2001 Range Rover HSE - 141k mi

Previous owner had a stack of service records and took care of the car for the first few years of ownership. Then it sat only accumulating 10k miles in the last 10 years. The frame is clean other than some surface rust. It runs 194-198 down the highway on a 85 degree day.

Things already done: head gaskets, heater core, blend motors, EAS compressor, Ckps, Cps, rear window lifts, replaced transfer case, idler pullies, belt tensioner, water pump, thermostat

A/C doesn't work. Condenser leaking
HEVAC screen doesn't work
tires are a mix of cheap rubber
brake calipers are rusted
sway bar end links shot
oil cooler small leak
trans cooler possible leak


Wish me luck! I am sure I will be asking a ton of questions as I attempt to avoid going mad and wasting tons of money.


My plan

Job 1 - up front from the top
- radiator, oil cooler, trans cooler, A/C condenser (might as well do it all at once)
- thermostat & fan clutch
- coolant, oil, & transmission fluid replace
- HEVAC screen repair

Job 2 - on the corners from the bottom
- calipers, carriers, pads and hoses
- tires
- steering stabilizer
- sway bar links

Job 3 - engine bay
- coil packs
- wires and plugs
- valve cover gaskets

ongoing...
cleaning, polishing, waxing, vinyl, rubber & plastic treatment


longer term...
tie rod and drag link

 

20 year old P38 with 140kmi! What’s not to like. They look as good today as they did back then. Nice grab.

 

A solid project to keep you busy for awhile. Nice to see you're reaching this era of Rover. Should be fun!

 

cleaned up nicely. still waiting on some parts. Kids and I went to town inside and out.
outside:
Wash with dish liquid to remove everything including any old wax
clay bar
wash
polish w/ Chemical guys V38
Mothers wax

Chemical Guys "VRP" on black exterior surfaces

inside:
carpet cleaner rental from Home depot
leather honey + baby shampoo then Bick4 conditioner on seats
plastic surfaces....Mr. Clean + orange de-greaser.

 

A/C head unit refurbed. a little fiddly but not difficult.
new calipers/carriers and pads all around. rotors are basically new (pads were too but what the heck)
sway bar end links.
steering stabilizer
front & rear diff oil
engine oil & filter
air filter
tailgate straps
fan clutch

Started work on radiator, oil, trans coolers, and a/c condenser but was thwarted by the oil hoses. Galvanic corrosion has fused the steel hose ends to the aluminum cooler. I had a new cooler ready, but did not have new hoses on hand. ugh. note to self, put anti seize on all unions of different metals.

Lesson made clear about coolers/radiators... It may not be the radiator that is degraded and had clogged fins. It might be the oil and trans coolers which have tons of a/c oil caked into the fins preventing air from reaching the radiator to begin with. There are two layers 'upwind' of the engine coolant radiator ( 1- oil + trans cooler which are stacked on top of each other ; 2- A/C condenser ) and a bunch of stuff can prevent good air flow. This truck ran cool in normal weather while moving along but as soon as the traffic becomes bumper to bumper and you want to use the A/C, things get hot mighty quickly. That is when engines can be ruined.

 

Gunk on the trans cooler likely from the A/C condenser and after everything has been reassembled. Now idles at 185 F.

new gas cap
cabin filters
battery
oil cooler lines

 

Looks like a nice project. Like the color, too.

 

A/C unit now functioning. HEVAC head unit tidied up. I love the two speed electric fans. At idle with A/C on (88F deg ~ 31C) the temp climbed to 206 F and then the trinary switch did its job and changed the configuration in the e-fans to speed them up (serial to parallel...or the opposite, I forget?) and the temps fell to 197F. Absolutely pleased with that.

Having trouble with Fuse 8. No power at the fusebox (under seat) and therefore no cigar lighter and no where to wire USB ports. I need to figure that one out quickly.

Also have to figure out where my driver (LHD) rear ABS sensor is not getting signal to the ABS ECU. The sensor itself and copper bushing is new so I need to find where there is a break in continuity between the wheel arch and the ECU.

Trans cooler temp sensor not functioning. Not sure why. I already cleaned the blue connector on the radiator frame and now need to make sure the wiring to the sensor is in order.

And of course the radio is a mess. An aftermarket unit was installed without bluetooth and the DSP amp has been removed. It sounds like crap.

The sub unit is present and the sub-woofer amplifier is there. How much power did the sub-woofer amp have?

CD player removed. I'll strip out the navigation computer in the rear space soon. No need for it in 2021.

 

Been keeping an eye out for something similar. Just academically, of course.

Looking good Walt.

 

Looking at little lopsided this morning. And so the fun begins....

I do like this truck quite a bit. I hope I can get it sorted before it eats me alive.