Anderzander

Scott picked out the culprit - there was a gas problem. It's all done, ground back and painted now. Thank you though.

Mikey I saw your post after I'd bought a jacket .... I'll see how I get on with it before I go for the sleeves. I've actually got a burn on my chest - so maybe a jacket offers a bit more protection for me. My fix for the gas today was using a floating ball valve my neighbour gave me - it was that that showed up how far out the regulator was ... Stephen

I just bought one of these : http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/262023099676 I'll report back with what it's like.

My arms are a bit of a mess - so I'm definitely buying one.

I just looked on eBay - flame retardant smock is only £15

Thanks both ??. It was the gas - and the position. I had been given a new flow meter and hadn't got it right - or rather it's revealed how out my gauge is - so I've turned it right up - wedged myself in and got much closer and it's worked. I have though now set fire to my arm and rushed indoors for the burn cream. I think I need a leather onesie .... Hmmm my old motorbike leathers maybe in the attic still :-) Thanks for your help - and in seriousness I do need an apron or something.

I am outside - but so are my test pieces. Though it may be less windy in the mouth of the garage where I'm practicing - I'll turn the gas up a bit. Thank you. I've come in for lunch and to scratch my head over it.

A beginner MIG quandary ... I'm welding a patch on the chassis and I can't seem to run a decent bead. But when I run one on my test piece it's fine. At first I thought I had the settings wrong - as when I set it up last time the power and particularly the wire speed were much lower than I'd have thought. But if I turn it up I blow through - and it's putting a good bead with penetration on my test pieces. The metal is clean, I've cleaned for the earth. It is in an awkward spot where I can't get comfy and can't get in position to properly see the weld pool ... I accept I'm a carp welder - but am I missing anything obvious ?

Thanks Tanuki I've had a quick look using 'back-to-back' and ferrules as search terms and I'm finding a lot more stuff. I have a ratchet crimped for spade terminals - so I'll look to identify the type for these and pick one up. Any recommendations on type appreciated ? I saw one that looks like it presses in from four sides - and one that looks like it just pinched it from two, I'm not sure which is best or correct. One of the things I'm hoping to do with it is also to splice two wires into one with them. There a few splices like that on the Td5 loom and I think it's the same type of crimp.

Oops - duplicate post / thread.

Can you get non-insulated straight crimped connectors ? Sometimes rather than solder I'd like a straight connector I can crimp and seal with heat shrink .... But all I can find are those garish pre-insulated ones.

Could you explain that in more detail Mike ? I'm trying to imagine it - but thinking of you cut a spiral all around the outside, how would that avoid the splines ?

Thanks everyone ! I've a set of sumo bars, with a damper relocation kit on their way to me - so hopefully I can have a go on Thursday this week.

Is it not as simple as Land Rover supply them with the hole needing to be drilled ? And the solution is as simple as drilling them ? Am I missing something ?

I have some YRM ones stashed ready to fit - they were genuine new Land Rover ones they had galvanised. They are one piece as opposed to welded, though I haven't checked them against the existing ones.

Which are the limiting collars Nige? It's damaging the shaft or splines that I'm worried about.

I'm going to swap the drop arm over to a Disco one and wondered if anyone could share tips for removing it ? I did one before and really struggled to get it off - in the end I used a grinder to widen the slot and wedged it open with a small chisel. It was more effort than intellect though and I wonder if there is a better way ? I do have a small puller - but the arms won't sit well on the top of the drop arm, and I doubt it would be big enough anyway. Any help gratefully received.

Perhaps you could do a modern trabant ? Put one of those speed boat V6 2 stroke motors in one ? Ditch the harmonic cambers and put 6 expansion chambers on it.....

Have you seen that American conversion for the old mini - it uses the Honda VTEC, but with the CRV 4 wheel drive running gear. They look a LOT of fun.

My first car was a Mini 1000 :-) I put an MG Metro engine in it - I took out out of a metro at the local scrap yard, removed my passenger seat and got the guy in the yard to put it in the mini with his fork lift. They looked at me like I was a mad lunatic. I felt like a mad lunatic when on the first left hand bend the engine unbalanced and pinned my left arm against my side.

I'd take the advice above onboard .... Better to take ages and have one that will last for ages.

Is it making room for another project ?

I've just put a plate in there to fix a big rusty hole I found ...

Excuse my ignorance - but what kind of security could I put on a 200TDI 80" ? There is nothing to stop people getting in of course, but is there an equivalent to removing the rotor arm ? Someway to immobilise it ?

Oh - make sure you get the right nozzles. Their are front and rear - with one (the front) having a longer connector on it.