Introduction, and my Series IIA

[brandoninaz]

Hey guys, I think this is my first post here (I've been lurking a long time) and I just want to say how much this site has helped me with my Disco. I'm sure it'll be the same for my newly acquired Series.

To introduce myself, I'm 19 years old, in the Navy, and stationed in Augusta, GA (go figure). I've got myself a serious addiction to surfing, and in the last year, Land Rovers. Last September I bought myself a 2001 Disco, and during this last month I bought a 1971 Series IIA (a PO changed moved headlamps off the wings).

I bought the Series in Atlanta, leaving a 160 mile drive home to Augusta... Since I have bought it, before I could even take it home, I had to replace the fuel pump, starter, and a brake line. It seems I have had a nice baptism by fire into the club of Series ownership. Today I finally brought the car home, and man it was a long, sloooow drive... but I've gotta admit, I love driving it. The transmission is leaking, so I bought the full gasket set to fix it. And the idle is a little bit rough, sometimes it just stumbles and dies. Under the throttle it runs great though, so I figure it will just be a matter of adjusting the idle on the carb. There may be debris in the tank too I'm thinkin'. None of the gauges work either. The car does seem to be in pretty decent condition despite these problems.

Well I'll try my luck at uploading some pics, expect some more pics and some questions as I wrench away on this thing.

[zed]

Good luck. After a couple hours in the rover today, I really wonder how people commute with them and take them cross country.. especially in hot climates. But, I've also got an arthritic knee that really doesn't like the clutch pedal position.

I've replaced a few seals and gaskets on my transmission. I don't think the transmission is doing anything but leaking more.
Seriously.. it leaks something fierce . I can't even figure out where its leaking from. Its just wet everywhere.
I just make sure not to park it in my driveway, and check the fluids.

THey are old. Seems every single day I'm ordering something.. But.. it all goes together pretty easily, and as long as i'm happy with "allmakes" brand, its pretty cheap.

[dsfloyd]

Good luck with the new series, and welcome to the club. I love driving mine but haven't quite felt like commuting to work in it. Rush hour traffic in San Diego can be a pain with the non synchro gears. And I think I've made it up to 55 mph going down hill with a tail wind. Have fun with it.

[brandoninaz]

Well, we've spent the weekend together in the garage and I've learned quite a bit about my newest love/annoyance. The problem with the idling is that the car is running rich, at least I'm pretty sure that's why. I'm getting some darker smoke coming out of the pipe at idle and acceleration, and my plugs had some serious carbon fouling.

I've deduced that my jets are probably getting stuck open due to debris, making my mixture too rich. Although I have not yet taken the carb apart, it makes sense, as I've noticed quite a bit of junk in the bottom of my fuel sediment bowl off of my pump. I tried to adjust my fuel mixture on the carb (Zenith 361V), but to no avail. Next week I'll reseal my gas tank, replace my fuel lines, clean my jets, and brush off the new plugs I just put in, and go from there.

If anyone has any other "Rover Specific" explanation for this problem, that I may not have thought of, please do let me know. This is my first car that I've ever done much wrenching on myself. With my Discovery, I have only done things like oil, changing brake pads and rotors, and taking a door panel off.

I also have taken the roof rack off, and would like to give it away to anyone who could use it. It's kind of rusty, but looks as if it can be cleaned up. The owner would probably want to replace all of the nuts and bolts, because the current ones are mismatched and in rough shape. If you know of anyone around the Augusta area that would like to pick it up for free, send 'em my way.

[brandoninaz]

Oh, yeah, dsfloyd,

Despite the problems I've had thus far, the car actually drove really well. According to my friend, who was following me home, we averaged 45-50 mph going home (my speedo doesn't work). We even hit 57 at one point, but I never mashed the pedal to find the top speed. I was kinda impressed, she did get pretty noisy at that speed though. 45 mph seems to be the perfect cruising speed from what I could tell. Even with my rich mixture situation, I still averaged 17 mpg on the trip home.

[zed]

THe timing on these things can be picky. Maybe its just not getting good combustion. Time it by ear. Advance till you get pinging under load. Then back it off a touch.
I've been doing it for years (ever since I drove off with a timing light still on the rear bumper of a bug I was working on noticed it the second it pulled off my plug wire). Seems to be the best way to get decent performance out of an older vehicle on new gas.

It may have crud in it.. or have worn needle seats. In my experience crud always made it run lean. On my last VW I would constantly have to rev it up and put my hand on the top of the carby sucking all the fuel out the top to clear the little ethanol junk that seems to build up in these things. Ended up running one of my jets loose just to let junk get by it.

[greenmeanie]

[quote=zed;211181]Good luck. After a couple hours in the rover today, I really wonder how people commute with them and take them cross country.. especially in hot climates. But, I've also got an arthritic knee that really doesn't like the clutch pedal position.
QUOTE]

1 1/2 years and 2 Arizona summers (Last year had 100+days of 100°F weather) of commuting 1000 miles a week in my '71 IIA. Bestop Jeep seats, molded matt for sound insulation and a Roverdrive. She rumbles along at 65 - 70 mph. Only hardship was I managed to burn the hair off my toes and am now only partially deaf. You just learn to sit back, mellow out and realise you'll get there eventually and will have fun doing so. It ain't a modern vehicle so don't try and push it like one.

Cheers
Gregor

[zed]

Yea.. too loud.. Exhaust fumes .. its just what you're used to. When I was younger and could only afford/ only wanted "jalopies" I didn't have any problem with it. Its unsafe .. and a chore to drive.. most of all.. the horrible traffic does get to my knee...
But its an awful lot of fun, I always have something like this in my paddock... It will never be my daily driver tho. Maybe If I move back out to the north shore. But living in town...

I love driving the rover.. but it would wear on me after a while. I also listen for a living.. seriously... it does take a toll on the hearing. I'm already borderline, barely passing my hearing tests on retests... you know.. spending a weekend with earplugs in.. so I can pass on monday.. I have my kids wear ear plugs in the rover if we're going over 30 or so for any time.

[brandoninaz]

Well my roof rack is spoken for, just waiting to have it picked up next week.