Leak found!

After some head scratching, the suggestion that the leak was coming from the oil pressure gauge turned out to be correct.

Opened up the dash and there amongst a rats nest of cables was the tube leading to the gauge, with not one but three different holes in it. All look like they had been touched with a soldering iron.

I guess the misfire the other day with the pops and bangs it had shocked the pipe enough to finally crack.

The next task is trying to fit the barbed insert back into the shortened pipe, boiling water isn't quite hot enough and the heat gun is too hot.

I shall have a go at making a clamp block to use to hold the pipe secure while I apply some percussion to the   insert.

Finding the oil leak

One of the more urgent problems is that there is engine oil leaking at the back of the engine onto the bulkhead. Some is draining down in front of the fuel pump, the rest flows down through into the top left of the drivers foot-well.

There is a pipe running from between the carbs that goes off behind the heater, which I now think is part of the heater system. I will try and trace it all out next weekend.

Another photo showing the general layout

And one showing a higher angle

The smelly bits - Part 1

First fun job completed, have just changed the gearbox and transfer box oils.

Stripped out the access panels in the cockpit to try to ascertain where the footwell oil was coming from, but cannot see anything obvious.

While it was all apart it is a fairly simple job to drain and refill the transmissions. A little worrying was the amount of gear oil that came out, certainly not as much as it should have been.

Time will tell whether any long term problems have been caused.

The engine

This is supposedly a mid 80's Rover SD1 3500, I shall find the serial number and confirm it soon.

It is not running clean atm, so I will start reading up on Hif6 SUs and how to fix.
One task that looks fairly simple is fitting a fuel filter after the pump, there may be one nearer the tank but another won't hurt.

A couple of photos to start with.

These are two of the photos from the advert.

 As you can see, it is in fairly rough condition, but so far seems to be fairly robust underneath. 

I wouldn't want a pristine one due to the life it is going to lead. As delivered it has no front propshaftl, there are a few boxes of spares, some manuals and a spare set of wheels.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the Big Litter Tray, home of 4cAtS.

A recent convert to Land Rover products has led me to this. I am since early 2011 the owner of a 2006 Discovery 3 and now a 1956 Series 1 88" which has been converted from the original 2.0l petrol engine to a mid 80's 3.5l Rover SD1 lump.

This 88" has been bought with the intention of using it for green laning, general off-roading and to compete in RTVs.

As a part of owning such a car there is a lot to learn about maintenance and usage, which with the help of my Sons and the tolerance of my Wife, I shall try to do, document and share.

Cheers,
4cAts