More Mods
Monday, February 26th, 2007
The 109 is still running well, starting instantly every time.
The steering needed a small amount of attention - the pinch bolts on the relay arms needing tightening and the steering box needed readjusting as it all settled in, but the steering is now very similar in feel and precision to my 1995 Range Rover Classic’s power steering, except when stationary.
I have fitted the Smartscreen to the front wipers. It’s a small electronic box that fits inside the instrument panel and connects into the wiper switch wiring to give variable intermittent wipe (anywhere between 3 and 30 seconds) and also three automatic wipes after pressing the washer button, all without fitting any extra switch gear or controls. I was surprised at just how satisfying it was driving home in the drizzle and not having to rotate the wiper switch every few moments - it’s a small thing, but it really makes driving in wet conditions far easier and far more pleasant than the standard wiper system.
I also modified the windscreen washer system, as the bonnet mounted spare wheel disrupts the airflow around the screen so much that the standard jets only splattered a small amount of fluid onto the swept part of the screen. I removed the outer part of the plastic jet (they’re made from two parts, push-fit together), and used 90 degree elbow pieces from an auto factors to connect the rubber hoses to the wiper spray bars from a Peugeot 406 (£7 each new). These spray bars needed a small amount of fettling to suit the SII/SIII - the end probe nozzle needs to be removed outright and sealed, the hole nearest the rubber tube needs sealing up, and of course, because of the Series’ symmetrical wipers, one of the bars need all the holes transferring to the other side (if you want it to look neat) with a hot pin before sealing the original holes. The same job could be achieved with irrigation tube or even just a rigid plastic pipe with the holes made with a hot pin and an attached rubber tube to connect to the washer feeds.
One problem has reared its head yesterday - the overdrive is dumping all of its oil into the transfer case within 50 miles. I’ll have to strip it again to replace the seals. I’m just glad Rovers Down South are manufacturing them.
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