Hello all, new guy to this forum long time lurker. LRO Seems a little dead these days so thought I would join here too. I'm 26 live in the Memphis area. I have a 1998 disco LSE 190xxx white gold that I've had for a year now. Done head gaskets, welded wheel bearings grr, most of cooling system replaced except rad and heater core. Brakes done tune up done. Some fluids done in diffs etc oil changes with rotella only now these days. I put on a terrafirma 2 in lift medium duty, and she sits on 245/75/16 maxxis mudders soon to be replaced with treadwright guard dog MTs. Wanted to say hey and introduce myself. I am in the medical field where I work in an ER and rovers are my hobby. Wheeled recently at superlift orv park in hotsprings this past spring with arkansas rover society, great time lots of rovers 30+ showed great comroderie and a good time. There is another in November and I hope to see even more rovers then at the fall meeting. Sorry for long intro post but there is a question in all this as well. I am having an intermittent over heat only with ac on in the city my fan clutch is 4-5 months old replaced during head job with chevy clutch. But the clutch when warm offers no resistance what so ever I almost wonder if the fan clutch has gone bad already?? Any thoughts on the matter? I plan to have rad rodded and pressure test it for leaks. Does anyone know what auto store rents the proper pressure test set for the rover? I know it requires a specific top for the tank. Thanks all and looking forward to contributing when I can.

 

Before starting all this, look at fan belt for route, and be sure there is no wobble in the water pump. Many people find that new fan clutch puts extra load on old water pump, and things fail. Equally, vibration in an old pump may kill the new clutch. After all they are locked in an embrace at 3,000 - 4,000 rpm for hours on end.

Also, the fan clutch may be fine, just needs more heat on the center. Take a hair dryer and warm up the center point and re-try the spin test. The faceplate needs to be 170 - 200F to start re-engaging. Why would it be cool? Rad is half full of calcium and air is blocked or just not hot water in those rows, so fan clutch can't warm up. An IR thermometer will show you if rad fins after warm up and turn engine off are more than 10F difference top to bottom.


Your indy rad shop can handle pressure test, rod out, hot acid flush, about $70 near me, find guys that work on tractors and off road equipment (that's their boat payment). If fan clutch still freewheels it has lost internal fluid and time for another. It is six inch reverse rotation, write up in the tech area for a cross over to one for a 2000 Chevy 4.3 engine w/o air (with AC is 7 inch diameter). I also found a lot of Chevy ones at the salvage yard that will fit. This one came off a 2000 Blazer, and I got clutch and fan (trimmed blades) for $19. Rad will need work if it has age on it. There is also availabale now an aluminum replacement for $232. There have been write ups on that as well.

 

Thanks for the reply buzz. I'll heat the element and see what I can get the clutch to do. I have one of the chevy units can't remember which one it's commonly used by folks on the forums had to drill mount holes for fan a bit for it to fit. I'll check out the local shops good to know common prices for that rad cleaning, in Memphis everyone jacks up prices on everything. Water pump is new and doesn't have a wobble, but the main crank pulley almost seems to have a wobble to it? I'm gonna give her a look over again and see what I come up with just hoping trip to ark didn't fry my heads again reached temps of235*f!!! While center out on nearly vertical climb.

 

The indy shop I found was on the farm side of town, two man shop. You are correct than Disco fan blade holes must be slightly enlarged for alternate clutch use.

 

Slight wobble to crank pulley is something to keep an eye on. Because they are two piece using a rubber damper between the bell and sheave they can become unbalanced over time. When mine went it literally cracked. Cracked at the keyway, lifted enough to shear the front seal lip and out came the oil because as you know the pump is right behind it. Will Tillery said it's common and so did a few other members on LRO......when it was still a working site.....

 

Thanks scout. Yea LRO is pretty dead these days. Was long time lurker to both sites pre buy and post buy. More newbs at LRO, and senior members mostly ran off. Read alot of your post and comments and threads on LRO. I'll make sure to keep an eye on it. If I wanted to refurb. The crank pulley how difficult is that task? I'm very inclined to work on the rover, it's never seen a shop. Did my own head gaskets and many other tough jobs that required some out of the box thinking to accomplish. But never went as far as to check past crank pulley, or any bottom end motor work yet. But I'm not scared to get dirty and get some bloody knuckles. I'm thinking right now my issue with intermittent over heat is related to a clogged rad. I'm going to get under and test temp differences today and test fan clutch as well, been so busy in the ER last few days havnt had time to do any rover medics. Also the wobble seems very minimal at this time it's barely noticeable to the regular bystander but any good rover owner would notice it.

 

It's always been a site for noobs and we had our methods for weeding em out quickly. I had a great time and even nailed PT a couple of times.....and he'd always have a come back that would have me on the floor laughing. PT taught me allot on and off the site, I almost went to work for him, I was a rch close.

Sounds like you have no fear. I went with a Rover viscous coupling it's always worked awesome. Expensive at the time but worth every penny spent. The crank pulley is pretty easy to replace, best time to do it would be when changing out the viscous. I'd go ahead and change it out, future proof yourself. As for the bottom end it takes a little longer than an oil change. I used a dial caliper to get all journal dimensions. Brought oil psi up to snuff and quieted the bottom. I highly suggest it, not hard to do, just get new con rod and cap bolts.

 

As far as the rad goes, it might be worth driving out to the country to find a little heavy equipment/farm place to do it.

I would love to go to Hot Springs Arkansas. Sam Snead was from there wasn't he?

 

Yea guys I'm in a suburb of Memphis that's country already so looking for a shop. spent all weekend working on my buddies 98 Pos step side ranger 4x4 with soooo many rare and random parts damn that independent front suspension sh*t and thank god for coil sprung and straight axles. I read the 1500 mi report onthe 232$ rad but hat about in a DD and moderate/heavy off road use vehicle? Interrogated fan clutch while working on that ranger and found when warms mr turned it feels like peanut butter and only rotates half turn so I belies it to be good. Think dirty rad is my main problem now blew out fins with some compressed air and it was a dust storm as I expected but not that bad. Going to start a new thread for some top end noise and vibration. But yea Danny Sam Snead is from that area. Qndthe off road park there is awesome thousands of acres of old logging trails to explore and roam on from * to ***** we did allthe way up to *** in my rover with just a 2" lift and some balding maxxis mudders. First time ever got rover stuck was there on almost vertical climb where centered out on diff. Also limped home with damage to rear axle, while going up another almost vertical hill I shredded the rear diff destroying all four spider gears the cross pin and the casing in which spider gears is held had blown out a 3" fissure in the steel, it was pretty bad limped home to Memphis (4 hrs) with rear axles removed and in diff lock with no damage to anything. Great vehicle it took a beating and got me home as always. 73$ at scrap yard and 2 hours later and disco was riding strong again and now I have spare pinion and ring gear sweet. But lots of help from
Everyone lots of rovers too including a 73' air portable that was awesome. There are two trips a year there hosted by Arkansas rover society and Memphis bluff city jag/rover dealer one in spring another in fall. I'll be there in nov this time I'll have my spare parts!! If anyone can make it sign up at the superlift park website. on site camping is cheap and so is entry fee. Raffle that supports local childrens hospital that included a nice winch, some bumpers, roof top tent, suspension parts, etc. Just a good time with many other rovers and the event is split into 3 teams for different moded rovers and skill level so it's a great time. Sorry for long post im going to start a new thread about some top end noise

 

The $232 rad would work better than a clogged up copper one that needs a re-core. May not last as long, but at about 1/3 the price, you can afford a spare. If worried about low speed performance, install a larger fan (deeper pitch blades).