Howski's Defender 90 Build Thread
- Thread starter Howski
- Start date
LandRoverHyter
Adventurer
Hey fsu check out the plate my 110 came with.
LandRoverHyter
Adventurer
Thanks! I will send it your way if I ever decided to do something with it. Love your defender by the way.
Howski
Well-known member
I've done a few things over the past month or so. I made some custom floor mats out of rubber matting backed with insulation. I made mats for the front driver and passenger floors as well as the rear loadspace area. I purchased the rubber matting at Tractor Supply (~ $40) and the insulation at Lowe's ($18x3). I attached the insulation directly to the mats so I can remove them to dry easily if/when they get wet. I purchased some additional insulation to add under dash and over the transmission tunnel. This is pretty simple, inexpensive and has really made a huge difference in noise reduction. I will try to get some pictures up shortly.
This weekend I tackled the timing belt. I was a little concerned at first with the potential to knock the timing off but it really was a straightforward job. I followed this writeup which was very helpful. The only issue I had was mixing up the bolts for the timing belt cover, many of which are different lengths. A little better organization during removal would have eliminated this issue. I also checked on the valves to see if they needed adjusting but were all at the proper tolerances.
This weekend I tackled the timing belt. I was a little concerned at first with the potential to knock the timing off but it really was a straightforward job. I followed this writeup which was very helpful. The only issue I had was mixing up the bolts for the timing belt cover, many of which are different lengths. A little better organization during removal would have eliminated this issue. I also checked on the valves to see if they needed adjusting but were all at the proper tolerances.
Howski
Well-known member
Unfortunately I've had a coolant loss that has been nearly impossible to track down after replacing the timing belt and water pump. The motor has been running smoothly with plenty of power, no white smoke from the exhaust and there has been no coolant loss or exhaust smell when the expansion tank cap is off so I believe this would rule out a head gasket. Also there is no odor of coolant coming from the heater which would indicate there is not a coolant leak in the heater box. I sprung a leak in the radiator when refilling the coolant system after the timing belt and water pump replacement. This can probably attributed to an old radiator which had debris loosen up after flushing the system. I patched the leak pretty half-assed and believe this may be causing a partial blockage which is leading to coolant loss through of the overflow. I have purchased some of the green UV dye to check for any leaks as I haven't been able to find any otherwise. I've also attached a plastic bottle to the overflow tube to collect any coolant that may be pushing out due to the partial blockage. The heater has been pumping out warm air and it has been running a little warmer, although not overheating, since this condition started which leads me to believe the blockage is only partial. I think I may replace the radiator regardless as it is relatively inexpensive and the current one is not in the best shape. Any other suggestions on what to check would be appreciated.
Aside from this issue, I have gotten my storage setup finalized with the purchase of another Pelican case. I had previously been using a duffel bag however, as all Defender owners know, these vehicles do leak. This kind of led to a messy situation with the duffel bags and this setup has proven much better.
After the coolant issue is taken care of, I hope to get out on the trails as it's been something I have been needing to do.
Aside from this issue, I have gotten my storage setup finalized with the purchase of another Pelican case. I had previously been using a duffel bag however, as all Defender owners know, these vehicles do leak. This kind of led to a messy situation with the duffel bags and this setup has proven much better.
After the coolant issue is taken care of, I hope to get out on the trails as it's been something I have been needing to do.
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Howski
Well-known member
Could not for the life of me find the leak, even with the UV dye, so I took it in to get pressure tested. Well good news. The only leak was the heater lines which were replaced. It was pressure tested again showing no leaks. I will be checking the coolant level over the coming days to look for any more coolant loss. Hopefully this was issue. Moral of the story, get your coolant system pressure tested first
MtnX
New member
Mine had a slight leak - slight enough that you couldn't really chase it down, but loosing enough that you could pick up a slight odor when the engine was at operating temperature.
The way I actually found it was, after driving the truck for a bit, I shut down the engine and opened the hood. I could hear a slight whistling. The source of the whistling was the cap to the coolant reservoir.
Replaced the cap - done deal.
It is a rare occasion to have such a relatively inexpensive ($16) and labor-free repair.
The way I actually found it was, after driving the truck for a bit, I shut down the engine and opened the hood. I could hear a slight whistling. The source of the whistling was the cap to the coolant reservoir.
Replaced the cap - done deal.
It is a rare occasion to have such a relatively inexpensive ($16) and labor-free repair.
Howski
Well-known member
Still doing fine with the coolant level. Really glad it was just something small as a split hose. I have known for several months that my electric fans were not operational. These little Rover diesels run pretty cool so the only time I've had the needle move even past the halfway mark is on the trails. As I was able to look more into the setup what I found an absolute birds nest of wires. Instead of trying to patch this poorly done job, I just attached it to an on/off toggle switch. Conveniently there is already a switch and wiring from some crummy aux lamps that I have since removed. This provides a simple solution to the infrequent problem of overheating on the trails.
I have a few other larger projects planned over the next several months. The first being the deteriorating structure of the rear door. The skin is fine but insides are all but rusted out. Hopefully with a new frame and some new hinges I will be able to move the spare tire out back again. It's really a pain having it take up so much valuable room in the cargo area. Also on the to-do list is swap in a D1 rear axle. I would like to upgrade to disc brakes and 24 spline axles (for lockers and gears in the future) so this could kill 2 birds with one stone. I need to do some more research but it appears to be a straight swap with a 98'/99' Discovery 1 axle which has the 4 bolt flange.
I have a few other larger projects planned over the next several months. The first being the deteriorating structure of the rear door. The skin is fine but insides are all but rusted out. Hopefully with a new frame and some new hinges I will be able to move the spare tire out back again. It's really a pain having it take up so much valuable room in the cargo area. Also on the to-do list is swap in a D1 rear axle. I would like to upgrade to disc brakes and 24 spline axles (for lockers and gears in the future) so this could kill 2 birds with one stone. I need to do some more research but it appears to be a straight swap with a 98'/99' Discovery 1 axle which has the 4 bolt flange.
Howski
Well-known member
Sure. The cutting of the mats is pretty straightforward. Easiest to make a template out of something else first (I used trash bags) before you start cutting rubber. This stuff is surprisingly easy to cut, I just used a box cutter. Here's a link to what I got. I had some concerns over how well I'd be able to get dirt out but surprisingly they've been very easy to clean. The insulation can be cut easily with scissors. I double layered this on the back of the mats and around the transmission tunnel underneath the existing cover. I added it to the mats as opposed to the floor itself for easier cleaning and the ability to remove and dry them should they get wet. At the store there were several thicknesses but it will look like this. I'll try to snap some pictures this afternoon. Really nothing flashy about it at all but it has cut down on sound significantly and made longer trips better. If you want a little bit cleaner look, outdoor carpet could be added to the mats to spruce it up.
LR Max
Local Oaf
This is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. The truck is ugly, putting carpet into it isn't going to magically make it fancier. However knocking down the noise by 20 dB will make life so much better.
Did you put this stuff in the back as well? I'm seriously thinking about installing it in the back with thicker sound proofing since space really isn't a concern but I know tons of noise is coming through there.