cackshifter

If you have the 300tdi type clothes peg return spring, you might find one side has snapped. I have had 2 do this now, and it keeps working on one side but isn't as strong.

Or, you could not bother changing it. It doesn't do anything except keep dust out of the timing case. Or maybe keep timing case dust out of environment. Point is it doesn't hold any oil back. The one inside it under the timing sprocket is the one that does the work,that plus the O ring are a good idea to change.

That looks the dog's Mutley.

You may have to consider too how to undo and especially do up the crank pulley bolt, and you may need a puller for the toothed belt pulley.

I'd go option 2. You don't have to buy anything before having a good look round. If a bore is goosed or a bearing has spun- it did seize remember - and the engine is u/s - why spend the money on a plug spanner? You would however need a gasket set, but you'd know the top end was all good, and you could have a good look at the rest. Blimey though, how on earth did it get into that state?

What he says, or just change the spill pipes anyway, the piping costs buttons.

There's a table of clearances and some fitting tips on Ashcroft's site link

The last digit is the finish. So 0 is unplated, 1 is zinc plated and I think should be chrome passivated, 5 is black phosphate. There are numbers for chrome and black chrome, cant remember them (yet).

Just wondering if anyone has the dimensions of the bearing in that kit? It looks not entirely dissimilar to the 'unobtainable' one in a 300tdi timing cover. OK I know it might have non-preferred origins....

One other point worthy of mention; on changes of design they were supposed to try to use fasteners that were already in use rather than specify another stock item, to keep costs down, so there may be instances where the specified fasteners are not optimal, eg over long bolt . That doesn't prevent us from picking better ones as a replacement

I think AB is pan-head pozi , AC is countersunk. pozi The WA, WB etc I think refer to the washer form letter (eg linky). SH is hex head screw (machine screw, no smooth part on the shank). The SA and SE (SE might be pozi head). I think NY is the 'standard' nylock . These are actually Austin-Morris standards that were imposed across the whole empire, which is why you'll see on the earlier LRs they have a different numbering system (for sometimes the same fastener) from before the black hole that was British Leyland got them. There did used to be a standards guide, I can't believe all copies have been annihilated.

Next thing to look at I would suggest is the starter solenoid; maybe the contacts weld together sometimes? Or, if it's within warranty, return the starter.

Or, you could always throw money at it linky .

As you seem to have realised already, its removal of the old that is the challenge, the rest is straightforward. New genuine come with the adaptors btw.

Well I have recently replaced Britpart with genuine, and they were without doubt different. Treat yourself to a new cable too, it helps with reduction of slop.

Well that's a darned nuisance to put it mildly!! Still at least you will know you are starting off right.

That is an impressive amount of cooling

What they said, plus, if you can get it to repeat the trick, measure the voltage at the battery and alternator if you can , as maybe the load is somehow causing the alternator to overcharge

Not a simple thing to do with a 300tdi. There is just the one serpentine belt.

Mmm if you hadnt said it had cut out after running a few seconds I would have stuck to original suggestion. A friend's here had solenoid contact problems and was very similar, it was a lottery as to whether there was life in the starter or not. But once running it did stay running. You hadnt changed the fuel filter by any chance? Just wondering if there are 2 things going on. No doubt an adult will be along soon to put us right.

Reading your post again, maybe not solenoid.

Probably starter solenoid contacts. Sometimes can be temporarily fixed by a few taps on the solenoid with a hammer. Otherwise plenty of kits to do it, no need for a new starter.

Defender headlight wiring is definitely designed to extend bulb life. I have seen stage lighting kept warm with a bleed, but unless you are switching them on and off a lot I don't think you'd gain a lot. There is a point with halogen bulbs where the glass gets too cold for the halogen to cause the tungsten to be redeposited on the filament, hence the small size of halogen bulbs, so you might actually shorten the life.

This is a subject that I have had to get interested in as I am gathering parts for an axle swap. Compressed length of the FT4198 (rear 110 with Rover short nose diff) is approx 120cm. Compressed length of the FTC3905 (rear 110 with Sals diff) is approx 107cm. (Lengths gleaned from Google not measured directly). There is a place near me that will alter propshaft length and rebalance for less than the price of a new one.

Maybe not a genuine seal kit? They seem to be the only ones that have a chance of working.