Rebuilding Pam's 90

[davew]

It's about 2 weeks behind schedule already but with the arrival of the new chassis this morning I now have all my weekends for the next few months accounted for !

After having to weld up the chassis to get it through last years MOT it was becoming pretty clear that the 90 was going to need some major work. The engine is on it's last legs, probably needing a new crankshaft (the crank pulley has around 20 degrees of "slop" in it at the moment and anyday the keyway could give out completely), the gearbox is in dire need of some TLC after covering the best part of 200,000 miles as is the transfer box.

Some of the panels will need replacing, the doors, the front wings etc...

All in all it's in a pretty poor shape for a 1998 vehicle but on the plus side it drives really nicely, is comparatively economical on LPG and fits in well with Pam's work. having looked at alternatives and priced up TD5 diseasels we came to the conclusion that rebuilding what we had was the only real way forward.

For the moment we're going to use the engine and gearbox that came out of my Defender when I put the Corvette engine in it. The engine isn't brilliant but it's smooth enough and the gearbox was a recon unit I fitted a short time before I replaced it.

We're respraying it, changing the colour completely and in the process will be replacing any panels that are beyond repair. I'll move the fuel tank to the back, TD5 style. The wiring loom will be replaced with a TD5 loom and I'm hoping to avoid hacking it about too much so that I can retrofit a TD5 at a later date if it becomes necessary.

[davew]

Shiny chassis....

[bandiflip]

ooooh very nice and Shineeeee......should be up and running in a couple of weeks then ???

[nicks90]

new chassis - new engine - new tranny, new panels.....


so what are you actually going to keep from Pams old truck?
Looking nice and sparkly already though, very jealous.

[olzook]

new chassis - new engine - new tranny, new panels.....

And dont forget Nick.................. another auto

[davew]

The running gear, suspension, brakes, steering, interior will all be staying as they're fine. Just replacing the bits that are worn out which, on this motor, seems to be quite a lot ! i might keep the fuel injection system too depending on time pressure although ideally I'd like to fit it with a MegaSquirt so I can map the ignition on LPG a bit better and do away with the injector control boxes.

Right at the moment I have some issues with the engine on mine so I'm trying to get that sorted before I really get stuck into Pam's motor. Trying to decide how much I can get ready on the new chassis before I need to start stripping the 90. Given the state of the 90 at the moment though that particular decision might be made for us any day Pam is under strict instructions that if the alternator light comes on and the steering feels heavy, pull over ASAP and call the AA because the crank keyway has finally given up !

It currently makes a wierd knocking noise when you start it up as the crank pulley moves from one extreme to the other and then sits and "chatters" against the remnants of the key. At some point it'll fail altogether and the pulley will just spin on the end of the crank, losing all drive to alternator, power steering pump and water pump.

I'll fit the fuel tank and run the fuel lines, brake pipes and LPG pipes on the chassis before I start stripping the 90 but the rate at which it's coming up with new problems on a weekly basis it may be a race to get the chassis prepared before the 90 takes itself off the road with some form of terminal problem.

[nicks90]

i can just see Pam driving to work now - revving the nuts off it and going on-off on the pedal to try and brake it,

that way she'll get to use your little red chevy while hers gets rebuilt We all know Pam's a power junky.

[pamw]

You mean I'll be driving perfectly normally and everything as usual then, Nick?? !! Hehe!

Once my 90 is taken off the road (probably only in a week or 2 so we can get on with doing up the axles) I shall be mostly driving to work in the comfort of the P38 Range Rover. As it does around 18-21 mpg it will be a little less, shall we say, "uncomfortable" on one's pocket, than the 100" !

Having said that, once a fortnight or so when Dave needs to go to the office, I won't be complaining about taking our ''little Red Corvette" to York and back!

[Rod]

Dave if you need a mega squirt which is already to go give Bo a shout we still have the one off my Rangie

oh and if you get stuck I have an old push bike some where that Pam is more than welcome to borrow

Cheers
Rod

[Lardrover]

Dave if you need a mega squirt which is already to go give Bo a shout we still have the one off my Rangie

Just out of idle curiosity, what would one be paying for such an item if one were considering modifying ones V8 90?

Should I be capitalising the word One, or is it just one. Any Queens on this forum able to answer?

Will Dave be ordering a new passenger/partner for this rebuild seeing as so much is already being replaced. I think a Kylie model with bigger airbags and strong rear crossmember.

[pamw]

You can really go off some people, you know.

[davew]

Just out of idle curiosity, what would one be paying for such an item if one were considering modifying ones V8 90?

If you make the ECU yourself, with all the bits and pieces (coils, toothed wheel, sensor etc...) you are looking at around the £300 mark by the time you've finished. If you get someone else to build the ECU you can add around £150 to £200. I normally sell completed MS1 ECUs for £270, MS2 ECUs for £300. It takes around 2 days work to build an ECU.

[davew]

Big day today, started to take the 90 apart.

I started with the easy bit, took the headlining out, unbolted the roof and removed it then removed the sides and the rear door and spare wheel carrier.

I then stripped out the rear tub, removing the rear sideways facing seats and then making safe and removing the LPG tank and all the storage boxes/covers that were in the back. I'd forgotten how heavy a 90 litre LPG tank could be ! Eventually managed to rig up a sling for it from a recovery strap and managed to manhandle it out of the way.

I removed both front doors and set about unbolting the seats, seat box and floor panels. I do wonder what planet Land Rover designers are on sometimes.. nearly all of the bolts/screws had to be ground away or sheared off. Even the cross head screws that go into the plastic lugs in the bulkhead were so badly corroded a screwdriver had no chance of shifting them. Anyway, angry grinder to the rescue and by the time I got fed up of being rained on I had the drivers side all removed.

I gave all the passenger side bolts a good spray with duck oil before I packed everything away so fingers crossed some of the bolts might undo tomorrow...

As it threw it down towards the end of the day I was working under a tarp so no pics but here's a few I took while the weather was fine.



[img]http:399:266]http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/imagegallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_IMG_1069.jpg[/img]



If anyone wants some RRC front seats, as you can see we have two spares now. With or without the Defender mounting kit for them.

We also want rid of the folding rear seats (sideways facing), pair of front doors, smooth roof, hard top sides, rear door, swingaway spare wheel carrier, windscreen frame (windscreen has a chip in it).

Make me an offer and come and take it away.

[TwoSheds]

I have been thinking that - if I was to put a pair of folding seats in the back of my RRC - facing backwards - then they would not need belts and would not significantly intrude on the load space, but would make it legal if ever I needed to carry anyone...

So - I know you said offers, but I always feel totally uncomfortable making offers - too low and you would feel insulted, too high and I have ripped myself off! Any chance of a ball park of what you are looking for?

Roger

p.s. Good progress on the rebuild

[davew]

I have been thinking that - if I was to put a pair of folding seats in the back of my RRC - facing backwards - then they would not need belts and would not significantly intrude on the load space, but would make it legal if ever I needed to carry anyone...

So - I know you said offers, but I always feel totally uncomfortable making offers - too low and you would feel insulted, too high and I have ripped myself off! Any chance of a ball park of what you are looking for?

Roger

p.s. Good progress on the rebuild

I'll have a think about it/discuss it with Pam and let you know