Hi guys, sorry I haven't been involved in the forum in a while. I've been busy with my Jag that I just bought ('92 XJS, V12 5-speed) and with work. My fiancee gave me the keys to the Range Rover back while she's going home to Texas for a month. This means that I get to fix all the little problems on it that I've been wanting to get around to since I bought the thing, but simply haven't been around the truck for a long enough period of time to complete. So, here's a laundry list of questions that I've come up with this weekend.

1) Air springs: What is the best/cheapest place to get replacements? I need new ones in all 4 corners
2) Shocks: What is the best brand to go with (stock, aftermarket, etc.) and best place to purchase?
3) ABS accumulator ball: The ABS pump is kicking in all the time (way too frequently). I believe the ABS accumulator is bad. Can anyone confirm this symptom and suggest a place to get a good (cheap, but new) replacement?
4) Cruise control: The cruise control computer appears to work. I turn on the master switch and it works, I hit SET or RES and I hear clicking from behind the dashboard, but it doesn't hold speed. What are the likely culprits here, where should I begin?
5) Headliner: The headliner (including sunroof bit and A/B/C pillar covers) should be replaced. Where is a good place to go for this, or is there a good how-to on how to do this myself?
6) Can anyone recommend a good leather conditioner for the seats?
7) Windshield washer nozzles are broken, I need to buy replacements. Good parts source?
8) Backlights behind the front/rear window defrost button and driver's temperature control switch don't work. Is this likely a bulb issue?
9) The display for the radio is completely broken. The radio, however, works perfectly, as do the speakers and everything. Am I going to need a completely new radio unit or is it possible to replace just the screen?

Thanks in advance for the help, guys. I'm hoping to make an order of parts either Monday or Tuesday of this week and that way I can hopefully get most of the major work done before Christmas.

An update on the truck itself: at this point it has 66,450 miles or so on it. We've put about 6,000 miles since purchase in August. I've flushed the transmission, transfer case, and differentials (all original). That made a significant difference in performance. Same goes for when I did a tune up. I also replaced the junky Cooper tires on there with some General Grabber AT2 tires, which are quiet and perform fabulously. The oil was changed rarely, obviously, and there is a lot of sludge build-up. I'm getting black oil every 1,000 miles, and changing it accordingly. I am considering using a 5W-40 diesel synthetic oil next round, to see if the extra detergents in it can help clean out the engine faster. However, the thing has been perfectly reliable for my fiancee and has given her zero problems. We are both continuously impressed with what a wonderful vehicle this is, and how well it performs. It's amazing just the way it is, and every repair makes it that much moreso. I'm looking forward to trying to mint this Rover out completely and driving it to 200k or more!

Pictures can be found here: http://www.dallasdrivers.org/gallery/album39

 

Update: I ordered a bit over $1000 worth of parts today between new springs, shocks, ABS accumulator, and a few other odds and ends. Those will be arriving sometime middle of next week, and I hope to get most of them changed out before Christmas, but that's probably optimistic. The ABS accumulator is quick enough, but the shocks and springs will probably take me a bit longer to do.

I would still appreciate any help on the cruise control if anyone can provide it, as well as a headliner source, leather conditioner, and help on the bulbs and radio display. Ideally I'm hoping to mint out the truck by June, and perhaps if I'm fortunate start on some of the performance upgrades.

 

Ted,
Long list, send me your tele. number and I'll call you.
Mike

 

Mike, it was a pleasure to talk to you this afternoon. Thanks for taking the time to call me and discuss the Rover!

 

I enjoyed talking with you and hearing about all your projects and the direction you are going with it.
Would like to hear how you are progressing with your tuning.
Mike

 

For radio try www.roverville.us

For the cruse contral it may be just a cracked hose on the driver side fire wall right by the hinge of the hood.
I just fixed mine yesturday.

Mark

 

I've ordered some $1200 in parts, which are supposed to start arriving today and tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Rover won't be done in time for me leaving on Friday, so I'll be taking the Town Car. I don't want to take it on any more trips until I at least get the air springs replaced. Having one of those die on me would really be bad, and seeing the steel belts on them doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling. I am very much looking forward to getting the new springs and shocks in the truck, as well as all of the little detail items that I have on my list of items to tackle.

Unfortunately I seem to continue finding more problems with the thing, but I will ask for some help here. It appears that my driver's side blower motor is non-functional. I only havea passenger side blower motor operational.I note that there are two fuses listed in the owner's manual as being related to blower motors (34 and 43), plus two relays and fuse 42 is for "Heating and ventilation." But now here is the interesting part: pulling all three fuses and two relays result in no change in the blower motor operation. I would expect the one blower motor that is functioning would cause it to stop. I also have some mysterious wires, one of which is shoved into one of the fuses on the passenger seat (can't remember which... at work now) and one attached to the battery that does not appear to be stock. I also do, indeed, have an error message from the So, here is my question:

1) Are there indeed two blower motors?
2) Should a bad one turn off when the fuses and relays listed are removed?
3) Am I just crazy?

I'm going to investigate this some more tonight and see if the weird wireslisted arerelated to this problem. If so, I may just have an electrical gremlin to sort out here... but any advice would be appreciated!

I will definitely check all the vac lines for the cruise control, and also check out that website regarding the Rover radio.

Also, are thereany "gotchas" when replacing air springs and shocks?

 

There is only one blower fan motor, sounds like you may have a vaccum gate stuck closed for your side of the truck.
The rear suspension is easy, are you going to coils or just wanting to repair/replace a leaking air bag?
Mike

 

Today's update: It seems like I solve one problem and get two more. [:@]

I replaced the ABS accumulator. I depressurized the system as per the procedure outlined in the RAVE CD, installed the new accumulator, and the brakes work excellently now. Gone are the feelings of having to stand on the brake pedal at a stoplight to keep the truck from rolling forward and the ABS pump kicking in every time I hit the brakes. That said, I should flush the brake system as well. That will come later. On that note, suggestions for brake fluid, or does it matter? I don't want to put something in that will destroy the system.

I also fixed the cruise control! It was, in fact, a bad vacuum line going from behind the dashboard to the cruise control unit. I got that hooked up properly and now the cruise works flawlessly. It really makes me happy to have this functioning.

I have diagnosed my blower issue. The driver's side blower motor is, in fact, bad. I took the lower dash apart last night and found the two blower motors, a driver's and a passenger's side. The passenger side one operates just fine, the driver's side one does not operate at all. To my point of the odd wire running from the fuse under the seat: That is, in fact, running to the blower motor for the passenger side. This explains why pulling the relays and the fuses for the blower motors resulted in the one operational motor staying on. I then tried the same trick on the driver's side blower motor, to no avail. I tested to make sure the voltage going to each blower motor from the climate control ECU to regulate the motor speed was the same on both sides (it was) and varied with the speed selected (it did). Interestly enough, though, when I force-fed power to the driver's side motor, the error light for the climate control system turned off. So, apparently it knew that there was a bad motor. I think I will continue on this by removing the blower motor, and seeing if, once it is removed, I am somehow able to repair it myself.before spending the money on a replacement.

So on those notes, I am happy as I have made progress. I suppose this is 2.5 steps forward.

Now for the steps back. After replacing the ABS accumulator, I now sometimes get an "ABS FAULT" and a "TRACTION FAULT". I am not going to jump to any conclusions on this, but I think I'll try flushing the brake fluid/bleeding the system first, and see where that takes me. When I removed the fuse/wire that was shoved in that powers the passenger blower motor now, I then got an "AIRBAG FAULT", and that has not gone away. I looked at the fuse (7) that the wire was shoved into, and it turns out that's the airbag fuse (or at least an airbag fuse, I'm sure there are more). Hmm, not good. I'm guessing it's somehow related to that, although the fuse itself is good.

I suppose it's 2.5 steps forward, 2-3 steps back. Am I ahead yet?

As far as the springs: They aren't actually leaking, but the front and rear springs all look really awful. On the fronts I can actually see the steel belts because all the rubber has worn away, and the rears look like they aren't far from that point. I'm less worried about leaks so much as one blowing out on me, since it seems this is constructed similarly to a tire. Since my fiancee is the primary driver of this truck, a failure like that really isn't an option, so I'd rather spend the money and replace it now rather than just wait on it happening. Besides, I'm going to need to do it sooner or later anyway.

 

Oh yeah baby! I told you it was a vacume hose!!!!!!

Keep going........

Mark