 | Home > My Defender > 1989 Ninety CSW - Update: 8 cylinders |
 
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| Co1 Member Since: 19 Aug 2018 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 3685   
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2nd Jun 2022 5:25am |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504 
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Keeping up the momentum... continued harvesting bits off the old chassis to put on the new one, it has left a sad looking grave of the old chassis
 Click image to enlarge Got the pedal boxes moved over meaning I could then start making up the new brake lines: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Then began attacking the wiring loom which I'll need to spend a bit of time tidying up and continuity testing at some point: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Then put the exhaust manifolds on and started fiddling with the bracketry for the power steering pump and alternator: Click image to enlarge Steadily chipping away at the long to-do list Matt.
'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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5th Jun 2022 9:04pm |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504
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Lot of progress in the last month, getting very close to having it back on the road
Keeping it photo heavy and picking up from the last post - Main wiring loom fed through and showed up in situ: Click image to enlarge Dash installed around it: Click image to enlarge I took the opportunity to relocate the front speakers to their correct position in the lower dash. Also shown there is the fuel tank with the Bearmach electric pump mounted on a fabricated bracket. Propshafts, handbrake and exhaust also installed here. The exhaust is a DIY mongrel of bits - RRC headers and downpipes into a Def V8 collector and married up to a 300tdi Def centre box and tailpipe using a few bits of flexi and generic pipe. A lot of faffing but hopefully at least some of the exhaust gas ends up at the tailpipe
Next up the rear tub went on after I'd installed the YRM seatbelt repair brackets - very sturdy bits of kit! Click image to enlarge More shiny YRM bits to sort out the seatbox - the side panel repairs, a new battery box and a wider aperture flange plate for the R380 tunnel: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge All nicely riveted into place and made a tidy repair job. Continuing on then with the wings and other bulkhead furniture: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Excess galv on the vent flap pin holes on the new bulkhead made that a surprisingly lengthy job! I then tackled some more engine jobs, sorted out a throttle cable for the carb using a throttle cable for a LHD 300tdi, just the right length
Click image to enlarge Then came the massive headache of coolant pipework - the top hose I could reuse from the old setup however the bottom hose needed two tee-offs (one for the header tank and the other for the heater matrix return) in a very short distance which took a lot of digging about in boxes of old hoses. All plumbed in to a new full-width V8 rad with the electric fan setup I had on the previous engine. An eternity spent with a multimeter also led to a full complement of working front lights Click image to enlarge With an ignition system also rigged up I was now ready for a first time fire up of the rebuilt engine and in need of a big boost - first turn of the key and it was clear something was very wrong - petrol vapour was blowing out of the top of the carb and there was no hint of firing. Compression testing showed not a lot going on so I figured I got the timing wrong, indeed the cam sprocket can be fitted either way round and I had mistaken a casting feature for a timing mark putting the valve timing out. Click image to enlarge Whipped the rocker covers and timing case off, thankfully no damage done, quick correction and it started first time with the happy burble of a V8 A very satisfying moment and inspiration to keep pressing on
Then came a load more bodywork faffing, not least because inevitably the doors didn't fit so out came the scissor jack until they did: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Also replaced the rotten tub cappings: Click image to enlarge More furniture added to the engine bay (washer bottle, power steering, headlight relays etc): Click image to enlarge And finally took it out to the field for the first test drive
Click image to enlarge Got it up to temperature and tested lots of bits - brakes, high/low ratios, diff lock, steering bump stops, electric fan, hot idle setting etc. Really enjoyed driving it again, even if it was brief and the V8 sound track already making up for all the headaches it has caused in the rebuild. This post effortlessly skims over the countless hours of hiccups, problems, skinned knuckles and many mutterings of "that's just Land Rover build tolerances", probably making it all look quite easy  but there probably isn't sufficient bandwidth on the Def2 server to list all the intricacies of a rebuild - tis all good experience
Just finishing touches to do now before putting it in for an MOT  Matt.
'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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23rd Jul 2022 9:01pm |
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| LR90XS2011 Member Since: 05 Apr 2011 Location: bickenhill Posts: 3646 
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DEFENDER 90 TDCI XS,
I hope everyone is well and your land rovers make you happy |
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31st Jul 2022 4:48am |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504
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MOT passed
Couple of bits of advice from the garage on things to sort/neaten up but in general it's a good result
Click image to enlarge Now done about 80 miles in it, very much enjoying the lazy V8 driving style. Last night I noticed some oil on the timing cover and flywheel housing, looks like the valley gasket is leaking which I suspect is actually a bigger problem with crankcase pressure on my breather setup as the gasket looks to have a bit of a bulge in it, going to investigate today. Click image to enlarge Nice to have it back on the road Matt.
'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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31st Jul 2022 10:20am |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504
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The V8 badges are already on Procta 
Click image to enlarge Matt. '89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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31st Jul 2022 10:22am |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504
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Now done around 2000 miles in it, remarkably trouble-free and extremely enjoyable motoring. I'm averaging 18.2mpg on E10 petrol, not too bad really.
Got a few snaps from the summer: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge And also one when caught out in a storm
Click image to enlarge The valley gasket oil leak was indeed brought on by a crankcase pressure issue, got my breather setup a bit wrong, sorted now but I think it's still leaking a bit when hot so might need to have another go at sealing it at some point Click image to enlarge Also changed my needles n jets in the Edelbrock for the correct ones for a 3.5, was running rather rich before although it didn't seem to have much of an effect on MPG. Click image to enlarge A good few months of motoring Matt.
'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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17th Nov 2022 12:52pm |
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| diesel_jim Member Since: 13 Oct 2008 Location: hiding Posts: 6104 
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That looks a really nice tidy 90. Tyre size suits it perfectly.
Got to love the V8 burble. |
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17th Nov 2022 6:40pm |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7907 
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Great work, looks amazing, credit to you!
  James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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17th Nov 2022 8:17pm |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504
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Been doing some winter-proofing fixes and stuff that never got sorted after the rebuild: Finally got the YRM door bottom seals fitted all round, and sorted the driver's side windscreen demister pipe
Click image to enlarge Then out for a chrimbo eve cruise through the wolds 
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Matt. '89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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24th Dec 2022 3:34pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 03 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 5208
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Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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24th Dec 2022 7:04pm |
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| trickster5000 Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 504
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Exmoor seat re-trim kit and heated seat retro fit day
Had the kit lying around for a while but decided to stop procrastinating and get on with it as seat heaters would be handy at the minute. Overall it wasn't as bad to fit as I was expecting, did the retrimming in one day and wired up the heaters the next morning - probably could do it all in one day but would recommend setting aside 2 days to do it slowly and carefully. Started with the driver's seat base, largely just following Exmoor Trim's very good instruction sheet, not forgetting to stick the heater pads on before putting the new cover on. The covers are a really good fit for the new foams and are very well made. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I found the seat backs to be much more challenging - first bit isn't too bad, starting with the cover inside out using the provided cable ties to fix the cover to the seat frame webbing about a third of the way down, and then work the rest of the cover down, keeping as much tension as possible. Aaaand then pulling half of it back up because you forgot to put the heater pad on 
The awkward bit (and my fingertips are still sore) is stretching the fabric around the bottom of the seat back to meet up with the other side and clip the sides together. This was very tight indeed but does mean when you finally succeed, the cover is nice and taught with no wrinkles Click image to enlarge Bolted the seats back in, much comfier and the fabric is far superior to the awful vinyl in previously. Click image to enlarge As for the heated seat wiring - the loom only takes an ignition live and I didn't fancy chugging all that current through the little ignition live source I have at the cubby box presently. So I wired in a relay in the battery box to flick on with ignition but draw the current directly off the battery. The rest of the loom I hid under the cubby box and drilled a hole in either side for the switches. Overall a pretty tidy solution and the seat heaters make a huge difference on cold mornings. Click image to enlarge Got a few other interior upgrades in the post but otherwise enjoying some more trouble free miles for now Matt.
'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html |
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31st Dec 2022 4:18pm |
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| BrickBox Member Since: 05 Oct 2021 Location: Wales Posts: 841  
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Click image to enlarge Just read this from start to finish - what an utter credit to you this is. This picture is just stunning. May you have many years of fun in it. 2008 2.4 110 Utility Station Wagon XS. |
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31st Dec 2022 7:14pm |
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| mini Anaconda Member Since: 23 Aug 2016 Location: Thames Valley Posts: 793
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I have just read on Landywatch that this Ninety has unfortunately been stolen
Very sad, hopefully it is recovered. Click image to enlarge BORG - Bucks & Oxon 4x4 Response Group |
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16th May 2023 6:32pm |
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