TheRecklessEngineer

So much this! Not sure what it looks like in the UK anymore, but here in NZ there are charging stations everywhere. Take a look at what the charging infrastructure looks like near you: https://www.plugshare.com/

Something that's often forgotten when comparing EVs to gas powered vehicles is that in an EV you always leave home with a full tank - even if that tank is smaller than a gas vehicle. Every time I leave home in the morning I can drive 230km. I have needed to use a public charger three times in the last 6 months when taking longer road trips. Compare that to a gas vehicle when I'd have to stop at least once/week. Mileage is identical. In the times I have used a public charger 20 minutes is plenty. Typically identical to what I need to recharge on a road trip - enough time for a bathroom break, coffee and a leg stretch. It's hard to make the comparison when you haven't lived with an EV for a while. I feel that the quoted negatives of EVs are all perceived negatives and generally do not reflect the reality. Now I've lived with one for a bit I will never go back to gas powered.

This is a battery lifetime thing. Li-ion chemistry degrades with age, temperature and state of charge. By limiting the state of charge between ~30%-80% you can significantly extend the lifetime of the pack. Tesla also use a liquid thermal management system to control the temperature of the pack. Typically, 100% on the dash isn't actually 100% on the battery. There's always a little overhead - plenty for regenerative braking, although you might find the rate is limited at high battery levels.

I've been looking at this for some time. Currently, the cheapest drive train/battery combo can be bought in a used Nissan leaf. 80kW matches an older LR quite nicely. There's a guy here in NZ who's beating me to it. He's got a Leaf motor mated to a Land Rover gearbox (I forget which variety). I'm going to be watching with interest.

I'm just going to drop this in here: http://aaisp.net/ Andrews & Arnold. They're not cheap, but they will give you the highest speed that's actually possible on your connection - not the one BT says is possible, but what's actually possible with the equipment installed. Also, many other perks. No throttling, and "XKCD/806" compliant.

No, but if you can work a soldering iron then it'll save you £48.50. All you need to do is solder some wires onto those tabs.

£50?! All you need is one of these: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/10k-andohm-miniature-linear-dual-gang-potentiometer-jm81c

I seem to recall these pumps are a pig to prime. My approach would be to crank it hard with the throttle hard down until it (hopefully) fires. If that fails and you're still not getting any fuel to the injectors then it's time to look at the pump. edit: One thought - do check that the stop solenoid is powered when cranking. There have been cases of electrical shenanigans.

Yes! Easy start/propane etc (or for the Aussies - 'start ya person I'm not that keen on') is only suitable for use in a petrol engine. Into a diesel intake will cause horrendous knocking - and if starting from cold then it's before you've even got oil in the bearings. If you've got nothing else, then sure - but if you're going to carry something then take a blowtorch. I've found a propane torch on the inlet manifold makes starting a reluctant diesel in very cold conditions much easier.

It sounds like you're going too fast with the drill bit. A 14mm drill bit into a pilot drilled hole shouldn't take more than a few mins to get ~50mm deep. Take a look at this: https://youtu.be/Z2fNS4nkP-c?t=2m01s Notice how slow the drill bit is rotating. If anything, you want to be going slower for 14mm. Lots of pressure, take it slow and the bit will just chew through the material. I find a cordless drill on the 'slow' setting perfect for such things.

I've used standard audio cable for the VR sensor on every MS installation I've done. It works great.

And I did the same with a Volvo V40. Never had an issue (well....it did put a conrod through the block but I don't think that's down to glowplugs)

Seen the Luka EV? http://www.lukaev.com/about-luka.html For an expedition vehicle - suppose you strap ~5kW of solar panels to the roof and unpack them when you make camp. Would probably take at least a day to recharge, maybe 2. But then if you're doing an expedition, where's the hurry?

Good point. The 2.25 diesel heater plugs are in series IIRC. The TDi is in parallel. Pretty sure the current for the TDi glow plugs is much greater than the 2.25. I never bothered to wire mine up when I did my conversion actually.

Sounds like a dirty connection somewhere to me. I'm not familiar enough with the wiring - but look for something common to glow plugs and starting.

No one's mentioned electric drive yet. (Ducks for cover. )

Something that I don't think has been mentioned is the enjoyment of actually doing the conversion. Certainly for me, taking and engine that is horribly worn and underpowered and replacing it with something to make the vehicle better* is a very satisfying experience. And one that I'd wager that I share with a good many engineers and 'tinkerers' *better can be subjective, objective or a mix of both. I like to think I'm mostly objective, but there's always an element of subjectivity if I'm doing the work myself.

Remove the return line and run a short temporary line to a container. Start engine, observe flow. I can't say I've ever done it with an LR engine, so I'm not 100% sure what normal would look like. I'd take a good guess and say that it's OK as long as it's a reasonable flow and not dribbling out, or full of air bubbles.

How is the fuel out of the FIP? If there's some restriction internally then it won't flow out like it should. But we're into the internals of the FIP at this point - I'd be happy to point a finger at it. DIY overhaul isn't impossible, but there are plenty out there who will do it for you.

Yes, I retract my suggestion of vacuum pump - the 300 is prone to ticking when worn. I assumed this was such a beast. I'd double check that you've got good fuel pressure to the FIP. Take it for a spin, pull over, then crack the nut on top of the filter, or the inlet to the FIP. Check you've got a good flow of fuel. I've heard similar noises when associated with clogged filters/failed lift pumps. In fact, when I was running on WVO and prone to clogged filters, I used to use the appearance of such a noise as a warning of impending complete fuel starvation. Other than that, then yes I'd agree with FIP noise. HG or exhaust manifold doesn't quite work for me - it's just a little too distinct and doesn't appear at idle. I'd also be looking closely at your electrical replacement. Given that it's non-standard, I'd be looking at the spec and if it's working correctly.

I suspect that it's either the vacuum pump or the lift pump just behind the injection pump on the block. Can you record the noise?

I believe the regulators were fitted to older vehicles. Which ones exactly I couldn't say - but I'm certain the various series vehicles I've owned had one. From what I recall average output voltage was something like ~7 volts.

I'm currently going through a small claims court fight. It couldn't be easier. http://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk

I'd suggest that if he's got gunk in his turbo, then he has other issues.

I've done it on many marine engines. Water is used on the compressor side as it has little effect on the engine and impacts the compressor wheel with sufficient force to clean it. Turbine side is done with walnut shells - or a more modern chemical equivalent. Never with water as the thermal shock can damage the blades. But then the turbine side cokes up with the products of burning lube oil, so not something to worry about with a car engine.