Heater Follow-up

Went for a 10 mile drive today, 0 C. The modified heater hose doesn't leak, and so the fan shroud can go back on. I measured the surface temperature of the engine-heated hose above the heater immediately after returning, and it read 44 C. The heater alone had the temperature up to 41 C, so pretty close. Before starting, the engine block itself (where the coolant is) was nice and warm to the touch, right to the back.

Radiator Lower Hose Heater

(To see a follow up to this installation, six years later, see here)

As part of the idea to give the engine as easy a life as possible during the winter months, especially when it's below -10 C, today I installed a Temro 375 watt in-line lower radiator hose coolant heater. This should help get the engine up to operating temperatures sooner, helped along by the removable magnetic oil sump heater that has also been installed.

The hose heater is very easy to install. I think it took about 20 minutes in total, and that's including draining the system and cutting the hose to install the heater.

Pictured below, the basic kit, which I've installed on the radiator hose. Between the plastic box and the hose is the segment of hose removed to make way for the heater. The cap on the plug end is nice to have.

Another view of the installation. Very easy to do. Clamps came with the kit.

A view inside the element's plug.

Below: installed. There is adequate room, in fact it fits in the space just perfectly. The clamp screw is actually quite a ways from the engine casting, it's only the perspective that makes it look close. This view is with the radiator fan shroud removed, which had to be done for the installation. The gold-coloured fitting at left is the shroud bracket; at right is the radiator fan. The lower lip of the shroud comes very close to the heater cord, and so I've placed a 3" length of plastic wire protecting tube around the wire, to prevent wear.

The heater could have been placed the other way around, with the wire pointing down, but then access to the hose clamp screws would have been next to impossible if they need tightening at some point, plus I wanted the wire to come up to the same location where the battery trickle charger connects, so both can be unplugged at the same time.

Below, just a better view of the protective ribbed plastic cover. There hasn't been time to do a full test, but after half an hour plugged in, the surface of the heater element read 51 C, and the surface of the hose above the heater read 34 C. The kit indicates that the heater can be left on all night, but that turning it on 2 to 3 hours before the vehicle needs to be driven is usually adequate to heat things up.

Replacement Starter

The replacement starter arrived on Monday, and today it was installed. Works perfectly (as expected), and so if all goes well, there's just the exhaust heat shield and wing to replace, and then that's it.

A warm day today, 13 C, a welcome one-day exception to the cold, and made it even possible to work in the garage with the door open, which was really nice. Made running the engine that much more pleasant, as well. Tomorrow, it's back to -5 C and then -10 C by Saturday.

Below, new starter in place, and, as can be seen above the starter, have left the cord off of the old block heater. Shiny pipe in foreground is the exhaust.

Starter Failure; Block Heater

Went to go for a drive, on a brisk -10 C day. Engine started normally, and I let it warm up. Got in, put the vehicle in reverse, and then it stalled as I hadn't given enough fuel. Started again - and just as it the starter engaged, there was a metallic bang/clang and everything stopped dead.

I got out to see if the engine could still be turned over using the starter crank handle, but no, the engine wouldn't move. Something had broken. No amount of rocking the vehicle while in gear would free the flywheel.

Given that when trying the ignition button again, there was absolutely no noise from the starter itself, but the lights on the instrument panel went dim, it seemed likely that the starter had jammed the flywheel somehow. Either that, or something major had broken inside the engine. As the starter would likely need to come off in any case if the engine needed major repairs, removing the starter to see what was potentially wrong there seemed the logical first thing to do.

As the steering linkages were in the way, I elected to take the wing off, followed by the forward exhaust pipe and the exhaust heat shield. That way I could see clearly, too. Only difficulty was the -10 C temp in the garage. Even the shop hand cleaning lotion had frozen. (I have to say those front mudguards do a great job at stopping dirt etc., from accumulating on the bulkhead.)

With everything off, the starter was easy to remove. As it came out, it was plain that the spring, pinion, etc., were just floating on the shaft and everything slid off as the starter came out. Clearly the nut on the end of the shaft had come off. No visible damage to the flywheel, however, which was good to see. The engine turns over by hand as smoothly as ever.

In the photo below, the hole where the starter was. At the very back, it's possible to see where the spring, or something, on the shaft had contacted the bell housing, making a few gouges before everything jammed.

I managed to get everything out except the nut itself. A flexible magnet should take care of that. Below, the remains of the nut's threads still on the shaft. Shaft threads appear to be in pretty good shape. Split pin that held the nut in place was neatly cut each side where it comes out of the shaft.

The starter out. As I'm not sure what kind of damage may have been done to the shaft or the internals of the starter, I have ordered a re-built unit from 3 Brothers Classic Rovers.

While I was back there, I had a good look at the original block heater. It hasn't been tested. Cord just plugs in like any other appliance, although the rubber cover on the cord side had melted somewhat. I don't know why.

A slightly blurry view of the cord's socket.

January

I know, I probably post too many photos of the Land Rover. : )

Anyway, took a nice long drive at lunch, temperature just at 0 C, most of snow melted for now, but at least some of the river is still frozen. But no worries, lots more winter to come.

(As ever, best view of the photo is when clicked.)

Some Dramatic Advertising

A rather amusingly dramatic advert for Land Rover. The header says 1969, but the Land Rover featured is clearly a Series 3, which were produced from 1972 to 1984.

 

Twilight Drive

-9 C, gently snowing, evening falling: perfect time for a drive. And, incidentally, the first drive of 2013.

If you like, for a nicer sense of the 'atmosphere', you can click on the photos to see them full-size.