What you did with your Series 2s in September

[Alan Drover]

It took the dog and me to the Longstock Vintage Working Weekend today where this time I was put with the commercial vehicles which included a Q plate lhd Range Rover that I knew and 2 other Series 3's, one a suffix Y County Station Wagon and a suffix R soft top SWB. Later we were joined by a prefix A SWB Series 3 and an immaculate suffix K topless SWB 2A. I did a recruitment drive with the owner and he expressed a great deal of interest in the club so here's hoping.
I had the option of going with the classic car display where there was a suffix C SWB soft top 2A but stayed with the commercials as from past experience classic car owners ignore us Land Rover owners. Wittsend would have been interested in the 1960 Rover 100 there. The owner told me it was a running restoration.
On the way home I noticed the vacuum gauge was stuck on full vacuum. I guessed what might have happened and opening the bonnet on arrival home I was right. The Heath Robinson tubing layout had fallen across the exhaust manifold and had melted sealing the end. That was easily cured. Once I've got the adapter tapped I can arrange it better.
No 1 inch Whitworth spanners again.

[Kev]

Today I found the my 1964's gearbox mounts were painted a very fetching pink in the factory.👌🇬🇧

[diffwhine]

That's interesting (in a Dull Man's Club sort of way). I have a box of new gearbox and engine mounts and they all have the same pink markings. I thought it was a military stock identifier or something similar. If anybody knows why that florescent paint is on new mounts, please enlighten me!

[Richard]

Made a test run with the new water pump yesterday and the problem seems to be solved. No grinding noises, no leaks. This morning hooked op the trailer to get scaffolding for a painting job. Fascia's eight meters high. Working on a scaffold is one thing, erecting them and taking them down quite another...
Richard

[TimV]

Just back from our Bristol area camping weekend, lots of sunshine but cold nights.

Lots of lanes, and then a Defender coming the other way, big beaming smile from the driver and a wave - it was Michael Eavis! Made my day!

[Alan Drover]

Longstock Vintage Working Weekend again. It was a chilly morning drive there so I put the heater on and I could feel warm air then the windscreens started to mist up but a flick of the heated windscreen switch very quickly put paid to it. I met a couple of members one of whom had joined after I recommended the club to him and the other an existing member. It's good to put faces to forum names.
I was given an entry form for next year's event 13/14 September 2025. I'm going to register as a commercial exhibitor. The exhibitors are far more friendly than the classic car brigade.

[simonbav]

I welded up a battery clamp frame yesterday and noticed strange smoke-like shadows on the ground in front of me. I flipped up my welding mask and saw a crown of flames dancing around the generator filler cap about twelve foot away. I hadn't realised the filler cap seal was releasing petrol vapour which had caught from a stray spark. I smothered it with clean rags, the first thing that came to hand, and let it cool. I've replaced the failing cork seal with a rubber one and utilized a longer extension cord to position the genny another ten foot away.

It brought home to me how dangerous flammable liquids are, and in this case how familiarity bred dangerous practice.

I found the other clamp bolt shortly after taking this photo, which I shall shorten and cut a new M7 thread on to suit the wing nut which came with it.

Staying well away from the genny today I wire brushed the front diff with my cordless and painted on a coat of grey oxide primer and then completed my custom passenger footwell doormat.

[RATA1]

Just back from our Bristol area camping weekend, lots of sunshine but cold nights.

Great weekend and big thanks to Tim for leading out on both days and everyone who was involved in organised it.

Snapped a rear axle check strap and had to remove my tow plate 'mid drive' as it was acting as a plough/anchor. RedEd did most of the spannering there  .

[Alan Drover]

The antifreeze and hoses along with the thermostat/bypass hose housing were changed today. The later 1 piece housing was fitted. It's long overdue but what with that which went on in the past few years, inevitable.
Photo 1 shows the badly corroded bypass hose housing which is scrap but the
thermostat housing could be saved. The piece of unobtainium in the photo is ok. It's the original 2 piece set up fitted to earlier 2.5 engines. Photo 2 is the new Kenlowe fan seal and Photo 3 is the new layout.
The heater valve was scrap too but when the bulkhead was fitted I bought a new one but it wasn't fitted. They're about £120 now. Typical Land Rover heavy engineering tactics were needed to separate the parts from the housing, (a large spanner and a rubber hammer did the deed.)  The thermostat fitted is the Series 3 version with the O ring in the cover.
On the way home the temperature gauge started to climb and so did the fuel gauge so stabiliser again. Back home I checked but no leaks and the Kenlowe cut in at the usual setting when I turned the manual dial.
Without the help of this forum I wouldn't have known about the Kenlowe fan hose seal or whether the Series 3 bits would fit the later 1 piece thermostat/bypass housing so grateful thanks for the assistance.

[Mike T]

Putting her to work, close to 1/2 ton slabs collected from builders merchants. I have to say I think the ride was better with all that weight.

[Alan Drover]

Topped up the coolant in the radiator and expansion bottle then searched in vain in the garage for a dropped bolt.
The old separate 2.5 thermostat housing was full of crud so I made up a strong solution of kettle descaler which I put in an old plastic dog bowl and put the housing in it. I wonder what will happen.
Unfortunately my box of goodies from Emberton didn't arrive in time for me to fit them so that's another day.

[Seanlandy]

All hoses joined, filled the tank with diesel, primed the pump and first click of the key, the 300td burst into life having not been so for a few month. Still, the moment was short lived as diesel was spurting out some of the little unions. I am also not sure what the hoses should be made that run between the injectors. Not what is on, I'm sure.

[Birdsnest55]

They are the correct spill off pipes, paddocks do a replacment.
Mine went the same way on my 200 tdi.

Paul

[Seanlandy]

They are the correct spill off pipes, paddocks do a replacment.
Mine went the same way on my 200 tdi.

Paul

Ah. Right thanks. Is that the same for the long hose for the front cylinder?

[diffwhine]

You can also buy spill rail hose. I bought some for my P38 diesel. Just cut to length and push on.

Don't know this company, but its at least an example:
https://injectionpumps.co.uk/product/injector-spill-rail-leak-off-pipe-1-metre-length/