steve_d

Hi Is it possible to replace cam bearings without special tools? If so what is the prefered method and choice of 'make do' tools. The bearings are each different sizes so I assume there is a correct sequence for both removing them and fitting new. Are they fitted dry or with some sort of retaining compound (Loctite)? Many thanks in advance. Steve

Our 51 plate TD5 110 has developed a gearbox problem. A chattering noise mainly in 5th which becomes 'machine gun fire' on over-run. The noise is there in 1st and 2nd but no where near as loud. The noise is also there when ticking over in neutral. When you depress the clutch you can hear the chatter run down as the gear clusters slow and stop. Here's hoping someone will say it's a known problem and the fix is.... I don't mind if the answer is that the 'box has to be replaced. If the answer comes back inconclusive I'm left with replacing the 'box with no certainty that I will fix the problem. Thanks in advance Steve

Yes same 4 post pack. This is what I was doing in the workshop. Just tried it again at home with another coil pack and still get nothing so still have to be doing something wrong. Steve

I have done that and all was OK but that does not test the leads & plugs. I just thought it would be easy to test the lot but have so far failed. Steve

Hi I'm working on a car with Ford coil packs directly driven from an ECU. Paperwork that came with the vehicle talks of the possibility that the ECU may not be working. The sentence said "we think we may have fried the ECU". The engine barely starts and tests show we are indeed missing sparks. What I wanted to do was test the packs, leads, plugs etc on the bench in order to eliminate them from the equation. Sounds simple enough. Connect power to the centre pin and flash the outer pins to negative. Didn't work. Earthed the coil pack...nowt. What am I doing wrong? Thanks Steve PS Not an MS ECU but the coil packs are the same.

Good luck with the exam. Steve M3BBH RAYNET

Also try a engine oil or 3 in 1 as WD40 is not a good lubricant. Steve

Vinyl floor covering offcut. Steve

Is that with or without sucking through the teeth...goes without saying it will be extra...+VAT. Steve

White is ignition switched live and should remain on during cranking. Anything connected to the auxiliary position on the ignition switch will go off during cranking. If the white goes dead during cranking it may be connected to the wrong place on the ignition switch. I somehow doubt this as they are normally soldered connections so not something anyone is going to mess with. Steve

Top right shows the start position of the ignition Switch. The white/red is only live during cranking. So during crank you should have power at ECU pin 4 and steering module pin 3. Plus cold start injector and thermotime switch. Steve

I've always used the non adhesive loom tape. Works very well and has some stretch in it so you can bend your completed loom into place. Start a few inches from the end of the loom and wind towards the end. When you get there come back the other way and carry on down the loom. The double back prevents it unwinding. You could start and stop with adhesive insulating tape. Steve

Our Desert Warrior will climb on the trailer at tickover. Steve

Did one recently without removing the turbo. Plan to replace the pump as they are only about £18 so not worth messing with. Steve

So it was you who told my son to FO Well done.

Emissions will not be shown within the main part of your V5. Look at the bottom of the front page. Section 3 Special notes. With any luck it will have info about when the SVA was done and the emissions requirement. Steve

Depends how good the burning shed photos are. Steve

Well there you go. Added a litre of fluid, given myself a good slapping, and all is well in the world again. Many thanks Steve

I was told, but don't know if it is true, that on a wasted spark coil the spark goes in one direction on one terminal of the coil and in the other direction on the other terminal. If this is true it may effect the timing light sensor as mine shows that it must be fitted to the lead with the arrow pointing in the direction of the spark. Steve

Our 'box has stopped selecting reverse. It will go in sometimes but we have not yet established if there is a pattern to when it will or won't. It makes no noise whilst selecting and there is no difference to the 'feel' of the selector. All the other gears select and the selector correctly aligns with the gear markings so I'm discounting the cable to selector shaft as being an issue but have not yet put it on the ramp to inspect. (took most of the day just cleaning it from the weekends contest). Any ideas? Is this possibly a sticking valve block or similar? Many thanks Steve

Swirl pot is worthwhile to avoid starvation and possibly started in car racing with high 'G's. In your case I'm guessing it will be lean angles so you first need to consider how long you think you will maintain that angle. If you think you will be there a while then a tall slim pot of sufficient capacity will be required. If you are having the tank fabricated and I believe already mentioned the tank will be tapered at the bottom then it should be only a step further to fabricate the tank with a pointed bottom which should improve your chances of always picking up fuel with the LP pump. JIC -6 should be the largest pressure side pipe you need although it may help if the LP side was slightly larger. Steve

I'm not convinced I would agree with that. V5 will most likely come back with your new engine number in the 'Max. Permissible Mass' box. Steve

"the cross-slide is not properly adjusted" that's worrying I bought it off you. I did go over it when I first got it and stripped/cleaned all the slides. It is a valid point though that I have not been back and adjusted them again after a period of use so they may have bedded in after reassembly. Loving the lathe just wish I could remember all the things they tried to teach me during my apprenticeship. In my defence (a)It was a long time ago. (b) I moved straight to the drawing office after my time and didn't get the real world workshop experience. Steve

Provided the fuel coming into the pot is somewhere down the side of the pot and the return is coming out of the top then the only reason the fuel will return to the tank is because the LP pump is pushing it out of a now full swirl. The return pipe must also be at the top so air gets returned to the tank. If you believe the swirl pot is not full then it can only be because the LP pump is not keeping up with the fuel being used. If the swirl is not full and the engine hardly running then you have a dead LP pump or blocked filter. Steve

We won't mention the cardinal sin of leaving the chuck key in. Steve