THE CHEAPEST REPLACEMENT PART for a Land Rover EVER (Post #226) 12/11/2010

I started this Saturday out with a cup of hot cocoa in my Fox Battery 2nd Battalion 14th Marines mug and a hope of getting a lot done. The weather report had today getting worse as the day progressed. By the time I knocked off for the day to watch the Army / Navy (Go Navy) football game, the wind was gusting over 30 mph from the north. With an air temperature around 48(F) that makes for an unpleasant work environment in my north facing garage. At a minimum, I wanted to finish what I had started last weekend.

Last weekend I was supposed to be scraping deer hides with my friends. Those plans changed and I was instead home for the weekend. Mrs. OkieRover and I went to a friends house to watch the last Big XII championship football game between our beloved University of Oklahoma Sooners and their long time rival the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The company of my friends is always welcome and it was good to sit and all six of us fuss about the play calling in a tight game. The Sooners triumphed over the bug eaters from the North.

My friend had prepared quite a spread for us. We had chili, lots of finger foods, sushi, and lots of sweets. We enjoyed a bottle of wine and had a great night. Well I can say it started great and ended the next morning with me in the toilet with either a food allergy or food poisoning. I ate the sushi as I always do, but something served did not agree with me. I say food allergy because at one point my hands and feet and ears itched. In any event it ended my weekend early.

The day before all the parts I ordered arrived. I went through the parts and sorted them.

Before the evening activities I was able to go to O’Reilly’s and get some power steering fluid and spare hose clamps. I also asked about replacing the power steering hose that runs from the pump to the reservoir. It is just a length of hose, no pressure fittings. O’Reilly’s did not carry any hoses that would hold up to oils and together we came up with P & K Equipment. They are a John Deere (TM) dealer and do a steady trade in equipment and parts.

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As I arrived I learned from the sign posted there at the counter that they make hoses. So that was good news for me as I knew they would have the type of hose I needed. I handed him the length of hose I wanted to replace and off he went. He was back in a few minutes with a cut length and asked if there was anything else. I described the flange types Land Rover uses for the power steering hoses and expected him to either stare blankly back at me or shrug me off. Instead, he said, “yeah that’s an inverted flange, we can make those.” No shit? No shit. I told him I’d bring the next hose that leaked down to him to see if he could make a replacement.

I was ready to go and he rung me up. I retrieved my debit card to pay for the hose and the young man said, “that’ll be a dollar fifty five.”
I said, “1.55?”
He said, “yep”.
I said, “hang on” as I had that in change in the car and went out to fetch it. With this purchase, I think I have set the record now for THE CHEAPEST REPLACEMENT PART for a Land Rover. Atlantic British lists this hose for 47.95$(US). For you math nerds out there that is a 96.77% savings. YES!

I’m very interested in seeing if they can indeed make the high pressure hoses and how much they might cost. I love finding savings like this.

I reattached all the hoses and today I filled it with power steering fluid. I chose power steering fluid instead of my normal routine of using automatic transmission fluid (ATF). I am looking for leaks and this area is already the location of the transmission cooling lines. We know those have the crimson ATF fluid running through them. So to differentiate I put power steering fluid in the power steering fluid system. The power steering fluid I bought is clear, that way if either are still leaking I’ll know which system has the leak by the color of the fluid leaking out.

In addition to all this steering work, I put the lamps in their sockets where the bulbs needed to be replaced. I then decided to take the Rover to the car wash to put some hot soapy water on the hoses. I need to find the leak and with clean dry hoses if there is a leak it should show up quickly. I should see weeping on the hoses or even a drip on the butcher paper I put down to watch for new leaks.

On the way to the car wash I was able to get the Range Rover through all the gears. As you remember I think I may have burned the 4th gear in my transmission. I put in fresh fluid and the shift points couldn’t have been better. I know this is no measurement of the condition of my transmission, but I was happy to see it shifting well.

Here is the list of projects as of today. I’ve struck the projects I’ve completed.
Projects

  • Brake discs
  • Brake reservoir
  • Bushings
  • Viscous Coupling
  • Rust in the bed
  • Rust on the lower tailgate
  • Rust in the front footwells
  • Broken axle
  • Transaxle shifter solenoid
  • Complete fluid service partially done
  • Power steering hoses
  • Head liner
  • Sun roof
  • Rusted floor pans
  • Windshield Seal
  • Tires
  • Sound system
  • Door locks
  • Transmission problems

Not vital but needed eventually.

  • Springs and shocks
  • Air conditioning

That is all for now. Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.