Land Rover Defender 110 Rebuild

[awemawson]

I think in the main the oxidisation is caused by long term reaction with the plastic sheath of the wire. As Kim says it can be quite oxidised miles away from a break or join. Years back tinned stranded wires were specified.

Making a loom from scratch is not an undertaking to be taken lightly, even when you have an old one to copy. Many published wiring diagrams have errors. I'm sorting wiring on a JCB 803 digger at the moment, and there are basic errors in the diagrams that I can see have perpetuated from earlier model through to this one. An example is the dual speed windscreen wiper where the actual rocker switch to operate it isn't on the drawing !

 

[barracuda816]

^ I agree, it definatly depends on skill and confidence.

I have made hundreds (probably, if not manny tens ) of looms for the aviation industry so have been lucky the diagrams have always been spot on. But for automotive aplications i always prefer to do the work on the vehicle (best possible routing, not what the manufacturer thinks was good enough and as awemaswson says automotive wiring diagrams can leave alot to be desired).

I dont think oxidisation is a reaction with the insulation (cheap stuff is usually PVC) as i have seen in in non tinned strand PTFE wire. I belive its due to being non hermetically sealed and heat/overheating the oxidisation can track the entire lenght of the wire from any break or the terminations. Thats just my theory, it may not be correct.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I think in the main the oxidisation is caused by long term reaction with the plastic sheath of the wire. As Kim says it can be quite oxidised miles away from a break or join. Years back tinned stranded wires were specified.

Making a loom from scratch is not an undertaking to be taken lightly, even when you have an old one to copy. Many published wiring diagrams have errors. I'm sorting wiring on a JCB 803 digger at the moment, and there are basic errors in the diagrams that I can see have perpetuated from earlier model through to this one. An example is the dual speed windscreen wiper where the actual rocker switch to operate it isn't on the drawing !

I agree, what you think is a simple job making a new loom can quickly become a nightmare, I know from experience and I have an electrical/electronics background!

 

[awemawson]

When I've done it in the past (years ago) I made a 'pin board' up and pegged the old harness out on the board and marked up everything as to what the terminations went to. Then removing the old from the board you can make the new as a fair copy. (This was for an MG TC of 1947 vintage!)

 

[ibrooks]

I've made harnesses on cars in the past too but the difference between a classic and a "modern" car in terms of the amount of wiring is huge so that would come into the decision making process on whether to do it again on any given vehicle.

I've also just thrown money at the problem in the past and bought a new loom - Autosparks list a 110 Defender main harness at £408. Not an inconsiderable amount - but it is soooo much nicer working with nice clean new wires.

And I've repaired looms as necessary when those options either weren't necessary/available/within a budget. I've got a big plastic box with the remains of a few looms in it specifically for when I need that silly 6" length of wire that's insulated in purple with an orange trace (or whatever other silly combination I need). It really does make life easier down the line if you stay consistent with the colour codes and follow the standards.

Iain

 

[KimB]

I've made harnesses on cars in the past too but the difference between a classic and a "modern" car in terms of the amount of wiring is huge so that would come into the decision making process on whether to do it again on any given vehicle.

I've also just thrown money at the problem in the past and bought a new loom - Autosparks list a 110 Defender main harness at £408. Not an inconsiderable amount - but it is soooo much nicer working with nice clean new wires.

And I've repaired looms as necessary when those options either weren't necessary/available/within a budget. I've got a big plastic box with the remains of a few looms in it specifically for when I need that silly 6" length of wire that's insulated in purple with an orange trace (or whatever other silly combination I need). It really does make life easier down the line if you stay consistent with the colour codes and follow the standards.

Iain

Sorry for not replying to every single post made after mine, but I do take into account what you've all said, I've not got the time to make my own harness although I've just looked on autosparks the harness I need is only £88 if it's the right one, I'll call them, if it is correct I'll order it. I'm not going to mess around if I can get one that cheap.

 

[TAITSIE]

A lot of times I calculate how much it would cost me to make an item ( parts and my time as an hourly rate ) and then find out the cost of buying the item ready made .

 

[moose]

HI Kim,

I have just bought a wiring loom for the 6x6 just the engine side, from Autosparks, £90 (just under with Post and Packing) arrived and it does look good colour codes seem to match (just one pink instead of white and pink), but it is a bugger to try and work out where it all goes, s*d doing a complete car???

 

[KimB]

HI Kim,

I have just bought a wiring loom for the 6x6 just the engine side, from Autosparks, £90 (just under with Post and Packing) arrived and it does look good colour codes seem to match (just one pink instead of white and pink), but it is a ****** to try and work out where it all goes, s*d doing a complete car???

I called them yesterday actually, they don't do looms for the td5 yet, I've got to send in a picture of the rear light loom which is what I need, they said they can give me a price. It all appears to be quite straight forward on the td5, it's just got loads of different sized plugs. Hopefully it's not to expensive, the non td5 loom is about £90, if that's the case then I'll get it done
I'll let everyone know the outcome.
Kim

 

[Wallace]

What about one of these Kim or are you wanting to keep it original? Add a few rolls of loom tape then it's a proper job!

 

[Woody.v8]

On oxidized wires i use sulfuric acid out of a car battery to remove the oxidization, I saw an auto-spark do it years ago and nicked the idea, Works great.

 

[KimB]

Did some more to Lou, I've got most of the engine parts I need so I started on that today
Here's a start pic, it's not pretty currently.

This is the state of the egr, it's almost completely blocked

I removed the manifold next for cleanings, instantly regretted it :'( it was so bad, 5l of petrol and pressure washer to fully clean it. What a horribly dirty job.

All back on, I checked the glow plugs and all of them are broken so I've ordered some but not to hard to get to.

Finally got my lovely stainless egr blank on , it looks great, I'm glad I've got another exhaust manifold too, one bolt was snapped for the egr pipe and as soon as I touched it to remove the pipe the second instantly snapped. Looks better with less crap in the way too

Still a bit to do, exhaust manifold needs sorting, pulleys and belt needs changing, I've got a new fan as I said but going to wait to do pulley I want to fit air con so will wait till its up and running to sort
That's it for tonight
Kim

 

[KimB]

Took the manifold off today and re greased the final wheel bearing.
Unfortunately I've got one snapped stud in the manifold which will be fun to get out The rest came straight out.

I've got to try get the turbo to manifold studs off as well They are seized solid.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Can you just build it up with weld until you can either weld a nut on or grip it with something?

 

[KimB]

Can you just build it up with weld until you can either weld a nut on or grip it with something?

Uhhhh that was it! thanks I watched this on a farmer's youtube channel just last week but I couldn't think what it was. Welding nuts onto such a short stub is always a pain. Thanks

 

[KimB]

other option - try the irwin bolt grip removers
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irwin-Bolt-Grip-Remover-Expansion/dp/B000QW6K8I
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000CCXVZ/ref=s9_hps_bw_g60_i6

Work best when beaten on with a hammer/mallet, sometimes takes a couple of goes for them to "bite"

I personally can't see that working, It snapped because it's seized, the teqnique I used worked on every other stud apart from that one where it snapped.

 

[KimB]

Fair does, They do work in many cases though, especially where heads etc are stripped (hex cap head bolts being a particular automotive nemeis of mine)

Welding a nut would prob work, heat as you prob know will likely crack the rust off..maybe a dissimilar rod?

I do hope so. What do you mean by dissimillar rod ?

 

[KimB]

Rods for welding metals together that might be metallurgically too different to take a decent hold with standard rods (6013 etc)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...rod.TRS0&_nkw=dissimilar+welding+rod&_sacat=0

selection there, hope that helps

I thought that's what you meant, unfortunately I've only got a mig so can't arc it

 

[Wallace]

DC Tig is nice for welding to studs in heads, alloy or iron. Is the engine in for good now? If so, make a wee drilling guide jig using an original gasket for the hole centres that bolts on the adjacent holes using CSK screws to centre the holes and go in up to core size.

 

[Woody.v8]

Weld a washer to the stud first then weld a nut to the washer, It be reet