shanghai1979

If it's blue and not very bright it's a corona discharge. It's fairly normal in bad weather. If it's down the whole length of the cable it's not a failed cable it's prob just weather. Personally I'd never touch an HT lead while the engine was running. I've had too many shocks to risk it lol. If the spark is healthy at the plug end I'd leave it alone and accept it's probably normal. I've worked with high voltages for many years, normally above 60kV to 5MV. At these voltages all the wires glow blue.

Put a heater under the tank for a few hours. Always used to do this with my 90 before I winterized the biodiesel. I bother doing this now. You have to heat biodiesel quite a bit above the freezing point to melt it again and break down the cross linked crystal chains.

My 200Tdi takes an age to heat up. I have to work the engine really hard to get it to working temp. Even then it cools fast. I changed the thermostat last winter. Maybe it's failed again or is leaking a bit? No idea but it's a major irritation. It's so cold in the cab I fitted a 3kW Eberspacher heater that I use on every journey now.

def the valve issue or turbo. I'd say turbo, remove the turbo hose and see if it's dripping in oil inside. Give the turbo a gentle wiggle about too so you can feel for excess movement. It should spin freely too. You should be able to get a 2nd hand turbo easily. I saw one a few weeks ago for £30 on a forum.Can't remember which though sorry. Give it a google though if the turbo is the problem. No advice for the valve issue other than try what was suggested.

The police didn't want to know when yobs told my wife they were going to beat her and threatened my pregnant friend. Seems the police would rather be out giving £30 fines. Police in my area are an utter waste of time. The real crims get off free while petty crimes get the police helicopter on the case. My scum bag uncle being a drugs dealing scum bag who beat his then girl friend and threatened my wife also got off free every offense. Slap on the wrist for every crime. Not even a fine.

Well worth it. My 200Tdi 90 has a disco transfer box. Make's a massive difference on the motorway but my engine was under preforming. Turned up the boost pressure to 14psi and rotated the on-boost fueling diaphram in the pump 1/8th turn. Now will pull at 85mph. Fuel consumption about the same as it just makes you drive faster but well worth the mod. I found that when driving off motorway where speed is 40-50mph it makes a big difference to fuel consumption as the rev's are much lower.

I've seen lots done with disco1's most just take an angle grinder to the disco body and hack it back. I'm sure it's totally illegal but does well off road and if you have a trailer just start chopping.

Mate swears by Terrafirra. Never wanted a lift on my 90 so can't comment but I've heard very good things about Terrafirra

The sender unit always fails. It's a wire wound resistor on a float arm. The wire usually snaps showing either always full or always empty depending on where the fault on the resistor coil is. Costs under £30 for a new one.

No won't fit as far as I'm aware.

Solvent in the inter-cooler. I used acetone (nail varnish remover but about 1 liter). For the rad back flush it with lots of water. LRO did an article a year or so ago on this.

It sucks so much to hear more defenders being stolen.

I'd love a 110. My 90 is very limiting in terms of space but super easy to move in tight spots. Much easier than a little pug 206 actually. On my trip across the alps I wished I had a 110. No space in the 90 for all the kit.

I fitted a new exhaust system to my 200Tdi. Was horrid getting everything to line up. Bought it from Padocks. Very cheap though but still was a B*tch to install. Needed a lot of pulling and grunting lol. One tip change the rubber mounts. Padocks don't do them though. I got mine on ebay. Makes the 200Tdi very quiet and smooth.

I have a supply of tested, cycled good old stock batteries. 12V 115Ah. They have M10 bolt through terminals and just fit under the seat in a 90. I've used mine for years and works very well. Costs £40

I fitted the X-ENG sensor to mine and found a ford mondeo fan. But honestly it's an utter waste of time. The viscus hub is very reliable and you can botch it easier than an electric fan. I left my X-Eng sensor in place but went back to the viscous fan in the end.

1.4 is standard. If you have a 1.6 you won't be able to do more than about 60mph before the engine is really screaming. I've a 1.2 in mine now and it's comfortable to drive but wouldn't like to tow anything massive over long distances. 17Foot trailer was my limit for 30 miles with the 1.2

Are they filled with EP80 or one shot grease? Land rover couldn't stop them leaking so they changed to grease.

I'd leave it unless it slips. I thought mine needed doing as my engine had to come out for the new galv chassis. But there was loads of wear left. But changed anyway as a borg and beck clutch set was only £80. Change the fork if your going in there and grease the pivot point with copper slip. Mine used to bang and clonc but that was the diffs worn and transfer box diff. Check yours before the clutch dude. Hand brake off and chock the wheels then feel for movement in the prop shafts.

Mine's tight but it pushed in by hand.

wow nice job. Wouldn't even start this job myself since I know I can get a recon one for very little. Glad you posted pics though thanks.

mates dogs come out with me in the 90. They always are happy in the back.

I'd check the temp sensor in the thermostat housing is the correct one for the gauge or your gauge is not matched to the sensor. Failing that mine had a faulty viscous hub on the fan. Went almost into the red when slowing down.

after driving my wifes pug 206 i'm very very pleased with the mirrors on my defender 90. Hardly any blind spots in comparison to the 206. I can hardly see when reversing with properly adjusted mirrors. The roof supports seemed to be modeled on church roof supports (too chunky) and mirrors modeled on dentists mirrors.

Are the tyres out of balance ? Sounds very much like it to me. I'd get them checked if I were you mate.