Gazzar

Well, try the easy stuff first. If you hold the stick in place does it stay there easily enough? If so it could be the detent springs things. This is easy enough to fix. You've got to remove the transmission cover between the floor panels. This required removing the floor panels (I think). Have a look - they are held in place with some big screws - pour penetrating oil on them a week before you tackle them, cause they often seize solid and are a pig to shift. Once this panalage is gone you've got access to where the gearstick is bolted to the gearbox. This is a fairly simple metal frame/bracket, held on by 4 bolts. Benind this is a little raised square dome, immediately behind this, one on each side, are two little "L" shaped brackets, held on each by two bolts from the top. I think these retain the detent springs and ball bearings. Undo the bolts and , taking care to catch any springs etc, take out what is retained. Have a look and see what shape they are in (hopefully in poor condition), renew as necessary. rebuild and try it. It would help you greatly if you could down load the workshop manuals (google it) and borrow the haynes manual. G.

Oh, GOD that is so accurate! I thought it was just me!! G.

Hi Tony, Best of luck with the project! Sounds like a fun way to waste time!! Anyway - can you look up Teri Ann Wakeman? Expedition rover. She has documented a lot of LR work Statestide, and she has some photos of Timm Coopers Spring over axle work. As you are talking Jap, how does a Hi Lux SOA job sound? I don't know much about them but if you search on the Pirate 4x4 you'd see a lot. G.

Get someone else to do it. Sorry - couldn't help that. no, no tips - it's a sod of a job, the only thing that helps is if ensure that the hole, once the bush has been removed, is perfect by gently cleaning it with a hand reamer. For ease of fitment polybusheds are recommended - however some report they wear very fast. G.

Tony, This is very interesting - please - do keep us posted! G.

On the new doors strip the skins off and rust proof both the steel and the ali before reassembly or you'll have the problem again. Fill the window part with waxoil too. G.

Is it the frames that have rotten? You can buy weld-in replacement parts. g.

The aperature dimensions are the same, but the locks and stuff are different - not sure that the strike plates can be swapped over - although a bit of fab work might do it. Why, though? G.

Feels good, doesn't it! Well done! g.

Sounds like a S3 box, so you have a box that may have a problem. Probably retrofitted sometime in the last 40 years. Try the double declutching - its a cheap solution. Failing that you may need to strip down the box and check it out. Or get one reconditioned by a respectable gearbox firm. Or find one second hand. Depends on your skill/time/money/access to workshop etc. G.

To check you have a 2 a box examine where the clutch pipe goes to. If it goes into a slave cylinder at the bellhousing cross member on the left hand side then it is a series 3 box, if it goes to a clutch slave cylinder on a bracket on the right hand side (above the front propshaft) it is a 2a box. g.

That sounds standard for a 2a gearbox. You have to double declutch for a non-syncro gear. 2a gearboxes don't have syncro on 1 and 2. To change or select. Between 1 and 2 or into 2 from 3 Press clutch move gear to neutral release clutch tap accelerator press clutch move into 2 release clutch. becomes habit after a while (so I'm told). G.

Think so, or not significantly different. As long as the 109 wasn't a 1tonne varient. G.

Doors and windscreen for bikini top/truck cab. What are you trying to achieve? Is it just to use what you have or is it an appearance thing? G.

I've just put my '81 2286 petrol through its Commercial Roadworthiness test (first time in 8 years). It passed with no problems, however I was amazed that the CO (carbon monoxide, I think) was only 0.44%. My cheepo gunson gastester gave me a reading of 2.5%. I thought that carburettored vehicles couldn't run that low! And, no, it doesn't have a CAT. The HC (Hydrocarbons) count was 296 and the lamda (???) was 1. I reckon the emissions machine at the test center was broken/miscallibrated, apparently they seldom get petrol commercial vehicles. What should the CO be on a well tuned 2286, does anyone know? G.

They all appear to be like that - I suppose that it is easier to clamp the plate to the chassis rail than a bare rigger on its own? Also it can be difficult to weld the top of the chassis rail with bodywork in the way. But I agree - I'd prefer if the replacement didn't have the plate. Perhaps you could use a bit of the plate to extend the rigger so you can lap it over the chasis rail top. I don't think it is a good idea to cut the rail to take the plate - butt welding by most people wouldn't be as strong as a lap joint. My bulkhead riggers are both on plates - seam to be ok after 8 years, if worried you could (and should) use copious amounts of waxoil to protect everything. g.

Any results? G

I presume bearings and all are fine and there is no other way for the drum to vary relative to the shoes? I'd try to eliminate possible causes. Clamp the flexi hoses one at a time, Starting with the rear one. Test drive in a safe place. Sorry: teaching grandfather to suck eggs. No effect then swap out master cylinder for known good. If it helps when I brought my S3 109 to be tested I told the tester I wasn't happy with the brakes. He asked had I changed the cylinders and when I confirmed this he said it sometimes happens that the pedal is soft at first?! I'm still not convinced but they do work. G.

No, the PAS box, when placed at the end of the crossmember, doesn't foul the tyre. It sits just forward of the axle and takes up less space than a shock absorber. You may need to reroute the brake flexihose though. I reckon it is doable. The P38 box is very different to the defender disco box, and bolts to the outside of the chassis rail on the P38a ( I think). The steering column is inward of the drop arm, rather than outward on the defender/disco. G.

I think it is possible to attach a P38 PAS box to the outside of the chassis rail, as the box would sit on the chassis rail. I've not done this (yet), but I reckon it would work. You may have to cut your battery box holder though. If you HAD a p38 PAS box kicking about you could try it. g.

And I was in your part of the world last weekend too! Still, the airline would have charged me more for the hold luggage than Paddocks would for a new dizzy (almost!). G

Good morning! My Ducellier dizzy on my 1981 2286 (48 k miles) petrol doesn't appear to advance under vacuum. The vacuum gauge, when attached to the carb vacuum outlet, shows normal vacuum. When I suck on the vacuum pipe (carb end) I can see movement in the dizzy. So, i figure it SHOULD work, however the engine runs out of pull too early. With the dizzy advanced to compensate all works as it should (so the centrefugal advance works). The Dizzy has an adjuster for vacuum advance, which I've not touched. Does anyone know if I can get more vacuum advance using this adjuster? My current plan is to try one click in one direction and try it, but I'd be keen to try something more scientific. Failing that, is the easiest option to swap in a new Lucas, and an electronic ignition kit? The Britpart one looks simple enough. I don't wish to go megajolt, as I want to keep the land rover as original as possible, (and really don't have enough time to go scrap yard scrounging!). Cost is also a factor as if it gets too high then a Tdi becomes viable. G. G.

I believe it was a common modification when series were ued for trialing. g.

The Vac gauge was 15 euro - draper model in hte local motor factors, and the gas tester was roughly 100 euro, though that was bought on ebay. I actually was up at Port Rush a month ago but it rained so much they had to close the roads! Anyway, I'm planning on spending tomorrow tuning my 2286 petrol up - the vacuum advance isn't working (no vacuum generated by carb) so I'll do some research and we'll try work something out. G.

And to clean up the chassis after the hacking: a hand reamer. So that the new bush goes all the way in! G.