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Lodelaner

Member Since: 04 Feb 2010
Location: Lambourn
Posts: 632

1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol ST Shire Blue

I get some fumes being drawn back in with just the back rolled up. Juggling the dash vents and cracking a window makes it better. With the sides up I don't get any fumes, or with a mesh top, or bikini.

By comparison it didn't happen when it used to be a Turbo D - until the day the exhaust tailpipe fell off the rear silencer!

I've considered a fume curtain, but I prefer to let more fresh air in

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge JB

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22nd Mar 2022 10:56am

Van Diesel

Member Since: 12 Oct 2013
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 177

1986 Defender 90 V8 Petrol ST Auto Pennine Grey

Presumably you still get some fumes with everything closed up? I'm guessing they can find their way in but can't get out as easily so it builds up?

23rd Mar 2022 9:42pm

Lodelaner

Member Since: 04 Feb 2010
Location: Lambourn
Posts: 632

Not that I notice rolled up - it makes a pretty good seal. JB

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23rd Mar 2022 11:03pm

gbmoto

Member Since: 06 Jan 2010
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 21

Mine is OK, has a standard 3.5 exhaust sticking out the side.

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28th Mar 2022 10:12am

Van Diesel

Member Since: 12 Oct 2013
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 177

Very nice!

21 Defender D300 H/Top
63 FFRR SDV8
86 90 Pick Up 3.9 V8

28th Mar 2022 7:59pm

Ranger 6

Member Since: 17 Jan 2019
Location: Yorkshireman trapped in a Surrey postcode
Posts: 198

1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol CSW Rimini Red

I'm ex-Army and old enough to remember when all the green Land Rovers were soft tops.

With the back rolled up there was always a whiff of fumes. It's the aerodynamics that the entrance is a low pressure area which sucks the air in - not an indication of a state of the engine

90 V8 CSW - 1988

30th Mar 2022 2:59pm

Van Diesel

Member Since: 12 Oct 2013
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 177

Seeing as theres a few soft top owners posted on this thread just wondering about legality of rear seats in the 90?
Mine doesn't have any (yet). If I was to fit some, would it pass the MOT. Rear seat belts obviously needed although I'm sure I've seen some without?

26th Mar 2023 11:36am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17387

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Ranger 6 wrote:
I'm ex-Army and old enough to remember when all the green Land Rovers were soft tops.

With the back rolled up there was always a whiff of fumes. It's the aerodynamics that the entrance is a low pressure area which sucks the air in - not an indication of a state of the engine

It is the reason that the dash vents were introduced, you will always gets fumes sucked in the back (it is also why the back of a proper Land-Rover /Defender gets covered in crud). I think it is also why the vents were deleted - full soft-tops were no longer a factory option in the Puma era, as far as I know.

26th Mar 2023 11:55am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17387

Van Diesel wrote:
Seeing as theres a few soft top owners posted on this thread just wondering about legality of rear seats in the 90?
Mine doesn't have any (yet). If I was to fit some, would it pass the MOT. Rear seat belts obviously needed although I'm sure I've seen some without?

Rear seats would be entirely legal as long as they are of the type appropriate to the age of the vehicle and are fitted as factory fitted seats would have been. You would be well-advised to let your insurance company know, of course.

The fact that it is a soft-top has no direct bearing on the fitment of seats (unless the seats require the presence of a hard-top in order to be fitted, e.g., part of the seat belt mechanism has to be bolted to the upper structure).

26th Mar 2023 11:58am

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

blackwolf wrote:
It is the reason that the dash vents were introduced, you will always gets fumes sucked in the back (it is also why the back of a proper Land-Rover /Defender gets covered in crud). I think it is also why the vents were deleted - full soft-tops were no longer a factory option in the Puma era, as far as I know.

Whilst full soft-tops weren't a factory option in the UK, they were in other markets and the last of the line was produced as a soft top.

I think the vents were deleted merely to accommodate the later dash as LR seemed to have lost their way with regards pragmatic design in the Puma era. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

26th Mar 2023 12:21pm

Van Diesel

Member Since: 12 Oct 2013
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 177

blackwolf wrote:
Van Diesel wrote:
Seeing as theres a few soft top owners posted on this thread just wondering about legality of rear seats in the 90?
Mine doesn't have any (yet). If I was to fit some, would it pass the MOT. Rear seat belts obviously needed although I'm sure I've seen some without?

Rear seats would be entirely legal as long as they are of the type appropriate to the age of the vehicle and are fitted as factory fitted seats would have been. You would be well-advised to let your insurance company know, of course.

The fact that it is a soft-top has no direct bearing on the fitment of seats (unless the seats require the presence of a hard-top in order to be fitted, e.g., part of the seat belt mechanism has to be bolted to the upper structure).

Yeah, makes sense. I'm sure I've seen some of the rear side seats with just lap belts too?

26th Mar 2023 12:31pm

MercianRover

Member Since: 07 Apr 2022
Location: Culworth
Posts: 141

1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Java Black

blackwolf wrote:
The fact that driving with the rear curtain rolled up inevitably causes exhaust fumes to be drawn into the vehicle is usually stated as the reason for the introduction of the dash vents in 1954.

At the time the dash vents were deleted in 2007 I don't think that there were any models available from the factory with full-length tilts, and that, together with the new dash trim and instrument pack introduced with the TDCi models, is undoubtedly the reason why the vents were deleted.

I sometimes get fumes drawn into my 100" Bowler when the rear curtain is rolled up - usually only on the overrun when exhaust pressure is low and sometimes at lower speeds if there is a crosswind.

I have no dash vents to push air into the cabin.
The exhaust is on the RH rear corner angled to put the gases out to the side in a similar manner to a series vehicle.

27th Mar 2023 7:58am

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