The Purple Peril and other dreadful cars I need to fix

[dollywobbler]

Or just renew the gaffer tape on that corner. Sorted.

 

To do a successful third to second, you need to double-declutch, complete with a throttle blip when your foot comes off the clutch in second. Probably best avoided with an iffy clutch! Instead, go for first, then second. As you can imagine, I tried many things myself. Learnt double-declutching on the 2CV due to no first gear synchro. It's a skill you really need on steep hills!

[mat_the_cat]

unless you're under pressure off SWMBO to get it shifted I'd concentrate on the Stellar,  I'm not in a massive rush to fix the rear corner

 

Aye, you're probably right. I just don't like to think of folk paying for stuff which I've got otherwise going to waste! I'm currently leaning towards either building a 100" hybrid, or just keeping as a long term spares source for the on the road Disco in which case I won't need the panel (unless ours gets pranged...). But if you do seriously consider buying one from a scrappy, let me know. In the meantime I'll have a look at what the job entails - at least the trim is off on the inside!

[catsinthewelder]

Silly question time

 

The Disco is currently at work with both prop-shafts off and half the interior out.  The front oil seal on the transfer box is knackered and there's issues with the handbrake drum so I'm not too keen to refit either of them until those issues are sorted.  Once I've fixed one of those issues I can refit the appropriate driveshaft and can probably drive it.  How inadvisable would it be to drive home with only one propshaft fitted?

[Rusty_Rocket]

It's ok to drive with one prop. Take it easy though and no harsh starts! Don't forget to engage the diff lock 

[catsinthewelder]

That's enough for one day,  I've pulled out the centre console and drilled out the rivets to access the top of the box.  Pulled off both propshafts,  the centre exhaust section and the gearbox mounts.  The box is unbolted from the engine and resting on a selection of jacks and stands waiting to be seperated in the morning.

 

By next weekend at the latest it should have a new clutch bearing and probably a new clutch, a reinforced operating arm, new transfer box seal and a refurbuished handbrake.  I might be doing some welding on the exhaust too as it's a lot worse than I thought.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Sounds like good progress. Exhaust parts are really cheap so unless it's an easy fix, I'd just fit a new part. Mind you, I'm very lucky to have Island 4x4 on my doorstep..

[mat_the_cat]

Has the tool arrived yet?

[catsinthewelder]

Aye it's only twenty quid from them for a Britpart pipe plus postage of course,  annoying that I can't buy it direct as I drive past Shitpart HQ at least once a week.

[catsinthewelder]

Yes it has,  sorry I meant to give you a shout but completely forgot.

 

It will be deployed in the morning if no disasters happen when I pull the box off.

[catsinthewelder]

Looks like changing this oil seal is going to be fun

 

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f41/transfer-box-front-output-bearing-oil-seal-renewal-81771.html

 

Hopefully I can get away with 2 8mm holes in a 2' bar as a special tool

[catsinthewelder]

After much arsing about this morning I called a friend and he helped me pull the gearbox off the engine.  Bloody hell it's horrible in there,  an oil seal somewhere is leaking so the clutch dust has become a sludgy mess.  The release bearing is in a hard plastic thing on these and it's melted and thrown bit's all over.  The release arm is scrap where the bearing has been rubbing on one side and the spigot bearing is cracked and misshapen.

 

Hopefully I can new parts tomorrow so I can put it back together,  now let's find out where that oil's coming from.

[scruff]

Do the rear crank oil seal while you are in there!!

[dollywobbler]

When the slave cylinder was leaking, that leaked into the bellhousing, so have a good clean up and all may be better than you think. Scruff's advice seems sound though, given how porous any seal on a Landy tends to be!

[catsinthewelder]

Flywheel is off now so I'll keep going,  wasn't too bad apart from dropping the 22mm socket and breaker bar onto my eye socket.

 

Giving up for the night now.

[catsinthewelder]

Bit's all ordered so should be here on Tuesday,  will try and spend some time with my family tomorrow and not get covered in oil for a change.

[KruJoe]

Do you have a black eye today Rich?

[catsinthewelder]

Only very slightly,  I asked our lass if I had one when I got home last night but she could't tell on account of how filthy I was.

[catsinthewelder]

A big box turned up this morning from Rimmer Brothers so I could get going again.  First step was to remove the old oil seal by drilling a small hole in the side,  screwing a self tapper into it then heaving it out with a claw hammer.  It was a challenge just to get the drill into the bellhousing.

 

 

 

 

I then attempted to fit the new seal,  unfortunately I couldn't drift it on with a length of pipe due to lack of room so attempted to knock it in carefully with a rubber mallet and failed.

 

 

As the original seal was still the right shape I used it to experiment on and found a way to force it into place using the flywheel mounting plate and nuts with 4 15mmm compression joint nuts as impromptu washers.  A new seal is being delivered tomorrow.

 

I couldn't put the clutch back on but I could reassemble the operating mechanism.

 

Next I had another go at removing the transfer box flange nut to change the seal,  despite stupid amounts of force it wouldn't come undone so I gave up before I broke anything else.

 

 

Then it was time to put my toys away.

 

 

[mat_the_cat]

At least the weather isn't too bad for working outside, would be a shitter if you're lying in a puddle all the time!

[KruJoe]

What a flipping ball-ache. Glad I'm not doing it.

[catsinthewelder]

Started the day off by cycling up to our local Land Rover main Dealership for a new seal.  I don't think I'm really the type of customer they encourage but they were very polite.

 

Installed this one successfully which was nice.

 

 

Cleaned up the flywheel and stuck it back in next.

 

 

 

Clutch was in by lunchtime.

 

 

Fitting the gearbox was a right twat,  it took me about 4 hours of arsing around jacking things up heaving, levering, titting about with the crane.  The IT tech and my boss pottered over eventually (after an almighty crash as the box moved unexpectedly) and we tried with me lifting the box and them pushing the car back.  That didn't work so I chocked the wheels, swore loudly and heaved on a wrecking bar I'd wedged between the handbrake drum and the transission tunnel.  There was a big creak and the box slid within 3 inches of home. 

 

 

A few big bolts from the stores got it closer but it was stuck on something inside so I fired up the engine.  A big clunk and it slid together nicely.

 

Box and engine are now tightly bolted together and the slave cylinder is back on.  Fired her up again and all appears to be working.  Just got to put her back together now.

 

 

 

 

 

[phil_lihp]

Impressive work, I always like to see jobs documented 'honestly' like this as it's a great help to anyone attempting a similar job later on.

 

At least it'll be satisfying driving it when it's finished.

[mat_the_cat]

I wish I'd have said sooner, but what I tend to to is put a few lengths of studding in the block, with a slot cut in the end (to remove later). That way it guides the gearbox in a bit better, but it's still a job I hate! No idea whether it's possible/helpful in this case though as I've never done one.

[catsinthewelder]

The biggest issue was that there is a lump on the top of the box where the gearstick comes out and it kept getting stuck on a protruding plate in the transision tunnel with the whole box twisted over.  The natural place to jack the box up to move it is under the handbrake drum on the transfer box so it tends to tilt over that way.

 

I did use a very similar idea to studding with the bolts as I wasn't sure what would happen if I tightened them too far in.  So threaded a nut up to the head and used that to push the box onto the engine block once the bolt had a good hold on the threads.

 

The Haynes book reckoned that removing the engine would be easier but I didn't fancy trying that by myself.  I ended up with help getting the box on and off but a bit more thought and a trolley jack that rolled more smoothly might well have seen it possible single handed.

 

5 full days is a long time to spend changing a clutch though (and that's assuming that I finish it tomorrow).

[catsinthewelder]

I did finish this but in the last month it's leaked 5 litres of oil around the surrounding area so I don't think I got that seal in quite right.  Having sworn not to ever pull it apart again it looks like I'm going to have to.

 

This morning has seen me running round the area speaking to people with space about homing my camper for a couple of months,  the pub landlord might so I'm off for a pint after work to discuss terms and conditions if his missis ok's it.

 

That will leave space on the drive to work on the Landy and a tempory daily driver is sorted out to be collected after shitefest.

 

That just leaves the Austin,  progress was made today in that I replaced the rotted out oil feed pipe and finally managed to loosen the bleed nipples on the calipers.  These have been a big sticking point lately so I'm pretty pleased.

[mat_the_cat]

Is the plan still to bring the Austin to Shitefest?

[catsinthewelder]

I'd love to but I'm not going to have time now. 

 

I stopped welding and moved onto mechanical things as I expected to be waiting for parts.  I've had it turning over on a new battery but there's no spark and I had to give that up when the oil pipe failed.  The oil pipe is fixed now and I'm going to try borrowing the spare coil off the VW to see if I can get a spark.

 

All 4 brake nipples were seized solid and I've had the system open during the welding work so that and the clutch system need bleeding.  While arsing about with that I've found a lot more rot in the inner wing right behind a brake line so there's no point doing that quite yet.

 

Front calipers are now loosened off after a bit of a battle (thank the lord for 6 point sockets).

 

Rear arches still need more welding.

 

Electrics don't seem too happy after an 18 month slumber on a damp drive.

 

Interior currently consists of tools and mess,  the seats are in the van and the remains of the carpet are in the loft.

 

 

I'm going to crack on and see how far I can get before shitefest as it would make my life a lot easier if it was drivable. 

[catsinthewelder]

In the spirt of a true shitter I've solved the broken car problem by buying an older one

 

image by catsinthewelder1, on Flickr

 

Seen here sitting in the oil slick left by the Disco.  Krujoe very kindly dropped me (and bucketeer) off with Micrashed on the way back from Shitefest.  Car bought and drove home with no issues other than slight insanity caused by the lack of radio (do any of the previous owners know whats wrong with it?).  I've fixed the iffy fuel filler lock with a sliver of plastic glued into the back of the cylinder to keep the key in the right place.

 

Will hopefully just need a dot of weld on the sill for a new ticket next month.

[Ratdat]

What's up with the fuel filler lock? I might have a new one that would fit.

[catsinthewelder]

Thanks Ratdat but it's fine now,  the key could go too far in before so it was hard to unlock.  I cut a sliver of plasticard (thin plastic sheet for railway modellers) and superglued it in the back of the lock.  Now the key can't go too far in it works fine.  I would like to fix the pull cable release for it but that's a bit further down the to do list behind sill welding, cluch adjustment and choons.

 

Todays job was the Land Rover as Ms C needed the Cherry for silly things like shopping.  The drivers electric window channel had rotted out meaning that you needed to push the glass down while pressing the button.  Ms C hadn't over the weekend so the glass was stuck in the door.  I had already bought a new channel so this morning I fitted it, re-using the old rubber seal once I'd scraped all the rust flakes off it.

 

It went together ok once I gave up trying to squeeze the glass into the unmodified channel and took it into the shed to ease it a bit with a 4" bolster.

 

Sorry for the general lack of pictures chaps, my camera died while I was doing the Disco gearbox and the 'bargain' replacement won't talk to the computer.