Jode

I shouldn't think they be bothered if it's greased....

Do you have an imobiliser fit? If so this could be faulty. Otherwise I'd check the earth to the starter motor, as well as the fuse to the starter circuit (don't know your model but the fuse is in the engine compartment of the 300 TDI).

Exhaust pipe smacking the chassi?

I think you can - at any rate our parts manual "Land Rover 110 1987 Model Year" (but published in August 1994) gives one part number only for the diff assembly (FRC7926). Otherwise Ashcroft Transmission can answer your question with certainty.

Another possiblity is the filler hose from the neck to the tank. Is the rubber still in good nick or are there cracks? Of course this wouldn't be the source of diesel on the bodywork around the filler point, if that's what you're experiencing. I happened to be going through the Bosch VE booklet, and it says the following about the fuel circuit from the tank: "The fuel tank must be of noncorroding material, and must remain free of leaks at double the operating pressure and in any case at 0.3 bar. Suitable openings or safety valves must be provided, or similar measures taken, in order to permit excess pressure to escape of its own accord. Fuel must not leak past the filler cap or through pressure- compensation devices. This applies when the vehicle is subjected to minor mechanical shocks, as well as when cornering, and when standing or driving on an incline." Pressurisation in the tank could only be caused by the injection pump. The lift pump has a single line that runs to the injection pump only, whilst the injection pump has both a fuel return line plus one supply line for each injector, with the injectors having their own shared fuel return line. What the injectors don't use is pressurised by the injection pump, hence really the injection pump is the only source of pressurised fuel returning to the tank. I second reb78's ideas regarding the likely problem - cap sealing.

Check the accelerator cable - maybe it's come loose. Scotch that - it would start whether or not the accelerator cable was loose....

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions. There isn't any manufacturer's mark on the head, but I'll speak to the shop on Monday and see if they can source guides to suit. If that doesn't fly I know of a machine shop that MIGHT be able to fabricate some. Thanks again.

The mystery continues - perhaps its Chinese....

Sounds like the party you bought the vehicle from didn't do much off-roading....

It sounds like the replacement water pump is the cause of the slightly lower running temp - that's a good sign. I believe the tank will normally pressurise because of the return fuel circuit (although perhaps the suction from the lift pump balances that? - I'm not certain). But that pressure/suction is 'released' via the vented filler cap. The vents can clog, however there are write-ups on this site (IIRC), and certainly on the landrovernet site, on how to take the cap apart and clear the vent. I understand that unusual drops in fuel economy would typically relate to timing issues, lift pump diaphragm damage or turbo issues (such as manifold pressure compensator diaphragm damage, faulty waste gate actuator or damage to turbo air hoses).

We're rebuilding the 300 TDI, which is moving along although slowly as currently only weekends available; and then there's shopping, social life etc. But I've come across an odd problem that's stumped me (and others). Although the valve guides seemed ok when I pulled the head off I thought it wise that, as the engine has done around 250K, they be replaced; there also seemed a bit of wear but I couldn't measure it as my dial indicator's shaft is too short to reach. Got new guides in from Blighty with various other bits, took them plus new valves, seats and stem seals with head to local engine shop. They called me back later and advised "the guides are the wrong ones". So back I go to the shop - turns out the guides in the head measure 14.35mm OD whereas standard are 14.06mm. Checked with UK supplier, no alternate guides are available; contacted Turner Engineering, they suggest that, as the head didn't have LR badge, it was likely to be a Chinese or Argentinian replacement, and they didn't know where to source replacement guides. Anyway, as the engine shop pressed out the guides before checking the OD I now have a head without guides, with no replacement guides available. Anyone know where I might find 8 valve guides for a 300 TDI head that are 14.35mm OD? Otherwise I'll have to buy another head.... Thanks.

Try checking on this website: http://www.allbrit.de/NAV.cfm?SPRACHE=EN&PAGE=338364

Not to split hairs, but IIRC steel is more maleable and hence can take a blow by bending, wheareas alu is more brittle and hence more likely to crack from a blow.

Reiny - how many Ks have the landie been driven since your timing belt was changed? And are you dead certain that you turqued up the crankshaft pulley bolt to the right torque (IIRC 80NM + 90deg clockwise)? If the crank bolt is slightly loose the pulley will eventually wear a slot where the woodruff key is and put your timing off, which will affect starting.

John - Certainly the Ashcroft cooler is the least expensive cooler 'kit' for the R380 that I have found - in fact, I've only found that unit plus the standard LR cooler fit to the 'wolf'. It is possible to use the bottle brush cooler that was fit to some discos and RRs, but for my money I would prefer a larger volume cooler than those. Gearbox coolers are quite common in the US (automatic boxes can get quite hot), and it's possible to find on US websites quite a range of kits based on coolers of various geometry fit with flexible hoses. Issues that I found significant when trying to source something for the 110 included hose lengths (which of course depend upon the placement of the cooler itself), hose diameter (which can affect coolant flow rate) and cooler construction (my investigations suggest that stacked alu. plate coolers have the right robustness for off-road driving). My bias would be to fix the cooler to the A-bars in front of the radiator (as was done with the 'wolf'), as I figure that this is reasonably out of harm's way when off-roading, and as it was done by LR itself it will probably not compromise engine cooling excessively. My cooler plans continually come to nought however because of an inability to find the adapter needed for connecting the coller pipes to the R380 (pickey shown below).... I've even sent mails to companies listed on ebay as gearbox specialists....

So Mike, it sounds like you removed the 'thermostat housing' from the box and then screwed onto the inlet and outlet ports adapters to fit onto the LR cooler pipes - is that correct?

John - I've checked out the Ashcroft model, and that is certainly less costly than buying the LR itting I mentioned plus the hoses/pipes and cooler (I'm looking at a Derale cooler from the US as they're available at a better price vis-a-vis Ashcroft's). My problem is finding the pipe interface (mentioned above) that bolts to the R380 in lieu of the 'thermostat housing', which is an oil return loop that is fit to the box when an oil cooler is NOT fit.

John - Have you already sourced the oil cooler pipe to gearbox fitting (FTC2104)? Did you buy new or a used part? If you got a used part I'd be keen to learn if your supplier has another one, as I'm unable to source a used part in this part of the world (and I'd like to fit a cooler).

Your problem highlights the argument for going back in time and removing the axle shaft oil seal that was added with the 110 (to prevent oil migrating form the diff into the hub). In the old days (series) the half-shaft splines would be wet with diff oil, which helps prevent wear between them and the hub splines, and also protects the metal from rust.

The Wolf units hang the cooler off the cross member in front of the rad as you suggested, so that should be acceptable. (EDIT - wish I could find the oil cooler fitting that bolts onto the R380, as I'd like to add a cooler but our tranny never had one so has the 'return' fitting in lieu of the tranny hose connector fitting.)

IIRC those are M10 threads, so you can also just buy some long (160mm ?) M10 bolts, cut the heads off and cut a slot in to ease screwing them into the gearbox.

We've put allmakes seals in without problems, and I'm pretty sure that we fit allmakes stub axles on an '89 V8 that we've subsequently sold. No problems as far as I can remember. Allmakes offers two options on some of their stock - bog standard and "PR2" which is supposed to be of a higher quality (certainly a higher price). Allmakes has sold LR parts for a couple of decades at least, and bought out terra firma, so they seem commited to the marque.

I'd also suspect the A-frame ball joint. Worn splines on the half-shafts/diff centre will clause clunk, however a truetrac is said to run smoother than the standard diff by virtue of its design.

MTF is a 75W80 GL4 oil and should be fine for the LT230. Roamer Corp (makers of the formally named RoverDrive, name now changed thanks to Tata's legal department) insist on using synthetic GL4 gear oil, and advise that MTF is suitable.

IIRC the LR workshop manual states that the head should never be resurfaced (ground) although I understand that this it often done without any ill effects.