oily Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Having great fun so far this season, in my Saracen, but lately, now and again, it seems to miss a gear, or not select properly....and seems to slip a little going into top.:confused: Points to note: I religiously 'toggle-up', EVERYTIME, each day it gets driven, even if only just round the yard. Sometimes, after pulling away, it'll leaves a trail of oil/water, about 15ft long probably a pint or so, maximum, the water is clear, not coolant,(taste test! Health and Safety-this practise is NOT recommended for long term use!), so this is probably condensation, from in base of hull, the oil is thin(ish), and not golden, so not OM13, but a brown(ish) colour like new engine oil. I am aware that there is supposed to be engine oil in the gearbox, end gear oil(black), in the transfer box. Recently I have been getting very good performance on the road, having been 'clocked' at 60mph! :shocked:, by my girlfriend, following in her VW Passat.- I'm obviously too busy looking where I'm going, to look sideways/down at the speedo! just a note to add here :stop:-these sort of speeds are only done where the limit allows, and where the conditions are safe!:stop: I have checked the oil level, in the gearbox, and it does appear to lose a little, so I top it up as required. Does anyone know if the Automatic Gearbox Stop-Leak juice, commercially available would work for sorting this minor leak, or whether it would possibly contaminate the brake band material?, when the level is correct, it doesn't miss-select gears, but still slips a little going into top....on this note, I've heard that up-armoured ones are prone to this, but it is not damaging..... Anyone got any input/ideas?:confused: P.S. I know some folks may think 60mph, is a tad irresponsible:nono:, but I've had lots of stories from ex-squaddies, regularly getting performance such as this, and better!:cool2: (slightly scary!:shake:), from Saracens, Ferrets, Saladins, etc, and yes, my Brakes and Hydraulics Systems are definatley in extremely good working order!........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Elsdon Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I would try and keep your speed down though, if not only for mechanical longevity, they arent in the first flush of youth. And it doesnt matter how good your kit is, it'll be granny in her Fiesta that pulled out of a junction because she "didnt see you". 10 Tons of heavily armoured vehicle will go through it like a knife through butter. And then it'll be on the news, it wouldnt be your fault but questions will be asked and then the usual goverment department knee jerk response to anything different, fun and in a minority will probably get us banned from driving them, or we will have to jump through legal hoops, tests and legislation. Personally i like to cruise along, with a passenger as an extra set of eyes, and be very courteous to other road users, and in return i get waved at and the thumbs up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john fox Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 3 possibilities spring to mind: 1. slippage is normally a sign of lack of fluid in the flywheel rather than gearbox probs, have you checked the fluid level? 2. not selecting properly may be due to wear in the gear selector linkages, check the clevis pins etc for wear and adjustments. 1st and 3rd should line up identically at opposite ends of linkage travel 3. slip going into top is precisely the same problem i had that kept me off road this season. It turned out to be the stop screw had come undone on 5th gear band. get the book out, make up the dip stick tool as described, and check the dimension "X" on each gear Not wishing to insult you, but is does sound as though wear is going to be an issue if you've been enjoying your speeds a bit too much :n00b:. May be time for a bit of a gearbox overhaul as point 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I religiously 'toggle-up', EVERYTIME, each day it gets driven, even if only just round the yard. To add on to John's good suggestions, I have to say, that toggling-up can sometimes be a waste of energy as the adjustments are so far out the toggles are not coming in to contact with the bolt head. Only sure fire way of checking this operation is to remove the tin lid off the top of the gearbox and operate each gear in turn checking operation. Also check to see the position of the adjuster nut on the thread, if it is near to the top of the nut, or through it, the band is worn out. I am very sceptical about a Saracen doing 60Mph, are you sure you girlfriend was not reading the Kph scale on her car? A Ferret Mk1 tops out at 60Mph and is half the weight of a Saracen with 75% of its engine size. You did mention something about uparmoured, if yours is, then it is even less likely to make this speed..........I am happy to be proved wrong though . Has the governed rotor arm been "doctored" as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oily Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 my girfriend has been reading over my shoulder, and yelled in outrage at the screen, -and in my ear! Nikki is perfectly capable of differentiating between mph and kph on her motor, and not some dozy blonde air-head(her words, not mine!), and may I say actaully loves all this larking about in armour, loads, I taught her to drive the Saracen, albeit round a field, and she took to it like a duck to water!.......The distributor arm is as it was originally intended, and still cuts ignition at 4000rpm..... and you don't, as a rule, get a granny pulling out of a hedge,......as I said -where conditions allow, and where it is safe.......if a junction, or other traffic appear ahead, I always back off, and cover the brakes, in readiness for the inevitable pointing/staring/muttering, smiles and waves that I ALWAYS get whilst out and about in it. Thanks for the tip on checking the fluid flywheel oil level though!...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 my girfriend has been reading over my shoulder, and yelled in outrage at the screen, -and in my ear! Nikki is perfectly capable of differentiating between mph and kph on her motor, and not some dozy blonde air-head(her words, not mine!),..... :sweat::sweat::sweat: oh............apologies to Nikki and yourself. Just that having worked on these vehicles for many years for the Army, I have never known one have a turn of speed such as that, hence why I wondered if the speedo reading was mistaken, sorry :-(. Has it had a B81 fitted by any chance? Just a point though, if a tracta joint had seized at that speed, the consequences do not bear thinking of........and it was not uncommon for it to happen due to "wind up" on road work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Maybe I should book Brands Hatch Again :cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oily Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) ......More points to note...... I also Religiously check for 'wind-up', EVERY time I stop, and get out...to fill up with fuel, etc (happens alot!), but not as much as I'd have thought, seems to average 5-6 mpg, around town, and about 8mpg, on a decent run, of say 60 miles or so) worked out by putting measured amount of fuel in, and dipping tank after before and after, said run, -with vehicle parked on the level...... The oil level/drain bungs are always in the same relative positions, when I check them. I'm lucky as I have an area of soft ground and gravel that I have to negotiate every time I get the thing out on the road, so any wind up gets driven out when I put it to bed, also I take it out in the rain too, a) to help keep it looking so clean, and b) I also find this helps to avoid 'wind-up' too....don't worry, I don't use those scary speeds in the wet, and only now and again when the weather and road conditions are good, and safe, with no granny-piloted Fiestas pulling out of hedges!...... I have evidence that all mechanical assemblies, engine, gearbox, transfer box, and all the wheel stations, were replaced with NEW assemblies at a major refurb/overhaul at base workshops in 1983, since then Saracen has covered 1147 miles as shown on the mileometer, I personally have driven it for 1067 of those miles, on and off road (....gentle off-roading though!). Before I drove it anywhere, I drained and replaced all the fluids, including all the hubs/bevel boxes, and as said, earlier the only leak is the tiny dribble of what looks like engine oil...... ......we are off camping with it this weekend, down to Hambledon, near Portsmouth, Hampshire, just round the corner from 'The Bat and Ball, Pub',...-if you know it. Route as follows Chandlers Ford, -Eastleigh, -Fair Oak, Bishops Waltham, -Wickham, Portsdown Hill (...seems to go on for ever!), Waterlooville, Denmead, and finally Hambledon...... If you see us, give us a toot and a wave, We won't squash you! Edited September 7, 2009 by oily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oily Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 maybe it is a B81!.....I'll check the numbers..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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