Long Journey Prep'n & Modern Fluids
Discussion
This 400 I have bought needs lots doing before I go to Nice in June. Going local for checks to engine next week - burning oil and wasting water - and full service, before new exhaust system and hopefully, from RT Racing, new suspension and bushes.
I have ordered SHeath's Wedge book, so that may help pont the mech in the right direction. In terms of peace of mind then, what bits should I renew now? EG should I get a new coil? Will have new plugs, leads & air filter. Sets of fuses will come with me too. Anything else? Have the euro cover through Ecclesiastical/PBest insurers.
As for fluids, I am thinking of using 20:50 mineral oil. What make and types of diff & gear box oils; brake, clutch and power steering fluids should I be putting in? Any better than the car's original specs? Any recommended additives eg to the diff oil?
Cheers!
I have ordered SHeath's Wedge book, so that may help pont the mech in the right direction. In terms of peace of mind then, what bits should I renew now? EG should I get a new coil? Will have new plugs, leads & air filter. Sets of fuses will come with me too. Anything else? Have the euro cover through Ecclesiastical/PBest insurers.
As for fluids, I am thinking of using 20:50 mineral oil. What make and types of diff & gear box oils; brake, clutch and power steering fluids should I be putting in? Any better than the car's original specs? Any recommended additives eg to the diff oil?
Cheers!
Nice in a Wedge? You'll bloody well NEED a 'wedge' to pay for it! 
for doing it regardless... 
I WAS gonna do it in the P5B Coupe but thought 17mpg was a bit strong; I'm reckoning on 20-22mpg in SE and around £400 juice. Plus the oil and coolant
Plus the £145 tunnel plus toll roads. But the accomodation is free and we aim to eat simply.... so we can drink expensively 
Reckon on around £800 for the holiday all in. A One-off really but I want it to be exciting, not nerve wracking. 
shadowfax said:
As for fluids, I am thinking of using 20:50 mineral oil. What make and types of diff & gear box oils; brake, clutch and power steering fluids should I be putting in? Any better than the car's original specs? Any recommended additives eg to the diff oil?
15/40 semi syn is better, say Castrol Magnatec. Take spare bulbs. Brake and clutch fluid take DoT 5.1. Only real problem with touring is if you have a puncture. Pretty much only Mich in France, you'll probably want a pair and they're slow to do the job so don't go with low tread tyres.
Jim - get radiator serviced and all hoses, clips, thermostat, otter switch replaced give very serious consideration to fitting a kenlowe pusher fan with manual overide switch to dash - all these will be a godsend in any sort of warm weather and traffic particularly abroad - takes a whole lot of worry out of driving if you can gaurantee your cooling system works, trust me I know, having lost the fan on the Mulsanne two years ago!
JR - Castrol Magnatec is 15:40 semi? Ok, will speak to the mech. Tyres are new all round so they'll be fine. Will take the tyre weld stuff and have got the spare anyway. Bulbs, nice one.
Steve - The cooling system needs all new hoses anyway I reckon. Where do I get the swan neck pipe from?! Looks a bit brown and yukky in there and needs a change. Weird, cos the rocker arm is very clean and the dipstick shows no sign of over heating, black staining, so if the oil's been changed lots, cant see why the coolant wasnt looked after. Last owner fitted a fan override. He only did 400 miles in 2 years. Would've been better had he flushed through and changed the coolant twice in that time too.
Thanks fellas
Steve - The cooling system needs all new hoses anyway I reckon. Where do I get the swan neck pipe from?! Looks a bit brown and yukky in there and needs a change. Weird, cos the rocker arm is very clean and the dipstick shows no sign of over heating, black staining, so if the oil's been changed lots, cant see why the coolant wasnt looked after. Last owner fitted a fan override. He only did 400 miles in 2 years. Would've been better had he flushed through and changed the coolant twice in that time too.
Thanks fellas
Edited by shadowfax on Friday 6th April 21:39
I would take as well a spare 'temp' throttle cable (like push bike cable), a spare coolantant temperature sensor. Some people take a spare fuel pump. A few spare relays, although you can use others of wedge functions you don't need at that moment.
On the ignition point of view, a spare ignition amplifier (if your ignition has one). All small stuff, so doesn't take a lot of space.
On engine oil, would recommend 15W50. The 50 makes sure that when it is very hot (summer, France, tuned RV8....) the oil stays thinker and it get pumped around is the quantities it should. As it is summer 20w50 is also ok, due to not having very cold coldstarts.
Basic set of tools perhaps?
The wedge bible.... It helps to explain the probable root cause to someone from like the RAC. Especially on electrics.
A canister with petrol, to make it just to the next station. Octane boost stuff in case you must fill up with low octane petrol.
The French will like you for taking the wedge. You will draw a lot of attention (also from the police, but to admire not to fine), so take a hat and sunglasses to travel incognito ;-).
Rob
On the ignition point of view, a spare ignition amplifier (if your ignition has one). All small stuff, so doesn't take a lot of space.
On engine oil, would recommend 15W50. The 50 makes sure that when it is very hot (summer, France, tuned RV8....) the oil stays thinker and it get pumped around is the quantities it should. As it is summer 20w50 is also ok, due to not having very cold coldstarts.
Basic set of tools perhaps?
The wedge bible.... It helps to explain the probable root cause to someone from like the RAC. Especially on electrics.
A canister with petrol, to make it just to the next station. Octane boost stuff in case you must fill up with low octane petrol.
The French will like you for taking the wedge. You will draw a lot of attention (also from the police, but to admire not to fine), so take a hat and sunglasses to travel incognito ;-).
Rob
350zwelgje said:
a spare 'temp' throttle cable (like push bike cable),... a spare coolant temperature sensor. a spare fuel pump. A few spare relays,... spare ignition amplifier (if your ignition has one).
Rob
Rob
Rob
Can all the above be got from Land Rover dealers? Are the specs listed in the wedge bible (on way from tvrcc)?
Ta
In theory yes, but amplifier, fuel pump (and probably as well the coolant sensor), you can get at any decent parts shop - normally needs to be ordered as not in stock. Seems that the amplifier of a mini metro is the same (and cheaper). Both parts (amplifier/fuel pump) can also be obtained from the TVR breakers in the UK. New amplifier and pump are NOT cheap...., if the amplifier is cheap it won't last long!
Hope you get your headgaskets (composite...) sorted. To keep compression the same, the heads need to be skimmed a few thousands (don't recollect the right number at the moment).
Rob
Hope you get your headgaskets (composite...) sorted. To keep compression the same, the heads need to be skimmed a few thousands (don't recollect the right number at the moment).
Rob
Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff