It’s sloppy maintenance time for Theo’s trusty old Land Rover
1968 LAND ROVER SERIES IIA
This isn't the first old Land Rover to endure years without an oil change and it won't be the last, but I still felt guilty about it.
Half a decade had passed since I last changed the oil that lubricates its 2.25-litre petrol engine so the job was long overdue. It hadn’t done a huge mileage but I was concerned about internal corrosion. Removing the rocker cover to check the valve clearances had revealed surface rust on the valve gear, whose surfaces are washed by the oil when the engine gets busy; the thought of gritty oil being flushed into the sump and slathering the pistons made my blood run cold. Nor did I want that grit clogging the mesh in the sump, which the oil pickup sucks through.
Christmas was approaching so I put a request in to Santa for some 20w40, which duly appeared under the tree, and I got to work after a few weather warnings had blown through. It also happened to be a highly satisfying thing to do on my birthday.
No dramas, but the oil was definitely grotty. I sploshed some old petrol around the filter housing to clean it out and renewed its rubber seal, which I smeared with oil; this helps to prevent future leaks because it allows the seal to slide instead of getting pinched as the housing is turned against it.
I also
