taurion

I have the four bolt version rated at 3.5t on both my RRC. I use the ball mainly but ring hitch gets used to take the compressor out to the field for tyre repairs, not damaged the ball yet with the ring or any other objects that I have put on it during the last 10 years. On the RRC there is only just enough clearance below the bumper to open the jaw to fully lock it and have the ball at the correct height for the trailer.

Curiosity led me to cut open the centrifugal filter. It had a 5-6mm thick layer of soot etc around it so it is obviously doing its job. It was a genuine LR part , I have no idea when it was last changed , the vehicle has 280,000 kms. What have other people found after a known mileage between filter changes?

Injector Seals? When were they last changed? Is the fuel pump in the tank covered in a grey/black film of combustion soot?

My '82 RRC spent its life in the south of France and has never been welded , so they can be found. My '87 and '91 both need sills and rear cross member one was from Paris and the other from the limousin . If you are looking at a VM try to find a 2.5 rather than the 2.4 but beware a lot of people do not know the difference . There are a few genuine 200tdis and some converted VMs. 2 doors were sold as commercial version or passenger and the earlier commercial ones had a different rear floor which makes putting a rear seat difficult/impossible. Good luck

As above , if I remember rightly you need a thin -walled socket to fit in the adapter housing. Can have a look at one tomorrow if you want.

The 2nd page lists the approvals for Castrol SF: https://www.castrol.com/content/dam/castrol/country-sites/en_mm/myanmar/home/pdf/radicool-sf-premix.pdf, So any pink/yellow antifreeze that has one of these approvals will be the equivalent. Visit your nearest agricultural machinery dealer they will have a choice and probably nearer than Norauto or FeuVert. They should be able to find a data sheet for the product they sell that will list the approvals. Bon Courage

The dash gauge gives a general idea of temp, you need something more precise and reliable. I have 52mm Stack gauges in my RRCs VDO or Smiths would do equally well, have a look at Merlin Motorsport or Demon Tweeks to see what is available. I hope you have a vehicle without too many problems, having said that all problems can be solved. I'm sure you will have more questions but you will be wiser afterwards......

Looking from the front of the engine each cylinder head has a hexagon headed plug on the rh side. It is M20 x 1.5. The plugs on n°1 & 2 are not easily accessible , n°3 has the water take off for the cold start device and n°4 will probably have an easily accessible plug. Sometimes the dash temperature sender is installed here instead of by the thermostat housing. The original dashboard gauge is not of much use when trying to keep a precise eye on engine temperature.

Service parts (belts ,filters ) can be cross referenced from a competent motor factor, the parts availability from land rover specialists is getting less now . Engine parts from VM engine specialist (google ) near Derby or JNL engineering Ltd Camberley ( UK importer). They do not know much about the older HR engines but can get the parts. As above fit a temperature gauge to the rear cylinder head and drive by it. The engine runs at 82°C , do not exceed 95°C and the chances of head or gasket failure are greatly reduced. Next fit an EGT gauge and do not exceed 700°C. A working viscous fan is up to the job. The 2.5 VM is better cooled than the 2.4 which earned the reputation for the problems. If you fit a bigger radiator you will have to put the intercooler in front and if you have air con the space is tight. After fitting the gauges the ' right foot' is the best solution for a reliable vehicle.......... I tow 2-3tons regularly in the Massif Central , every journey I go from 200m to 600m altitude several times so it is not flat. 2300rpm in 2nd gear keeps a cooler engine than 1600rpm in 3rd even though it will pull in 3rd happily. Hope that helps.

I extracted /removed some m8 exhaust manifold studs from the aluminium head of a Renault Alpine V6 with the engine in situ. I drilled the stud as near a possible central with a 5mm drill and then used a die grinder ( heavier version of a dremel) to slowly grind the stud away and picked the thread spirals out when I just touched the aluminium. Took nearly 2 hrs per stud but cheaper than removing the cylinder head. good luck Happy new year

Almost certainly the pump gear has moved a tooth when changing the pump. I think there is enough clearance in the cover to allow the gear to fall out of mesh if it slips. Either front cover off or try to lift the gear and turn it one tooth to advance the timing. I have a 2.5vm here I can look at if you have further questions. Good luck

Monopoly...... ?Cartel.....? Possibly Bearmach have an agreement with their distributors not to under cut them with direct sales so that the distrubutors in the country can continue with their satisfactory margin. Companies that operate in France and the UK have refused to let me purchase goods in the UK for export to France.( I am resident in France and the UK price was significantly cheaper).

Does the ACE system need to be purged with the aid of diagnostics (nanocom) or will it purge itself when driving? I have driven 200km and the ACE seems to be working (compared to my RRC).

New VDO fuel pump fitted today, current draw measured with a clamp meter 12amps which would seem correct because the multimeter went off the 10A scale but not enough to trip the cut out. No smoke from the high resistance crimp connections!

A bit of progress, current draw with the multimeter in the circuit is 5.5 to 6 amps. It smokes continuously when running !!! The wire in the top of the pump has gone black with the heat and the crimp in the connector has suffered from the heat and I think is making a high resistance connection hence the heat. I am changing the connector and will measure the current with the new pump when I change the plug.

The owner wants me to change the fuel pump because of the melted connector ( the top of the pump is no longer sealed and diesel dribbles out around the multipin connector when the tank is full). I will cut into the wires in the pump and put a multimeter in the circuit to check.

According to my clamp meter the current draw is 3 amps. 3amps and a bad connection make smoke. As said above the terminal in the top of the pump had melted its housing and the heat has resulted in the loom connector tag losing the springiness to make a good contact. When the pump stops there is a small whisp of smoke that comes from the connector each time! More useless information.......starter motor current draw 800amps.

I will try to remember to measure the current when I change the pump in a D2 next week. There is enough current to melt the moulded connector coming out of the fuel pump unit when the connection is poor , melt the insulation and blacken the copper wire to the pump .

Measured last week ambient temp about 25°C 750 amps for about 2 seconds to start a 3.6l six cyl diesel Two Varta 72Ah 800 CCA in parallel , all connected with 50mm2 cable.

With a long straight 6 in the engine compartment made for a V8 or a 4 cyl the crank pulley is set in a recess in the front cross member. As a result there is no space to put the accessories between the engine and chassis and the beltdrives have to come upwards to clear the recess in the chassis.

Sounds like you have a realistic CT man, treat him very kindly. My 6cyl diesel needs the gas sensor a little way from the exhaust !! and it works then. Bon courage. FridgeFreezer, France LOVES paper and administration and does not like people who have independent ideas and think out of the ' collective box'.

Does anyone know of a pas pump more compact than the Hobourn Eaton fitted to RRC 86-92. I am short of space at the front of the engine. There is only about 10mm clearance around the pump between the timing case, chassis and steering box. Machining a new mounting and pulley modifications are not a problem.

Before you go too far with your engine change do check that it will be acceptable to your CT man with a CG collection. In the last few months the legislation on modifications has become tougher.... original or no CT is what will happen unless you know your man very well. The government is desperate to eliminate our old vehicles by any legal means and make us buy a pseudo -eco electric car to keep Peugeot and Renault in business. If your CT controller could not squeeze your old engine through on emissions will he be blind to a different type of engine?

The glow plugs are in parallel, but one dead one has the same effect as a series connection, a difficult start. The only cylinder head that will come off alone is the front. The rear might if the bulkhead was not in the way. The intermediate heads cannot lift because of lobes that stick out and prevent a vertical lift. Anyway , when you have removed manifolds and fuel injection pipes etc what is six more bolts for a cylinder head or two ! Yes to fitting the bigger 200/300tdi expansion tank. I have fitted separate oil cooler to both VMs so that the radiator is only cooling water not oil as well. A working viscous fan will keep it cool. Big electric fans will probably need a bigger alternator and there is not that much space to fit if you want a bigger intercooler as well.

I have a 3 foot hydraulic folder and flypress and a few bits of tools etc and some imagination ! You are allowed out next week (French virus rules). Ring or sms and I will find some time in between hay making.