Turnip

My input for what it is worth...... Any starting issue with a landrover? Take a ruddy great jump lead direct from -ve earth post on the battery - direct to the engine block - nowhere else is 100% despite what logic says! I have no idea why and Ive been in the game a long long time! I recently had a genuine 200 tdi 90 which just would not start, so I stripped off the starter (which means exhaust downpipe off) only to find it brand new (obviously happened before!) checked everything - but no luck. Turn the key - no click - no nothing - headlights on - no dipping of dash lights - just dead. Stuck the gurt big jump lead on - which I should have done first! and bingo. checked where earth goes to chassis (again) removed cleaned polished and problem gone - forever! So problem was earth strap 100%. but can someone explain how the lights still stayed bright but the starter didnt even click? A friend had a novel one - started his 110 then couldnt release the hand brake? Yep the earth starting current hand used the handbrake cable and melted the nylon liner!! Who would have guess that one?

Thanks chaps - that would explain it!!

Simple question - if you have a series one to look at! I am putting a new Marslands galv chassis on my 1954 86" and having a little trouble getting my door gaps close enough. The vertical mounts which come up from the outrigger to mount the front of the tub were definatley in front of the front edge of the tub - but it had been removed by the previous owner. My question is - should those two vertical tabs be behind the front ally edge of the tub or in front? Can someone look please?

On my 85 Defender 90 I had a seriously bad experience at the begining of the year. She is shod with Goodyear G90s and I was travelling at 40mph on a country lane when I hit a large pot hole, the following wheel wobble was so bad I thought I was going over the hedge, Ive been driving, motorcycling,trucking for 40 years and Ive never had such a bad one! and ive driven some rubbish! I stopped and was sure that a major steering component had sheared - but no! There was a lot of oil round the power steering box - whilst investigating I tried the damper - perfect either end but nothing for 2" in the middle. changed it and the problem has never re occurred - oh and the oil on the steering box was from the damper!! In short - in my opinion - get one back on and fast, because Im not a weakling, but even with power steering - I couldnt hold it!

A simple query............ I have a 200 TDI defender engine from a '91 90 in my 86 90. The dipstick has always puzzled me? It doesnt seem to enter the sump at a very sharp angle but when I dip the oil on a flat and level surface - I get a radically different reading on either side of the dipstick - like brim full on one side and Low on the other! The dipstick will only go fully home with the "D" facing the engine otherwise it fouls a pipe. Am I being particularly dumb here? or is this a Defender known trick? I dont really know which side to trust! Short of draining and then measuring in the recommended - Im not sure what to trust! Any ideas? Phil

To all those with an interest in muffs............ I stumbled across some new old stock old school radiator blinds. I have one fitted on my series one and it makes a big difference! I carefully fitted a blind to my 90 which covers all the rad and about 25% of the intercooler. The blind is great because it is remote opperated from the bulkhead by a chain and can be locked at any opening. This was back in the minus 8 C stuff that we had and I was looking forward to my 200 TDI 90 being toasty in the first mile rather than wait for 4 miles of country lanes before heat arrived. The 200 TDI is standard and fitted with a new thermostat. I can now report that fitting the blind - makes ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL! I thoght that even reducing the inrush of cold air would have some effect - but no - not a bit! The only possible difference is that the engine doesnt cool as quickly when stopped.

In answer to part two of your question........the two engines Def/disco have the same "core" engine but they are totally different to look at in as much as the Defender turbo is mounted high - on top of the engine and the Disco turbo is half way down the side. Also the Disco timing case comes out horizontally to drive the fuel pump and the Defender one slopes down about 30 deg. The Disco engine is reputedly 111 bhp and Defender 107bhp. I can take pictures of the Defender one retro fitted in my 85 90 if you need it? Phil

So where did you get the bits and how did you do it? Did you use plastic sliders and dont they rattle??

Im no expert - but I think you will find that if your wheels are riveted (centre to rim) mine were on my 85 90 - then you will have to fit tubes? I have military Wolf wheels on mine now, so I can fit tubeless tyres..............but they are so thick I found I had to change ALL the wheel studs which was an unwelcome surprise! A lot of people say you dont have to - but the studs dont go all the way through the nuts. Be careful about this and also be aware that not all Disco wheels fit an early defender because the centres are different. Hopefully a grown up will know all the details and post?

Check your steering damper? I didnt think it could make that much difference..........but it did!

So..........does that mean that to change a clutch for example on a Disco - its eng box and tranny out? Seems like a lot of work for somthing simple??

Id second that! I had one that seemed fine but it was actually worn for a couple of inches in the middle - just where you need it. It gave me the death wobble from hell after hitting a pot hole at 40mph. I was convinced I had actually broken a steering arm!! If in doubt change it?

A simple question...........and probably a stupid one! I have bought a K reg 200 tdi Disco 1 for the engine. I only want to remove the motor and have started disconnecting everything. What Id like to know is - can you remove the motor without dropping the box and tranny down too? It looks mighty tight to get those bell housing bolts? Im guessing that the trans tunnel is removable from inside? Im not worried about chopping stuff as its a scrapper anyway. Ive never had a Disco! Anyone save me from finding out the hard way?? Phil

Thats a strange one Max! Im guessing that perhaps running the tank very low disturbed some muck and pulled it through the fuel line. I expect it shows up more in 4 and 5 because you are using more power / fuel in the higher gears? I would check that the lift pump on the engine block - the thing with the priming lever - hasnt become blocked and is restricting your fuel? Is is a factory fit 200 TDI? Your English is fine! Phil

That wiper motor which looks simple - is actually quite complicated! I rigged up one on mine where there wasnt one before and it gave me all sorts of fun and games! The bit i didnt bank on is that it has "regenerative earth braking" according to Joeseph Lucas the prince of darkness! What this means is that you shove a 12 v pulse down the wire to start it and then the 12 v permanent feed carries it full the full stroke to park. What I didnt know is that at the end of the stroke a little nylon cam raises a contact and put the motor to earth to stop the motor sharply in the correct parking position. If this cam is cracked - and a lot are, you can have all sorts of shorting issues. Interestingly - if you dont have the earth braking bit connected, when the window is very wet, the wiper just keeps on going and going!

Just checked mine..............non compliant! Oh well...........dont like the place anyway!

For what its worth............probably nothing!! I seem to remember reading long ago that some of the gears in the fairy overdrive were actually from the Rover 2000 gearbox? Dont know which ones or if it was a lie! but may be worth chasing up?

Tom, this doesnt seem right at all? What boost pressure are you seeing under load? Its very hard to diagnose from a distance but it sounds as though it is going to be one of the basics - ie not enough air, not enough fuel or not enough revs? When you serviced did you replace the air filter? Its no good looking at it and saying............its clean, my 90 has a MOD resriction gauge fitted and it showed me a blocked filter when it looked clean as a whistle? It might sound obvious.......but when the pedal is to the metal - is the fuel pump to the stop? basic but makes a real difference! What about the fuel? have you had someone follow and see if there is any hint of black smoke when its pulling hard? Is there any hint of vacuum in the tank after a run? has yours got the water trap between the tank and filter? Also does it rev freer in the lower gears than in top?

Ive had a look at various EGT gauges on the net and I see both digital and simple analogue rotary gauges. I quite like the simplicity of analogue gauges because like an analogue watch, you can get a position at a glance? Before i spend my Christmas money..........any pros and cons??

Got any pics? Where is the best place to get the gauge and sender..............before Vat goes up!

Really interesting topic.............but no figures?? what genuine tank top to tank top mpg are you guys getting from your 200 tdi defenders? My ex Mod 90 was doing 30 mpg on mixed use keeping below 60 on the motorway with a 2.5 NA motor and Goodyear G90s 33 on a good day. - now with the 200 tdi gen defender motor.........I struggle for 28? I know I use the power a bit more - but same truck same tyres........Im dissaponted! The Devon run thing? I have made this run many times in / on many vehicles. It is very noticable particularly on a bike that there is a strong prevailing wind from Devon right up the M5 - it really makes a big difference!!

Id be pretty wary about putting any switch in the bottom hose? You really need it to be close to the thermostat as the temperature gradient in a 200 TDI rad is huge?

Vauxhall Astra fan in alloy shroud fits right in to disco / 90 / 200 TDI rad - see pic. Tap top of thermostat housing - I think M22 x 1.5 - will check - dont have to drill - just tap as hole is correct size! Lots of switches available to suit.

Im no expert and I dont know what the official advice is but.........I dont think that three 10 second blasts on the heaters is any advantage? you would probably be far better with one 15 second blast - why? Well the heaters on that engine take a great wallop of juice from the battery and I know that the ones one my Fergi do not glow fully until 15 seconds - they are dull at 10 seconds. If I dont give the Fergi 15 seconds it will literally never start. I ran a 2.5 NA through last winter and used 15 seconds on a small battery and always got it away. Does it start clean on all four cylinders when it starts? because from my experience - if just one plug is duff it makes a huge difference!

Well I did the swap from 6 bolt Gemmer to 4 bolt Disco 300 tdi today and fitted a QT supplies solid bar from the Disco straight arm to the wheel, this had a sliding clamp to pick up the existing Defender steering damper - I spoke to John at QT who told me what i needed and it all fitted well, cost a few bucks but John runs a Defender himself and gave me all the options - far better than dealing with some desk jockey who drives a shopping car! Interestingly........... a lot of the leaks I was blaming on the 6 bolt Gemmer were actually the steering damper leaking from the end!! Renewed and all feels a lot better now!