GregK

I'm not having a dig at anybody but surely all the man has to know is fully compressed and fully extended messurments of the shock. As if you give him messurments with them fitted to vehicle he could supply wrong shocks as they can ether bottom out on slight bump or hit their limit whilst extended. Which isn't good for a shock. If I was you I would order specific shocks for your series or if you can afford it, fit once that would go with paras ie slightly extended [somthing like pro comp] to give you a bit more articulation. Plus you might find the shocks from fast fit place be more expensive then OE fittment. Greg

Plastic primer is what you need should be available thru halfords in spray can if not try your motor factors or local paint suppliers. You just spray it on the plastic, let it dry for a bit and apply paint with out sanding. But be cerfull it's like water. Greg

Could it be just a bad earth or bad connection? I have seen bad earth giving similar symptoms, especially when weather gets cold, starter will draw more power putting earths and battery under extra strain. Have you tried disconnecting the battery for few nights each night and reconnecting in the morning to see if you still have the problem? this could tell you if it's voltage drain or something else . I.e.. if it starts ok after disconnecting the battery there is voltage drain. If no difference... it could be bad earth , bad connection between battery and starter or even lazy starter motor [when cold] Greg

That just reminded me of something I will never forget it was funny at the time. Going back to my YTS days, head mechanic used to play a lot of pranks on me and my mate so to get our own back we waited till he was welding a car. Then we blown up small balloon with mixture of above gas using a masking tape as a fuse. We lit it, as our luck had it went off just at the same time as he struck a spark. Big BOOM later. The poor bloke dropped the welding torch and ran out of the workshop not knowing what happened. He never made another prank for long time after that. We did get a bit of a telling off after wards but luckily for us he did see a funny side and why we did it. I wouldn't do it now tough as it was too dangerous and stupid. Greg

Just done the search and this company is in kent http://www.adamsgas.co.uk/stat_ind_pricing...rl=general_info might be worth a try. Greg

I've just taxed my disco with 8 days remaining on my insurance cover so yes you can tax it as long as the cover expires on say 8th feb and you taxing it on the 1st.feb. I have also bought tax on 30 day temporary cover with out any problems. Greg

It dose sound like the matrix have gone not the nicest of jobs to do, had to do mine same time last year. If it was 300 there could have been pipes linking matrix with heater pipes. Have a look at the eblag pics of 200 and 3000 disco and you'll see what I mean. eblag numbers -- 200tdi item number 4601347037 300series -- item number 4600955298 just paste them in the eblag search. The heater box from RR of same age as 200 discos are same . I have RR one in mine and it was straight fit. Greg

I've killed screen on 4 months old nokia 7150i working under the disco £30.quid later and new screen it still works today. 6 months old Erickson k700i died by ripping out the joystick [again working on disco] then in anger thrown up the wall never worked since. A mate had a 5110 fell out his pocket and driven over with 7.5t lorry amazingly enough it still worked when found, although case has seen better days.

I sim to remember that air temperature had to be below zero for gas trick to work. can't remember why but Clarkson did give the rezone. I don't thing it would as when gas is ignited it will draw in oxygen [fuel for fire/explosion] and that's what pops the tyre back on to the rim. I remember once playing as a kid with 2l plastic container that had a drop of petrol in it when ignited and on explosion container expanded with air, making it a tad bigger then it's original size. Lets put it this way I never tried it again. Greg

You lucky people you get best of both worlds nice and warm in the summer and some snow in winter. Now I know I should have moved up there some years ago when I had a chance. Still nothing in B-ham.

Brrrrrrrrrrr. better them than me.

Nowt snow in B-ham, but I do hope we get some. Greg

I belive that the next day [free] retest -only applies to lighting and wipers. anything other than that is full retest of the vehicle. Unless as it's been said before the vehicle is left for repair at the testing station..The resone behind it is that if you have to replace disks or pads you might disturb other things that could become dangerous. The 45minute rule is a guideline or at least it used to be. It was quiet difficult to enforce 45 min rule as there was no way of telling how long mots took to do, unless mot station was doing too many mots in a day then DOT[Vosa] could pull the garage about it.[but I think DOT only looked at monthly average. Now with big brother watching they can implement the rule in to the MOT program. The plans for big brother were even bigger then what they are now as when DOT tought of this system initialy[ it was going to be computer controlled [which it is ] plus every MOT staition was going to have camera installed so that when mot was in progress they could have randomly monitor testing station doing the test. At the moment the only way Vosa can check the testing station to see if they do the mot's properly is by eather sheduled visits[mot stations know that inspectorate is coming and get prepaired for visit] drop visit or by sending one of their testers to pose as a costumer and watch the progress of the test from waiting bay.The other thing that was in plans [and I belive some might alredy be in altough not heard about] is that after mot was finished the pass or fail data was going to DVLA,police and post office. So that when you got pulled by police they knew if you had MOT or not, and if you went to post office you could tax the car with out having paper MOT as all they had to do is put your registration in the system. So yes BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING and I think it's going to get worst or better depends which end of reciving stick your on.. Greg.

I haven't personally seen it but my ex employer that owned a body shop said, that once someone bought a car to be filled and re-sprayed on closer inspection he noticed that some one replaced both front flitches but instead welding they used self tapping screws to hold it all toghever. When he approached the ppl about it ,saying that the car is Not road-worthy and that flitches have to be welded, their reply was that it was ok to do it that way [i.e. screw it toghever] and refused to pay extra money to weld it. Needless to say he refused to do the job. This apparently was back in the 80's. Unbelievable what sort of bodges ppl would do just to save or make few pounds.

Sorry Les I miss read you post and thought melted edge was only on one piston. IF it was just on one cylinder especially under the hot spot it could of been possible for injector to drip/not atomize and concentrating the heat on specific spot of the piston coursing it to melt. [well that's what I've been told in the past] you might find the answer on one of below links. http://www.me.up.ac.za/research/design/diesel-lube1.pdf http://www.steves.co.za/Engine_Protection_Units.html

As far as I'm aware early 2.5d pistons were a week spot and did crack the same way as yours did. Not sure if you remember from old forum mine did exactly the same thing but worst. The crack went all the way down to the ring and piston broke just under the ring. Originally I've put it down to over revving the engine with higher compression [did have 2.1/4 head fitted at the time] but since I have seen another engine with hair line cracks in it. And I'm sure I've read about weak pistons else were on the net. The melted bit on the piston could have been dripping injector. Greg

Did you changed the bulb on any of the side lights recently ? especially on rear right side lights. What makes me ask is the I've seen many ppl replace the twin filaments bulb with the single and that most of the time is the culprit of the problem. just to eliminate the bulbs remove them one at the time and see if fault is still there including the glove box one. have you got towing electrics fitted as those can also give probs especially if socket gets wet. you could also disconnect head levellers just to eliminate the motor probs if the problem still exists you'll gona have to look at the wiring. I don't think dash light will be coursing the prob. That's all I can think of. Greg

HI Scott. Well done. I bet you not in a hurry to smash this one up? Well not for couple of days anyway Be nice to see some pics of the beast. Will I be wrong in assuming that you've already took it for a little run over the Quantocks? Speak soon Greg

I'm only going from what I've seen in wiring diagram at the back of Haynes manual. If I can get my scanner to work I'll send you a copy of diagram listed in Haynes. Unfortunately I never seen the switch you have so can't comment on it's operation . I can only guess that it might be that although it returns to original position it can still act like a normal distinct ON/OFF switch. But I do agree with you that if by chance your switch works on sending a pulse, it will have to have a relay for it to work. Or if it didn't have the relay it will only allow the rear wiper to come on momentarily [i.e.. one sweep and park] just like very disco described she has to hold her switch In for rear wipers to work. Just had another thought. If your have got the relay and can check which side of relay is power from the switch then power from relay to rear wiper you could remove the relay and bridge the two wires toghever this will allow you to operate the wiper via switch. But the proper way of doing it would be to wire in a new relay using above wires so that the switch isn't put under too much stress. Greg.

According to Haynes manual early models don't come with the relay just the on/off switch which is wired straight to rear wiper motor. Later models 92-on but pre 95 came with 5pin relay which operates wash wipe as well. Both types of switches look like they are just ON/OFF type of switch with two wires at the back of it. One of the wires is 12v power supply from ignition switch via fuse to wiper switch the other wire becomes positive when wiper switch is pressed in ON position, then depending what year it is supplies power to relay or rear wiper motor. That's all I can see from wiring diagram.Greg

I'm fortunate not have to ever rebuild the gearbox so got no first hand experience. But will try to add my few pence worth. You mention thrust washer, don't this come in different thickness? If so it might be simply a case of changing that for different one. Greg

If it's 1991 it's a 200 series in that case yes you have to remove the dash to get to the heater. Then you'll have to split the heater box to get to the motor. If it's 300 1994- on I'm pretty sure I've read somewhere that you can get the motor out with out removing the dash as the motor is separate from the heater box. Greg

IT must be them secret meetings in travel lodge. Got me coat and gone in to hiding B)

Did this to me too, last night. All I did is hit back button and all was fine again.

Les. Thanks for transfering mine over. Greg