Snagger

Sad to see someone's pride and joy stolen and wrecked like that. With prices going the way they have, if it's just body damage, they'll probably have it repaired on the insurance. Glad they caught the thieves, but they'll probably get a token gesture of a sentence, especially if they play the "traveller" race card.

My 109 was dreadful with a loaded rack until I installed a rear ARB from a Marshalls 109 ambulance - that made a world of difference. I subsequently uprated the front parabolics to three leaf, too, which makes cornering far more stable. A loaded rack should be matched to uprated springs and dampers, and unless driven very gingerly, I'd stongly recommend decent anti-roll bars.

The 19J had bigger bearings than the 12J, as well as the oil galleries for the turbo charger. The 12J gave way to the 19J on civilian markets, but the MoD didn't want it (evidently they did more rigorous trials than LR), so a 2.5 nad continued to enter service until the 300Tdi with the TUL and TUM "Wolf" and "Pulse" vehicles. That nad was made using the 19J block, bearings and crank shaft with 12J externals, rods and pistons (12J has 23:1 cr while 19J has 21:1, so 19J parts are not good for nad). Given that these were no longer fully 12J spec engines, redesignation was necessary. I suspect the Mk6B tags are to draw attention to the difference for REME mechanics as the engine looks very similar to the 12J and confusion in parts fitting could occur.

External can be cut to easily, but generally they just prevent you from cleaning the glass and so are a bad idea unless you have quick release fittings inside. Even more so for the side windows, as the grilles prevent their use as emergency exits.

What ratio do you have on the diff, and how much did you pay for it? I'd love to have an Ashcroft ATB in my 109, which works in the same way as the Eaton. I'm not sure they are compatible with 4.71 ratio diffs, though (I can't remember now whether it is just the Rover diff that has the ring gear flange offset at a different position betweent he 3.54 and 4.71 models or the Salisbury too).

Tuko is right; the slip joint should be up at the transmission end. For the small inclination you have, I'd recommend setting the yolks in line as per a standard Series prop shaft. Make sure it's the inner yolks (ie. on the shaft itself) that align, not one from the shaft and one from the opposite flange.

Could you post some photos of the spring mounts and bump stops and the diff inclination, please? You mention it's lifted and on parabolics (which give some lift) - is it only the springs, or do you have 1-Ton shackles too? If you do, go back to standard shackles to get the diff inclination horizontal and you can match the UJs with confidence that it'll give the least prop vibration.

The fan sits below the cross member, not just the rad, so its position is useless. I suspect the fan would hit the cross member or at least the brake lines under certain circumstances. It's not an option.

I thought that raised, remote bleed nipple was already an option. I'm sure I have seen it on some LRs somewhere. Running the line up alongside of the feed line, ending next to the master cylinder would allow the simultaneous observation of the reservoir level and bleed. Just remember to include a flexible hose where it goes from the engine to the bulkhead.

My guess is the timing is a bit advanced or the fuel or injectors a bit dirty.

You could also try grinding new flats onto the plug (and then fit a new one once removed). The heat and vibration from the grinding may help with the rusty threads, too.

If the yolks don't foul the flange or prop tube, then leave them as is. You may need to tickle them with a grinder to bevel the material above the circlips a little to increase clearance. Is your rear diff still horizontal? If so, the UJs should be in line with each other, not phased, otherwise you will get significant vibration. Phasing is only appropriate where the UJs are bent by different amounts at each end, but if the diff pinion is still horizontal, then the deflections will be equal.

I prefer engine driven fans too, but the Discovery engine in a Series chassis puts the fan in contact with the front cross member. There is no viable alternative to an electric fan, as much as I detest them.

The easiest and best way to set up the electric fan is to use the X-Eng X-Fan, which consists of an aluminium insert that fits between two sections of the bottom hose, with a thermostatic switch screwed into that housing. The switch has two trigger temperatures to two separate terminals, so the low trigger can activate the main fan and the higher trigger activate a second boost fan if fitted. It's very unlikely you'd need a second fan, just a 14" fan. I'd recommend a manual override switch to activate the fan in the unlikely event of thermostatic switch failure and so you can preempt temperature rises when slogging up a mountain in hot weather (easier to keep the engine cool before it gets hot than to try to cool it down while working hard). For oil temperature, I fitted one and wound't recommend anyone bothers - if you have a decent Tdi with a good condition Tdi rad and fan, the oil temperature will be fine. However, if you're set on it, then the neatest solution is to use an MoD spec SIII instrument cluster (fuel, coolant temperature and oil temperature) and the associated sender units. You'll need to change the engine's coolant sender unit to the type matched tot he gauge and use the adaptor from a 19J engine to be compatible with the head, and the oil temperature sender (in the sump of a SII or SIII) fits where the big brass blanking plug currently resides in the 200Tdi oil filter housing.

The 20Tdi oil filter housing has a brass blanking plug at the front end. That is where the sender unit fits. Make sure you use a matched sender and gauge.

The better option would be to use 4.1:1 or even 4.71:1 diffs (the latter are Series ratios, the former would be special from Ashcroft or Kam). That would allow low range to work as intended too, but would need speedo recallibration.

Those are the commercially available valves I was referring to, where the instructions are explicit about only installing the valve in the clutch line and not the brakes for the reason I mentioned. I doubt any insurance company would touch the vehicle if you fitted a valve to the brakes - it could cause a blockage or leak that could cause complete brake failure. I'd be extremely surprised if any such system would be illegal.

I just use a screwdriver to lever it out. Drilling a hole to put in a screw will just introduce swaft and debris intot he pinion bearing and is completely unnecessary.

No, it'll be the same stuff depending on the SAE grade. It's too thick for modern gear boxes, so most manufacturers will market it as axle oil.

They should be fine. It's silicon based lubricant's that have issues.

LR specify W75 on later vehicles, and on earlier vehicles in regions where EP90 is unavailable. A 75W90 is even better, and being synthetic, with last better than mineral. It will be very good for the vehicle, but you must keep the original replacement schedule, not stretch it out because of the higher quality and cost.

There should be ample braking from a standard set up if in good order. Bigger brakes will not increase retardation, they'll just make it easier to lock up the wheels and skid. I'd recommend rebuilding the calipers with stainless pistons (not Britpart, though, which are apparently cleverly machined oval - no idea how they do it, but it's far more complex than machining them round), Mintex pads and decent discs (Lockheed). Also worth considering the master cylinder and the servo. But a comprehensive overhaul of standard kit will be much cheaper, easier, quicker and have no legal or insurance implications.

That is bloody dangerous - if the valve fails, it could prevent the brakes from operating while driving. That is exactly why the marketed lockable hydraulic valve is to be installed in the clutch line only.

You're welcome. My comments are logical supposition, so your enquiries may turn up some interesting results, like the Brownchurch response (I have one of their HD racks with the additional braces either side of the windscreen and rear door). I can't bring the 109 to the UAE because it is RHD (six month entry limit on carnet here, and can't be registered), and because officially vehicle modifications are illegal (take a look at any Jeep, Toyota FJ or Patrol, or any muscle car down here and try to figure that one out). But my stay here is not permamnent; I just have no idea when I'll choose to come home.

Not only that, but he has no strength in the forward ends of the inboard clamping plate. I looked into a similar idea for my conversion, but it was obvious that the plates would twist on the chassis, a tiny amount at first, but gradually more and more, crushing the chassis and in his case bending the inner plate (I intended for it to pick up on the relay bolt holes and have plenty of lateral stiffening). I consider that a dangerous installation.