In recent weeks, the rattling in the engine of our Milady Landy has become increasingly noticeable. After a thorough inspection in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, we drove 1,000km further, to Falaj al Muallah, north of Dubai, to provide our faithful companion with a new heart. In two days, the experienced Indian mechanics exchanged the old one for a newer donor engine.
In between, I, Gert Jan, get to drive a Series 1 Land Rover during a desert drive with 57 Safari , a unique experience.
For more detailed information about our trip through the Emirates, see Sonja’s Polarsteps.
The problems
I always say: problems do not exist, they are challenges and we can solve them .
Unfortunately, the persistent problem with Milady’s engine was too challenging for us to solve ourselves.
After all, we had had problems before, the turbo broke and had to be replaced , which required us to be transported on a tow truck for 1,500 km.
After that new turbo we expected to be rid of the problems. Although in Amman, Jordan, even after this repair, I had the feeling that the engine was not running optimally. Both the mechanic, Faysal, and Dergham, our Jordanian Land Rover friend, convinced me that the engine might be old, but certainly not worn out. Unfortunately, they were proven wrong.
The rattling and clicking in the engine only got worse, so bad that when we arrived at one of the stages of the Dakar Rally 2024, Tim Coronel commented: “ There is a tick in your engine, I would take a look at that! “.
The diagnose
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia we meet Nelly Bird, a pacesetter for the overland community. He is full of stories about his adventures with Jelly, his wife and their Land Rover Ambulance overland vehicle. He also tells us that Land Rover parts are available in Riyadh, despite what we were told earlier. He gives us Faisal’s phone number (a popular name in Land Rover land 😉), he has a large amount of Land Rover parts in stock. Faisal sends us the coordinates of Adam’s garage ( 24.779851, 46.763562 ), who does a lot of work for him and is good at diesel engines.
Adam and Faisal listen to the engine and first ask if the valves need to be adjusted? Adam checks this first, the valves appear to have a little too much play. Yet the engine continues to make noise.
In the meantime, Adam has also removed the right front wheel and the flange from the axle, where the sealing ring appears to be leaking. Fortunately, Faisal has one in stock and the wheel can be reassembled.
I suggest removing the oil pan from under the engine so we can determine what the oil looks like. After some insistence, Adam’s colleague crawls under the car and disassembles the oil pan. To our great horror, we discover a handful of metal grit at the bottom of the oil pan.
There is something seriously wrong with the engine. A bearing or bearing shell on the crankshaft has probably broken. This requires a complete overhaul of the engine. Unfortunately, Adam cannot do this, Faisal simply does not have the necessary parts in stock.
An alternative is to find a replacement engine and exchange the existing engine. Faisal calls around and an hour later, the oil pan has been reinstalled and the wheel is secured again, he tells us that an engine is available. However, that motorcycle is in the Emirates, his friend Abdullah has one available in Falaj al Muallah, a small town north of Dubai.
We exchange phone numbers, pay our bill and head out. Hopefully our rattling engine will last another 1,000 kilometers.
The first night we sleep near Riyadh, I want to be on my way to the east in any case.
Then we drive for another 2 days, with the engine rattling, on the highway, at a speed of between 80 and 90 km/h. We both sit tensely in the car, we leave the ventilation grilles closed as much as possible so that the engine noise can still be tolerated to some extent.
The garage in Falaj al Muallah
The engine holds up and after 2 full days of driving we arrive in Falaj al Muallah, at Al Majal car maintenance workshop .
We call Abdullah and he will be in the garage within fifteen minutes. After consulting with Pradeesh, the mechanic who will carry out the engine change, Abdullah calls Dubai, where he has found an engine. He shows us a video of the engine running.
Since it is already late and the bike still has to arrive from Dubai, Abdullah takes us to his uncle, Khalifa Obaid Bouskin Al Ghafli, who owns the ‘Falaj al Mualla Classic Cars Centre’. When we arrive, we are amazed. This is a Land Rover paradise! There are hundreds of old Land Rovers here: series 1, 2 and 3 and also special editions. We are traditionally welcomed with Arabic coffee and dates and can spend the night here! What a place!
The next morning we are at the garage at 8 o’clock, the motorcycle has also arrived. The mechanics immediately start removing the old engine.
In the meantime, the steering rack is also being dismantled, which is leaking a bit and can be overhauled at the neighboring garage.
In the meantime I’m taking a look at the “new” engine. There appears to be some damage, the alternator has suffered a dent and parts are damaged here and there. Some parts of the old engine will still have to be transferred. The gearbox on the engine does not need to be transferred for me.
I brought a clutch set with me from the Netherlands last summer, and I will certainly have that installed as well.
Dismantling the old engine and transplanting the new heart proves to be even more labor-intensive than Abdullah predicted. At the end of day 1 the old engine is taken out, tomorrow is a new day. We can sleep in Milady, in our own bed, in the garage.
The next day the technicians start early again. I ask if they would also like to look at the timing belt, yes, they will. Later, when the new engine is in place, I remind them about the timing belt. Oops, now that requires a bit more work… Still, the mechanics continue with full energy and the engine can be started at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the thermostat housing appears to be leaking, which still needs to be removed from the old engine. That won’t be possible before 3 o’clock, when we are invited by Ahmed.
Some relaxation at “ 57 Safari ”, driving a Series 1
We were invited by Ahmed, Khalifa and Abdullah’s cousin, to visit his tourist location “ 57 Safari ”. This resort is located in the middle of a unique game reserve, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve . Because Milady is not ready yet, we drive with Ahmet to the gate of the reserve. There are 4 old Series 1 Land Rovers waiting there. We are also introduced to some of the Dubai Tourist Police officers. They would like to meet us and will make a report about us as world travelers who came all the way to Dubai by car.
I, Gert Jan, get to drive one of the old Series 1 Land Rovers. Quite an experience! The driving experience reminds me a bit of the old Milady, you keep correcting while steering and the clutch is quite stiff. I love driving this open, original Land Rover, something I could never have dreamed of.
Along the way we even spotted gazelles and white oryxes.
At the 57-Safari camp we are welcomed as guests of honor. There are 2 camels ready for us for a ride through the desert from a different perspective. Then it’s time for the falcon show, I can even participate in this.
After an interview with the tourist police we receive a certificate and a plaque, they are so proud of us…
An extensive dinner at the safari camp concludes the evening. During dinner there is entertainment in the form of traditional dance and music.
The evening ends with a spectacular fire-eater show. An experience we will never forget.
Ahmed drops us off at the garage where Milady is ready to continue driving the next morning.
The first driving experience with the new engine
In the morning we look at the new engine together with the mechanics, it runs fine, no more clicking and rattling. I walk around the old engine and disassemble some spare parts: the injectors, the starter motor, the turbo and the vacuum pump. These may come in handy during a future repair down the road.
We pay Pradeesh (AED 1,000 = € 250) for the labor and Abdullah (AED 11,000 = € 2,750) for the engine, oil, coolant and overhaul of the steering rack.
We drive from the garage to the supermarket, what a peace and quiet, we can now talk to each other again while driving, even with the ventilation grilles open. I notice that the engine is still a bit loosely adjusted at idle, so we go back to Pradeesh who exchanges some parts of the injection pump.
We received excellent help and are very satisfied with the result. We thank the technicians very much and can get back on the road with peace of mind.
