DaveSIIA

I had to remove the manifold from the head to fix a blowing exhaust gasket. The manifold was tight to remove from the studs (nuts came off ok), and there were witness marks of the threads inside the through holes. Come to put it all back together and the manifold wouldn't fit back on to the studs. If aligned with the centre studs (cylinder #3), the holes for #1 & #5 should each have been ~2mm further out from the middle to slide over their studs. The holes for #2 & #4 should each have been ~1mm further out. It appears that the manifold had shrunk. I had to elongate the holes to get the manifold back on. Has anyone experienced a similar problem, or know what the cause could be? It's a '99 110 with 81K miles on the clock. The engine has been chipped & intercooled by Jeremy Fearn and runs sweet as can be.

I found that a RRC speedo head indicated correctly when I fitted 3.54 diff's to my IIA (standard Series transmission). IIRC, the red (FRC3313) gear is standard for a RRC on 205s. Therefore the standard Series speedo drive pinion must be equivalent to a red gear as both vehicles were set for 205R16 tyres. This suggests you could retain the standard S3 speedo so long as you are still running 4.7 diff's. Minivin: The 1.003 transfer box should read accurately as this would normally be set for 205 tyres. The differences in tyre size of a Series vehicle were accommodated in the gearing of the speedo head. A LWB speedo head would be fine for 31" tyres.

I have to disagree about the R380 not being an easy DIY fix - anyone who can overhaul a Series gearbox can do so with a R380. Both require care and attention to detail if they are to last. A puller is needed to remove the collar on the rear of the mainshaft, and a dial test indicator to check the endfloat on the shafts. The rest is straight forward disassembly, clean, inspect, replace where necessary and rebuild. The only parts that would not be readily to hand are the selective shims to adjust endfloat. I have reconditioned quite a few R380's, but would advise you may be better going to the likes of Ashcroft if there is extensive wear. The cost of parts can soon rise alarmingly if you do a thorough job, while Ashcrofts bring their expertise and a warranty for a not much greater price.

MXC1800

Does the engine fire and run when tow started? If not, there is something more to the problem than the starter motor. Suggest it is ECU related.

That would be M16x100 then. Your sketched bolt looks a bit thin. Maybe more like :- ------ |xxx| |----|------------------------------------------------------------------ |xxx|\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\| |xxx|\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\| |----|------------------------------------------------------------------ |xxx| ----- From the Etch-a-Sketch school of CAD - not my strong point!

Do the warning lights on the dash illuminate when the ignition switch is at position 2 and then go off when you try to start? If so, could be a faulty ignition switch. Some more specific details would be useful.

Not had the problem, but could it be the potentiometer on the accelerator pedal has worn and is sending the wrong signal at max throttle?

Supercharged 2.25 - sounds like an ideal application for MegaSquirt.

JP (Automatic Transmissions) Ltd to the SW of Bristol rebuild torque converters, and are a ZF specialist.

Also worth removing the rear anti-roll bar if going for stiffer springs. Non-station wagon 110 didn't have have a rear anti-roll bar, and leaving it in with stiffer springs makes for interesting handling in extremis.

Have both boxes got sufficient of the correct grade oil? Handbrake shoes sticking - possible cable problem? Transfer box bearings? The presence of the noise in 4th as well as 5th suggests starting at the transfer box.

Yes, I can confirm they are cap head - 7/16 UNF x 3/4. I had this end of a crank in pieces over the weekend. Best bet would be a local fastener supplier. If they don't have them in stock then they should be able to get some. Out of interest, the same bolts for the flywheel on a manual are shown as 7/16 UNC x 1. This would imply that the cranks are different between auto and manual, but they are not listed as such ???

The sidewall of a underinflated tyre will compress more than one where the pressure is correct, causing the wheel to sit slightly lower at that corner. This will cause the spring at that corner to be slightly less compressed (or the other three to be more compressed), reducing the measured wheel weight at that corner. Agreed, the effect is secondary but it is measurable with the sort of kit MogLite used.

As well as possibly tired springs, it depends on how level was the concrete on which the gauges were stood? A bit of camber or a dip in the surface can throw the corner weights right out, as could uneven tyre pressures across an axle. If the springs were say 200lb/in, then a quarter inch dip in the surface at one corner would unbalance the corner weights by ~50lb. The axle weights and hence total weight would be correct though. The race car boys take the time to ensure the pads are levelled before adjusting corner weights. The question has to be asked - is a ~3% variation in weight at the axle ends all that critical in this application?

I've just swapped a 4 bolt into a '85 RRC to replace a knackered 3 bolt. The pipe fittings were different, so I'm now waiting for the correct pipes to finish the job.

Yes, flow reverses when fourth is selected. Not a problem to the oil cooler, but doesn't help with temperature gauge. Where abouts on the case does the transmission over temperature sensor fit? That would be the best place to pick up for the temperature gauge.

What's involved in converting a 1990 3.9 RRC auto to a 200Tdi? I have the RRC (complete, but minus engine) and a 200Tdi/LT77/Rad/Intercooler/Exhaust (all ex-Disco, but still in the vehicle). Rad, exhaust & engine mounts are not a problem. The difficulty comes with mating the engine and gearbox (having not worked on a Tdi auto). 1/. Do all ZF auto's use the same bellhousing or are V8 & Tdi versions different? 2/. The Tdi flywheel will require replacing by a Tdi flex plate and torque convertor. 3/. Does the Tdi engine backplate (flywheel housing) have to be changed for an auto version? I know about the cam in the ZF box which governs shift points, but what else could I have overlooked?

I use TMPGEnc with the QuickTime plugin. Works a treat.

Easy fix, and used on my IIA, was to use the speedo head out of a 2 door RRC. Pull the speedo mechanics from the plastic housing in the RRC instrument pod, rebuild into a IIA round housing. Both use the same cable fitting, so no need to mess with that. Should point out it works ok for 205's or 225/75's. Will under read by 10% on 235/85's or 7.50's.

Congratulations. Hope you are enjoying every moment of new parenthood. Toylander - you're well ahead of me! My daughter is 13 months old and I have front / rear axles to build something similar, but not done anything about plans yet.

I'd look at the free play on the push rod from the top of the pedal arm to the master cylinder. IIRC, it should be about 1/16". If not enough, the inlet port in the MC could be closed by the piston and not allowing any fluid to flow back into the reservoir. The inlet port in the MC should allow free flow in either direction until the piston has travelled far enough to cover it and push the fluid down to the slave cylinder.

Given the way fuel is taxed, I thought we already were !!!

I don't quite live in the Peak District National Park (Buxton is surrounded by the PDNP, but excluded from it), so normally have to cross its boundaries to go anywhere. There's no way I would support the idea of a 'Congestion Charge'. Public transport into the Peak is too infrequent for most visitors and locals alike, so there is no real choice but to use the car. There are certain routes/times which I know to avoid and I also have preferred routes for getting across the Peak. As with other National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there are some areas which draw all the traffic and/or tourists, while others remain pleasantly quiet. Given that the roads have already been paid for out of our taxes, why not surcharge the parking in the hotspots? There are already dual pricing schemes in place for local facilities, where PDNP residents pay a fractional rate compared to those that live outside. This could be applied equally to parking. Fortunately, this is at the feasibility study stage at the moment and the BBC has picked up on the story. I'm sure it's not the last we will hear of schemes like this.

I bought a Minolta from Jessops. Somewhat more expensive than the one you highlighted, but it gives superb results. Being USB 2, it transfers the data much quicker than USB 1.