With all that oil underneath you won't have any rust problems eh

 

Cool I've got lots of things to try now. After cleaning the underbody, do you guys recommend any sort of coating to prevent rust? Rubberized spray perhaps?

 

I have been wrenching my own Rover about 2 years now. Everything on that mechanic's list I have actually done myself on mine. That said, if you rolled into my garage, I would feel no problem knocking out that list and so you can actually do them yourself as well.

That said, there is a learning curve to what's under the hood. Once you've actually pulled the plenum (large aluminum top half that all the air intake hoses connect to) and you've put it back on, you'll have come a long way. There may be what looks like a LOT of parts under that hood, but it is still a limited number and given time, you'll know every part under that hood and what it does.

Leaking heater plate is fairly easy. Valve cover gaskets need that top plenum off, but it can be done by squeezing them under the valve covers with a friend. Tranny fluid is pretty easy and the filter kit too. Diff fluids are easy. Most everything is DIY, just take lots of pictures, work slow and keep track of what came off of what.

lastly, small vacuum hoses that were once rubber turn to brittle plastic. when they brake, find a way to patch them and order new ones.

Get to know your suppliers: Atlantic British, BP Utah, Lucky8, RoversNorth, etc. Ebay too.

Harbor Freight, keep those coupons and get the tools that make life easier!

G'luck!

 

Thank you. That's my thinking as well. Most of my knowledge is theoretical thus far, so once I start converting that to hands on experience, I'm sure it will all come together. I'm a computer programmer by trade - the plumber of the internet - and I believe that helps get into the mindset of 'This is very doable. It's all in the RAVE. Just follow procedures, and take the time to understand how it all works together'. Most people would never attempt to tackle this stuff because they see it as a bottomless black box... or they don't have the time

Side note, it sure would be nice to get a sticky of all the tools needed to work on a rover. I've been spending a dandy amount of time watching and re-watching all the Atlantic British videos, and taking note of all the different tools and sizes. It would be annoying to undertake a valve cover job to realize you don't have a fan clutch wrench or the specific 12 point sockets - i think its 5.5mm (I bought a 6 point stanley set, had to go back and buy more sockets).

 

Usually I plan tools on a job-by-job basis, figuring out in advance what I will need. Some of the most common tools:

6 and 12 point socket sets. 3/8 and 1/2 in drive
Socket extenders, wobble heads are great!
A set of these 4 Pc SAE Offset Ratcheting Wrench Set
telescoping magnet
large channel lock pliers
breaker bar with 18" handle 1/2 in drive
Box wrenches

no special tools usually required but often someone will post a tool that makes like easier, like those ratchets above.

 

And torque wrench, surgical gloves (thick ones), baby powder (to get sweaty hands in surgical gloves) and a magnetic bowl to keep bolts out of the compression chambers of your engine... and for other reasons.