Peaklander

Welcome - it looks a great 90! I love this sealant, it cures easily and is very flexible and I've got a tube or two spread around my vehicle. It might help you.

Hi everyone I have a Turner 300TDi 21L (from Disco I think) in my 1996 110 and I'm preparing to do the timing belt. I asked a supplier about a kit and they've asked me if the belt tensioner has a lip on it or not (even though I told them it's a 21L). Is there a definitive answer based on the engine code, should I ask Turners or would I need to wait till I can see it? Thanks

I'm confused too ? (It's not 2.4 is it?). I don't suppose you have another battery anywhere on the vehicle do you?

Yes a bit strange. Is it really 24v? What voltage do you measure directly across the battery?

I agree with that. Your interior lights probably don't work unless the bodge has 'fixed' that. They should go on when the alarm is unset and give you an off delay when you set it. My Defender was similarly bodged when I bought it. You need a bit of patience but it is possible to follow the wires and see what's what. You would need to search online for the manuals but they are there. You can get the connections to the 10AS unit ( the green one you mentioned which is the alarm 'ecu'), another shows the configuration of the two connectors so you can confirm the wire colours on the wiring diagram and there's also stuff that explains how to re-sync the fobs. You also don't necessarily need any plugin computer to get it working, at least I didn't.

I can't see the exact connections into the grey plug but those two on the green are the link into the indicator circuit to allow the flash(es) when you arm and disarm. If you can be more specific with the wires into the green connector I will be able to see what they are. The colours seem to change as your eye follows the wires - at least on my screen.

You shouldn't need to remove the plugs to check resistance. Disconnect the feed from the end and check resistance of each one, measured between the end that takes the connector and the earth of the cylinder head or block. If you do decide to take them out and put a live directly across them each as described, if they work, you will see as they glow very clearly and also remain hot for quite a while afterwards. Otherwise, with all wiring in place, clamp the red/positive of the voltmeter onto the connection at the first plug, clamp the black/negative to a good metal point on the engine and position the meter somewhere where you can watch it as you turn the key to "heat". That's when you should see ~12 volts if your connections are all sound. If it isn't, then there's a high resistance along the circuit.

Hi Red90, the BFGs have the Mountain/Snowflake symbol on the ATs that I run, which i think is a North America confirmation of achieving winter performance standards or something (compound, sipes and presumably traction). It's a bit surprising to see that you don't rate them. Is there something specific about them that you have found not to be good?

You appear to have spent £9K on the vehicle and (stretching) another £435 is going to be the best first purchase you can make. Keeping the chassis in top condition by properly protecting it now should be at the top of your list - IMHO. You can do it yourself but it's a filthy job, quite tricky to apply in cold weather and if you have the money and it's not too far to travel, I'd go there asap and it's done. Enjoy your retirement and you've come to the place for all questions and answers!

Yes thanks @reb78 I'll have a look at them too.

^^^^^ agree with that. Also, the parts lookup on the website is particularly useful. It's sometimes hard to filter out the noise in the results but if you know the part number then not only do you get two or theee options, there's always a closeup photo and a good description. In the case of set screws etc this can be really handy.

Oh that website you linked to is full of stuff and there's a lot to read. Thanks for that, I'll have a good read. I had a very quick look at what the Smartgauge actually measures and how it interprets the battery state. I think it measures voltage and holds some kind of map of the discharge state of various battery types in order to match the two.

What you've drawn would work. The alt still has a battery connected to it and the "everything else" load includes the charge lamp which is from where the alt gets the startup volts that Tai mentioned. Don't think you will improve anything though as now everything is loaded onto one battery except two things that are infrequently used.

...and then check the timing. This sounds hard but is quite easy and plenty of how-to-do around.

JJ, that's a really good result and I hope the batteries were the cause. I have struggled with my dual battery set-up which uses a Durite sensing relay to allow the aux battery to be charged once the main is showing enough volts. In practice the main is fairly well charged all the time whereas the aux can run right down (camping cooler). The problem then is when the relay clicks in, which is just a few seconds after start-up, the discharged aux is presented in parallel with the highly charged main and the alternator output is probably compromised. I have to check this is more detail with a clamp ammeter to be absolutely sure that I know what's going on because then I will see the actual charging current passing through the batteries and out of the alternator. The reason I say this is because your experience has been remarkably similar in that you had a bad battery (and a good one?) and were charging them together - as you say above. Could you just explain this though - what exactly is it? Do you have a photo or something please? Thanks

Not using PayPal means having to input your credit card details into every site. For that reason i prefer PP and they don't have to be re-keyed either. I totally understand the problems with purchase protection though.

Hi - have you determined that the solenoid definitely opens when cranking? I don't know myself if removing the spring and plunger keeps the valve open without power as I've never looked at one.

I don't know how a duff battery presents itself at the alternator in terms of how it can load it but I guess it could create havoc with the regulator, especially if in a dual system the other battery is OK. Maybe your IBS is very clever and properly isolates a charged battery and allows the alternator to see the second one and increase the output current (charge). Perhaps this is was was happening. The 14.7v is very nicely high and I think if the alt can put that out, then your batteries should get fully charged. I really don't know if the batteries are the cause of the apparent output fluctuations from the alt. Maybe only time will tell. The battery lamp is certainly behaving now

Sorry John, this is wrong - my mistake. The older diagram shows that the lamp common connection is +12v not 0v as I said, so it is similar to the newer ones except for the diode and position of the resistor. I don't think I'm adding much to the party but I'll have another think through a little later. It is really surprising that there have been so many alternator 'incidents' so something isn't right (says he stating the obvious).

Yes Mo, I read it as: the diode prevents backflow from the alternator that would keep the solenoid open and prevent the engine from stopping and I hope that's what I said too otherwise I'm needlessly confusing things (even more). and yes swapping the alternator might well isolate the fault, as you suggested earlier.

The reason for the diode as it says is to allow the stop solenoid to shut-off once the IGN has been switched off. As the alternator is still spinning it would still be providing output that kept the solenoid energised. I don't think that this is linked to your problem - I suppose that if you don't have the diode because it's old wiring then you might have difficulty stopping the engine. I should add that I only have a circuit diagram for a 300TDi and the lamp wiring is different as the lamp has IGN +12v on it which then routes through to the alternator, with the diode in series and the resistor across the lamp. In your supplied image of the older wiring the lamp has 0v and the 'other end' has the IGN+12v running through the resistor first before splitting off to the alternator and the warning lamp.

A set for my 300TDi are on order from MK, so thanks for the advice, I've even gone for black due to the health warnings about blue.

Yes - the warning lamp is on from when IGN is selected until the alternator is providing enough of its own output volts (so as soon as it is spinning really). The lamp has IGN controlled +12v on one side and the other side is connected through a diode, to the alternator regulator and down to 0v. The current this provides in the stator windings creates enough magnetic field within the alternator for the rotor to start to generate its own power (to the vehicle). The diode is there to prevent a back feed of current from the alternator once it is spinning and providing its own power. I don't think it does anything else. For the lamp to light even just momentarily I think there must be a satisfactory connection from the IGN +12v all the way to the regulator. Then for it it go out almost straightaway I can only think either 1) that the regulator is faulty as it shouldn't allow the volts to rise on that side until the alternator output provides them. As it is also connected internally to +12v from the battery (part of the monitoring of the battery condition to control its own output) perhaps it is this voltage finding its way to this side of the lamp. or 2) that excitation wire from the lamp, through the diode, to the regulator on the alternator, becomes disconnected or high resistance and there's no longer enough current to drop the volts across the lamp. Could this be happening sporadically as well as when the unit starts to spin? Otherwise I'm b*&&ered if I know :-(

Hmm that's frustrating to say the least and I don't think I can advise but here's where you are I think. Note this is me thinking aloud. Your alternator is charging your batteries because it all appears healthy on the dials and they aren't losing charge over time (what's going in > what's coming out). The voltages appear correct most of the time remembering that a fully charged battery will have 12.8v when not under load and no charging and the alternator should be delivering around 14v when it is running. Your tacho is picking up a signal from one of the stator windings which would change in frequency as speed alters as well as amplitude (I think). This is in the circuit before the regulator pack (diodes to convert to DC) and it's on the fixed side so not related to slip rings or anything. However the tacho shows some lower frequencies than you are expecting to see (you know that sometimes the engine revs are greater than what the tacho displays). The alternator might be intelligent enough to reduce the output when the batteries are fully charged to the extent that the tacho gets a naff input (I don't know if this is really true but I was told once that it does happen although I thought that the regulator is simply a diode pack to do the rectification and not much more. Taking this further, if the alternator thinks that the batteries are not charged, maybe it would vary its output. This could be down to a bad connection on the +12v supply side not necessarily only on the 0v side You've checked and there's no belt slippage which is unfortunate as that would presumably explain everything. You said this... It should be on when the alternator isn't spinning and IGN is on, as the excitation for the alternator is provided by the +12v feed that comes from the other side of that dash charge lamp. It's supposed to be on until the alternator provides enough volts to match this, at which point the current flow is negligible and it stops illuminating. As far as I know, this voltage passes straight to the stator but would still be connected to the regulator. Maybe a duff / faulty regulator could affect it and it is a bit weird that it isn't on at the start. Something is working in that charge lamp "circuit" as the alternator is getting started and then generating its own field excitation once it is spinning. Go back to plan A and swap the alternator!! I've just read this back - it doesn't help at all, sorry but I will press submit only because reading it through might cause someone who properly knows to come in and help!!

I'm showing my lack of knowledge as I don't know what a GS version is but it's easiest to check with all mats and soundproofing stripped out from the footwells if you have any. Look under the dash by sticking your head into the footwell on the driver's side and check for leaks from the pedal boxes or if the water is a bit higher up then the next place is that bulkhead to windscreen seal. Help whilst doing this is useful as someone can gently direct a hosepipe into strategic areas. Also as so much water gets onto the top of the bulkhead from the bonnet, make sure you have a seal on the curvy bit and also that there are no holes or gaps where speedo and cables pass through the bulkhead into the dash area. a tube of RTV is really good to use to block these. If it's the windscreen seal then the water gets in much higher up and can only come down at the corners so it's less lightly I think.