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#Post#: 88900--------------------------------------------------
I survived!
DIR By: quattrofoto
Date: June 2, 2014, 2:10 pm
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Well we have moved - from Dewsbury to Middleton, Manchester. It
didn't go according to 'plan'..
An acquaintance offered to help with his work van, they get
personal use so it wouldn't cost him anything. I offered to see
him right and arranged to meet him at Middleton, that way I
could drive the Eurobox over with SWMBO and the young 'un, and
then he could drive me over the hill, enabling me to drive my
'just on the road' S2a over. A few days before the event, he
dropped the clanger that he was actually sleeping in Leeds the
night before. "Berk. you may as well meet me at Dewsbury then
and I'll figure out the plan again" I told him. I also told him
I would send him a text just for confirmation etc, which he
completely ignored. So the big day arrived and I had no idea if
the hired help was going to turn up or not. He did arrive in the
end, but was late and had someone else with him (I'm not very
keen at having some stranger going through my things to be
honest)
Luckily I had already arranged with a proper mate and she turned
up on time, and started to organise things that needed it, while
I showed the apparently useless 'man with a van' what he was
taking. Him and his mate then proceeded to stand around with
their arms crossed while I loaded things. I eventually got them
to pull their bloody finger out a bit by which time we'd lost
most of the morning. After an age of faffing around they set
off, and I loaded up the Punto, my mate loaded up her 206 and we
were off too. Once things were unloaded at the Middleton end, I
left the Punto there and went back to Dewsbury with my mate.
To cut a very long story short, I got three trips out of the van
man, but to say they can't load vans was an understatement, and
there were lots of big things left over when he proclaimed he
"had to be off for five". I could have killed him, but we sent
him on his way over with a load. Then I loaded up the 109, and
my trailer and set off myself, with the 206 in hot pursuit
loaded with delicate stuff.
The journey was, well the only way I can describe it is
'horrifyingly slow, and wrought with terror' as although the
steering has been improved, it aint right yet. With some weight
in, the brakes refuse to stop the Land Rover at all. They'll
slow it but not stop it. This can be interesting at junctions at
the end of steep downhill sections (of which there are several
on the route). By far though, the biggest issue was the speed,
or lack of it, on hills. On the flat/down hill I can get up to
55 MPH no problem, but the uphill bits were a real problem.
Going past the Halifax junction on the M62 was a nightmare - I
could just about maintain 20 - 25MPH in third with the engine
screaming as it neared 30 MPH. Changing up into fourth would see
the speed drop off rapidly so I kept it in third and speed as
constant as I could without sending the valves through the
bonnet.
I don't think the engine is at fault - there seems to be more or
less enough power available, but when I stopped at the new house
I could see a lot of oil had escaped and blathered the
underneath of the gearbox. As there is no filler plug and I
didn't have time to remove the entire floor to prise the cap out
and put more in, I just had to keep going. In the end I did
eleven round trips over five days - that is a total of 660
miles. And it's still going strong, although the gearbox has
steadily got worse and worse of course. If I'm going up, first
and second are actually ok (first is a bit crunchy to engage
from a standstill but if you're quick it'll go in...) second
then selects beautifully. Third is then a bitch as is fourth.
Going down, third from fourth is difficult but not impossible,
unless I am approaching a junction and I need some engine
braking quick, in which case it doesn't cooperate at all. Second
from third is actually fine but first will not select from
second. I've been setting off in second mostly which is actually
quite easy (which suggests there isn't a serious lack of power
to me)
So, having spent the first half of its life abused daily by
farmers, and then a quarry, and then a further twenty odd years
rotting away in various locations, then a further five years in
bits on my drive it has had to graft hard with no warm up and
it's coped fine. The gearbox is fubared but would probably keep
going for a while longer. The brakes will adjust some now
they've been used a bit. It's just the lack of speed on hills.
Apart from the lack of oil in the gearbox (which I would assume
could explain a lot) I also suspect one of the rear Wheel
bearings is a bit tight. When I've settled in I will be
investigating that further as well as sorting the timing as near
as I can.
All in all, I am actually very pleased. I can't wait to get the
various issues sorted.
#Post#: 88913--------------------------------------------------
Re: I survived!
DIR By: Arjan
Date: June 3, 2014, 2:27 am
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Sounds like a typical life for a Land Rover...
Some of them seem to love being abused
At least you got your stuff moved.
#Post#: 88919--------------------------------------------------
Re: I survived!
DIR By: johnpirate
Date: June 3, 2014, 4:38 am
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Enjoy sunny Middleton !!.Or Miggleton as the locals pronounce
it.
#Post#: 88921--------------------------------------------------
Re: I survived!
DIR By: quattrofoto
Date: June 3, 2014, 5:05 am
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It can't be as bad as Thornhill. I have already exchanged more
words with the next door neighbour in one week than I ever
managed to in five years at Thornhill. It was a strange place to
live. The guy just turned on his heal every time we tried to say
hello (for no apparent reason) and the house opposite once
accused us of being (and I quote) "drug dealers because you keep
your curtains closed, and we can't see inside". I shit you not.
Instead of speaking with us and asking us to trim a bush or
tree, I would come home from work to find a big pile of broken
off branches on our lawn. Nowt as strange as folk
#Post#: 88922--------------------------------------------------
Re: I survived!
DIR By: StuartN
Date: June 3, 2014, 6:08 am
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If it is a fair hill then 25-30 in third is about right for a
2.25. They do tend to struggle to keep speed in 4th.
The trailer won't help. But they will climb all day in third as
long as you are happy to go slow. The pressure of modern traffic
up your chuff can be a distraction. I have a sticker in the back
that says "If you think this is slow, wait until we go uphill!"
S :thumbs:
#Post#: 88923--------------------------------------------------
Re: I survived!
DIR By: johnpirate
Date: June 3, 2014, 7:03 am
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They can be friendly Middleton way depending which bit you have
planted yourself in. I,m not too far away in Chadderton and one
previous neighbour described me as the neighbour from hell
because I had two series Landrover and worked on them in my
garden.the couple who moved in after them an old couple use to
enjoy watching me work on them and we got on great, now I,ve got
asians and as long as we growl at them now and again for dumping
rubbish in the rear everythings fine.
#Post#: 88951--------------------------------------------------
Re: I survived!
DIR By: quattrofoto
Date: June 3, 2014, 3:32 pm
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No 2.25 diesel I ever had (and I've had a few) struggled the way
this one did - it definitely wasn't quite right, I wouldn't
expect it to stay in fourth on steep ish hills all the way, but
it was almost an instant 'Need to drop a cog quick!' I didn't
have that much weight in, and it was the same with or without
the trailer, I do think something aint quite right, but I am
thinking it is a combination of small things adding up to a much
more noticeable effect.
We lived in Oldham for a year before we upped sticks and moved
closer to my work (big mistake) so I know the area reasonably
well, in fact we looked at a few nice houses in Chadderton
before settling on this one. When we are back on our feet and
have everything sorted give me a shout if you need any help with
the Land Rovers (or anything really). I believe I have sourced a
gearbox replacement so that will be happening first I think. A
few minor tweaks with the steering and timing etc, and then I
intend to be building a bit of a workshop sort of thing so
hopefully I can strip it back down a bit and get things looking
a bit better and lined up properly.
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