NickHodgson

Would a loose injector or a failed injector seat washer not give these symptoms? For Euro10k I might expect a compression test or some form of further diagnosis....

Some pictures of what you changed or even the part numbers would help to think about what has gone wrong. The 2006 axle has a spacer between the bearings - did you refit the spacer? What quality of bearings did you use?

Hi, I had similar symptoms of water loss through the header tank. We changed the cap (4 times), the thermostat and the EGR cooler. I eventually changed the head gasket after a failed block test. I really had to work the engine to get it to fail the block test so obvioulsy a small leak on gasket. 8,000kms since changing the gasket there is no further leak. The gasket did show some signs of water passing into the front of no.1 piston. Cheers Nick

I am pretty sure that LRs own advice is to pump up the tyres to about 60psi and disconect the battery. There is actually an official "Service Bullitin" somewhere. Lots of cars stand for at least a year before they are sold. In a garage is even better. Just spray some WD40 on the bits of engine, chassis and body that probably already have some rust spots on them. Cheers Nick

For what its worth... As where I am MTF94 is not available I use a Dextron III with good results. I have also tried Castrol VMX which I think is a 75w90 GL4 and my gearchange (1to2 when cold) was worse then the Dextron III. I have also now tried Redline MTL and would again say that the gearchange with the Dextrol III was still better. I do change the oils in the main box at 20-30k kms.

Headgasket or corroded oil cooler/radiator?

Hi By not a cheap one do you mean one with Dayco stamped on the tensioner. If it is a real Dayco tensioner then I expect you problem is the belt that is squeaking.

If after a long run on a hot day the transfer box is too hot to hold your hand on I would consider that normal.

try IGM500011 or get a reverse light switch and change the connector

The real solution is to check the oil pressure with an external oil pressure gauge. In my experience (in africa where conditions are harsh) the oil pressure switches have given me a lot or trouble (even LR genuine switches). I have replaced lots for similar problems as the one you suggest. The last one came on after a deep river crossing in the middle of a pride of lions on the other bank. I would check the pressure and if ok fit a new genuine switch. As I am sure people have previously mentioned a flicking oil pressure light at low revs and warm is a sign if excessive wear in crankshaft bearings (ie engine is worn out). So make sure you check the pressure when the oil is warm. Cheers Nick

It is important to remember that even with a specialist the same list of checks still applies. Cheers Nick

I thought gaskets were only for early boxes and later ones used good quality silicone. Yours looks to have silicone.

Did the vents used to work and now they have rusted up? Remember that on the TD5 post 2002 ones you have to pull out the handle before you can move it down to open the vent.

If your trailer is pulling the back of the 90 down then the trailer may not be loaded correctly. The load on the hitch should be no more then 150kg. Standard springs and genuine shocks should be fine. Genuine shocks are not as expensive as people fear!! 15 quid a pair on ebay from John Craddock.

With respect to the 130s you posted the links to....I suggest you need to start driving some of these vehicles to determine if you want a 110/130. The 130s with the box bodies are heavy and I guess the caravan body you suggest will also be heavy. A 300tdi is easier to fix in Africa then a TD5 in my opinion.

If you dont have much experience of Defenders then you'd be well advised to have someone who does know to look over the vehicle. If you have no choice then at a minimum you need to check the following: Obviously for top price the interior and exterior should be in good shape. I would expect very small areas of bubbling of the paint possible on the doors. All the doors should open and close nicely and not need slamming or pulling. Once closed the doors should be tight. The rear door should not be cracked on the inside where the wiper motor goes through the door. The bulkhead should not be rusty - difficult to check but have a good look along the seal between it and the windscreen espcially at the edges. Be suspicious of a car the appears to have just had the chassis waxoiled or covered with something black. Check that the diffs and transfer box are not leaking. Check after driving. There should be very little oil on the outside of the engine. It will probably be cleaned so check after the test drive. The test drive should be about half an hour of varied driving. Dont be worried to give is some welly as 300tdi in good shape do pull quite well. If the car seems sluggish then find another one. Really if this is the first one you will look at you will have nothing to compare to so try to look at some older cheaper cars as well. During the test drive make sure that you get up to 70mph relatively easily on the flat and that there are no difficulties changing gear up or down (esp 1st to 2nd and 5th to 4th) and that there are no loud wining noises. The car should also feel relatively tight and no clunks should be heard if you hit a bump in the roads - try to find some bumps in the road. There will be some slack in the drive train of you let out the clutch fast but it should not feel like you are waiting for the drivetrain to catch up. I would not expect a well cared for vehicle to have squeaky pullys or drive belts. At 75k miles/R plate the timing belt should have been changed so there should be an invoice. With the car stationary move the steering wheel from side to side (5 degrees each side of vertical) relatively quickly and the wheels should respond with very little play and there should be no clunking noises - you could do it with the engine off but the ignition on. Post some engine bay/underneath/dash close up and general photos and we can comment. Even if this turns out to be a good car there are a few things that you should do before going to Africa so make sure that you have some money in the kitty.

If you tighten the bolts as the previous poster says that should hold the bushes in place. With new bushes you should be able to sit in the drivers seat and wobble the steering and the front of the car will not move. If the front moves from side to side then the bushes are soft or worn. You may not notice soft bushes in UK but on harsher African roads it is an issue.

injector copper washers?

Hi I believe the kit you are talking about is for later vehicles (approx when TD5 started). For the earlier vehicles you need FTC2882/606666, although TAR100040 will fit. I would go for the FTC606666/606666 option. Basically the later kit had a narrower bearing so that there was space to fit an ABS sensor through the top of the swivel pin.

Are you sure that is correct. This fellow is talking about the bearing behind the seal on the flange where the front propshaft connects? If this was a taper bearing how would it be restrained as the shaft the bearing is supporting is free floating in the centre diff. All the boxes I have fiddled with have had a roller bearing behind the seal at the front propshaft end. I thought the taper/roller stuff was to do with the intermediate shaft. Is the LT230R the one referred to as 13D? It may be possible that where this fellow is getting confused is that having taken the front housing off to inspect the diff he has looked inside the front housing and seen the race for the taper bearing for the diff and therefore thinks that that is the bearing for the front shaft. You'd have to look past that race to see the roller bearing for the shaft. Cheers Nick

They are interchangable as I have done it before with good results. Obviously you have to change the bearing (including cone and race) and the swivel pin. And by the way FTC2882 swivel pins that come in Bripart Boxes do NOT fit into Timiken 606666 bearings!!

as far as I know there is TAR1000040 as well for non ABS vehicles produced after TD5 started. In my experience on corregated gravel the older set up using the 606666 (type) bearing seems to hold up better.

There are often genuine LR shocks on ebay for cheap money

Hi I have a new ERR6700 300tdi Injector Pump and would like to use it to replace the one on my 300tdi defender. My defender does not have EGR or immomilisation. If I remove the black box on the back of the new pump for immobilisation can I replace it with the normal plunger switch? Also can I remove the bit on the top of the bracket that the thottle cable connects to that I assume is for EGR? There also seems to be another spring arrangement connected to the side of the pump and the bracket that connects the throttle cable - any ideas what it is for? Cheers

http://www.4x4hireafrica.com/images/1010004b.jpg try speaking to Foley Specialist Vehicles for some professional advice.