Land Rover Series II 2.25 petrol faults and fixes

Won't start (petrol)

Diagnose

1. Check for spark: pull a plug lead, hold it 6 mm from earth (insulated pliers) and crank. A fat blue spark is good.
2. No spark: remove the cap, crank, and watch the points open and close. Check the gap and that the low-tension lead isn't shorting to the base plate.
3. Weak or orange spark: suspect the condenser, then the coil.
4. Good spark: remove the air cleaner, open the throttle and look for fuel squirting from the accelerator pump. Disconnect the pipe at the carb and crank to check the pump delivers.
5. Smell of fuel and wet plugs means flooding: hold the throttle wide open (no choke) and crank to clear it.

Fix

1. Dry the cap and leads; fit a new cap and rotor if cracked or tracked.
2. Clean and re-gap the points or fit new points and a new condenser; reset the timing.
3. Clean the fuel pump gauze and bowl, or fit a new pump.
4. Free or replace the float needle if flooding.
5. Charge or replace the battery and clean the earth straps.

Overheating

Diagnose

1. Check coolant level cold and look for leaks with the engine at pressure.
2. With the engine hot, feel the radiator: cold patches mean blocked tubes.
3. Feel the top and bottom hoses as it warms up: the top hose should get hot suddenly when the thermostat opens.
4. Hot engine, stopped: the viscous fan should be hard to turn by hand (use a rolled newspaper, never fingers near a moving fan).
5. Look for constant bubbles in the expansion tank or a sweet exhaust smell (head gasket). A sniffer test (block tester) confirms.

Fix

1. Replace leaking hoses and clips; replace the water pump if it weeps from the drain hole or the bearing has play.
2. Flush or re-core/replace the radiator.
3. Fit a new thermostat and gasket.
4. Adjust or replace the fan belt.
5. Replace the viscous coupling.
6. Head gasket: remove the head, check it for flatness, fit a new gasket (Tdi: match the hole-count marking) and new bolts where required.

Engine oil leaks

Diagnose

1. Degrease the engine, drive 10 miles and look for where the oil starts. Oil runs down and back, so look high and forward.
2. A drip from the bell housing drain hole points to the rear crank seal (or gearbox input seal; gearbox oil smells different).
3. Check the breather and its hoses are clear: a blocked breather pushes oil out of every seal.

Fix

1. Replace the rocker cover gasket, half-moon seals and breather O-ring (Tdi).
2. Fit a new sump plug washer; reseal the sump if needed.
3. Front seal: remove the crank pulley and fit a new seal (Tdi: done with the timing belt).
4. Rear seal: gearbox out. Check the crank for a groove worn by the old seal.

Swivel housing leaking or pitted (Series)

Diagnose

1. Clean the ball and look at the chrome where the seal runs. Pits you can catch a fingernail on mean a new ball.
2. Jack the wheel, grip top and bottom and rock: movement at the swivel (not the hub) means king pin wear.
3. Disconnect the track rod and check the effort to turn the swivel. It should be stiff but smooth.

Fix

1. Drain the swivel oil. Remove the hub, stub axle and halfshaft.
2. Remove the king pins and swivel housing; remove the old seal and retainer.
3. Fit a new ball if pitted, with a new gasket and bolts.
4. Fit new king pin bearings, Railko bush and seal, then set preload with shims under the top king pin.
5. Reassemble with new gaskets, refill with gear oil to the level plug, and check steering lock stops.

Hub seal leak / oil on brakes

Diagnose

1. Check the diff and swivel levels aren't overfilled and the axle breather is clear.
2. Check for bearing play.
3. Once apart, feel the stub axle seal surface for a groove.

Fix

1. Remove the hub. Replace both hub seals and the bearings if worn.
2. Adjust the hub bearing nut and lock with a new tab washer.
3. Replace contaminated brake shoes or pads; you can't clean oil out of them.
4. Coil-sprung: some owners prefer the double-lip RTC3511 seal; check it sits deep enough not to rub and fit it the right way round.

Brakes pull, bind or feel weak (drum brakes)

Diagnose

1. Adjust all shoes first; a low pedal usually just needs adjustment.
2. Jack each wheel and spin it with the pedal released: a dragging wheel has a seized cylinder or a collapsed hose.
3. Peel back the wheel cylinder boots: fluid means a leak.
4. If the pedal slowly sinks under steady pressure with no external leak, the master cylinder seals are worn.

Fix

1. Replace the wheel cylinders on that axle (in pairs).
2. Replace oily or worn shoes as an axle set.
3. Replace any old flexible hoses.
4. Rebuild or replace the master cylinder.
5. Bleed the system and adjust the shoes.

Handbrake won't hold

Diagnose

1. Adjust it first at the back-plate adjuster on the rear of the transfer box.
2. If it still won't hold, remove the drum and look for oil on the shoes.
3. Check the expander moves freely.

Fix

1. Replace the transfer box rear output seal if leaking.
2. Fit new handbrake shoes and clean the drum.
3. Free or replace the expander and its boot.

Steering wander and play (Series)

Diagnose

1. With a helper rocking the wheel, watch the box output, the relay arms, the drag link and the track rod ends.
2. Check the relay oil level (top up with EP90 via the plug in the front panel).
3. Check spring bushes and shackles for movement.

Fix

1. Rebuild the relay with new split bushes, seal and gasket, or fit a replacement relay.
2. Replace worn track rod ends.
3. Adjust the steering box, or replace it.
4. Replace worn spring bushes.

Gearbox jumps out of gear (Series)

Diagnose

1. Check the gearbox and engine mounts.
2. Check the oil level: low oil makes it worse.
3. If it jumps out under load changes, detent springs and forks are the first suspects.

Fix

1. Replace detent springs (a cheap first step, accessible by removing the selector cover on some boxes).
2. Gearbox out and rebuild: forks, synchro hubs, bearings as needed.
3. Replace worn mounts.

Clutch slipping or won't disengage

Diagnose

1. Check the clutch fluid level and look for fluid at the slave cylinder.
2. Pump the pedal: if it firms up, there's air in the system.
3. Slipping in a high gear under load means a worn or oily plate.

Fix

1. Replace the slave or master cylinder and bleed.
2. Gearbox out: fit a clutch kit; fix the rear crank seal at the same time if oily.
3. Series: check the cross-shaft and its pins and bushes while it's apart.

Clunk on taking up drive

Diagnose

1. Twist each propshaft against its flange: any free movement at a UJ means it's worn.
2. Remove a hub cap and drive member and check spline wear.
3. Check mounts.

Fix

1. Replace UJs (or the propshaft) and grease them.
2. Replace worn drive flanges and halfshafts as needed (Series: note 10 or 24 spline).
3. Tighten propshaft bolts.

Battery not charging

Diagnose

1. Measure battery voltage at rest (about 12.6 V) and at 2,000 rpm (about 13.8–14.4 V).
2. Check belt tension.
3. Check the earth straps from battery to chassis and engine to chassis.

Fix

1. Tension or replace the belt.
2. Dynamo: replace brushes or the dynamo, and the control box if its contacts are burnt.
3. Replace or recondition the alternator.
4. Clean and tighten all earth connections.

Rotten rear crossmember or outriggers

Diagnose

1. Tap all over with a hammer: sound steel rings, rotten steel thuds.
2. Pay particular attention to the rear crossmember, spring hangers (Series), outriggers and the rear body mounts.

Fix

1. Replacement crossmembers and outriggers are made for every model; they are cut out and welded in.
2. Remove the rear tub or body tub mounts for access as needed.
3. Paint and inject cavity wax afterwards.
4. Extensive rot: a galvanised replacement chassis may cost less than repairs.

Bulkhead footwells and door pillars rotted

Diagnose

1. Lift the mats and probe the footwell corners.
2. Check the bottom of the door pillars from inside the wheel arch.

Fix

1. Weld in repair panels (footwell, A-pillar foot, top rail sections are all available).
2. Fix the water leaks first: windscreen seal, door seals, vent flaps (Series).

Leaf spring sag, broken leaf or worn bushes (Series)

Diagnose

1. Look along each spring for a broken leaf.
2. Lever spring eyes and shackles for movement.
3. Check U-bolts are tight and the axle centre bolt is located.

Fix

1. Replace the spring (or the broken leaf).
2. Press in new bushes.
3. Fit new U-bolts and torque them; re-torque after 500 miles.

Differential whine or clonk

Diagnose

1. Check the oil level and condition. Milky oil means water.
2. Check pinion flange play: up-and-down movement means bearing wear.

Fix

1. Refill with fresh oil and clear the breather.
2. Replace pinion bearings and seal, or fit a reconditioned differential.
3. Replace a broken halfshaft.

Misfire, flat spot or poor economy (petrol)

Diagnose

1. Check points gap and timing.
2. With the engine idling, spray carb cleaner around the throttle spindle and manifold: a change in idle means an air leak.
3. Check the dashpot damper oil on Stromberg/SU carbs.

Fix

1. Service the ignition.
2. Rebush the throttle spindle or fit a replacement carburettor.
3. Top up the damper.
4. Clean jets with a carb service kit.
5. Replace manifold gaskets.

Engine knock

Diagnose

1. Check oil level and pressure with a gauge.
2. Pull each injector lead or plug lead in turn (petrol) or crack each injector pipe (diesel): if the knock changes, it's in that cylinder.
3. A light tapping at half engine speed is usually valve gear: check clearances.

Fix

1. Valve gear: adjust or replace rockers and followers.
2. Bearings: drop the sump and inspect. Bearings and crank regrind, or a reconditioned engine.
3. Don't keep driving a bearing knock; it ends in a broken crank or rod.