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siiirhd88
10-18-2007, 03:42 PM
I took the wife's 109 on its first long trip this week, about 450 miles each way to our NC house and return. The casualties: Left side electric fuel pump stopped pumping on 301 at the Potomac River Bridge; left side headlight ring flew away on 295 near Richmond, entire rear of truck covered in a thick dusty oil film at the end of the trip. The left headlight was resting on the front apron.....

It looked like the transfer case was leaking badly, but the oil level was normal. Trans and diff oil levels normal, too. The engine had some oil at the front, but level was normal..... Hmmm? It took a bit of mineral spirits on a rag to cut the oil film, but it cleaned up with Simple Green.

The fuel pumps are mounted on the seat box near each fuel tank, pumping through a check valve to a 'T' in the line that feeds the carb. I think the left fuel pump was overheated by the exhaust pipe, which runs below. That pump had been replaced a few weeks ago after the truck sat idling for a period. I replaced this failed pump in NC with a different style of fuel pump, and mounted it a bit further from the exhaust. It worked great on the way home, which was good since the right side fuel pump died south of Baltimore...... Not a speck of oil on the rear of the truck on the way home, but the engine used three quarts. Go figure.

Today, I built a heat shield over the exhaust pipe where it runs under the seat box, covering the heat shield with Dynomat on both sides. This should deflect the heat from the left fuel pump. I now plan on completely reconfiguring the fuel system. I will mount two Holley electric fuel pumps with check valves in a box between two of the bed outriggers on the right side, at a height near the bottom of the fuel tanks. A station wagon rear fuel tank is to be installed soon and will have its own Holley fuel pump. All three pumps will be well removed from the exhaust system....

The truck averaged 20 mpg. Not bad for a 3.9 V8 with 4V carb. It ran happy at a constant 65 mph, 75 mph at times with the 5 speed and 3.54 RR axles keeping the noise level tolerable. At 65 mph on 95, the engine temp tended to get warm at about 3/4 scale. At 65 mph on the back roads it was mid scale. Wierd.

The truck only got two comments. While filling up near Petersburg, Va. a young soccer mom asked what year it was and took a few photos with her cell phone. When stopped for lunch in Morehead City, NC a guy from a flower shop said "So its a real one, huh?". I wondered what he meant, but didn't want to ask....

Bob

rvrsrvc
10-18-2007, 11:47 PM
Sometimes it's so easy to take a trip in a Rover for granted. I thouroughly enjoyed taking my Rangie to the MAR, wheeling it, and driving it home uneventfully.
Going to Labrador next year and am either riding shotgun or taking the Rangie.. Can't wait!
Facet makes a nice electronic pump for carb'ed engines-low pressure. Quiet and reliable. I've fit them to all kinds of British cars and have only had one failure in 20 years. The electronic vs. electric is nice especially for cars that sit for periods of time.

crazyfish
10-22-2007, 05:55 PM
My first long trip to MAR ( 8 or 9 hours) ended just 5 blocks from my house - we fixed it but damn, that did not set the mood. Nice to see a Series being driven!

jason
10-22-2007, 06:09 PM
My first long trip with the Classic was about two weeks after I got it. I wasn't familiar with the truck, and I had to tow the boat to Maine. To make matters worse, we left at midnight to avoid traffic so when we got into Mass and started smelling nasty burning rubber accompanied by an awful grinding noise:confused: , it was really early in the morning with no one around. Without a flashlight or proper under hood illumination, I decided to limp along in the shoulder until I came to a rest area or exit. Finally the noise stopped after a loud bang and the smell was gone, so I did what any of us would do. Hammer down and keep on truckin'! I didn't event realize the power steering belt and pulley disintigrated until about 6:00am when I tried to back the boat into the lake and found out what a great accessory PS is. I know it's not a Series b/d story, but it was my first in a "series" of breakdown stories. :rolleyes:

When I get "stupid" on the road, I'm sure I'll be able to add some more.

rvrsrvc
10-22-2007, 07:06 PM
"Series" of break down stories. I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.

galen211
10-23-2007, 08:19 AM
I still try to understand how I made it to MAR and back twice without a stratch but I can't leave Robesonia without some kind of battle scar.

flippedrover
10-23-2007, 04:13 PM
I still try to understand how I made it to MAR and back twice without a stratch but I can't leave Robesonia without some kind of battle scar.
Probably the same way i can run hard trails all day long at Rausch but rip the passenger side mirror clean off and put a major dent in the door on an easy trail.