The Odd Cylindered And Odd Looking Beast From The Far East | Rexton does it again 🫡 / It's fkd m8 😑

[Out Run]

Boxing day '22 marks 6 years ownership of this piece of engineering perfection. So, it's a good time for a catch up on the Korean dream.

I've always been one to use the aircon, all year around. But around 5 years in, the ice-cold charge abandoned me. I did a sad, then whacked it into ATS via Groupon, to be told it's not pressurising m8. Obviously, this was expected, but when I asked matey if he knew where it was leaking from, I was told no. 

Damn.

I bit the bullet and called out a mobile specialist. He pressurised the system with nitrogen and his soapy water trigger spray soon found that the condenser was rotten in one lower corner. Score/no surprise. Along with weeping to one of its fittings.

I pulled the rad pack out and ordered a new condenser. 

Given that the car was soon to receive a clutch and I'd have to bodge in the intercooler if I wanted to drive it, I just left it apart for a couple of weeks.

When separating the condenser from the coolant rad, the car broke the proud tradition of having never snapped a fastener. Given that some of these have been as small as M6 disc back plate bolts, I let it off, this time.

Second time lucky with the condenser, having first been sent not just the wrong one, but one that was way too out of shape to be trusted.

I bought a Sachs branded DMF even though the original seemed fine. Along with a three-pieceLUK clutch kit. The clutch has always been high and it has slipped a few times. None more notably than when I lent it to a colleague and he had to abort towing his twin axle caravan, some years ago.

 

[Out Run]

.

Perhaps part numbers may prove useful. As we know, there is scant information out there, foe

these things.
 

Clutch kit and flywheel in stock, I arranged a suitable date for @jikovron to accompany me in this endeavour that I really couldn’t be arsed with. We hoiked the mighty OM662 out of the bay, with ease, teasing the MR2 in the background that it was to become a veg slurper. It was then that we learned that although the clutch was the correct 240mm diameter, it was a 25 spline example, not the 22-spline variant that the input shaft required. Who knew?

Certainly not the many clutch vendors who don’t like to specify this insignificant* difference.

The last pic above, highlights some of rhe desperation, whe n we discovered  tbis.

What followed was some desperate stuff. Ron stayed in sunny Houghton-le-Spring for the night and we scoured eBay etc. A plan was to drive to Leeds the next day and pick up an ‘in stock’ 22 spline, 240mm friction disc. I rang the seller and after some arsing on, was told that all of the clutches were made to order – WTF?! - and took 2-3 weeks to be delivered. 

GTF, fam.

I then rang almost every motor factor and supplier we could find, in the North East. 
 

No go.

We tried a place that replaces clutch and brake linings, (pic) but they didn’t want to risk it.

Ron then had the idea to try his engineering mate, who kindly drilled the rivets out, with the intention of riveting in the original centre, splined section. It transpires that it differed just enough as to not be possible.

 

 

 

 

[Out Run]

We called it there. The engine went back in and I sourced another 3-piece clutch. This was also wrong. I then bought just a friction disc and it was correct. Lots of back-and-forth BS... We decided to remove the very heavy gear/TX box, this time. @filthyjohn was also on hand for reinsertion.

We got there in the end...

 

[Out Run]

I took it back to ATS, to be told the A/C still leaked. So mobile matey came back out to the house. 

It turns out that the O Rings supplied by Advanced Radiators were shit. Those were replaced and it was holding the charge. Just the fan wasn't kicking in. The combination of WVO smell and the highly refined* diesel lump, along with occasional serpentine belt squeal meant that the burning smell was hard to pinpoint, initially.

Satisfied it wasn’t the compressor, we had a good sniff about, then the whisps of smoke also assisted. A/C rad fan. It had seized up, through lack of use.

I reckoned I didn’t need to put 12v to it, to prove this.

Fortunately, I had some generic electric fan that I used to have fitted to the MR2 engine lid. As can be seen, it fitted the OE housing a treat, once the DONG WANG unit was evicted. Toyota and SsangYong plugs are even the same. I stuck it on and it kicked straight in.

Happy days and cool cabins abound.

Then it was back to carting around the doggo, fire wood, MTBs etc and commuting.

[Out Run]

[Out Run]

 

The fuel tank strap snapped – doesn’t really need this, IMO – I effected a top qualz repair, as see here

Carefulling

You can't beat a cable tie.

[Out Run]

and at the same time, found a use for Ford steel wheel nuts, as spacers for my too long front damper top mount studs

stuck some new handbrake cables on, as the 10 month old eBay jobshad seized on one side and they come as a single piece affair

treated it to 6 wheel nuts again on the OSF at the same time as doing a MURDERED OUT upgrade and banged it in for its MOT.

Before. Pah!

After. Max Mall Crawler points attained

It failed the test, but only on play in a front bearing, handbrake being dog shit and a brake pipe. The thing is almost 19 years old and gets no love – when we did the clutch, that was the first time it had an oil change, in my hands. Whoops – I did the brake pipe, tightened the bearing and actually fitted some E Clips to the handbrake cables so they remain captive as they should, when the cylinder returns.

[Out Run]

Pass and back on the road. it’s been thundering up and down the A19 again for a few weeks, now and 10L of unleaded to 60L or so of WVO and she starts like its summer. 

But do they know how to do anything else? 

BONUS ALIEXPRESS FREEHUB REPORT: The 4WD on it works way better than it ever did, when running the original vacuum hubs. It’s a bit of a beast now, even on the BFG M/T tyres and works way more like I originally expected.

Given that when I replaced the lower arms a few years back (stupid, welded in ball joints...) the steel pipe stubs that the rubber vac pipes connect to, were hanging off on one side and fully snapped on the other, safe to say it wasn’t at its best. As it has been essentially in RWD only, it got stuck a few times, in embarrassingly easy situations.

No more! Next time it gets stuck, it will be for a valid reason.

ATM I have been keeping the freewheel hubs locked in and alternating between 2WD and 4H, as needed. I left it in 4H when I transitioned from hard packed snow to gritted car park when turning and it bound up on me, straight away. TBH I forgot to knock it off on the dash, but that’s more like it.

 

[Out Run]

I wrote this up in Trio and it seems I saved it as Rich Text. Is it possible to change it to Plain Text? It doesn't work for me, on here.

If not, I'll go back and re-paste it all in. Just not at 01;36. 😅

EDIT: I only f@%£*ng managed. 

 

[Lacquer Peel]

Good intel here for aspiring Korean Dreamers, thanks!

What was the engine oil like when you changed it after so long?

[sutty2006]

So the basis of this story is, if you buy one of these Korean dream boats and the clutch goes, it’s off to the bridge? Delightful! Well done for persevering with it and getting it back on the road…or off road…. seams fine. 

[Out Run]

2 hours ago, Lacquer Peel said:

Good intel here for aspiring Korean Dreamers, thanks!

What was the engine oil like when you changed it after so long?

We can all dream, mate. Few of us are lucky enough to actually live out the fantasy. 😚 The oil looked like it had just been added, 10 miles prior.

I sent it off to the boyz in the lab and they said it's a diesel innit, m9, nowt to fret about.

[Out Run]

2 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

So the basis of this story is, if you buy one of these Korean dream boats and the clutch goes, it’s off to the bridge? Delightful! Well done for persevering with it and getting it back on the road…or off road…. seams fine. 

Sir, you forget yourself. This vehicle does not get bridged, it transports others there. 

The seams are fine, yeah. I have noticed no extra corrosion on this, since the day of purchase.😄

[EyesWeldedShut]

3 minutes ago, Out Run said:

Sir, you forget yourself. This vehicle does not get bridged, it transports others there. 

The seams are fine, yeah. I have noticed no extra corrosion on this, since the day of purchase.😄

I ran an early petrol Musso (GX220) until the rear chassis was rusted out and the only thing it ever failed an MoT  on was those bloody handbrake shoes - ended up trying not to use the handbrake  at all (Auto Park mode  ) as it was absolute rubbish. Every year adjusting the shoes became a chore.
https://fourgreen.com/ can be useful for esoteric parts - they're well built cars but the difficulty in getting some of the parts on the older ones is a bit of a minus - no idea how the 'modern' (i.e. non M.B. engined) ones are on spares availability.
Off road ours was probably the best 'normal' 4x4 I've owned - certainly better than either Range Rover and towing was smoooooth. I'd recommend one to anybody wanting to do some green laning on a budget.

[Out Run]

6 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

I ran an early petrol Musso (GX220) until the rear chassis was rusted out and the only thing it ever failed an MoT  on was those bloody handbrake shoes - ended up trying not to use the handbrake  at all (Auto Park mode  ) as it was absolute rubbish. Every year adjusting the shoes became a chore.
https://fourgreen.com/ can be useful for esoteric parts - they're well built cars but the difficulty in getting some of the parts on the older ones is a bit of a minus - no idea how the 'modern' (i.e. non M.B. engined) ones are on spares availability.
Off road ours was probably the best 'normal' 4x4 I've owned - certainly better than either Range Rover and towing was smoooooth. I'd recommend one to anybody wanting to do some green laning on a budget.

Yeah, that handbrake design can get in the sea! One with standard drums on the rear would no doubt be a lot better. 
Fuck knows why they tried to reinvent  the wheel.

My chassis is rock solid. Surface rust all over, but no issues ATM. I wonder if yours had been launching boats? It seems to affect a lot of them.

Sod the newer and more refined stuff. From what I see on a couple of FB groups, dealer parts supply is an issue as ever. Along with corroding diamond cut wheels. I haven't seen much on engines etc, but then, I haven't been looking for it.

I reckon a lot will be dead and/or worthless in short order.

TY for the link. 
Yeah, they are very smooth when towing. The steering is a bit too light for it, IMO.

As I told the lads, I overtook some old geeezer in a mk2 2.7 XDi version, yesterday. Snorkel brother!

You never see modded ones, around here. You very rarely see any at all. They're a dirty word as you know, even at the budget green laning end of the spectrum. 😂

[Jim Bell]

Fantastic endeavour man. All stops must be pulled out to maintain, use and preserve early diesel Ssangyong 4x4s and none must ever be scraped. 

Happy fortunate driving. 

[Out Run]

[Out Run]

Found a Frontera, just before. 
This fallen brother was clearly unable to traverse the impassable, frozen tundra.

[Out Run]

Didn't think my sexy new EMTB would fit inside of this. Certainly not without at least moving the fork mounts, given the wheelbase is longer and the bars are wider.

How naive! Fits great alongside my Jam2.

Those blessed with one of these beauties will be aware of how little room the tailgate actually takes up, when closed.

There's a shit load of room, still.
However, I haven't driven it since before December, as the wayward handling it developed was a bit too much.

Problem identified. 😂 Will be repaired before it is used again.

[Out Run]

Oh! Me interior light was also full of water, when I ran round to Screwfix in said  Rex.

An impressive feat, given it has no sunroof and the aerial isn't there. 🫠