Making a steering correction

[Rosie]

Thank you Brett for all you excellent support!! You are awesomely patient and kind!!!!!
Yes, all registered and on the road!!!
Now I have to get the heater box hooked up, and fix the timing...as I am hearing bells!!
But having lots of fun and most of all, trying to explain why I want to drive this thing! Lots of joking around about my "safari truck"!

[Moose]

Your welcome Rose. Glad to hear your 88 is on the road now. You will have to get used to the looks and the comments, that won't stop. Great way to meet folks though.

Still nice out at the moment, but yes, you will need to get the heater hooked up soon. I will need to get my 88 ready for winter soon too. Of course that is easy... I just need to roll the canvas sides down.

OK, so I have to ask. I have heard a lot of strange sounds coming from my truck over the years, but I can't say I have ever heard "bells". ?????

Brett

[Rosie]

Well Brett, this wonderful mechanic that I met who worked on these trucks in the 50's and 60's said that when your timing is off it sounds like bells ringing.
I knew my timing was off because the previous owner in Wyoming had set it up for that altitude, and he told me I would have to adjust it when I get it here.
When I am driving there is a sound of tinkling bells...not easy to describe....and when I told the mechanic I need to time it, he said..... "why are you hearing bells?" And I said, "YES, exactly!!!"
It was right on....
I will ask him why I am hearing bells and report back.
Also, when I shut the ignition off, it keeps going...and I have to either turn the key again to get it to stop or leave it in gear and pull off the clutch.

[LaneRover]

Also, when I shut the ignition off, it keeps going...and I have to either turn the key again to get it to stop or leave it in gear and pull off the clutch.

That sounds like an ignition switch problem. Not a big deal. If you still have points and not electronic ignition you do not want to leave the ignition circuit on when it is not running.

[StX_Rovers]

Also, when I shut the ignition off, it keeps going...and I have to either turn the key again to get it to stop or leave it in gear and pull off the clutch.

That sounds as if the ignition timing is too advanced. The bells you are hearing, is it when you are accelerating? When it keeps running after switching off, is it very smooth or sort of rough? Both symptoms are consistent with too much ignition timing, meaning the spark fires too soon. The bells you are hearing is the gasoline detonating, which means it is actually exploding (might be a little too strong of a description) from the heat in the combustion chamber, before the spark fires. This is hard on the pistons. One way to test this is if the tank is almost empty, put in a few gallons of premium and see if the symptom goes away. Premium gasoline resists detonating and running on more than regular. If the symptoms go away, retard teh ignition timing slightly. To retard the ignition timing you rotate the distributor counterclockwise.

While it does sound as if you have fixed your steering play problem, do occasionally check the mounting bolts as has been suggested. On my wife's RHD 67 88 the steering box mounting bolts kept loosening up. It turns out that there is one bolt that goes to the top of the footwell that fastens down the whole bracket assembly that the box is bolted too. We installed that bolt and the requisite shims and the loosening problem went away. I also went to all metal locknuts wherever possible which helped. It seems that the nylon insert locknuts the nylon would break down overtime from the oil that tends to be around Rover engine compartments.

Do check that the steering box and relay are filled with oil. If it does leak, the seal in the steering box is a simple o-ring. Getting the box out is a total pain but mostly due to all the unbolting of bits. The best way to fill up the relay is to open up two of the small bolts in the top and use a syringe to fill up. The second bolt acts to let the air out.

By the way, women who drive Series Land Rovers are very cool, just ask my wife. Michelle even drag races hers in street class here, check out the "pics of your Series thread". I am not sure if we get more people down here wanting to buy our series Land Rovers or our 70 Plymouth Road Runner.

[Rosie]

Thanks StX! Good information!!!
I did just look at your pics!! My husband works for USGS too! He takes a lot of water samples up here in the cold Great Lakes. Looks like you all are in a fun place!