Series 3 Poor pick up, rear wheel spins and locks

Just inherited a cream (cream!) SWB series 3 hardtop from my dad. Was apparently owned by Worcester Hospital. It’s a runner but not taxed or insured. Starts immediately (electric pump) but takes ages to warm up and i have to use the choke for ages. Stalls a lot. AND the the back o/s wheel either spins or locks up under braking. So i use LR 4WD on soft ground a lot. Use it in forestry work. Will check thermostat.

Other than that anyone got any ideas where to start?!

This ishttp://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/2010/01/series-iia-owners-manual/ a good read even though 2a the fault finding is good
Do you want to start servicing it or start to repair or it’s faults

What year is it
If you’re on loose ground the wheels can lock up
If it’s happening on dry tarmac check the brake shoes have a chamfer filed on ends of friction material
It does need the brakes set up,to stop in a straight line

Thanks. Chamfer sounds right I will try that. It’s 1974. I want to get it to the point it works properly then it can go back on the road. Any ideas where I should start to make the throttle pick up smoother?

Mines diesel a petrol head should be along soon with sensible replies
But a start would be ensure clean petrol, gauze in tank feed is unbroken and not gunked up
Lift pump working ok , clean, and membrane not split
Inline filters clear
Clean all cars jets and float chamber in carb , set float movement?
then have a look at the lectrical side
Plugs and points , coil, condenser and connections and timing
Have a read of the “in case of trouble “ section about page 100 on link above for details

Willybuck said:

Thanks. Chamfer sounds right I will try that. It’s 1974. I want to get it to the point it works properly then it can go back on the road. Any ideas where I should start to make the throttle pick up smoother?

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What exactly do you mean by throttle pick up? As you know, the series throttle involves a lot of rod linkages and over time a certain amount of wear occurs. On my series, I have to push the throttle pedal down half an inch or more before the revs raise. It's not ideal but I've got used to it. Wear can also occur in the throttle spindle of the carb, you can get a service kit for the carb which I think includes a new spindle but if it is the spindle bushes which are worn, the fix is a bit more complicated. I've got two spare carbs and both of them are different from each other and to the one on the car, both are Zenith.

If you've got a wheel that's prone to both locking up and spinning under power, I wonder whether it's just very old and the rubber has turned to concrete. Do you know how old the tyre is? They do get hard with age, and lose grip.

Tyres are ok i think. Throttle response is poor. I keep having to blip the throttle to keep it going until it is very warmed up. Even when warm it stalls.

Electric pump not standard on series, remove pipe from carb then feed pipe into bottle [ 2 ltr pop ] Switch on and check flow.

Willybuck said:

Just inherited a cream (cream!) SWB series 3 hardtop from my dad. Was apparently owned by Worcester Hospital. It’s a runner but not taxed or insured. Starts immediately (electric pump) but takes ages to warm up and i have to use the choke for ages. Stalls a lot. AND the the back o/s wheel either spins or locks up under braking. So i use LR 4WD on soft ground a lot. Use it in forestry work. Will check thermostat.

Other than that anyone got any ideas where to start?!

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When you are sure you have got adequate fuel filling the float bowl, run it for a bit, switch off, and remove a spark plug, or plugs.
Check colour of plugs, if they are very light coloured, it is running much too lean.
Thermostat is a good shout, it might be stuck open, or even not present at all.
Also make sure that the air filter is full to the level mark with oil, and the hose attaching it to the carb is in good condition, and that the choke cable, and it's outer cable, are properly attached to the carb.
There should be a vaccuum pipe from the carb to the distributor. Make sure it is present, and not leaking air.

Willybuck said:

Tyres are ok i think. Throttle response is poor. I keep having to blip the throttle to keep it going until it is very warmed up. Even when warm it stalls.

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There is an idle screw on the carb, adjustment might help. What carb? Thinking Zenith on that, although some have been replaced with Weber?

OK thanks will try that. I have now removed the drums on both rear wheel brakes. Shoes and drums look ok. But the piston looks sorry (on both). See photo. I can move the back brake shoe where it connects with the cylinder, but the forward shoe is stuck solid (and the shoe is only worn over half its length). Is the best course of action to replace both brake cylInders do you think?

I would move the shoe away from the piston, lever needed as spring will pull it back. And then put a big screw driver in the slot and see if piston will rotate some and get it free. Should it free up put some rubber grease under the cap and replace. Note it is normal for the one with the spring not to move until other side meets resistance [ the drum ]

Those shoes look quite new to me.
Did you have to back the adjuster off to get the drum off, if not try adjusting with drum onas they may just need adjustment.
If you lever the front shoe away from the cylinder and push rear shoe in front piston will normall move out if not seized.

Blackburn explained it better than I did.

Thanks both. Have now confirmed the near side rear brake cylinder is seized. I can just about turn the piston with a large screwdriver. The offside one is not but is rusted. Do you recommend i replace both cylinders or try to unsieze both?

They are not expensive so it's best to replace, try to avoid britpart.

Col

Best go round all wheel cylinders and check they work and the bleed nipple can be undone if you pull the piston out and feel,a wear ridge inside it’s gone, as above TRW Or Delphi reasonable makes
Prob need to flush new brake fluid through too as old stuff can have water in which does not help

Very helpful thanks i will do that now.

To check the running-on (after i switch off) i took two of the spark plugs out. Carbon deposits by looks of things. This means it is running rich?

Might be rich mixture or just having the choke on and not letting the engine run long enough to clean the plugs?

Hmmm. Don’t think it is that. The longer the engine runs (and the harder i work it) the more running-on it does.