Ed Poore

I don't know about the HD springs but I did fit (for exactly the same reason) some standard (van-back) springs to my 110CSW since I've now got a gun cabinet permanently installed in the back. The dampers (technically the springs are the shock-absorbers) are cheap generic 110 ones and standard-length, they have been replaced in the last 20k since they were weeping. Now something that did happen with putting the "normal" springs on was that the vehicle now rides ~1" higher than before because the original CSW springs were sagging, i.e. it's back to almost normal height now. My understanding is that all springs should be the same "height" just have different levels of stiffness and therefore how much they can be compressed by as opposed to how tall they are. Although I'm not a definitive source on it I would have said that there are two possibilities - 1) the dampers are too short or 2) the springs are not "standard height". I'd go with 2) which basically means that the HD springs are in fact ones with a lift. If you want I can see if I remember to measure the height of the van-back ones on my CSW tomorrow when I bolt the tub back on (hoping to be able to separate the rear x-member a bit to do some preemptive painting on it to stop rust but doesn't look like jacking it up is a simple job).

I recently had to source some belts and pulleys for a final year project (needed to gear-up a DC motor spinning at 1500RPM to ~16000 RPM to test an alternator). By chance I came across Challenge PT (Power Transmission) through a local distributor - David Harris of Whitland and although Challenge PT were less than helpful (borderline rude) when I tried to speak to them directly on the phone they do have a huge catalogue of parts (pulleys from <100mm to >1400mm any type of V-belt / Poly-V belt etc, motor mounts). I would be suprised if they don't have something suitable - the PDF version of the catalogue can be downloaded from here: http://challengept.com/flipcatalogue/files/ChallengeTechCat2011.pdf (bear in mind that it's pretty big - ~70MB). The challenge (no pun intended) might be in finding a distributor local to yourself. If you do struggle then I can dig out the phone number for the distributor where I got my pulleys and belts from (West Wales) and they're usually more than helpful so in the worst case scenario might be able to post things to you.

In my case I needed location data and what they were worried about was the risk of someone spotting a unique car and being able to narrow down where they live.

You probably wouldn't be able to get that. I've tried to get hold of some statistics for a uni project - didn't have any luck via the DVLA but there's a chap called Dr Daryl Lloyd who works for the Department for Transport Vehicle Statistics department who was very useful.Main reason you can't get them through the DVLA is data protection and the fact they charge ~£60k for the information, however you may be able to get the DfT to simply count the number of RRC for you from their copy of the data.

Almost there , amperage.

Just thought I'd add that Lancaster "can't" touch earlier than Td5 110 Station Wagons if they "unmodified". Tried to get a quote off them for a 110 CSW (9 seats) and their underwriters won't touch anything with more than 8 seats total.

Supposedly if you have a Td5 (I say this because it didn't work on the one we had) you can enter a four digit code by unlocking and locking the door in a particular pattern. I don't remember the exact methods (hopefully in your handbook) but you essentially have to unlock the vehicle, then lock it x times (first digit), then unlock it for the second digit number of times and so on. The reason this didn't work was that it seemed someone had replaced the doors previously as there were no wires going from the door to the engine management so could not have been the case. We did speak to a local dealer though (because we didn't know this or have a code or a fob) and after taking the registration number and a few other details they gave us the code and told us how to enter it. On finding out it was not possible (the 90 had to be left in a field at a shoot where it had died) then on repairing it (blown ECU as well) then the garage sourced a fob for us.

That is correct. However I have spoken to TFL in the past and they were next to useless. There was a long "discussion" about how they determine how to charge you, this was a while ago, pre flow chart. The outcome was that they said it should only apply to commercial vehicles that weighed (kerb weight) over 1.02 tons (or some figure close to that, I can't remember the exact one). However the process by which they decided what was commerical and what wasn't was basically that they looked at the Maximum Gross Weight of the vehicle and if this was over 1.02 tons then if it was a diesel it had to comply with the LEZ. I then tried to explain to them that the weight they were actually looking at was nothing to do with the what the vehicle actually weighed as it included what it was allowed to tow / carry in the boot. She then countered that my vehicle (300Tdi 110CSW) was over the limit anyway so what did it matter? I replied saying that yes it was over 1.02 tons but it actually weighed ~2.1 tons not what they think the V5C says which is 3.5 tons. I then spoke with the DVLA and they were far more helpful but confessed that they had no bloody clue as to what TFL were trying to do. They'd apparently had people get in touch with them (as they've had quite a few questions about the LEZ) and they don't understand how on earth TFL are classifying vehicles. They did say though that if I was able to provide valid proof to accompany any changes I wanted made to the V5C then they'd be more than happy to accommodate them. The stupid thing is that we also have a Mitsubishi Shogun which should also have to comply (older that the 110) but that first of all has the Body Type registered as Estate and secondly they haven't got any weights put down on the vehicle. Having said that I did send one letter with the V5C to Swansea asking them to change the body type (and if possible remove the weight since the Shogun's was missing it) but they replied back saying that they could only change the body type to estate if I had a letter from Land Rover stating that my vehicle came off the production line as a SW. I've since been caught up with lots of stuff and haven't got around to doing anything but I will try and send in photos over the next week or so before having to chase up Land Rover for a letter. In terms of 110's that were "designed" according to TFL as minibuses - TFL only have access to the information Swansea provide therefore if this is a problem you can change the number of seats on the V5C to below the limit. Mine is currently plated as 9 seats (including driver) although it came with 10 seats. Although the V5 originally had no number under the seating capacity I had this changed to 9 since at the time I could apply for a Congestion Charge exemption under those conditions and I having it plated at 10 seats makes it a pain in the backside with insurers etc. Hope that provides a bit more information and background - basically that TFL are useless and they themselves have got no clue about what's going on. Whilst trying to speak to someone on the phone I got transferred 9 times between 3 people, one of them managed to transfer me to herself and claimed it was a different department, the others said they were transferring me to the relevant department and transferred me back and forth. I'm afraid that after about 15 minutes on the phone (after eventually getting through to the "right" department) I got so fed up I hung up on them but wasn't getting anywhere so there was no benefit to continuing.

My understanding of it was that if it was a minibus then you'd still have to comply with the Low Emissions Zone but perhaps under different regs.

Piccies?

Didn't matter, in both instances was on an unlimited connection. The only annoying thing was that I could have downloaded the 2GB in a few minutes had Autodesk's servers allowed it.

Didn't matter, in both instances was on an unlimited connection. The only annoying thing was that I could have downloaded the 2GB in a few minutes had Autodesk's servers allowed it.

I think it is. The download is really slow though. Was on a connection where we can get 10MB/s (that's bytes not bits) and Autodesk limit it to about 200kb/s (that's bits) :-(

If you have access to a .ac.uk address then you can get full copies of all of Autodesk's software for free. Favourite one is Inventor so far.

Well we'll see what comes back on it. They normally fit uprated components so fingers crossed they do the same this time although I have a feeling they may try and minimise cost. It's a small garage that's family run and really only do Land Rovers so given the small community bad press wouldn't be good for business.

What basically happened was that I stopped by this morning with the photo from the first post and said this happened after your service. They were perplexed and although not trying to I got the impression they were going to wriggle out of it - the owner (not the chap who did the service) said to drop it around and they'd dig out the offending item and see where it came from. When I got back there was a phone call from them (Blaenwaen Garage in Carmarthenshire) and they'd checked the batch of Britpart filters they'd had and there was, unlike previous filters, a washer inside the plastic cover rather than taped to the top of the filter as per usual. Rough size was correct so after photographing the entire process I removed the washer from the turbo and drove it slowly the few miles to the garage this afternoon. When I got there and showed the washer it was clear that it was the one from inside the filter and Lyndon the owner showed me the packaged filter it comes in. So new turbo and will hopefully be back in a couple of days. I'm still a little unsure of the garage but they seem to be OK, just need to stay on your toes with them. I suspect the guy who did the service is going to be in for a bit of a rough time but just grateful that it's no money out of my pocket. And yes it's a hell of an expensive mistake to make...

Well it was pre-intercooler so hopefully not much if anything

Well it was a Britpart filter and the latest batch they have comes with a washer loose in the bag. Got it out and took it to the garage, they're now fitting a new turbo for me. Well that's a relief!

Well I spoke with the garage and they were shocked but trying to wheedle their way out of it (my impression anyway). Once I got back I had a phone call of them and they said that they'd checked the filters that they'd installed and there was a loose washer inside them instead of being taped to the top as usual. Rough estimate of size put it to about the same as the attached photo so things are more hopeful. I'll take the 110 up to them after some lunch and see what they say from there.

I haven't taken it out yet so I'm not sure whether it's ally or steel, basically because I was wondering whether it would be worth getting someone independent to look at the damage before taking bits out. I'll be speaking to the garage tomorrow to see what their response is and if it's not the desired result then will have to take it up a notch - not something I want to do, got far too much on at the moment without having the hassle of sorting out who's going to pay.

If I understand you correctly then I think that the washer is still there. I took a series of piccies in anticipation of this EDIT If that is the washer you mean then the one that's in the turbo is considerably different (unless it's got sufficiently destroyed) because it's a larger diameter and the "width" of the thing looks to be a lot narrower (i.e. inner and outer diameters are similar compared to the overall diameter).

No clue. It's had "two" previous owners. The guy who bought it from new and then the garage that sold it on his behalf. I bought it last May with 70k on the clock and it's just gone past 90k. In terms of what I've done it's had one comprehensive (the full works) service plus a thorough going over by Challenger 4x4 in Surrey (highly recommend them) at about 78k, I checked the oils etc over the winter whilst I was replacing the P-gasket and then had this problematic service at about 90k. Unfortunately wasn't with Challenger since I am currently the other end of the country... Microcat doesn't shed any light on it so it's an unknown for the moment where it came from I think. Will be speaking to the garage tomorrow and see what they're going to do about it. Hopefully can get it sorted quickly without spending anything substantial.

Well the filter looks to be in one piece but since I don't know what these ones look like (I've rebuilt a Series III but since the 110 had a full service history I've been keeping it that way so haven't tinkered as much as usual). So it looks like something might have been dropped in by the garage, that's going to be a fun conversation with them. I doubt it was something lodged there before because as I mentioned I've covered a stupid amount of miles in it since I bought it (20k since last May) and there was some not particularly gentle off roading and green-laning over the winter. The week before the service I was staying on Bisley camp in Surrey for a club's Easter training week and spent the time towing a trailer around the tracks there and again it was taking some serious knocks from potholes etc so that should have dislodged anything. Then the 300 miles driven on the way home to Wales before taking it for a service so given that I'm fairly certain anything that might have been lodged there since I bought it would have worked its way loose before yesterday.

Thanks anyway. I might be able to whip off the filter from a 300Tdi Disco we have lying around and have a looksie.

Any chance you could provide a photo of that? If that's the case then it's almost certainly the garages fault.