Gazzar

I'm fitting an X brake at the moment, and I can't quite convince myself it's right. The problem is getting the tension on the lever so that it doesn't rattle and rub. If it's right enough not to rattle, it's rubbing, not much, but enough. And I've this so loose that it's just barely under tension. I think the issue is the floating pad doesn't fully back off against the back plate, there's a gap between the pad and the plate, that if it wasn't there, there'd be clearance for everything. The spring isn't able to expand enough to achieve this. It's as if the lever prevents the pad and the back plate from closing up. Are they supposed to rub?

I'm not sure I want to go that far into the motor, but if it's an easy thing..................... I'll get eldest to strip the cap from the motor. He wants to be an electrical engineer, so it's about time he learned!

Helicoil, and a suitable anti seize compound? I think the coil inserts are less prone to corrosion than the aluminium castings.

Thanks everyone. Well, I finished the piece. A series three gearbox input pinion cover plate seal press tool. The seal is put in the 'wrong' way around, and so is easily damaged. I spun the motor by hand then started it. That worked, even if the lathe wasn't actually turning when I started it. What's a contactor? Is that the switch on the saddle? And where do I get a decent capacitor?

I didn't try that, I will.

Bugger. I think my lathe motor has died. I was trying to turn some seal press tools, in Ali, and the motor just stopped. It tripped it's internal trip. Resetting the trip just produced the 'errmm' noise of a motor that just couldn't be bothered. Where's good for reliable motors? 3kw, 1ph 1400 rpm. Damn.

That's a shame, my lightweight has under seat tanks, and under seat fillers, so they're out. Nevermind. Thanks!

The challenge is that most ladder framed vehicles that have the body insulated from the chassis do infact have (semi)structural integrity within the body, consider the Disco 1&2, and the RRC, as an example. The defender/series relies a lot on the chassis for body integrity, and to overcome this you'd need much tougher sills as a start point, for example, and a way of connecting the front panel to the bulkhead without the chassis, or insulating the wings from the bulkhead. Not impossible, but a lot of work for minimal gain.

The fundamental NVH problem with the series/defender design is the attachment of the body to the chassis being metal to metal. The other ladder chassis vehicles have insulating rubber bushes at the attachment points, which dramatically improves the human comfort. Other than that, most discomforts can be engineered out, if you are of post-war average dimensions.

It sounds like a transit! It's a very loud knock. Anyway, I'll investigate further as soon as you I can.

Sound clip in post one. I'm working up the options. If I find something obvious that's wrong, and not too deep, I'll fix it and do it back up. If it's deeper (bearings), then I've the debate of recon Turner short block, or some degree of DIY full or part rebuild. There isn't much in the cost between Turner and DIY, if the crank, cam and bores are bad, it's cheaper to outsource to Turners. I'll aim to get to it in a week's time.

Yes, you are right. I'll take the cover off, explore my way in. Then head, then cam covers. See what I can see. But if all fails, best have a plan!

It's louder near the water pump. I use a stethoscope, and it's quite good at locating noise. But oil is coming out the timing case, so that needs doing regardless. And, as I'm there....... Maybe full rebuild time? It's a higher mileage engine. How much difference is there in the cost of a short engine compared to a DIY rebuild, I wonder? Block, bearings, pistons and cam?

I don't think it's the crank shaft bearings, it's something to do with the cam area. I'm thinking it could be a cam follower, or a push rod. The noise came from there when listening with the scope. I'll move the 109 out of the way, clear the workshop and then strip the head and timing off, needs doing anyway.

Little end, then. Whatever. It means the 109 is off the road.

I don't think it's big end. I hope it's not the con rod bearings. I'd rather not overhaul the engine this month! I'll poke around the cam and rockers a bit more. But it's shaping up like an engine rebuild... Ah, well, always wanted to do one!

Valve clearances? I've just reset them, but I'm still open to something odd Inn that area. I didn't check for the valves caps when I did it. The noise is loudest near the cam belt tensioner, using the stethoscope. Could this be the cam shaft? Or a push rod doing something wrong? Further work tomorrow. I fear.

I think I might dump a load of 2 stroke oil in it, and go for a burn. Once the new damper had been fitted. The old one has a fair number of cracks, so probably time to change anyway.

So, it's either injection pump/injector, timing belt/tensioner, or an engine bearing. Joy.

The knock is still there, with the damper removed. But, and this is strange, when I started the truck first, it wasn't as bad. I'm changing the damper anyway. As I've bought the parts. And it wasn't loose, the torque gun couldn't undo the bolt, it took the starter to unstick it.

Yes, I could do that. Most are closed on Saturdays, which limits me a lot. I'll check my scrap first.

I would prefer genuine, but not genuine prices. But probably worth it. I need to raid the scrap bin for an acme bit of studding, I think. Or just buy some? Then the nut becomes the issue. More thinking needed.

My first green lane experience has demonstrated that the spring and chassis bushes are knackered. They are 8 years old and saw about 10,000 miles of use, but not genuine. So, what do I replace with? Do poly bushes last? I'm not after any changes in comfort, I just hate doing chassis bushes!

Can you still access the under seat lockers with these seats?

Great work. Great!