Defender

Thank you all for the suggestions, I will check these at the weekend. I was hoping that with it being apart that all seals had been replaced.....but maybe not!

So I have just bought a new to me 300tdi 90 which has been apart and fully resprayed. When I was going down the motorway at 50ish in the rain, water is literally dripping on my feet and it seems the passenger floor is also wet. I guess there is some seal missing but none that are obvious I can see missing.......any ideas please?

Nige, Can I ask why it doesn't fit the Puma bonnets? Is it weight or are they different mountings etc? I have a 300tdi but it has a puma bonnet, so I guess I can't fit this kit?

Thanks for the help and answer much appreciated! I guess from that then that using the drain plug in the tank is going to be pretty useless in getting everything out? The tank needs to come off and be turned upside down and flushed through the drain plug, ideally? Bugger!!! At least I know though, thanks again!

Hi everyone, Quick question, does a Defender 300 TDI fuel tank have baffles in the tank? Tank has been replaced with what was supposed to be a good second hand one however it appears there's lots of hay/straw in it! The lift pump keeps pulling it through and blocking the filter and the fuel pickup pipe. I thought it might just be a bit but so far I've pulled an entire handful out and it's still coming. I'm just wondering if draining and flushing the tank is an option or if it will just get caught in the baffles and I'm fighting a loosing battle and need to put a new tank on? Each time I thought it was clear I drive up the road and it conks out Just trying to decide if I can solve it without a new tank or not, I want to use it without fear of it leaving me at the roadside. Thanks,

Anyone on here done a 3.2 TDCI conversion? How easy/hard is it? Any idea what's involved? Separate question how easy is it to swap an engine but keep ABS, Speedo, etc working? Not talking about the 3.2 TDCI here, my point is how easy would it to put a mechanical engine in a TDCI like a Cummins? No doubt people will want to know why I'm asking, simples really, I want to replace my 300tdi Defender with something newer (I like the TDCI interior) but I want something nicer to drive that I don't have to go up and down the gears constantly when towing so I want something with power! The Defender is an awesome vehicle but it does lack power in standard form.

Retropower, wow what an amazing job your doing!!!! I wish I had the patience and skills Can I ask a quick question about your clutch arrangement please? I guess from what you have said so far that you used the Sprinter dual mass delete with a custom spigot bearing and the TDI clutch plate, have you used the standard clutch slave cylinder, push rod (Not sure what it's called) and release bearing from the R380 and does this work without any modification? I currently have an OM603 flywheel and Merc clutch plate with a Mitsubishi drive plate (Which fits the TDI splines exactly), I haven't got them together yet as I'm moving house and need to get a garage installed first but it would be handy to know for when I get to that point.

Ok this is not something I'm going to do but I'm interested to know the answer! How integrated is the TDCI engine management into the rest of the vehicle, is it completely standalone or would removing the engine and ECU render others things inoperable? Or in other words how feasible is it to fit a none TDCI engine to a TDCI Defender and has anyone done it?

The issue is the old rims are too narrow for the tyres I have, hence buying the upgraded one's from Craddocks which are wider. The spacers will sort the issue I just need to find some at a decent price.

They need to be 30mm so I really need some making.

Yes that's what it has temporarily ....................... it's ok moving it round the yard but not sure I fancy driving it on the road with them on though.

Hi Garry, Thanks for the link. Yes the spacers are fitted they are literally only a few mm thick (3mm from memory). You are correct that the rims are different, basically the inside of the rim isn't flat it's ridged presumably to add strength, this obviously reduces the internal diameter of the rim and therefore the caliper catches. (Should have taken a picture it might make more sense). The only ways round it are: 1. Back to drums (Not keen on that idea it stops pretty well with the discs). 2. Different wheels (Again not keen as these are brand new). 3. 30mm spacers (This seems the easiest option, although be it at a cost). Pete

Hi, The rims are Craddocks. The 101 has the Zeus disc brake conversion fitted on the front and this catches the rims. Mach 6 would probably solve the issue but I have other things to do on this project at the moment and at the moment I can't move it because the rims don't fit which is holding me up (Didn't know the rims wouldn't fit until after I'd sold my originals and tried to fit the new one's ).

Thanks, the price they quoted I'd need to have won the lottery

Replied, thanks.

Hi Everyone, I need to get some wheel spacers made for my 101. I've never had anything like this made before so I'm just wondering how much would I be looking at to have something like this machined? Can anyone recommend somewhere that would be capable of the work? The measurements are: The PCD is 6 x 205mm (Standard Land Rover 101 wheel stud pattern) Total diameter is 250mm Centre hole is 133.5mm Thickness needs to be 30mm Thread is M16 x 1.5mm pitch Thanks,

300TDI is quite limited I think you have done most things possible but as stated the exhaust will restrict things unless that is made bigger. You could change the cylinder head but I doubt you'd notice any performance difference in a 101, the next option is a VNT turbo however this is quite an expensive option but will give you power all through the rev range without turbo lag. Are you using the LT95 gearbox and the 5.57 ratio diffs? If so you could change the transfer box ratio for the one from an LT95 RRC this would give a slight improvement. Another option is you could change the differential ratios to 4.7 this would give better cruising speed and a quieter cab, Ashcroft transmissions have a very handy ratio calculator tool that will show what effect changing both of these would have on your speed vs engine rpm.

Not sure if they are still available but Gwyn Lewis used to make a quick release frame so you mounted any seat you wanted to it and then by pulling out a pin you could take the seat out if you needed to get to the battery box. Best to give him a call direct.

Has anyone used/tried one of the Chinese aluminium one's that are about £120 of the bay? I need to replace mine and trying to decide between recore the standard one or aluminium one. Lots seem to have sold on eBay so I'm surprised no one on here has commented on them yet.

That sounds like a great idea Garry! Don't suppose you have some good pictures that you could post do you? I'm sure there are other 101 owners who would be interested in this. Or does he have some plans he would be willing to share? I have to say when I have dealt with Zeus they have always been quite helpful and I've never had any issue getting hold of them.

My 300tdi 90 ran fine with a failed lift pump the only time I realised there was an issue was when climbing a hill it started to surge like you were pumping the accelerator, it wasn't until I thought it seems like a fuel problem so I'll start by changing the filter I realised that there was no fuel coming out of the bleed screw. It must have been like it for a while because the performance increase when towing was quite noticeable . I guess the IP could suck fuel until it got to a point that the engine was under too much load climbing the hill.

Ok thanks I'll have a look at this.

Good point, thank you I will check. I plugged in a trailer board and these lights went out too. I'm really confused hence the post because it just doesn't make sense. No I haven't thank you, it's worth checking but I think that as both sides go out at the same time it's more likely a wiring fault. Thank you, mine has the blade type and I did check this but they do seem tight enough. Thank you. The front side lights stay on even when the back one's are out. It is confusing because the misses swears blind that if I'm towing the lights on the light board also go out which would seem to be a wiring fault. But then I'm confused because as people say both sides are on separate circuits but I'm loosing brake and side lights although it is the bulb holders, but then why loose both at the same time, I'd expect them to go at different times if it was a loose connection. I've checked the body earths, removed cleaned and copper greased (Engine, transmission and chassis.....don't think there are any others). No I'm not loosing anything else just side lights and brake lights on the rear. Thanks for your offer of help much appreciated I may take you up on that after I've exhausted all other avenues. The difficult thing is I am unable to replicate the issue on the drive so fault finding is really difficult.

I was wondering if someone with more knowledge than me might be able to help me with a wiring/light fault on my 1994 90. The rear lights as in side and brake work fine most of the time, however my wife was following and sometimes the lights went out completely, pulled over turned off the engine and switched the switch and they came back on. I wiggled wires at the back of the lights as much as I could and played with the switch and I couldn't get them to go out at all. They stayed on for a while when driving then went out again they do come back on sometimes (Indicators work ok) problem is when it's on the drive I can't replicate the issue so I'm guessing it's something loose that is an issue when I'm driving and it seems to be linked to the side lights because if I don't use them then all seems ok. It's not blowing fuses or anything so I don't think it's a short. I'm not sure where to start so does anyone have any pointers please? Or has anyone had the same fault that can point me in the right direction? Thanks,

I thought that fitting a double cardon propshaft at the gearbox end stopped the rumble (I think gearbox end is correct!). It may be worth an email to http://www.firowpropshafts.co.uk/ I know they have made them in the past for 101 owners and they seem really helpful from the dealings I've had with them.