WHAT YOU DID TO YOUR TRUCK TODAY!

RR is still not ready but been focussing on the 2.8 which is now really sick.

Have managed to find a good S/H replacement turbo off a Trooper 3.1, it has no detectable play in the rotor so well happy

Was undecided on the Chinese turbo cartridge but did find a complete brand new 3.1 turbo for £230-, don't have £230- at the mo so the hunt was on for a good S/H one.

Have a contact in Monmouth that breaks Troopers but he didn't have a complete turbo for a 3.1, it was missing the intake turbine housing so drove over on Sat to have a look if I could make it fit. No joy, it was the later style turbo and my intake housing wouldn't fit :cry:

I did have another contact in Hereford who occasionally breaks Troopers but had been unable to find his mobile no so drove there from Monmouth to see if i could track him down. Turns out he wasn't there but his breakdown wagon was and it had his mobile no on it. Finally cought up with him today and I now have the replacement unit.

Stripped old turbo off the 2.8 and managed to break a stud so off came the manifold to try and get the broken stud out. D|espite several attempts at welding on a nut it was a complete fail. Had a rummage in the shed and managed to find another manifold so it is now prepped ready for reassembly.

Trying to decide now if its worth sticking the replacement turbo on the poorly 2.8 lump or waiting until I collect the 3.1 engine.

Its a PITA trying to car share with the wife as we work different hours and both need transport, if I can get to Watford this weekend to collect the 3.1 then will probably wait, if I can't get it this weekend then its gonna have to go on the 2.8 as is and nurse it round till the end of the month

Replaced the main beam warning light and found that three of the four dash background lights had blown. All replaced and dash illuminates evenly at long last.
Thats one job ticked for the MOT.

Not all today , but recently.

Replaced rad - as there were no fins left on mine.
Replaced gearbox oil, diff oils , trans box oil (all twice to flush them of all twice to flush out all the water ) Added Molyslip
Removed the alty last night . Completelt stripped it , replaced some obvious things that weren't right and reassembled. It's working, for now at least.
Re adjusted valve clearances (again)
Removed A/C Pump and replaced with idler pulley from a 2.8 fronty
Removed utterly mangled £3.50 bash guard. Best money I ever bloody spent.

put the road tyres back on ready for towing the caravan

Finally learnt how to auto connect the bluetooth on the phone to the stereo without fiddling around with settings :thumbup:

Thats just asking for yer mate to give you a prank call for every one to hear lol

There is only ever me in this car :lol:

though I could have the window down at the lights :lol:

wonder how many times you will look at the stereo and talk at it while driving

Only the once....and after I hit the arse end of a bus I will learn :lol:

Making progress

Pulled in a favour and managed to borrow an 11 plate Isuzu Rodeo from work today, can have it for as long as I need it as it is part of their snow fleet so not in much demand at the mo :lol:

The engine in the 2.8 is unbolted and ready to lift out, only took me 70mins :shock:

The body llift is a huge bonus as you can get to the bell housing bolts and the suspension lift and tyres means I don't have to jack it up to get underneath :dance:

This is probably really sad but having broken 2 2.8's for spares plus having swapped my engine approx 4 years ago plus having the gearbox in an out a few times means I know exactly which socket/spanner/extension bars etc to use and cold probably do it in my sleep :lol:

Am off to Watford on Sat in the Rodeo to pick up the replacement engine so hoping by Sun evening to have it rolling again

And

Drilled and tapped the manifold close to the turbine housing so I could fit my EGT sensor, previously it was in an adaptor I made and bolted into the manifold where the EGR pipe was.

This adaptor is now surplus to requirements and if anyone with a 2.8 or 3.1 wants they are welcome to it

Missing, 3.5 ltrs (ish) coolant, lost somewhere on the A303 between RNAS Yeovilton and the services on the Amesbury roundabout. If anyone finds it......

That doesn't sound good, you found it yet :?:

And here is me thinking I spilt me bottle of coke :lol:

replaced track rod end!
Procedure
Undo lock nut on steering arm very slightly. Remove nut on top of ball joint. ... not possible with spanners :evil:

so loosen nut on top of ball joint as far as it will go release taper from hub steering arm and use angle grinder to cut through ball joint! :twisted:

Refit new track rod end to steering.... hope they sent me the right one! Retighten the steering arm lock nut and fit nice shiny split pin to new castle nut. Not seen one of them in a year or two!

anyway job done :dance:

twenty minutes from start to finish (was quoted £120.00 by kwikfit! They would have done both sides even though they only failed one?? Part cost me £14.00 in VAT)

Yesterday me and ste (thank you

)
Took the steering rack apart again and put it all back together with the correct geomotry and the trackings even right l!!!! :shock:

Last edited by Kevin1964 on Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Had a misterious coolant leak that i couldn't find coz of all this dam rain we had...Decided to now refill the system and check again after the sun came out :shock:

The leak turned out to be the radiator bottom plastic part due to build up of limescale pushing tank off the alloy core mounting face. I am too tight to buy another rad so decided to remove the lower plastic tank to see whats what on them. Nothing to them to be honest other than prising metal clips off each side. I then cleaned both parts but more so the inner alloy part and then used windscreen bonding adhesive to join them back together and then refit the metal clips...Hey presto no it longer leaks :thumbup:

Only time will tel if it holds out but don't see why it won't due to how strong that adhesive is...So maybe a tip for others if there rad plastic tanks go

MOT is due in two weeks time, have booked it in for tomorrow. Here's hoping. At least the dash lights all work.

Engine is out of the 2.8, had a slight moment when I realised that due to the lift I'm running the bonnet slam panel was about 2" too high to get the sump over, would the torsion bars back down and problem solved.

Stripped off clutch, flywheel, alternator, hoses etc ready to fit on the replacement lump this weekend

fitted new front discs and pads , rear ones to do when the rain stops :twisted:

took it for the MOT yesterday , bit overdue ( 6th May ) but working away hasn't helped .....

result though , coz it sailed through :dance:

just hope i'm home long enough to have some fun driving it :thumbup: