Nonimouse

I've competed in Autumn Leaves twice, Saxon Express once, Bramley Express once and Road Master once - in a 200Tdi and I have never had to fit an extra return spring. Actually, thinking about it, I've never had to fit a return spring for competition in any of my diesel vehicles

https://www.motorsportuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/motorsport-uk-yearbook-2020.pdf - IIRC it was under section R, but may be superceded by the fuel regs

I replaced mine with second hand G Wagen leak off pipes, from an OM617 - that gave me a spare one for emergencies. They are a harder plastic and last longer than rubber

Very interesting - so much rust!

One of my favourite places. I played rugby with Mark in my youth

Generally, to be an expert you must be deemed competant by a panel of your peers. Hence the 'Certificate of Competance' to a level, ie NVQ2. This is to satisfy the HSE that you are competant. For example I hold a competance at NVQ 7 in pesticide management, which deems me compatant to advise on Herbicide and Pesticide application, with a speciality concerning Injurious and Invasive Weeds. I had 35 years of experience behind me to feel ready to be assessed. It means I am a professional. By law, to advice on Pesticides and not be liable to prosecution when it goes wrong, you must have said NVQ7 or equivalent Certain items, such as Creosote with Coal Tar and bulk Rat Poison are being clamped down on by the CRD, becuase they are, by there nature, not good for human life. It's getting harder to purchase such items without deemed competance - for example Red Tractor or a NPTC Pest control NVQ3 An expert is not a professional - they have no professional indemnity

Excuse the question, but did you lube them up during fitting?

Interesting question - I can't see why. But...the engine I fitted last year is the best 'standard' 200tdi I've driven and I put a Glencoyne spacer on it before fitting. I only use Delphi pumps... It's got minor tweaks, yes. But nothing like the last lump and yet it pulls better. Loads of lower down grunt and so smooth. Might be the fact it's a Goldseal lump, but who knows. Maybe it is magic

If you read the list of the city's that are becoming CAZ's in the very near future, it's a bit of a concern. My T4 is a Caravelle - so classed as a minibus - that's going to be £9 to got Exeter, Bristol or Bath and up to £50 for some other cities. I won't be visiting London in the Disco or the Dub (not that I go there anyway). I had no intention of going to Portsmouth, but if I did... And what does it achieve? The Bath thing is a blessed nightmare. The A36 (High-speed Trunk Road) runs through bath and was a major route for the heavies going down to the coast. There's no bypass, so they now drop down the A4 and onto the A363 to Bradford Upon Avon (not a good place to take a heavy) to then try a selection of B roads to cut back onto the A36 ot A361. It's become a drivers nightmare, far more pollution, due to constant gear changes, drivers hours wrecked and longer journeys. How many of the CAZ's are going to do the same thing?

Not quite a belt oddness, but.... Last year when I changed engines in the D I S C O, after I had changed the timing belt, I used the timing chest cover off my previous engine (newer and cleaner) and fitted a new water pump. All back together fine and dandy. Except a slight weep at the top of the pump mating face. Annoying but no biggie. Bought another gasket - checked everything was spotless. Weep still there Bought another gasket, took it apart, true'd everything, shiny clean. New pot of Heltite. Weep still there. Swapped timing chest cover, bought new pump (neither were Britpart), true'd everything, payen gasket. Weep still there In exasperation took the vehicle down to our local garage. Real world mechanics, lots of experience, work on a lot of older stuff, also sell fuel. They true'd the timing chest, cover and pump, fitted everything and it leaked. This annoyed them, so they made a gasket from the cork sheet that they make gaskets for the fuel pumps. No leak in 10K

Why are station wagons exempt (sometimes)

This is spreading. Tried to get into Bath recently? Or Birmingham, or Portsmouth. Disco is fine, Dub is £8 a day. https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/fleet-faq/what-are-the-proposed-uk-clean-air-zones-caz

Ive used McArthurs in Brizzle and Newport Galvanisers in the delightful city of Newport, South Wales. Both have done a reasonable job. I've been going to McArthurs for almost 35 years and they did mention a few years back, that galvanising isn't as good as it was. Mind, that's the same with everything. Custard Creams aren't what they were (even Tesco's own), nor is Vimto, or the weather

About and hour after I posted this, and just before Facebook crashed, there was an post mentioning a company who make new rubber supports - £25 each If I see the post again, I'll get the details

And if it did need them doing, you can probably argue a good case with them

Radiator blanking plaug - you could buy one with a bleed nipple

It's a lower calorific value...

I thought the ball was an essential part....

I use one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPILL-FREE-NO-SPILL-COOLING-SYSTEM-FILLING-FUNNEL-KIT-ACCESSORIES-/274717737596?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338268676&toolid=10044&customid=CjwKCAjwzOqKBhAWEiwArQGwaJtLxrNcgCZVlPC6iPgzd3WJ9O3SNopIrcuEfKxz7jM1TG4g9GHlBhoCKiYQAvD_BwE So simple. Brilliant

If they didn't do the valve seats they probably didn't need it

I've done about four tanks in the Vitara and oddly enough, no problems there - so Suzuki were right

I used long zip ties - works well. I'm 90kgs and the friend who told me about is heavier than me

I wonder why.... is that the additives? The 200tdi will run on pretty much anything - as will most less technical diesels

https://www.advancedfactors.co.uk/200tdi-oil-pump-11127-c.asp Is the best diagram I have found

I would appreciate that. Can I also spend more time simply gazing into the load area?