Turbocharger

But don't castor-correcting arms/bushes rotate the axle so the flanges are more parallel? As I understand it you can enter the weird weird world of mathematics and find an offset so the UJs aren't aligned on the shaft but will run balanced with a Z-angle discrepancy - I think the problem here is that the angle is too great, period.

Sadly a locked diff isn't a torque splitter. You're constraining rotation, not torque. Imagine for a moment you have rubbery elastic halfshafts and it becomes clear (I hope). Locked With a locked diff (in an axle), in a straight line on good tarmac, both shafts twist by the same amount so equal torque. If you picked one wheel off the ground then the other halfshaft would twist twice as far, while the lifted wheel's shaft would remain straight (neglecting the inertia of the wheel). Unlocked When you unlock your diff, it means both halfshafts twist by the same amount - which is the minimum of the two shafts (so if one wheel is lifted in the air, both shafts deform by the minimum, which is zero).

Ian - as you say, it's quieter but I'm not expecting a fuel consumption improvement. TBH as I work 15mins walk away from home it's more of a toy so economy isn't as important any more. I'll just keep an eye because I'm the geeky sort. The new box had a Disco handbrake assy but the late Ninety one (cable operated rather than the rod type?) bolted straight on. I may swap the xfr box back in 12 months if I don't like 1.2 and I can resolve the selector problem on the old box. Given that it's pretty worthless if not in working condition, it won't cost me anything to pull it apart and see what's wrong - there's no major whining or backlash, just a very sloppy selector somewhere inside I think. The splines are good - John supplied a brand new (but not cross-drilled) gear with the box, but when I took the old one out it was drilled and the splines were pristine so I refitted it.

Thanks to all for your help - TroddenMasses and I fitted it today (and yesterday ... how long should it take?) and I'm quite pleased with the 1.2 ratio - seems well mannered on the road. 5th is only for use on the flat now but it always seemed silly being able to pull away in 2nd and use 4th on roundabouts. It's certainly much quieter when cruising at speed although Vmax has fallen to around 85mph. Fuel consumption guesstimates will follow (as will the healing of my cuts, bruised knuckles, aching back etc). Special thanks to Keir and Lucy for putting me up for the night while my car dripped oil onto their drive.

If we're producing a tech-archive type thread then I'll add that I just fitted the probe for my EGT gauge and found problems undoing the two allen-head bolts on the exhaust manifold to take off the EGT valve. I finally got them undone by applying a torque while Mr TroddenMasses 'shocked' the manifold (where the bolts are screwed in) with a hammer and a long pin punch.

That's the day after Sodbury - if I've still got £20 I might well trundle down for a looksie (and maybe a drive if the competition don't look too scary )

I 'kissed' mine on something about 3 months ago - now on any rough road surface it vibrates against the axle and makes a really irritating ringing noise. It's not touching, just sits about 1mm away

Tony - are you talking about this seal? I'm happy with a blob of RTV around the aluminium castings but I think Ian's referring to the seal that stops ATF from the R380 filling the transfer box... I think

Thanks for the tips re dowels and difflock linkage. I might have to rethink the 1.2 ratio eventually but we'll see. The handbrake drum and floor panels are coming out for easier access. 2 questions spring to mind: Input seal - where does it go? Does anyone have a part number or a drawing? Bearing preload - again, does anyone have a drawing? I'm sure it'll all make more sense when I've taken it apart but by then it might be too late...

Anyone who's ever lifted a Series tropical roof will vouch for the INCREDIBLE weight of the thing. I'd be tempted to break out the nibbler and fit vents to your own (white) roof if that's what you really want. Unless the roof panel is actually getting hot to touch (and therefore transmitting heat to the vehicle) then direct conduction isn't your problem.

I've bought a transfer box off that lovely FridgeFreezer chap (on a windswept evening at the gates to Sodbury, no less) and this weekend is nominated for fitting. John gave me a T-box and a gear-with-2-bearings which I think is all the parts I need. Who's done this job before and what should I know beforehand? So far I think I have to get some long 10mm bolts with the heads cut off (thanks Mark90) and the gear needs fiddling to make it slide in easily because it's a 1.2 Discovery box. Anything else? Once I take it apart I'm kinda committed to reassembly without help... JB

If I were you I'd save the money from your paper round for diesel and insurance - I had to at your age! Seriously, I'd opt for bigger tyres rather than bumper mods - if you're not too picky and working to a budget you could chop the ends of the bumper (or even remove it entirely?). I think you'll see a host of other benefits from larger tyres though, not least the amusing training from whipping bits of halfshaft in and out in record time...

Cheque winging its way to Buxton for two vehicles .. just gotta sort accomodation now. John

Selected because it epitomises the ability of the engineer to create something delicate, robust, elegant, ugly, incredibly complex and so obviously simple (like me)

Aha... you've got a cylinder head gasket problem. Easy

Dodgy wire from the ignition key/loose battery terminal?

'Ere Tony - I've got a parcel under my desk all the way from Australia, but I can't get the bolts undone. What's the best way- WD40? Burn myself undoing it while it's all hot? Get the impact gun out? I don't want to shear anything off really, I can see that'd be unhelpful.

Never mind all that - did he get the punch??

... and has a dark-shaven Italian look about him?

No, don't tell me that! I've got to get it out so I can mount an EGT probe in there instead. TroddenMasses suggests 'shocking' it instead (mechanically, not by doing something unprecedented like heading offroad) but access isn't too easy. Has anyone taken the EGR diaphragm apart before?

£8's not bad - I'm tempted to go and weigh mine. Book ahead or just turn up? I was expecting £25 or so. What's next on your Ninety's diet then Nige? Helium tyres?

So, does my 300Tdi omit that blanking plate because it's an early one? As an aside, how do I undo the bolts which hold (1) onto the exhaust manifold? They're allen head and 'kin tight. Will WD40 help or should I get it steaming hot with a good run down the road?

I presume Nick's not abandoned Llanerchindda to move abroad yet then - any news on when he's likely to be shutting up shop?

I take it I ought to book 7S then?

So...... Good weekend?