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April 6, 2017May 16, 2023

Lucas Elimination Part Duex (Post #572) 4/6/2017

If you’ve been following along with my plan to eliminate my Lucas ignition system you know we’ve had some struggles. Remember the goal, to replace the expensive and moderately reliable Lucas parts with easy to source, available in nearly any auto parts store, inexpensive (sometimes with a lifetime warranty) ignition parts.

No one wants to pay 200$(US)+ for an ignition module that takes 5 days to arrive from one of the coasts or 100$(US)+ for an ignition coil when you damn well know that a similar coil and ignition module for a 1977 Chevy Nova costs 75$(US) and both have a lifetime warranty. Before I owned this Land Rover I had never experienced an ignition module or coil failure….NEVER, on a dozen cars across the entire spectrum of vehicles I have driven.

Our current issue, while we have managed to source an ignition module for 25$(US) and a coil for just under 50$(US) the ignition modules are failing at a rate a great deal worse than the Lucas setup. Think, every 2 weeks I’m replacing an ignition module. I carry TWO spares just in case.

This is in all actuality worse than the Lucas setup. A great deal of science has gone into the conditioning of the voltage and current going into the module and coil. A lot of thought by people a great deal smarter than me has gone into figuring out what is causing the failure of the GM modules we are using to replace Lucas. We’ve come down to this, we need a coil that has higher resistance than the coil we originally sourced. So to that end we now have an ignition module AND coil from a 1977 Chevy Nova with the L6 engine. Matter of fact this is the coil used on 965 different models of cars look at the list here. There’s even 32 models of Jeep on that list! Even with all the models using this coil, this is not a coil commonly stocked at your neighborhood O’Reilly’s. That is a bit disappointing but it is to be expected. The ignition module which is the more common of failure points, is a very common GM part and available in most auto parts stores.

So if you are trying to do the same to your beloved Land Rover.

The coil is a BWD – Ignition Coil Part # E41 available for 23.99$(US) Lifetime Warranty

The ignition module is a BWD – Ignition Control Module Part # CBE4P available for 29.99$(US) Lifetime Warranty

I’ll be installing these this weekend and will keep you apprised of any additional failures and what we are doing to eliminate them. During a fit of frustration recently I purchased a new Lucas ignition module and official coil and I am prepared to put them back in and scrub this experiment. I was able to find them on Amazon.com below the cost of some Land Rover parts sites you have seen online and with my Prime membership they came to the house in TWO DAYS! That will work. It won’t work if I’m stuck in the middle of the Comanche National Grasslands 30 miles or more from the nearest parts store, so I guess I’ll be carrying a spare from here on out, perhaps even two spares.

I’m hoping to have a reliable rig for an Oklahoma Overland Group run to the western part of the state at the end of this month. If you think you’d like to go check out the Oklahoma Overland Group on the Facebook.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

June 6, 2016May 16, 2023

Tunes (Post #560) 6/6/2016

I got a wild hair this weekend and decided to see if I could get my radio reinstalled. I’ve been using the cell phone for my tunes and news for quite a while. I thought it might be nice to have tunes and my Weather Band back on-board provided by something other than my phone.

In all honesty I could care less about local radio. The “We’re OVERSTOCKED car ads” alone make me want to drive off a bridge to my certain death. I mean seriously, how is the fact you were stupid enough to become “overstocked” on automobiles make you think I need to come down and buy one? If you are that bad at managing your business I’m certainly not going to help you continue to be stupid. Darwinism isn’t just for animals, you feel me? I listen to KGOU NPR in the morning. I really hate listening in the election years because they start leaning to left so much it makes me want to yell at the radio. Our neighbor Hardluck Jim’s weekend Blues show is a true bright spot. I also like KOSU’s The Spy programming. It’s always something you are never going to hear on the other commercial stations. And how many radio shows do you know of that pair rock-n-roll with a bottle of wine?

Back to on-board tunes, I got the radio reinstalled. I scavenged some parts mainly the antenna wires from Ole’ Blackie and that made it all possible. Once I got the wires behind the radio sorted out and the rear heater tubes sorted out the radio slid right in. I turned her and the magical air waves came across the speakers but it seems my sub-woofer is not working.

The speakers in the back were never great. Also the speakers in the doors were buzzing badly. I had already replaced the door speakers once around 12 years ago or more. You can imagine how bad the rear one’s were considering they had been delivered with her from the factory.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Pioneer. My first and only “boom box” was a Pioneer (SK-210). I miss that old thing. Jack Shepard and Bill Colston borrowed it when they drove to south Texas to retrieve Jack’s stolen Honda motorcycle. Bill’s truck didn’t have a radio. I remember their comment, that sucker really eats the batteries. There is one on eBay as of this writing and at 79.99$(US) I think its more expensive than the one I bought new back in 1983. I had friends who had Pioneer car stereos. Good times…

I digress, I went to Best Buy and bought two sets of speakers.

The blue-coned speakers are the old replacement ones. The originals were already in the bin. The TS-G1045R’s will suit me fine. I’m not an “audiophile”. I know people who’ve spent more on a car sound system than I’ve paid for some cars I’ve owned. I like loud tunes as much as the next guy. But I’m not going to spend the “Gross National Product of Chad” to have them. Hell, I don’t even have air conditioning yet. I’d rather spend a thousand dollars having cold air blowing on me all summer. Maybe if I got that fixed perhaps Mrs. Okierover might even ride in the Big White Bus again? Stranger things have happened.

Some observations…

I’d really like to plug my phone into the on-board sound system. But if the sub-woofer is toast what would be the point? I know John Monahan will put an AUX input on this model of radio. I’m not sure what that would cost.

The plastic bits on the dash are starting to become terribly brittle. If only there was a warehouse somewhere that had OEM parts sitting on the shelf that I could source. Maybe there is such a thing in England, highly unlikely in the good Old United States of America.

That’s all for now except you’ve probably noticed the new format. I hope you like the new look of the blog. I thought the site needed an update and I really liked this one. I’m still messing with it so be patient with me.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

January 28, 2016May 16, 2023

Wrecked (Post #553) 1/28/2016

An irresponsible and distracted driver decided to take their eye off the road and reach down for a bottle of spaghetti sauce that rolled off her seat. The result? She rammed the Big White Bus while it was parked on the street outside my Uncle’s retirement home. The financial damage? Of course they want to “total” my Range Rover.

The only consolation is she totaled her car as well. Her husband was pissed. Perhaps this will be a lesson to her to be more attentive when she is driving. After the cops came and took a report, the husband got in the Hyundai and drove it home. No coolant, airbags hanging, hood blocking 50% of the road in front of him.

It used to be a 2014 Hyundai something or other. She hit the BWB hard enough to deploy her airbags. My guess, 30+ miles per hour in a 25 mph zone. She said, “I didn’t expect a vehicle to be there.” Famous last words. Good thing it wasn’t someone out trying to get some exercise walking where my Range Rover was parked.

In the light of day the Range Rover doesn’t look too bad. The repair estimate was above 4900$(US). The Allstate insurance company doesn’t believe these classic Range Rovers are worth the money they are claiming off the internet. That’s just my luck.

The damage is the left rear fender, left light assembly, the bumper, and the lower tailgate. The driver’s side rear door will not open any longer. She got me hard enough to move the inner panel. I am taking her insides out this weekend to assess the damage and get her ready for repair.

I was able to get the exhaust repaired in time to go with the Oklahoma Land Rover Owner’s group “Osage Adventure”. More about that in another post. My good friend Jag Guy says we can sort this out. That didn’t stop me from looking at possibly getting another Land Rover Discovery. The money is not there at this time. I’m still looking, maybe things will work out for me. The insurance is still not settled. I could sell some bits off the Range Rover and make up the difference. A Disco is still on the table…but I’ll have to see.

So what did we learn?

This is a major inconvenience. I have to take up several weekends of my friend’s time to help me and my own time. It cost me two days of vacation to get the BWB where I could continue to drive her. I can’t afford another car payment. The financial crisis finally came home to roost last year and we are tapped out.

Insurance companies are in this for them not you. I know that is an obvious statement. Insurance companies will always try to get out of paying you what the fair market value is for your older vehicle. You can claim your pristine classic Land Rover is worth 10,000$(US), but if the insurance company thinks it’s worth 2 thousand…guess what.

These Land Rovers are TOUGH. That is all the damage a car that passes for a modern crossover SUV did going 30+ mph. Plastic bumpers and Styrofoam were no match for the Range Rover.

I’ll post more about the wreck and the repair after the insurance is settled.

Oddly enough I found this quarter on the road after the wreck.

Arches National Park. I’m taking as a sign I need to plan a trip to Moab.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

March 10, 2015May 16, 2023

Heater Fan Resistor Details (Post #529) 3/10/2015

I’ve gotten several requests for the details of the fan resistor for the Range Rover Classic. The latest one came in from Patrick in France. Yes, that France, the one in Europe. He is the happy owner of a 1991 Classic Vogue SE with 4 doors and the 3.9 not catalysted engine in magnificent Beluga Black. Sorry no pictures.

His problem is the same as several of you had last winter that of trying to find a heater resistor to purchase. They are often difficult to find. He sent me a picture I posted the last time I replaced mine. Unfortunately for him the picture was not high enough resolution to make out the part numbers. You see, he is keen to make his own.

So I went out and removed mine and took down the details and took some photos.

Getting to it is relatively simple.
You remove the louver from the passenger side intake. It just takes a flat-head screw and a gentle touch. Remember your plastic bits are 20+ years old and are prone to breaking.

Once it’s out of the way remove the filter material. I have replaced mine with some air filter material I picked up from one of the big box stores. It’s cheap and sturdy.

I had to drill out the rivet. You can see it on the far side in the picture below. That was easy enough. Yours may also be riveted. Whatever, you need to be able to rivet it back or use a screw.

And you have the resistor…simple.

The official part number for a resistor pack is PRC 8010.
The part numbers on the resistors are…
RIEDON452 UAL-50 .5Ω 5%
RIEDON452 UAL-50 1.5Ω 5%
RIEDON452 UAL-50 2.0Ω 5%

This one is an Atlantic British version. According to their website as of today March 10, 2015 they are in stock.
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/PRC8010

This is cost prohibitive for Patrick due to the crappy exchange rate of dollars to euros, shipping, import tax, duty tax, it road in the back of a truck tax, more than one person handled the package fee, and five more taxes we’ve never even heard of I’m sure. SO, I also found them at Island 4×4 in the United Kingdom, currently in stock. Hopefully this won’t be so bad.
http://www.island-4×4.co.uk/heater-resistor-britpart-da4178resistor-p-7373.html

So if you are keen like Patrick you can source the resistors from the interwebs for just a few dollars and if you are handy with a soldering iron you can put your own together.

http://riedon.com/resistors/view/aluminum-housed-wirewound-resistors-ual

I wish you the best of luck getting a ready-made one or making one yourself.

Merci beaucoup Patrick for emailing.

UPDATE:

Patrick Ferrage emailed us a very nice drawing and schematic of the resistors and the wiring harness. This is top work and makes building one by hand a very simple matter. Once again thank you Patrick.

To the rest of you, thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

July 26, 2014May 16, 2023

Garage Day – July 26, 2014 (Post #507) 7/26/2014

It was another hot Saturday in Central Oklahoma. The temperature made it to 102 F in Norman. Even with the temps as nasty as that we don’t stop work because we might get a little sticky and sweaty. We just turned on the fans and opened up the doors.

The Evil German Dude had us all over for some electrical fun. I know you’re thinking, Land Rover…Electric…sweet! Well not this weekend. The modifications were for Magnum Mike and Paparazzi Ford. Both of them had some seriously unimpressive factory wiring.

First was Magnum Mike’s Dodge Magnum. The work was to upgrade the ground. On this model of Magnum the battery is located in the trunk. That’s Mike sitting and sweating in the back of the very impressively modified Magnum. It is a true hot rod. He drove us to lunch one day. I’ve never been so scared and excited since Eric Kammerlocher took me for a spin in his Corvette back in the 1980’s.

The standard from the factory ground wire was a very small wire maybe 8 AWG. Compared to a normal battery cable the ground is about a fourth of the size it should be. The battery terminals are a simple flat metal. Not nearly the beefy terminals EGD uses normally.

You can see the flat metal and small wire in this image.

So the plan was to swap out the cables. EGD doesn’t do anything “half-assed”. The new cables were 2/0. Yes…two aught.

This wire chart should give you a great comparison.

We tease EGD but he knows his electrics. He has all the tools and always has the fittings, connectors, and heat shrink wire just about anything. The hydraulic crimping tool is pretty impressive too. So when you hear me talking about upgrading my battery cables you know why I am taking the Range Rover over to the evil lair.

The crimping dies had to be modified. Here EGD makes another minor correction to the tool’s die.

You can see in the next picture that they got the cables in place and the battery strapped back in.

Paparazzi Ford brought his Jeep Commander over with a very persnickety start problem. Basically something was wrong with the battery cables that would disable the vehicle. He would futz with it, the Jeep would start for a few days then quit him again.

He drove to EGD’s evil lair but when his turn came up the truck would not start. He popped the bonnet and I simply twisted the positive battery cable just a bit and the Commander started. Being as Jeep is now owned by Chrysler/Dodge the same type of battery terminals are being used.

Upon further inspection it turned out to be a very corroded connector. Swapping the terminals out had to be done. Here the crimping tool is used to marry the cables to the terminal.

Heat shrink is moved into place.

And here the heat gun heats the shrink wrap.

I couldn’t stay longer. JagGuy promised to take a look at my air conditioning. As you have no doubt read or have seen in my video blog my A/C is out. I’ve been chasing fully functional air conditioning in my Range Rover for years.

So JagGuy mentioned at lunch on Friday that he had a freon sniffer. Such a handy device.

He was keen on my idea to swap the AC compressor for a more common unit from a Chevy. The hoses would need to be custom-made. Before making all the effort to reinvent the system he said we should find out what has failed. Is the hoses? Is it the compressor? Is the radiator leaking? The only way to find out was to test for leaks.

I didn’t take a picture of the sniffer in action its sensor is an audio one. We sniffed the system and found that the front seal on the compressor had failed.

JagGuy suggested I go to the company that bought out Oklahoma Auto Air. They do all manner of compressors and hoses. The compressor on the Range Rover is basically a Sanden 709. So next week I’m going to drop by their shop and get the details. Hopefully I’ll have some air conditioning the week after I get back from my 25th wedding anniversary trip.

The weather is going to cool off this next week so my daily commute won’t be the 35 minute drive in an oven. Mrs. JagGuy has told JagGuy that she wants to drive a Land Rover Discovery II. They are looking for a good one. I can’t wait for them to go with us on a jaunt.

EGD is working with a company that has some pretty cool lighting solutions. I’m looking at them for some possible trail lighting. I’ll get back to that when I investigate further.

And in other news…he was only kidding about buying a Dodge.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

April 9, 2014May 16, 2023

SCARR – Day Four (Post #481) 4/9/2014

Sunday the sun came up as expected in the east and we realized it was time to go home. We started packing up the kit. The tent fit in the amazingly small bag with a little coaxing. The boxes were all loaded and I lashed everything down on the roof rack.

John and Jayden were keen to caravan with us home. It couldn’t hurt to have a support vehicle after what we had just put our Rovers through. We agreed to meet at the main pavilion.

The night before after I found my on-board air compressor, I had aired up my tires . When we got to the top it turns out they have an airing station right there on the site. What a great amenity to have for the off-roaders. Continue reading “SCARR – Day Four (Post #481) 4/9/2014”