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Author Topic: Landrover Series IIa Help please  (Read 23497 times)

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Landrover Series IIa Help please
« on: November 14, 2009, 08:35:50 pm »
My 1969 IIa is a very reluctant starter in the morning and we've barely had a frost yet - God knows what it will be like when winter hits for real.  So, my question is how do I improve its starting ability.  The problem is when I drive the boys to school its a drive with alot of stopping and starting so the engine doesn't have time to warm up.  Nearly every time I have to stop I can't get my foot on the accelerator fast enough to get the revs up so it stalls on me, but if I keep the choke out then it just splutters to a stop!

Any advice would be great.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
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Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2009, 09:27:46 pm »
Do you keep it outside all night?  You cruel mummy you.   If so the poor thing is cold!  Give it a drink last thing at night - a rev up - and tuck it up in it's bed - a blanket over the engine making sure the rad grill is covered over.  Remember to take the cover off before starting up in the morning.  Oh, and buy a can of 'damp-start' to spray on the points if that doesn't work
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Fergie

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2009, 09:40:59 pm »
Hello,

I also have an old Landrover Series 2A, and the answer to poor starting is usually the same as any other old car with contact points - check the gap (16 thou), check the distributor cap condition and the HT leads.  It is also possible for the coil or condenser to give troubles starting, but less common.  A worn carburettor won't help, but is seldom the main cause if it runs OK after starting.  A good spark is important on a cold morning.

On my Landrover, the biggest improvement was by replacing the original distributor with an electronic one (from ebay), thus replacing the points & adding electronic ignition in one action.  It's been 100% reliable since - albeit other bits can wear out.

Good Luck,

John

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2009, 01:45:47 pm »
Brilliant thanks for the advice.

candpdoyle

  • Joined Jul 2009
  • whimple
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2009, 07:08:22 pm »
or your choke cable is not working properly ???   mine have always run too rich so dont need any choke, but occasionaly have come accross landies that dont run rich and they need choke until warm.. maybe just buy a weber carb..despite being the hayed they do seem better than the tired old zeniths ;)

Chris

doganjo

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Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2009, 07:54:00 pm »
Ok, you got all that techno lingo, MiriMaran ?
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Norfolk Newby

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • West Norfolk, UK
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2009, 08:04:24 pm »
1. Replace the thermostat in the cooling system. It will warm up a lot quicker. You should probably replace the antifreeze at the same time.

2. Thoroughly clean or replace the distributor cap. It will be mucky, damp, possibly cracked. After cleaning give it a good spray of WD40 inside and out.

3. You may be in need of new spark plug leads. Get a set from Magnecor or similar.

http://www.magnecor.co.uk/applications.htm

4. Clean the top of the coil and spray with WD40.

5. offer up a small prayer each morning!

Seriously, if you look at these bits and the are in good shape, it should start. Failing that, get a can of Barrs EasiStart and spray into the air inlet on the air filter. If all else fails, that will usually get it going. It's not wonderful for the engine but if you gotta go - you gotta go!!

The add-on electronic points for the distributor are a good idea if you can get a kit to do it. I still have one for when I get an old Mini or a Sprite to play with (old man's dream) but I don't know where you would find one these days.

NN
Novice - growing fruit, trees and weeds

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2009, 08:16:19 pm »
Well your all talking chinese! ;D I keep passing the laptop over to my OH to read!!!!  NN my OH says he's done all that except the thermostat and the cooling system.  Its finding the time to tinker with it is the problem.  To be fair to the Landy it does start OKish its the stalling that's a pain.  I'm just starting to worry about how bad its going to get when winter really kicks in.  I'm trying to convince my OH that we shouldn't buy Xmas presents for each other, but should spend the money on the Landy and getting a slapmarking kit for the next lot of pigs.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2009, 08:22:15 pm by MiriMaran »

doganjo

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Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2009, 08:33:03 pm »
Sounds good to me - my daughter and her husband are buying a HIP for each other (They just split their Victorian house in Stirling into two flats so need two of them) ;D
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2009, 08:39:30 pm »
Ah, so romantic!! ;D  Maybe they should tuck some rose petals into it or something!

Fergie

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2009, 08:51:09 pm »
Hi again,

I agree with NN - the Landrover has a fairly basic engine which is very tolerant of minor faults, so if all the basics are OK then it should start.

If it keeps stalling, maybe increase the idle speed a bit?  If the choke is out, a small cam on it should temporarily increase the idle speed, and it is adjustable.

If it stalls when hot & will not restart until cooled down, suspect fuel vaporisation, but this is not usually a problem in Winter!

An electronic conversion similar to the one I fitted (but cheaper than I paid two years ago!) is on ebay at the moment:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LAND-ROVER-SERIES-2-3-DEFENDER-ELECTRONIC-DISTRIBUTOR_W0QQitemZ270480682297QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item3ef9e7ad39

or just search for item number 270480682297

I assume you have a workshop manual, but if you need one just PM me with your email address & I'll send one, but it is 24Mb for the pdf file, so might be too big for your email.  Actually, if you Google for a Landrover Series workshop manual, you'll find a few sites which have pdf files for download, some broken down into sections.

Good Luck!

John



doganjo

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Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2009, 10:54:05 pm »
Ah, so romantic!! ;D  Maybe they should tuck some rose petals into it or something!
Very droll! ;) ;D ;D  Home Information Pack  Not a plant! ;D ;D ;D ;D
« Last Edit: November 15, 2009, 10:55:43 pm by doganjo »
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Fergie

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2009, 10:29:58 am »
Following my last post, I found this site:

http://webspace.mypostoffice.co.uk/~micheal1970/Teflons/0_Lo_100_Library_000.htm#03_Series

It has a lot of information on Landrovers, both old and new, including copies of the owner's manuals & workshop manuals.

Regards,

John

carl

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2009, 11:49:42 am »
You should be able to get Landie spares from Paddock motors at matlock, but most old fashioned garage mechanics should be able to help. fergie and newby seem to know what they are talking about. I got rid of a series II earlier this year and that was a notorious bad starter, partly because it was rarely used and never dried out. You can always find what you need to keep landies going, and can rebuild them in any shape you like. They can be very frustating if unreliable, but a little tlc helps.

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Landrover Series IIa Help please
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2009, 07:54:13 pm »
This Landy is the car of my dreams - I've been wanting one for 21 years - I love it! :love: :love:  You're right it needs TLC, but we are struggling to find the time and I can't bear the idea of it going off the road and then I'm stuck with the horrible Ford Mondeo! :P

Carl. my OH has been to Paddocks a few times - we have also heard of a Landy breakers yard near here (Heanor or Ilkeston), but can't find out where!!!

 

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