monkie

I would get a replacement head gasket (Elring) and renew it as it is easy enough to do. If you don't want to do that then I think it is worth buying a new exhaust gasket and replacing it ensuring the manifold is torqued up correctly just to rule it out.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that batteries have risen in cost significantly over the past couple of years? The last battery I got for my 110 was from Mole Valley Farmers and still has the price tag on it from a few years ago of £78 (ex Vat). I looked the other day out of curiosity in both mole Valley and Halfrauds because of this thread and was shocked to see the equivalent of what I have at £119 ex Vat!! What's going on? I'm not trying to buy cocaine as Father Ted would say!

I know a lot of people increasingly have this view which is all well and good but in this case there is no guarantee they would be able to remove the nuts, you'd have a further wait for them to get a truck to you. Also what if you were stuck somewhere with no phone reception or it was that occasion you had left your phone at home? I would rather be able to sort it out my self in 20 minutes than sit there waiting for someone else to turn up.

I would do exactly as Bowie suggests to weaken the nut. What a good job you found this out at home and not by the side of the road with a puncture!

The breather system modification that was fitted to the NA engines had a valve too, so it can't be because of the turbo

I don't apply heat to the plug as that will make it easier to accidentally round off if you get it really hot followed by some force. Instead, I get the area surrounding the plug hot with a blow torch to expand the threads around the plug followed by a good few whacks with a hammer directed traight on the plug itself. Then try to undo it. I think if you do it like that it should come undone.

Before you drain the old oil out, open the filler plug. (1) to let the oil drain more freely and (2) so you know you can get access to refill. Nothing worse than finding out you can't open the filler plug once the old stuff has drained out!

It really does sound like air in the fuel system. Very carefully and systematically check the pipes, hoses and joints for integrity starting with the leak off pipes on the injectors. Check the seals and banjos round the filter. Go right back to the pick up on top of the tank, they are known to rust. You then need to get all air out of the system. Get back to that bleed screw and make sure just fuel comes out. It will then take some cranking possibly to bleed the high pressure side to the injectors. Keep your battery well charged.

The gloves thing is a bit of joke in my opinion based on the fact people who work in labs have to be reminded how to use them properly in terms of how to change them and when to change them, so I have no hope for the general public using them properly. If only people would wash their hands properly and often, stop hugging eachother plus stay away from other people if they don't feel well, we might manage to avoid a second wave. Having said that, in the line of business I'm in, STI testing usually is big business. Social distancing is hampering people from passing on their STIs. I guess you can't have it all.

The worse thing I saw was when I was queuing for the toilet at the services. They had closed the ladies and gents so you had to queue for the single disabled toilet. Someone came out wearing gloves. I can only presume they were wearing them when they went in, did what they had to do and came out wearing the same gloves as I didn't hear the sink and hand dryer run. I appreciate closing toilets helps somewhat with social distancing but it's the one place where you have access (hopefully) to warm water and soap! Which in my opinion are key weapons to fight the spread of the virus (and others) with. I'm constantly shocked by how people don't wash their hands at all after going to the toilet or just wave them under tepid water for a few seconds without soap.

I hope people have learned to wash their hands correctly and often carrying on into the coming winter season. I fear I am hoping for far too much though... I get really annoyed when see people wearing gloves in the supermarket who touch everything and put it back on the shelf for someone else to pick up. Does this annoy others? It winds me up beyond belief!

.... If clinical trails suggest it to be safe and effective. There is also then a question of how it will rolled out if it does pass the trials. Probably it would be the most vulnerable first followed by health workers and then most of us plebs at the bottom of the list. Then there are the can't be bothered/anti vac brigade.

And we don't know for sure yet that having antibodies gives any sort of long term immunity against reinfection. If it doesn't then a vaccine might not be the silver bullet we hope for. But let's hope it does.

They are a bugger. I also use strips made from and old drinks can. Also make sure they are genuine LR seals, cheap ones are so brittle it's almost impossible.

A few more of those beers, then you won't notice it

Agreed. I never thought I'd say this but I think we need some Brexit in the news. It looks to me as if no-deal has crept up on us all and that's we'll be getting like it or not!

Silt?! I would say that was a very worth while filter change! I swap mine every 12 months regardless. The filter also should trap any water that is lurking in the fuel from condensation in the metal tank. It's helps to keep the diesel tank full when not in regular use to stop condensation forming in the tank.

I agree with the above but the thing is price is huge factor for us all. If you want something and there are two items on the shelf, one a fraction of the price than the other but do more or less the same thing.... I will put my hand up and admit I often buy on price unless the quality is miles different. If it weren't for robotic production lines the I think most people wouldn't be able to afford a decent car. Its up to you to decide if that's a good or bad thing. Also robots can do dangerous work and reduce the amount of industrial accidents. Pros and cons to everything.

I think it earths to the threaded post on the engine side of the bulkhead just under the bonnet.

Some of us may well have had it and not really known about it. On the other hand keep in mind there are still quite a few other respiratory viruses knocking about at the moment, particularly in young children. The ones I've heard virologist talk about this week that are being detected right now in the general population are RSV (mostly in small kids) , rhinovirus (common cold) and metapnuemovirus. So keep in mind if have symptoms, it may well be the latter two. Has anyone else convinced them self they have a sore throat when watching the news? I hope everyone is keeping safe.

Yep, been there and done that my self. Learnt the hard way to not use cheapo oil seals and gaskets! I had oil pouring out of the rear crankseal within in 10 minutes of running at idle.

I see. Its the head gasket and oil seals I've found to be critical. Elring also do oil seals as do Corteco. If possible for crank and cam seals I pay a little more and get genuine. For other places like the sump, rocker cover and timing case I apply just a little smear of gasket dressing like this one https://www.bearing-king.co.uk/bearing/loctite-5922-gasket-dressing-60ml/9575?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7qn1BRDqARIsAKMbHDZQ01b4vcYagOHoPPEPOtCyMBhasqCD0ycQPaUPrMzh_-wsS_PMjeoaAr_4EALw_wcB

I have no experience on the v8 engines, however on my diesel engines I always use Elring cylinder head gaskets. I did a quick search and they do a V8 version. I don't know if this is the right one for your particular v8 but it seems they are available. https://www.island-4x4.co.uk/head-gasket-incl-elring-head-gaskets-stc4082el-p-6566.html

I'm not 100% sure on this but I thought I heard somewhere that response to GDPR requests have been relaxed due to potential staffing difficulties because of coronavirus.

I burn them as soon as possible!