Julian

Right, you can buy electric vacuum pumps especially designed for the job, for example guys using lumpy cams on V8's need them as they won't make enough vacuum at idle. probably much easier to fit than a Peugeot pump. My SWB series 3 diesel has been converted to single circuit non assisted MC by a previous owner, it stops fine, locking the wheels is easy enough. The genius who did the conversion took the pipe from the MC and fed it to a 3 way 'T'. The two outputs just go to the circuit failure sensing switch module. When I first saw it I laughed but then decided that it did the job well so left it. Julian.

Thanks again, I was a bit afraid that you may say change the layshaft Besides all the bearings and bushes the first gear needs changing as the dogs are pretty chewed, one is almost gone though you can't really see on that photo and also the 3/4 synchro inner sleeve is also pretty mangled. I'm thinking that I've got a fair parts bill coming as that layshaft looks expensive? What's best for parts? There's no way that I'm buying any shietpart item to go in the gearbox, not ever ever ever ever!!! Too many bad experiences from the blue boxed carp they sell :-( I've just ordered the ball and roller bearings from Simplybearings as I can get decent SKF ones. But what about the other stuff like gears and synchros, can you still get it all after all these years? There's the main agents, but I suspect they'd laugh at me as they only want to sell RR Sports to WAGS. Bearmach seem to get good reports and Landranger in Middlewich is near enough to me and Bearmach list them as an agent. All in all I'd be very grateful for and advice or suggestions.

Thanks again Phil, I'd say the teeth look bigger on 1st, but I did a picture for you to see: You can see some wear on the reverse gear hear too, I'm hoping that it's OK given how much time you spend in reverse? The reverse idler gear is in very bad shape and needs replacing. Cheers Julian.

Thanks for the reply Phil. The answers to the questions you ask are as follows: Yes, the part number was taken from a plate riveted to the bellhousing Yes, first gear has helical cut gears 3/4 synchro hub teeth are straight sided and not coffin shaped. Regards Julian.

Some years ago I removed one of the 3/4 synchro leaf springs from the drain hole when changing the oil, a very common problem I understand but surprisingly it doesn't seem to cause any problems..... Anyway spurred on by this thread: http://forums.lr4x4....showtopic=72405 I decided to repair it as I figured that it would probably be indicative of the condition of the rest of the box internals. I got a series three box off the ebay as I decided I would be better fixing that one up and then swap it thus minimising landroverless existence! It's apart now, not too bad I don't think and seems to be in slightly better nick than Gazzar's. Right, first question, it's a 576730R, which is (as I understand it) a factory rebuilt suffix A box? The trouble is that the reverse gear has a needle roller bearing and I read in the above link that suffix A boxes can't have this fitted...... It's for suffix B boxes onwards. I have the luxury of the genuine Landrover parts book and that shows a 'reverse gear modification kit' but oddly it appears to show a reverse gear with plain bush. I could do with sorting this as the reverse cog is in bad shape, due I suspect to the leaf spring going through it, and the reverse cog shaft also has a nasty looking bit on it where the roller bearing goes so it all needs replacing. Any pointers? Cheers Julian (aka confused.com!)

14.5 Volts is a good charging voltage for old style alternators. I'm not sure how you have this charge warning light rigged, but you must use a bulb of around 2 watts - LED style bulbs or bulbs with lesser wattage won't do the job properly. Anyway, if you have a bulb of suitable wattage, have the wiring correct, have the belt tight and the bulb does not extinguish then it normally points to an internal alternator fault. Julian.

Yes, you understand me correctly, that's what you must do. Here's another post on the difflock forum The ignition switch is basically sending a signal through the charging light bulb and then down to the alternator through the field windings to ground. Hence when at rest the light comes on when the ign is switched on. So you will have to find that circuit and connect it to F Essentially when you start the engine up and the alternator comes on charge it sends out a flow, NOT ONLY down the B+ve fat wire BUT ALSO out through the F terminal. As the flow of electrons goes up the thin wire it stops the downward flow to the ground--so light goes out! Charging is taking place. Now connect the battery and check your work--If it is correcty installed you won't let the smoke out! Just to clear up some possible confusion by another post on the matter, the 'W' terminal is for a rev counter drive and takes no part in the charging circuit. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/william.whittaker1/alt_strip_repair.htm Julian.

Yes the D+ wire is for the charge light. If you ground this wire the charge light should illumiate, (obviously with ignition on) this is your first port of call, get this (charge light circuit) confirmed as working before doing anything else. (when the alternator is charging it supplies 12volts to the D+ terminal which matches the 12 volts at the bulb supply and so it no longer illuminates) Julian.

Right, the ''w'' terminal is for a rev counter signal, normally used only on Diesel engine applications. Energisation for the alternator comes from the charge light circuit and it's respective connection (which will be the other small terminal normally alonside the main terminal(s) Julian.

OK thanks. Mine has the twin leading shoe fronts, and checking the parts book once again I can see that the swap was from July 1980. So I wonder if my brakes have been ''upgraded'' to the later type, or maybe ''upgraded'' even further by fitting a 109 axle - given that the wheel stud sizes are bigger at the back? Anyway, I'll take the old one along as a pattern tomorrow to ensure I have the correct size. Julian.

I've a series 3 88" diesel. (1978) A rear wheel cylinder is leaking fluid out all over the tyre so ordered a new one #243302, which is the correct one as shown in the parts book. Anyway, pulled the drum off and discovered that it's got a smaller bore than the one already fitted. Bsugger! So looking back in the parts book I have decided that maybe my vehicle has got a 109" (inc V8) axle fitted - I also have noted that the rear wheel studs are a larger diameter than the wheel studs on the front axle. Do you think I'm thinking along the right lines? I've ordered a cylinder for a 109" which will be available for me tomorrow morning - let's hope it's the right size. Is there any problems with having odd-ball axles on the vehicle, I wonder if the ratios are the same..... Cheers Julian.

Hi, I've just got a secondhand rear door for my Series 3 which I think comes from a defender because it has provision for 3 hinges. Aside from hinges all I can see different is the positioning on the steel stiffening members on the inside. The one I've got is going to change the position of the spare wheel carrier plate towards the hinges by a few inches - this should be a bonus as it will allow easier access to the door lever. Julian.

I'm just wondering if anyone has a list or suggestions of the bits and bobs needed to facilitate a bulkhead swap. I hate cleaning up old rusty nuts and bolts with the wire wheel when new ones cost little, so would really like to buy stuff in advance for the job. Someone said that there's kits available on ebay, I've tried a few searches and got nothing Thanks Julian.

I've just got a secondhand rear safari door for my machine, it's yellow at the moment and needs to be turned (I believe) Marine Blue. I'm just wondering if this colour is a British Standard or maybe a RAL colour, if so does anyone know the code? The reason I ask is that the paint supplier in Warrington does an industrial/commercial two pack that's really good and a fraction of the cost of automotive paint. Cheers Julian.

Thanks for the replies. I spoke to Ashtree and have decided that I'm going to get one of their galv bulkheads, they're certainly not cheap but I really like the idea of being able to forget about rust in that area for a few decades! I'll let you all know what it's like when I get it. Julian.

My Series three is pretty sound with a galv chassis but the top part of the bulkhead around the vents is knackered. I'd like to sort it out and have been making inquiries. It appears new bulkheads are not available although a Defender one is and with some mods will fit. Craddocks have a repair panel for sale, see here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LANDROVER-SERIES-AND-DEFENDER-BULKHEAD-REPAIR-PANELS-/370383900386?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item563c99cee2 or Item number: 370383900386 Can this be fitted in-situ or does the bullhead have to come out first? I went to see a chap today, he's a mechanic but has a leaning towards LR's, he says he'd swap a bulkhead for me and take about 3 or 4 days. Looking at the work involved I'd say that was reasonable. Are there any specialists out there that do this sort of thing on a regular basis? I quite fancy getting it done by someone who's done plenty - that way there are no dramas! Anyway, I'd be really grateful for any information on the subject, I'm fairly new to series vehicles and the search hasn't come up with that much. Cheers Julian.

Thanks for all the replies. I determined that the gearbox drive hole was a 'blind' hole so stuck a little slug of copper wire up it before refitting the cable. hopefully that'll stop the inner cable gravitating down too far into the gearbox - so far so good. So now I've fitted the cable 3 times. First then remove to adjust the PCD on the mounting screw holes, second then remove to modify to keep the too short inner cable better positioned. No more Brit Parts for me - if it means having to do a job three times to get it right Regards Julian.

I'm wondering if anyone has come across this one before and got a solution. I replaced my Series 3 Diesel speedo cable the other day (old one snapped near the gearbox) with a BritPart one. All was well for a few days then the speedo packed up again I removed the cable from the gearbox (now a bit harder due to the overdrive I fitted) and discovered that the cable was basically OK, but the inner cable had slipped into the gearbox so far that it had disengaged itself from the speedo head. I pulled back the instrument panel and confirmed that the cable outer was fully home on the speedo. How can I stop it from repeatedly doing this? I wondered about putting a 1/4 inch (or thereabouts) bit of thick copper wire up the gearbox drive to physically stop the cable going in too far - but if it's not a blind hole the wire will just drop into the gearbox Cheers Julian. PS Incidentally the flange on the gearbox end of the cable with the three screw holes had the holes drilled at slightly the wrong pitch circle diameter - the result was that during installation the screws snarled up in the flange rather that holding it tight to the gearbox. I had to drill the holes a little oversize before the effing thing would even fit. I am off the opinion that the Britparts MD needs this cable shoving up an orifice were the sun don't shine!

That's great thanks, all information gratefully recieved as I try to work out what's needed on mine. Thanks Julian.

Just out of interest, looking at the angle of the drop links on your rear springs, what sort of condition would say the springs are in? The reason I ask is I'm fitting new ones to the rear of my '78 SWB 2 1/4 Diesel. julian.

Fitted it today and went for a run to test it this evening. It's really good, works perfectly and no noises from it. I even got the hole in the right place for the lever in the tunnel! The chap does refurb the things and knows them inside out - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone thinking of going down the same route as me. It really does transform the vehicle when out on the open road. Julian.

Thanks, I purchased it and collected it this evening. The chap was very helpful and it is indeed a refurbed unit with everything included to do the job. I'll be sticking it on in the next few days so fingers crossed! Actually I'm certain it'll be fine because the chaps been doing them for years and it's obvious that he knows his overdrives inside out. Julian.

Thanks, what do you think of this one, it's quite near to me in Manchester: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fairey-Overdrive-Land-Rover-Series-I-II-III-/230475332601?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35a9667bf9 Ebay # 230475332601 Seems OK to me. I did see the roverdrive, It sounds a great unit but it is fairly pricey. Cheers Julian.

The door frame is rotten around the bottom anyway, I've seen some new doors at a price that isn't too bad so I'll probably have a new door soon. I rather fancied sticking the wheel on top of the bonnet, but that'll stop me opening the bonnet right up and resting it on the wipers - which is really good for access. A swing away carrier is the best answer by the sounds of it ta. Just another question, I'm looking at overdrives for sale, mainly on e-bay - is the Fairy overdrive unit OK for a Series 3 Diesel or are there different specs? Cheers Julian.

Just a quickie. The rear door on my Series 3 has the spare wheel bolted to it. It has a new tyre on it and I find I can only just get my fingers around it to move the door handle. Is this normal, I can't imagine the vehicle will have been designed with such a system? Cheers Julian.