Rover Roookie Looking For Advice

[bullstanky]

I'll take some pics over the weekend/holiday to send along, as I have some questions that might be best answered by someone who knows what they are looking at/talking about.
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I filled the clutch master cylinder with fuid today, and voila, it returned to clutching w/o a problem. Looks like I'll just need to rebuild the slave unit.

[Terrys]

Useless piece of barely related info:

The 08 Defender is powered by a Ford tranny van engine.

Only thing I don't like about the '08 is the 'power bulge, but everything else is beautiful. After looking at that tired dash for 37 years, it was time for a facelift.

The newest Transit Van goes like snot, and that engine is well sorted, So it ought to be great in the Defender, It sure beats the TD5 in all aspects.
New LN series still use Brazil nuts. Great engines

[bullstanky]

I filled the clutch master cylinder with fuid today, and voila, it returned to clutching w/o a problem. Looks like I'll just need to rebuild the slave unit.

I ordered a slave cylinder rebuild kit from RN that arrived today.
Attached are pics of the leaking slave unit and the mysterious looking square hole at the back of where the slave enters the bellhousing. Anyone seen something like this before?

Anybody every removed and or rebuild a clutch slave unit like this before? Any tips would be appreciated!

[Jeff Aronson]

Well, the photos show you have a "bitsa," as they call it in the UK - a bit of this and a bit of that. As for your engine, know that the diesel option in the US would have been nearly impossible in a 109" II-A. Rover North America knew that the Rover was underpowered for this market; they would have been very reluctant to order a Rover diesel that could barely push an 88" out of the way, let alone a 109".

The three door hardtop that you have is a common to the military models, and your dash is definitely a Series III dash top. You have a mix of of Series II-A grill and Series IIII headlight pods on the fenders.

As to your clutch and transmission issues, popping out of 4th gear when you let up on the gas suddenly is a synchromesh issue inside the transmission. You can live with it for a long time, but it will require rebuilding the transmission one day.

If you can't shift, make certain first that you have gear oil in the transmission and the transfer case. There is a plug you can unscrew with a 1/2" wrench on the driver's side of the transmission. Gear oil should run out when you remove it. If not, stick your finger inside. If it comes out dry, you need to add 89/90W gear oil. The plug for the transfer case is on the back of the case, just in front of the emergency brake drum and the rear propshaft. When you unscrew it with the same wrench, gear oil should run out. If not, fill them both up.

Then try your clutch again.

If it still doesn't work, if you cannot get into gear with the car running, then look for a hydraulic leak at the slave cylinder. Check the level of hydraulic fluid in the clutch cylinder. With someone pressing down on the clutch pedal, see if you can see the short rod move. If not, the slave might not be working. It's not uncommon to replace them nor is it that difficult. You could try bleeding it first. Make certain the fluid level is high, and then have someone depress the pedal. Open up the bleeder - if you have a genuine II-A, you'll find a rubber plug on the transmission tunnel, passenger's side, up near the bulkhead. The bleeder screw is behind the plug. You'll need a 7/16" wrench. When the pedal is depressed, open the bleeder, let fluid and bubbles run out, and then close it. Only then can your assistant let up on the pedal. It will take a few pumps like this to accomplish a bleed. If you're lucky, that will help.

The clutch slippage [pushing down on the accelerator seems to increase the rpm but not the actual speed] is usually a problem with oil seeping onto the clutch. The wading plug helps here but if the disc is soaked, nothing will improve it. You'll need to replace the clutch and find the source of the leak.

Hope this helps you understand the dimensions of the issue.

Jeff