top speed 80 km's per hour

noexitroad · Post by **noexitroad** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:29 am

hi there team, over the last couple of years i have been working on an ex army stage 1. i have just been test running it up the road and have found it's top speed is about 80k's. if i go above that it sounds like it's going to spontaneously combust! it has a 4 speed gearbox (lt95 i suspect) and salisbury diffs. what can i do, it would be nice to go a little faster as i was passed by a concrete mixer truck the other day!! HELP

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:25 am

You're are going to need to provide a lot more information to get any accurate help;

- precisely what model it is,

- what it is or isn't doing...

Otherwise everything will be utter guesswork. The typical Series III V8 should be capable of 120 KPH without issue.

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 8:52 am

I assume you did take it out of low range?

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 8:47 pm

In low range the top speed is about 50km/hr. More than that and it will explode I am sure.

Have you removed the restrictors from the carbs?
Are the carbs tuned?
Is the timing correct?
Has it had an oil change recently (when was it last done)?
What tyres are you running?
Is the noise coming from the engine, the gearbox, the diffs, universals,...?

These are typically fairly noisy if you have the full tilt on it although much can be done to quieten them. Often new owners are surprised about the mechanical noises they hear from these things but they are just built like that. You get used to it or you put in sound proofing, or you go deaf unless you invest in ear muffs

Seriously though, there is lots that can be done.

Remember too that the carbs on a V8 have a peculiar habit of whistling when they are running over a certain rev range. People can sometimes be unnerved about that when they hear it for the first time. It is not about to explode and I love the sound of a V8 when it starts to sing (as opposed to the deep rumble that most people go on about).

These engines will run up to 5000rpm and at 80 km/hr you are probably only running at about 2000rpm. There's plenty more in there yet

noexitroad · Post by **noexitroad** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 7:10 am

i think the tyres could be my problem, they are 265/75/16 savero m/t tread. i have had su carbs put on and professionally tuned so the motor is going fine, you are right that there is more left in it, it's just vibrating a bit more than would be comfortable. oil change has been done. carb restrictors had already been removed. i understand that some gears can be changed in the transfer box to increase the top end so i will investigate this some more.

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 7:49 pm

Yes you can exchange the top gear for a Range Rover top gear. That gives you longer legs, but... It also means you lose power on the hills or when you are towing.

I normally cruise at 100km/hr with a stock vehicle (no restrictors and with electronic ignition - not EFI).

The rolling diameter of the tyres is about 31.5", correct? That is a little smaller than original but not much. It may contribute but I doubt by that much.

Is your speedo correct? Mine reads 90km/hr when it is doing 100, and 42.5km/hr when it is doing 50.

Vibrating (I am sure you already know) may be from unbalanced tyres or poor wheel alignment. But it can also be coming from the drive train and include worn universals, worn cardan, damaged diffs, worn big end, and so much more. You need to be a bit more specific about where the vibration is coming from.

noexitroad · Post by **noexitroad** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:20 am

thanks for the advice, i took it in for a wof today and it failed. rear reflectors need replacing, sun visors need to be installed and a weld on the fuel tank mount is cracked. it needs to be on the road by the 1st weekend in march as our 4wd club is going out to port waikato for the weekend. this will give me a chance to stretch its legs and compare speeds against something else. i have been told that you cannot do a wheel alignment on a permanent 4wd vehicle. is this true??

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 7:18 am

Utter nonsense.

The only problem you will have is that the Series III has little adjustment. If you have a flat floor you can perform an accurate wheel alignment at home. How good a condition your system is in will be the determining factor.

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 7:29 pm

Like Map said. I had mine done at Andy Harpers when I got the new tyres. Wonderful driving experience! The only thing is camber is not adjustable, but that has to do with the Series III geometry.

noexitroad wrote:i took it in for a wof today and it failed. rear reflectors need replacing, sun visors need to be installed and a weld on the fuel tank mount is cracked.

None of those things are major. Get some new reflectors from Forward Specs in Avondale or Land Rover Parts in Penrose, they are cheap. If you have them, stick in the sun visors, otherwise grab some from the wrecker. Get the fuel tank fixed at VCM in Avondale (http://www.vcml.co.nz/), good guys, good work, and they will pressure test it to make certain it is safe to use. Ask for Blue.

noexitroad · Post by **noexitroad** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:24 pm

thanks for the tips, parts have been ordered and are on the way! fingers crossed i get it done on time, the fuel tank is the only problem as i cannot get it out out but a local engineering guy is prepared to fix it in the vehicle next week. i will get a wheel alignment done once i get the new alloys on with some different tyres around the end of march.

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:34 pm

noexitroad wrote:the fuel tank is the only problem as i cannot get it out out but a local engineering guy is prepared to fix it in the vehicle next week.

That the front or rear tank?

Neither is very difficult to remove. Even a hack saw will remove it.

Seriously, if the mount is cracked then it needs welding and I would be very cautious about flushing a fuel tank that cannot be swilled about (i.e. has not been removed from the vehicle). It must be flushed out before any welding on it otherwise big booms ensue.

noexitroad · Post by **noexitroad** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:52 am

i am struggling to get access to the top of the bolts at the front of the tank at the back. there is no front tank on this one but there has been one there previously. the bolts are up high near the deck. do i have to take the deck off? thats how it looked to me so i gave up! the plan is to fill the tank with water while welding it which should be achievable as it can be flushed fully out of the bottom drain hole and the top filled to the brim through the hole at the top where the fuel level mechanism is. does that sound a bit agricultural?

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:53 am

Read your parts book (as vague as it is in this area).

There is enough spanner room at the top of the frame when accessed from underneath the vehicle. It will either be a standard 3/8 UNF bolt and nut, or a special (stepped) bolt and nut. Plus washers and four special rubber grommets.

5988 · Post by **5988** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:20 pm

those bolts are absolutely horrible to get off, especialy when rusty
Ive spent hours trying to get them off, but as ^^ they can ....just...if you have small hands...be got at (oh and you will be covered in years of road muck once your done

)

noexitroad · Post by **noexitroad** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:27 am

you forgot to mention all that rusty crap falling into your eyes! got the tank welded today, took out the sender at the top and filled with water, everything went well except i broke the end off the fuel line at the sender getting it out which means that i have just 3 days to get one sent and fitted before the big adventure.....will i make it, this is going to be close!