Is a RRC a reasonable daily driver?

[bigreen505]

Hello ExPo Land Rover Brain Trust, I'm in need of a new daily driver. Currently sitting in my driveway is a project RRC (1991 Great Divide) I adopted from a friend, which is to say the truck is not a wholly unknown quantity, but there are a number of problems that she never figured out, pretty much all electrical. In my garage, currently on a pallet and soon to be on an engine stand, is a a 4.2 that I know has new cams, and I was told has 86,000 on the block, but I don't know anything else about it. The ultimate goal was something of a rolling restoration to excellent mechanical condition, but not worrying about cosmetics. Basically a truck I could drive to the desert, was reliable enough to get me home, and if it picked up some pinstripes I wouldn't cry.

It has electrical issues, which I'm hoping I can find/fix while replacing the engine. The blower motor/resistor need to be replaced. Suspension bushings need to be replaced, and there is a howl in the driveline, but I don't know what's making the noise. Diffs and drive shafts are new. I haven't pulled the carpets to see what the rust situation is. I need to know, but I'm afraid to look. I do have a transfer case problem, but I think it may be a bad solenoid.

I need a reliable vehicle for long trips for my job, which I have to admit an old Rover is probably not the best fit, but on the other hand, daily driving it would seem the best way to find and eliminate problems. For reasons I can't explain, a D90 or D110 wouldn't give me pause, but a RRC does.

What say you?

 

[Ray_G]

So...I have questions!

-Why are you replacing the engine? Is there something wrong with the current motor, or is that just as part of the resto-b/c by and large I'd suggest you sort the issues with the truck with her running vice pulling the engine and then putting a new one and then trying to deal with residual issues. Those will be challenging enough.
-Transfer case should be a BW, that may be your howl too.

To circle back to the beginning proposition-can a RRC be a reliable DD. Yes, definitely. That said I'd want to sort through the electrical gremlins and make sure as much as possible was something I'd laid hands on personally before I'd want to count on it for the long haul.

The upside is they are rarely totally broken. They are also never totally fixed.
r-
Ray

 

[bigreen505]

-Why are you replacing the engine?

276,000 on the original.

Is there something wrong with the current motor, or is that just as part of the resto-b/c by and large I'd suggest you sort the issues with the truck with her running vice pulling the engine and then putting a new one and then trying to deal with residual issues. Those will be challenging enough.

Good points. It doesn't run that well, though I think there are ignition issues, and pretty sure all the ground straps are shot. It was always part of the plan, and to be honest I never re-thought it.

-Transfer case should be a BW, that may be your howl too.

LT230 from a '98 Disco with 140,000 (transmission too).

 

[David Harris]

They are fine daily drivers if everything is well-maintained. I have daily driven my last two as my only vehicles. Like any Rover, they are going to take a lot more personal attention than a new vehicle. I bought my current Toyota truck new a couple of years ago and it has had zero issues other than basic maintenance in the form of oil changes, tires and shocks. It now has 76000 miles on it. A Range Rover is going to take more input for the same mileage. However, I had a lot more personal relationship with the Rovers and working on them was an enjoyable hobby. With that attitude, they are a lot of fun and have a certain feel and character which is not found in other 4x4's of any make, and I have owned pretty much all of them through the years.

 

[Ray_G]

276,000 on the original.



Good points. It doesn't run that well, though I think there are ignition issues, and pretty sure all the ground straps are shot. It was always part of the plan, and to be honest I never re-thought it.



LT230 from a '98 Disco with 140,000 (transmission too).

Wow, 276k on the motor (and assuming the body)-that's impressive.

I would consider fixing the grounds & the ignition stuff first to at least confirm that you have good ancillaries and such; then proceed with the engine swap if you want to put a fresh motor in. May well be worth grabbing another ZF & an LT230 (I'd suggest sourcing an LT230Q) and refreshing the whole drivetrain in one swoop.

These things love to be driven, and hate to sit-in my experience-so the more you DD it, the better.
r-
Ray

 

[Boss Hog]

I’m at the point of trying to decide whether to do an engine swap or not. I just had the BW transfer case swapped for an LT230, only to then discover I need a new starter and maybe ignition. Everytime I fix one issue, another pops up. At 205k miles, it’s to be expected.

I now have the opportunity to purchase a 94 Disco with a 4.6l that I’ve test driven that would provide the engine and transmission. I’ve been down this path twice before: once in an FJ40 (with a Chevy 350) and once in an FJ55 (with a newer 4.2 straight 6). Neither were satisfactory and those experiences have left me gun-shy of swaps.

That said, My 3.9 is tired and may nickel and dime me to the point of wishing I had just done the swap...

 

[Howski]

May want to consider building a 4.0 or 4.6 and swap it in. Frankly there aren't many straightforward engine swap options out there. I know Rover V8's catch a lot of flack but building one from a clean slate reduces the possibility for some of the regular issues that often result from past neglect (i.e. headgaskets & overheating). Great looking Classic

 

[Ray_G]

I'd suggest rebuilding a 4.2, or getting a 3.9/4.2 block and rebuilding it into a 4.6.

That may well be what happened with your aforementioned 94 Disco with a 4.6; the key being at that point someone has done a bit of work to get it working a 14 CUX truck.
A lower mileage 4.2 may be easier to source vice rolling the dice with a 4.6 block that you have to swap everything onto.
r-
Ray

 

[DiscoDavis]

I find the 14cux 3.9 to be just fine for daily use.

 

[davis31052]

Ray G,
You Sir provided my new signature line in the Land Rover forums. "The upside is they are rarely totally broken. They are also never totally fixed."

 

[Ray_G]

Ray G,
You Sir provided my new signature line in the Land Rover forums. "The upside is they are rarely totally broken. They are also never totally fixed."

That is awesome, it is wisdom I can't claim however-just something I've picked up over the years listening to folks with more experience than I-but I've found it to be 100% accurate.

 

[rlynch356]

i generally drive a D90 everyday 168k miles, just adjust your expectations and have a smile when stuff breaks and you'll be fine - the 3.9/4.2 14CUX system is pretty simple and cheap (ish) to maintain. There are some notable items you need to stock pile and keep in the truck but thats about it. It usually does not fail without a good bit of warning. and the more you drive them the more reliable they are.

 

[mpinco]

I ran a 95 as a DD and my son a 89 RRC is his DD. The 89 is over 250K and running fine. It also had "electrical" issues which where all resolved. Once the electrical and ancillary issues were all resolved it ran great. Down a little on power but ran fine. I would solve all the primary issues before replacing the block.

 

[getlost4x4]

As for engine electrics:

Keep spares of the following:
Coil
Starter
Alternator
Idle Control Valve
Mass air flow sensor
Distributor

I've never had to replace a distributor yet, but I've seen it screw others.

The computers seem pretty bomb proof, as long as you keep them dry.

You can save a ton of money on a coil if you use one from a 1970's Dodge half ton with a V8. They are only about $20 at a local auto parts store, the stock ones cost about $100-$200, depending on where you get one.

You can convert the alternator to a 1 wire 100 amp Chevy alternator fairly easy in a pinch, just get an extension bracket for the alternator belt tightening adjustment. Most parts stores have all these parts. I had to do it to my buddies 89' RRC in Moab once so we could drive home. He ended up using it for another 2 years before swapping back in an stock alternator so the charging light would go away.

Mass air flows don't usually go bad, but its good to have one in case. The cotton hose between the intake plenium and the MAF is garbage, you can upgrade to one from a 1993-1994 rubber boot. Its much better.

If its running like crap, replace all the dry rotted vacuum hoses.

Never ever let it overheat. The temp gauge is simply there to let you know you are screwed if it goes over half way. If it starts creeping over, stop, shut it down, let it cool down. Unless you like rebuilding the engine, slipped liners and blown headgaskets. IF it starts doing that all the time, check the compression, check for exhaust gases in the coolant, get the radiator cleaned and rebuilt.

Change all the fluids. Don't flush the transmission, just drain and refill with a new filter.

Change the u-joints in the driveshafts. Or Upgrade the driveshafts to Tom-Woods shafts, they use more common 1310 u-joints, plus they are stronger than the 1300 ujoints Land Rover uses.

Put in an LT230 and call it a day. The BW is fine when it works, but its probably worn out. An LT230 is pretty much bomb proof. Just keep it filled with oil and they will last a long time.

The cats usually go bad and rattle. If you don't have emissions, the engine runs 100 x's better without them. Otherwise get new ones.

Electrical, its a Land Rover, you've been warned, you should learn to use a volt meter and read the diagram.

Otherwise, they are stupid simple vehicles to work on. If you can't figure it out, someone can probably tell you how to do it.