monkie

I agree. It's much easier with the pulley removed. This is a picture from my 19J engine showing the crankshaft holding tool fitted to the damper whilst I undo the crank bolt. Far better access/visability with the pulley out the way. (Why I only used 2 bolts to hold the tool in place, I don't know - young and foolish?)

To add: The troubleshooting needs to be very stepwise and only moving to the next variable once you have checked out each step one at a time. This would be the action I would take to remove all variables and then introduce them one at a time: Check the switch on its own out the vehicle to rule out any of your 110's wiring. Either just use the multimeter on the resistance setting or make a test lamp using crocodile clips and spare wire; connect it directly to the battery terminals Once that checks out okay, hook the switch up terminal 5 to the permanent live feed and confirm the switch has 12V feed with your test lamp to a known good earth or better still straight to the negative battery terminal. I have ordered the switch terminals in importance (I know they are ultimately all important, but step by step is needed). terminal 3 is most important as it supplies all the live circuits including the stop solenoid on the injection pump. Confirm this becomes live and stays live in switch positions 1, 2 and 3. terminal 4 is of next importance as it activates the relay to the starter motor solenoid allowing the engine to turn over. This must be live in switch position 3 only. terminal 2 is not that important for now as it powers the glowplugs - useless without the other two terminals functioning. This should be live with the switch in position 2. terminal 1 is of least importance as it is powering the radio and heat fan motor. Who needs those in a Land Rover anyway where you know you'll be deaf and cold I hope this is helpful. Let us know how you get on.

I have received the switch from Chubby to test and it checks out fine when I put my multi-meter on it. I wired it to my 110 fitted with a 19J TD engine and the glow plugs came on and it fired up as normal when I turned the switch to start. Using your photo of the switch I have shown what should go where: Using Terminal 5 as the 12V supply to the switch this is what I observed: Switch in the off position - terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not live (off) Switch in position 1 - terminals 1 and 3 are both live (ignition on) Switch in position 2 (hold) - terminals 2 and 3 are both live (glowplug hold) Switch in poition 3 (hold) - terminals 3 and 4 are live (start position) Next steps that I suggest are: Initially test one of your switches with a multimeter on resistance mode to see if you can replicate what I describe above as you turn the switch. Wire up your 110 according to my diagram and it should work. If not something is wrong with the glow plug wiring, if that's the case it should be easy to sort out as it is a very basic circuit. Let us know your findings. Below is a quick sketch I've made of the glow plug circuit for reference to show it is a simple circuit on pre Tdi diesels like the 19J engine:

Tdi engines generally don't need the pre-heat unless the outside temperature really is cold. A 19J always needs a bit of pre-heat even on a warm day.

The only idea I have is if you want to send me one of your switches and I will wire it up to my 19J 110 to test it for you and post the results on this thread in comparison to my switch. DM me if you would like to send me a switch.

Yes, sorry I got that back to front as its the R380 where it sits forward. It sits further back when coupled to the LT77.

A factory fitted 300tdi to an R380 sits further back and also has a different type of engine mount to earlier engines. You can either cut your old mounts off the chassis and weld in 300Tdi chassis mounts in the correct position or keep your older mounts and bolt them to the 300Tdi block as the original threaded holes are still present on the 300Tdi block. The problem this will then present you with is the location of oil filter on a 300tdi. On earlier engines the filter is at an angle so doesn't present this issue. On the 300tdi the filter comes straight down so it wouldn't be possible to fit the engine mount from an earlier engine. I don't know if you could use an earlier filter housing on a 300Tdi. One solution is to fabricate a mount that forms a box round the 300tdi filter.

In Western's post above he explains that the flywheel housing (the part between the engine block and the gearbox bellhousing) should be from an earlier engine to mate up to the LT77 gearbox. (flywheel housing from a 200Tdi, 19J TD or the 12J NA diesel for example will all work to mate perfectly to the 300Tdi block and the LT77 bellhousing). To do this you will need to remove the clutch and flywheel from your 300tdi, remove the 300tdi aluminium flywheel housing with the bolt on type oil seal. You then need to replace this with a 200tdi or earlier flywheel housing with the appropriate push fit rear crank oil seal (200Tdi or earlier part number). Once you have then put the flywheel and clutch back on engine the LT77 bellhousing should fit perfectly. Your engine will sit further back than a 300Tdi coupled to an R380 gearbox so might look a bit weird compared to a factory fit 300Tdi.

Yes, I can confirm from my rewire of my 1988 110 that the purple wire in the 1989 era will be for the tow socket. As others have noted it is a purple wire which is a fused permanent live. What do you want it for? To be safe you could run your own fused wire so you know it will be reliable. I added an additional fused permanent live fused wire to enable me to fit some 12v sockets in the back when I get round to it.

@Chubby M does your switch look like the one on the diagram posted by Western? If so I think the above post must be right about terminal 1. My switch doesn't resemble the ones in the diagram so might be confusing you.

I appreciate this shouldn't really matter but it's good to remove all sources of variables when faced with a problem. When you take your readings have you removed all wires to the switch apart from the solid brown wire on terminal 5 of the switch that is coming straight from the positive bus on the starter motor?

Nice work. This is making me fell bad I've not done anything on my 200Tdi since the heatwave.

Great, that's fantastic value

I have BF Goodrich AT tyres fitted since about 7 years ago and many miles. They still look to have loads of life left in them. I get about 30K miles from a set of Michelin primacy tyres on my work car and wife's car each. I reckon I must be approaching that on my BF Goodrich tyres and I'm not even considering replacing them yet.

That's an interesting tale, I feel your frustration. I would have been very suspicious of someone insisting on cash by saying they "had a large amount he wanted to get rid of". Personally I hate dealing in cash and wouldn't accept a sale for that sum for many of those reasons.

Not my grandma; she was darn right dangerous in her bright yellow Datsun Cherry.

Very impressive nonetheless. I guess you must also be keeping your speed down. I've always found that pushing just another 10mph more above 55-60 really erodes economy in a land rover.

How on earth are you getting that figure from a tdi?

Yes, you could become a mobile hairdresser

I still think you would save money overall as servicing, new tyres repairs etc would all come sooner in the Td5 if putting the additional miles on it. A little Clio can still go 15-17k miles between servicing but the cam belt is a consideration if no history and will add to the initial cost. I think there is anoth factor though. You could fall out of love with your defender if using it as a daily commute if it let's you down or isn't serviceable for Monday morning. If you had a eurobox diesel and something happened to it, you hate it already so it doesn't matter and have your td5 as back up to get to work to keep the money coming in.

I don't understand the fuel costs part as you have £280 listed for both but arrive at a monthly saving of £130.

Just check it over to make sure nothing is stuck where it shouldn't be and inspect the valve seats for pitting. Was it running fine before this?

Okay, so you don't want a little diesel that would fit economy criteria spot on in terms of mpg, insurance and tax. I have another suggestion... A modern classic like a Mercedes 190D with the OM602 engine. One of the most well built and reliable engines ever made, economical to run, should be able to get cheap insurance. Plus it should increase in value whilst you own it.

I loved that diesel Clio! The other thing is reliability for the commute on Monday morning. We've all had Land rovers still in bits at 17:00 on Sunday for a "30 minute" job started on Saturday.

All the usual stuff. Remove unnecessary weight, road tyres properly inflated, driving style etc... But at the end of the day it is a heavy thing with the aerodynamics of a brick. Something smaller just for the commute is probably the way to go. I used to have a little Renault clio 1.5 dci. It cost £30 a year to tax, naff all to insure and easily returned 60mpg. Only got rid of it when we had kids and needed a bigger car for all their clobber.