Oil for Ferret Fluid Coupling?

[LRDG]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

I think your idle at 400rpm is a bit slow, you may find the regulator is cutting in and out at that speed too. I find it best around 550. Shifting from forward to reverse has to be done in one swift movement and can be done without it being at 400, but you need to select and engage Neutral. Also, never leave the engine running in gear while stationary for a period as oil will overheat.

You say you think the engine is running too cool, let me know what temp it is showing on the gauge please.

Regarding draining oil, if you don't want a mess then the only way is to pull the gearbox back from the engine.

regards, Richard

Richard,
I'll double check the idle with a laser tach as the mechanical tach bounces around at low rpms (will oiling the cable help?) and I'm estimating the idle speed. I'll raise it to 550 and try that.

Do you mean the generator regulator? This Ferret (and in fact all our Ferrets AFAIK) has the updated alternator that was installed in the early 70's, so that wouldn't be a factor, right?.

Interesting what you say about selecting forward/reverse. I can get a very clean, grind-free forward/reverse shift by selecting and engaging first gear first. It is damn near impossible to select forward/reverse with neutral selected and engaged because of nasty high-frequency tooth grinding. I attribute that to the excessive drag in the flywheel combined with normal drag in the gearbox causing the gearbox output pinion to rotate the transfer case bevel gears much faster in neutral than it does in first. In first, you get the advantage of the 6:1 gear reduction to significantly reduce the flywheel drag rpm.

It'll be interesting to see what effect the thinner flywheel oil will have on this.

I knew the engine was running too cool because of IR gun readings, the fact I could also hold the thermostat housing comfortably with my hand, and the fact that the upper rad line heated up after a cold start at the same rate as the thermostat housing.

Today, I now know why it was running too cool - there was no thermostat installed. I have installed a good t/s and I'm in the process of replacing all the old hoses.

The temp gauge doesn't work. That's high on my list of priorities. I measured 95 ohms across the disconnected sensor at room temp which makes me think a) it's not a modern NTC sensor and b) the fact I have a resistance at all means it may be OK.

The obvious reason it's not working is because there is no voltage across the 2 pins on the sensor connector with ignition on. More troubleshooting required.

Malcolm .