Orange

Why thank you!!!

I just get fed up buying presents and flowers for the wife on my birthday!! Damn parents - didn't they think about that!!!

Cheers guys - as I expected really!! It's already got Efi and we've recently done the plugs and air filter, but it seems to still be lacking somewhat! It's got plenty of grunt in 1st and 2nd, but once into 3rd and away up the road, the pick up seems to be lacking! When we first got it it was pulling in every gear at any revs, but that seems to have slowly disappeared and I'm now confused!! Any suggestions?? Cheers Adrian

Evening all! Just a quick question for you all! Just me daydreaming and being idle really!! Our RRC is bog standard in the engine department, and I feel the need for more grunt!! So, I'm after suggestions of cheap, but effective ways of raising the hp and the torque?? Before the V8 vs Diesel debate starts, we haven't got that much money and I've grown fond of the roar of the beast rather than the growl of the tractor!! Nothing against diesels, probably will get one one day, but you know what I mean!!! Cheers Adrian

I wasn't there either!! Been in the shed fixing a cross-threaded spark plug on the RR - OOOPS!! My mistake originally, but naturally had to blame LR for not making things robust enough for heavy handed galoofs like me!!! Tell you what though, it's a completely different machine now it's got all of it's compression back!!

Looking good to me!! Will definitely be ordering a few! Obviously, 11" is the preferred size, but I've managed with 7 this far.....

We did take the back end of it apart and have a go but there are electrical connections that won't line up/reach!! As for the front end of it - the pulley just wasn't having any of it!! I'll have another go next weekend with a bit of heat, but the main problem seems to be where it is mounted. If we were to mount it the same as Nige (Hybrid From Hell) then we wouldn't need to change it!?!?!? Stoopid question, but is there any problem with mounting it on the opposite side? More to the point, is there any difference between the mounting positions on the 3.5 EFi and the later 3.9?? As I now believe the replacement one that we've found is off of a later 3.9!!! I think I've found a source for the correct (as per Nige's photo) brackets so that we can put it back correctly?!?!?!

Having diagnosed that the alternator isn't actually working, we've managed to get hold of a replacement from a local scrapyard, however, the existing bracketry that holds it all on is different to the mounts on the replacement alternator. The replacement one appears to be set up to be mounted on the drivers side of the engine, whereas the one on there currently is on the passenger side???? Can anyone post a couple of pictures of the front end of their 3.5 EFi (preferably focussing on the alternator mountings before anyone sends a pic of their grille and bumper ) so that we can compare the 2 set-ups!! We are aware that the alternator that is on the truck at the moment is not a RR one, so there may have been some jiggery-pokery under the bonnet by a bloke with a stetson, a horse and a lassoo!!! YeeeeeeeHA!!! I'll try and post a picture of ours at some stage, but will have to borrow a digital camera to do it!! 1987, E reg by the way, in case it makes a difference!!

I've got one!! Slacken off the brake shoe adjuster and the drum slides off without the need for pullers or hammers!! Be careful not to drop it on your toes though - ouch!! Orange

And your time start.............tick, tock, tick, tock............

Cheers folks!! Next question - what is the correct alt. to be fitted to it?? Ours at the moment seems to be the wrong one as it's mounted so that the belt is offset from the main pulley!! This may be the kick up the bum we need to change it for the right one!! Part number anyone?? (or anyone got the correct one lying around?? ) Ta!!

Right - our 1987 3.5 EFi has recently decided that it is going to leave it's battery light on when the ignition is switched OFF??? No problems when the engine is running - as far as we can tell the battery is charging as per normal and all the wires (3 of them) appear to be well connected to the back of the altenator! We have recently done some welding on the chassis, but the alternator WAS disconnected before any work was done! Any clues?? Cheers in advance!

Ours had this problem (amongst others) as you can see by your other 'rides like it's on jelly' post! The rear end seemed to be steering all on it's own which was largely solved by replacing the trailing arm bushes! Bit of a pain in the bum to do and involves jacking the axle in all kind of different directions, but the improvement was vast!!

It's not a flared arch kit on a Fiesta RS Turbo 1.1!!!

Boy, oh boy!!! What a difference some oil makes!! Clunky shift has now turned into smooth shift, and even the diff-lock engages now!! Always a bonus!!

Cheers for that! I don't think the clunking is anything more than backlash, but it may be more pronnounced if there isn't any oil in the g/box / transfer box!!??!! Tomorrow's job I think!! B) get's me out of the house!!

Morning all!! A quick question on the gearbox of our 1987 3.5EFi 5sp Manual - what oil should be in the gearbox?? I have been told previously that it should be filled with the oil used in the Auto box - is this right??? The reason I ask is that during the last few excursions in it, the drive has become very fidgety and clunky on over-run - i.e. when letting off the accelerator (still in gear) on the approach to junctions, roundabouts and the like - and when at low revs in each gear. Any suggestions?? Cheers Adrian

If this problem is still persisting, try having the wheels balanced!! It sounds obvious to me now, but having had absolutely no wheel wobble, it didn't sound like it was really the problem with ours!! It has really helped though! We can now quite comfortably do 70(ahem)mph with one hand on the wheel (I do not condone this behaviour, 10 to 2 all the way for me ) whereas before we could hardly manage 55 without being thrown all over the lanes on the M25!!!

Doesn't anyone else think that there is something a bit sus, what with the BIRD FLU being in TURKEY.......

Had an absolutely wonderful day driving around on the site!! Glad we invested in some mud tyres!! Would recommend sticking in groups with at least one winch between you though - cheers Tom!!! The best thing about the site is that there are no 'official' marked routes so anyone can spend the day rooting around in the trees finding easy or hard bits as they feel appropriate for their skill level/vehicle capability! This gives valuable experience to the more novice amongst us!! Restricting the site to marked routes/tracks would take a lot of the enjoyment out of the day! A range of punch safaris would be an excellent idea and we'd be up for a bit of that next time! As White90 has said though, it's the same weekend as the Wales trip , so maybe next time! B)

As you can see from earlier replies, Paul likes to type (or pretend to) and when his fingers are a-blurr, mistakes can happen!!! Even if they are honest mistakes, they can sometimes tell a lot about what a person is thinking whilst typing!!! Just a little jibe from a 'little' brother!!!

I preferred it when it was Nark Catchpole on your list Paul!! Can you change it back please!!!!!

Expect to pay between 130,445 and 143,180 across a trim structure that ranges from S, through GS to ES.[\quote]Obviously not the caravan-towing, drive-laying Irish market though!!! Seems a bit excessive to me.....

For all those who have wondered - I do have my own voice!! We'll be up for it!! Just need the dates to be able to get a pass out!! It'll be the first 'event' with the new springs and tyres on so should be a lot better than before!!

I know it's not even close to being the same engine at all, but I had a petrol VW golf that had what sounds like the same problem!! The solution was to take off the throttle body and scrape out all of the c##p so that the internal parts could move freely again!! The car was like new after they had done that! Hope it helps!!??!!