start - absolutely dead (although lights still worked) but it started straight away when i used jump leads, this happened twice and the third time it started with the jump leads but not immediately, and by the time id been around the block the horn and front dials had stopped working and shortly after the engine stalled. I want to get to the source rather than just e.g replace a fuse and it happen a week later. Does it sound =like the battery is dead? I have to check the files on how old the battery is..

Turboman · Nov 6, 2020

Seriesiiilandy said:
Hi Steve, its petrol. im absolutely planning on being able to do most things myself but the electrics arent working (nor the engine starting). is that within the remit of a novice? maybe so?

It probably isn't too difficult. If you have points ignition the first port of call would be the distributor, two clips to remove the cap. using your fingers. Examine it for tracking, and with the ignition off, separate the points faces and make sure they aren't burnt. The hold the cap up out of the way, and get someone else to turn over the engine a few times. Points need to open, and not too much sparking between them.

At this time of year, low battery is a very likely cause, so take it out, and give it a charge. If it won't take a full charge, get another.

While they can stand outside, I am not convinced that the covers are a bad idea, bearing in mind that the paint on most of these isn't that good anyway. Try and put the cover on while the vehicle is dry as possible.

The advice about asking at a local car garage is good. And try asking, and looking, a bit outside Town, places like Beds, Berks, inner Essex.
Out of town tends to be more old Land Rover territory, although obviously you will need to get it going to get there.

Turboman · Nov 6, 2020

Moorhouse2 said:
Am I the only person who finds this very unwelcoming to the original poster - someone who looks fairly new to the forum and LR ownership. I'm not quite sure what your intention is with this answer but basically condemning someone for not currently having the skills to do what you consider simple maintenance is hardly the way to encourage them to ask again for help on here to maybe learn how to do it as they go forward. I know I still learn things about fixing our equipment and myriad old and new vehicles every day - and I'm a middle aged farmer with plenty of experience of "in field" repairs - still resort to specialists when I need to. My message to the OP is to maybe join a local LR club member or similar - most of these owners are happy to spend some time with newer owners who are enthusiastic and keen to learn more and can show you the ropes. Or maybe even a general classic car club if there isn't a local LR specific one - some of the clubs have facilities which are shared among the club members and they help each other out. All the best.Ian

We aren't here to sell the things, we are supposed to give advice.

The suggestion about joining a Club is an excellent one, however.

Trench Rat · Nov 6, 2020

Seriesiiilandy said:
Thankyou for your reply. Thats a good idea. maybe i should sign myself up too, because i do ultimately want to be ablt to fix it.

If i start 'looking under the hood tomorrow does anyone have any suggestions on where to start - it was running well and starting every time, then it didnt start - absolutely dead (although lights still worked) but it started straight away when i used jump leads, this happened twice and the third time it started with the jump leads but not immediately, and by the time id been around the block the horn and front dials had stopped working and shortly after the engine stalled. I want to get to the source rather than just e.g replace a fuse and it happen a week later. Does it sound =like the battery is dead? I have to check the files on how old the battery is..

Yep, check the battery. If you have a battery charger that would be good. Since it fired up I would suppose you could rule out problems with the starter motor, though sometimes a gummed/rusted up starter will struggle to engage which can cause issues with it firing up quickly.

A general rule of thumb is that if you can start the engine on the crank handle, nothing catastrophic has failed.

My general troubleshooting for engine not starting would go as follows:

Check battery, if bad replace, if good...

Check the distributor cap, mine cut out a couple of times and struggled starting before, i found that wiping excess condensation or damp (around this time of year through to Feb or so) helped sort this.

It could be that the condenser is on it's way out, they're cheap and not hard to install. Mine went.

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