November 5th, 2002 (Post #10)

November 5, 2002

Yea sun. The “bouncing lock” problem is still there. But this is just in (teletype sound here), I have been locking the truck from the driver’s side. But when I lock the doors with the key, just as before, from the passenger side they bounce! So I am going to look at the passenger side first in hopes I will see an obvious problem. More to come….

November 8th, 2002 (Post #11)

November 8, 2002

Okay the very frustrating “bouncing lock” problem has gone away.

What did you do to fix it, you might ask?

This is complicated so try to stay with me. I took my son to skating last night when I got out of the truck, I hit the key fob with a confident “lock you sorry, @#$%%#” and it did! So I was thinking what have I changed?

Okay yesterday on the way home the sensor for fluid level in the expansion tank
blinked that I was low once again on coolant. I had determined last Saturday that the coolant measured 10 degrees farenheit on the “how cold can you go” antifreeze checker. That is not good enough for the climate that is coming with the Oklahoma winter so I must add more antifreeze. I stopped and got more antifreeze and added it. There is obviously a relation to the antifreeze level in the tank and it’s ability to withstand temperatures below 10 degrees farenheit and the bouncing lock problem.

Not many mechanics have the expertise to find such an obscure relationship. I now consider myself a member of the Rover mechanic elite. It’s either the fluid level/temperature tolerance OR it has been dry, as in no rain, for 4 days now. I’m pretty sure it’s one of those two things or that Rover uses antifreeze as electric locking fluid and I was just low. There is an outside chance it could be pixies or perhaps gremlins too.

November 1st, 2002 (Post #9)

November 1, 2002
I am still hoping to see the sun soon. The “bouncing lock” problem is still there. I can lock the truck with the key and then activate the alarm, no problem. But if I hit the key fob the locks lock and then unlock.
I was reading on All Data Do It Yourself about the door locks and how they work. I have learned two things since I purchased this Land Rover. Mayotte‘s chief export is ylang-ylang, and Land Rover’s have notoriously poor ground connections. So in reading when I come across a reference to “ground” it’s a safe bet that is your problem. You should fix that first. If it doesn’t fix the problem, it’s probably a component at that point. So how to fix the ground? I have not identified the location of all the components of the locking system. So until I do I am probably on the two step procedure to lock my truck.

October 21st, 2002 (Post #8)

October 21, 2002

After the rain and dreariness of Saturday gave way to sun and pleasant temperatures I declared Sunday as “Auto Maintenance Day” (echo reverb). I cleaned up the wife’s minivan and put some air in her low tire and an oil change. I also took the opportunity to change the Rover’s oil and check the fluids.

Oil change went off without any problems. The Rover was a pint low on transmission fluid. Bought a really cool fluid funnel and hose for that. But while I was under I noticed the tell-tale signs of another failing fitting on the power steering hoses. I have more of the red juice leaking under the steering box and several hoses are wet and dripping. The last time I saw this it was a split hose. When the Rover was just sitting there no major leak but when you turned the wheel, Niagara Falls. I buggered the fittings up pretty bad getting the offending hose off and had to get a new/used one from Rover Cannibal. My original plan was to remove the hose and have the fittings recrimped. JagGuy and someone else told me that was the way to go. But as it was really messed up getting another was the only option. After I butchered the fittings I attempted to have one made. This was a nightmare. In most cases this is the cheap and convienient way to get a new hose. You can also get the groovy braided lines which I am way keen on. Well the Britishness of the fittings left me with no option but to put an original Rover part back on. Braided hose disappointment.

I didn’t look too much further as my time and funds this month are limited (new carpet and tile). But probably tonight I will have RovErica turn the wheel as I watch the life blood of the power steering system leak out on to the driveway.

Clean up tip of the week (echo reverb)

I used some laundry detergent to clean up my oil spills after the oil change. Just spread some out and let it set for a little bit. Then with a broom brush it around. Sweep up the majority and wash the rest “harmlessly” down the gutter.

Sorry for the echo reverb it’s a new special effect and I am gonna use it until I wear it out.

October 10th, 2002 (Post #7)

October 10, 2002
Well, leave it to Lucas to give you fits when you least expect it. I was at the Home Depot (no I don’t live there) last night and when I pressed the key fob to lock the doors I heard the locks lock, the single honk, the lights flashed and then I heard the lock, unlock. I said “What the…” and pressed it again. I got the double honk unlock sound but no lock sound. So I walked back over to the truck and pressed it again. Again it unlocked after it locked. It did this again today at lunch. You can engage the locks manually with the key, so I did. If you are not aware of it, your truck will unlock the locks if you press your key fob when one of the doors is open. Thus preventing you from locking your keys in the car. So I’m guessing one of the sensors for this is failing. But with the Seattle-like mist wet of the past three days I am guessing this is a “wet somewhere problem”. Where to look I don’t know.
More on this if I find the culprit.