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Basic Mechanics
General
Breakdowns in the outback are almost preventable. Ninety nine percent of
breakdowns of any type can be forestalled by correct maintenance of the vehicle,
skillful driving techniques, and a common sense attitude. We carry tools and
spares for that one percent moment when the jagged cleaver of fate swings in our
direction.
Maintenance
Correct maintenance is vital even to a street machine. For an off - pavement
vehicle of any type it enters the realm of absolute necessity. Compare the off -
pavement vehicle maintenance to the needs of a race machine. You can bet Mario
Andretti's pit crews never postponed service. Why? Because Mario gets irritated
sitting in the middle of the track with a disabled machine. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and if you find yourself in severe conditions
with any regularity, cut those intervals in half.
A Caveat
The following operations should be considered "emergency" repairs
for use in a situation where no other help is available. Drive carefully after
making such repairs and have your Land Rover checked over by a qualified,
certified Land Rover technician upon your return.
Specific Tasks
- Changing a flat tire
 | find level ground
| block wheels to prevent vehicle from moving
| loosen lug nuts slightly before jacking
| use a 2'X2' base for jack to prevent it from sinking or tipping
| place jack under the axle housing nearest flat tire
jack vehicle only enough to get wheel 1 - 2 inches off ground
| remove lug nuts and wheel
| install spare
| start lugs by hand then work snug with wrench
| lower vehicle and tighten lugs in a star pattern
| recheck lugs after a short bit of driving |
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Inertia Switch
| see owners manual for location
| designed to shut off fuel pump in case of impact or rollover
| occasionally gets tripped by a large bump, or minor impact
| most often tripped by gear on the rear floor or peoples feet on older
models
| can be manually set as a theft deterrent
| when button up and red showing, fuel pump is inoperative |
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Tie Rod Replacement and repair
| most often bent reversing out of a tough situation
| remove cotter pins and loosen 19 mm nuts
| remove 14 mm nuts on steering damper, remove damper
| strike steering arm with a hammer at each knuckle to separate it from
arm
| remove unit, repair or replace and reinstall
| make sure tie rod nuts are secured and cotter pins reinstalled
| use wire, nail etc, if cotter pin is ruined
| reinstall damper if not damaged; can be left off in short term if
unusable
| if you straightened the bent rod, have it replaced ASAP and have
alignment and steering components checked any time there is steering
damage |
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Jump Starts
| on jumper vehicle, red to positive (inner) terminal, black to negative
| on dead vehicle red to positive, black to A/C bracket or engine
| engine running on jumper vehicle allow to run 2 - 5 minutes to charge
dead battery
| start dead vehicle and allow to run
| it may take several hours to fully recharge dead vehicle |
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Fuses
| fuse locations; check owners manual
| important fuses, EFI - fuel pump, ABS, air suspension
| spare fuses important |
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Leaking Coolant Hoses
| preventive maintenance usually prevents failure; best to replace hoses
about every three years
| locate leak
| allow engine to cool, relieve pressure
| if no spare hoses in spares kit, use a repair kit or duct tape hole;
for large splits and holes, tape a soft drink can over the damage
| refill cooling system with water carried or from any source
| DO NOT tighten radiator cap or pressure will build up and destroy
repair
| watch temperature gauge like a hawk
| upon return to civilization, ASAP have repair made and system flushed
(especially if contaminated water was used)
| refill system with a fifty percent coolant solution |
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Leaking Radiator
| add radiator stop leak
| if you do not have stop leak or the damage is too large to control
with stop leak, pinch off the damaged tubes with pliers and add pepper
to the system; raw eggs, oatmeal, cow manure, and potatoes have also
been used to stop leaks
| take same precautions as used with field repaired hoses |
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Belt Replacement
| they rarely break
| belt replacement detailed in manual
| air conditioning and water pump belts interchangeable on pre
serpentine belt models
| water pump belt is absolutely necessary, followed by alternator, then
power steering
| recommend replacement every three years
| ask your mechanic to save your old belts for spares |
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Drowned Ignition
| distributor is at front of engine, the fan sprays water on it
| remove cap, spray with WD 40, let drip for one minute and reinstall
| same for plug wires and distributorless ignition |
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Water Ingested Into Engine
| STOP - do not crank or damage will result
| start at air cleaner, dry filter, drain housing and flow meter remove
spark plugs, disconnect low tension coil leads, crank engine to pump out
water, reinstall plugs and wires
| check oil for excessive water; if oil level is very overfull, water in
oil is probable even if it can't be seen on stick |
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Strategic Wires
| coil low tension leads
| fuel pump wires (pre - 1991)
| fuel injection connectors
| grounds under hood
| battery cables |
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Flooded Engine
| remove coolant temperature connector
| crank with throttle wide open until it starts
| let run a few minutes and then shut it off
| reconnect sensor and restart
| EFI light will be on but can be disregarded for the moment
return to retailer to have EFI light reset |
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