Dr Goon

Thanks Ralph. At least I can now look at getting one ordered and then talking to my friendly mechanic to get him to try and fit it. I assume that the fitting is not complicated by the fact that I have got air con?

I think I need to replace the heater matrix on my 110. It is barely putting out any heat at all, even at 65mph on the motorway. I suspect that the matrix is full of mud and so very little air is passing over it. The fan works OK at all 3 speeds and the engine temperature is nor abnormally low. I do not have any sort of fan on the vehicle following removal of a knackered viscous unit about 2 years ago. I have spent ages on the 'net tonight trying to work out which is the correct matrix for my vehicle. My 110 is a 1996 export model with aircon, the early type which means I have no bulkhead fresh air vents as the dash panel is full width. The controls are not the normal ones each side of the instrument binnacle but mounted on a panel in the centre of the dash. There are 3 buttons that control air distribution, one each for screen/facia/footwells. A horizontal slider for temperature control (ha ha!) and a vertical four position switch for fan speed: off - 1 - 2 - 3. The facia can be seen in some of the pictures in the following thread http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=11057 When the facia vents are open, those on the nearside blow vaguely warm air, the ones in the middle vaguely tepid air and the one on the right, cold air. I have read all the threads about improving defender heater performance and I ahve reached the conclusion that the matrix has probably had it. Can anyone help as to which matrix I need: two are listed, one with horizontal pipes and the other with pipes that curve downwards. I cannot find any information as to which is likely to be the correct one for my vehicle. Many thanks.

Just checked the figures and I did about 6500km in the 110 over the last year, so about 4000 miles I suppose. Will do a few more this year, as we are off on holiday in the thing in April. Did about 14000 in the Mercedes I use as a day to day work hack. The bike and the Stag did around 1000 each so I do about 20000 in total in a year. I used to do that each year in the 110. I hate to think what that would cost me in diesel nowadays

I think the answer has to be to use Firefox rather than IE. I have had that problem before, FF is a much better browser. Haven't seen you (or your truck) around in Swindon this Xmas Ralph, hope you are OK. Happy New Year etc etc

I stand corrected. Post edited accordingly. I had based my posting on an assumption, given the diagrams of the various classes of vehicle.

Works OK using Firefox, albeit very slow. Bienvenue Santanas, welkom Velar. Those are very interesting vehicles.

As far as the Vehicle Excise Licence point is concerned, I think that depends on the age of vehicle. That would, I think, apply only to cars that are rated on CO2 emissions, so anything pre-2001 would be the same. <edited as I was talking tosh about toll bridge pricing> I have had my 110 Station Wagon for 7 years and love it. Personally, I would be inclined to go for a SW up to about year 2000. There really isn't much in it in terms of security. I have a dog guard and window grills in the back of mine to make it slightly less easy to get into the load area, but the weak point on all Defenders is the crude door locks fitted as standard. It is always advisable to have some secondary security system. As you live in Chippenham, have a look at the place opposite the bottom of the Malmesbury Road, Harfords. He is not cheap but his vehicles are worth a look as they seem to be reasonably well presented. W.J.Joyce in Trowbridge is a place that a mate of mine used to use and recommended. No personal experience of using them but GB Mud (a moderator on here) lives in that area and may know more about them. There are plenty of good trucks out there. Don't buy the first you try. Get a good one and it will do you sterling service for years. Good luck

I have been with NFU for the 110 since about 2002, when I had to switch insurers when I fitted a winch. They are excellent. I use an agency in North Oxfordshire (details not to hand at the moment) but there is one in Marlborough - well worth a try. I have now insured the Mercedes with them as well, their quote being about 50% of my renewal quote from Swintons If you want the details of the North Oxon agency, PM me and I will dig them out. Where in Wiltshire are you? There are quite a few forum members in the area. Welcome to LR4x4

Right, I'll be off then........ Cheerio

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all forum users new and old. My New Year's resolution will be to use the truck more than I did this year so may even get a chance to take part in some forum events at some stage.

Been hiding at work mainly My office is almost opposite where diesel jim works - he may have seen the truck outside from time to time. New job last year has meant longer hours (for less pay) and little chance to get online in office hours. I still lurk quite often without signing in. I'm surprised I haven't been deleted as a user 'cos I so seldom log in Still got the red heap, which I try and use at least once a week. The only off-roading I do now is Abingdon each September. My dashboard is slightly different to that one in the picture. Not sure if there is a pic of it in any of Les' tech threads. I wonder how many different dash layouts they used? Wish my truck was as tidy as Graham's. Give us a call next time you are up this way Ralph - maybe meet for a beer/chat

Very smart indeed. My 1996 110 has the black panels as well having been fitted with aircon for export to Africa when new. Do you have the full width grey plastic dash insert with the heater and aircon controls in the middle?

My old Lightweight had the Sherpa 2.5 N/A fitted and I recall that the timing cover was different. IIRC, it was not sealed in the same way as the LR engine and mud managed to get in far easier. I think Les Henson's old 109 'Catflap' had that engine fitted.

Does this mean you may even be able to use a High-Lift Jack without braining yourself Will????

Is it safe to leave my truck on the drive if I go out now Les?

I'm watching you Henson

Oops

Merry Christmas everyone. Here's to a muddy good New Year

Solicitor specialising in criminal defence work. Currently working in Swindon, but from 2000 until 2004 I was a Duty Solicitor at SiWhite's nick...........

I did wonder if it may be a problem with the speed sensor and I will have a crawl underneath tonight to see if it has come unscrewed or a wire has come off. The thing has only been fitted for about 3 months so I would be surprised if something has failed so soon. A search did not come up with any hints.

Has anyone got an e-mail address for GKN that is known to work. Mine started playing up last night so I sent an e-mail this morning to the address that appears at the botton of the spec sheet on the Devon 4x4 website. It bounced. The address was s.goodall@gkndriveline.co.uk. Any suggestions from anyone on here as to what could be causing the overdrive to disengage in any gear at any speed. Coming back from Devizes last night, I was cruising at 50-60mph and suddenly the o/d disengaged and the gearknob light came on, as it does if the speed drops below about 30mph. Experimentation showed that it would throw itself out in any gear, at any speed. It would always engage properly but sometimes disengage almost immediately, other times it would go for several miles before throwing itself out. Any thoughts?

About 3 inches on the bonnet of the truck this morning. Roads in my village were hard packed snow but the main roads were clear. Still a few odd flakes falling here in central Swindon. Last day at work today as I am closing down my office tonight then we are off the Pyrenees for a week. When I get back I will be starting a new job where they don't yet have fast 'net access so I will probably disappear of this forum again for a while. I really must get round to installing Broadband at home

I have had a diesel A class for over 3 years as a runabout and it has been fairly reliable. Can't assist with technical information but if you try the owners club website you will probably get an answer. The address is http://baby-benz.com/portal/phpbb/ You will have to register as a forum member as you do here but there is a lot of knowledgeable people that post there and I am sure that someone will come up with the answer.

Mine has been on the front of the roofrack for years and I have never had any problem with the MOT station or the Police. It tends to stay clean up there even when I have been offroading and the rest of the truck is so filthy that you cannot tell what colour it should be

They frequently park themselves at the first junction after the start of the dual carriageway, where the road goes off into Southmoor. They can see stuff coming in both directions from there, but mostly target stuff coming along the dual from the roundabout.