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We use 4awg for that range and that is what I did. Put pigtails on the rings and for now I am wiring up the stock connections to that and will get more 4 to run to the battery. Thanks for the help, should be back on the road in an hour or two.

One last question, any problem removing the current feed wires to the starter and running a 2ga from the alternator directly to the batteries? I'm trying to setup to fully isolate the starter and accessory batteries and my gut feeling is that it would be better to do it this way and let the starter pull using the already present heavy cable.

Ah, thanks that makes sense. Now once I get this swapped over I can re-try connecting my charge isolator, it wasn't charging the 2nd bank before and perhaps that was related to things failing.

What's the D+ terminal actually for?

Oh, found the W terminal , lots of black crust on here. That's where the other noise suppressor connection seems to go.

My guess is that it's 10 or 8 gauge, which I gather should handle 65A at least from time to time as it'll likely run lower at least until I fit the winches. Mostly before I pull the failing one out I want to make sure there aren't any actual wiring differences to worry about.

I had thought I was exceeding the stock alternator on my 1991 but looks like it has simply been having issues and output dropped to 12.4v today so it can no longer keep up with drain. The stock one has a multi-plug and I am guessing that it is the 45a one. I also have a 90 being rebuilt and that has a post-connector and is a Magneti Marelli type A127-65 which I gather is the 65a one. If I simply swap them do I need to upgrade the charging wire right away or can I get away with just cutting the connector off and fitting ring terminal ends? (I drive 8h north on Monday). The A127-65 has two square units on the back, only one is plugged into anything the other connector is loose and I assume it goes on the vacant post with the tab screwed onto it. Oddly it seemed to work fine as is. Anything else to look at?

The main reason is they're far too expensive new, then by the time they depreciate enough they need major work but despite this because they're too expensive new the numbers sold are significantly lower than the actual demand.

OK, thanks it looks to be unused so out it comes.

Not useful, the fusebox in mine looks entirely different. There are 4 relay plugs attached to the bottom with machine screws, two yellow, two green.

Even using the marked locations you need to be careful, the steering and brake pedal box were too close on mine once assembled. Though I'm actually thinking about spacing them up once I fit a hydroboost brake assist, factory location for the pedal is way too close to the floor.

I have 4 relay sockets fitted, two yellow and two green. Only 2 of them have relays anymore (I re-wired the headlamps onto a separate relay box along with the horn) and I know one of the green ones is the starter relay. What would the other green one be for? There wasn't a relay in it when I got things and if it's for a feature I don't have I'll trace/remove all the associated wiring as I'm simplifying the harness as much as I can prior to wiring in a new fuse and relay box and I'm still shocked at how much extra unused or insanely routed wiring there is in one of these. Thanks.

Yeah, looks like my best option is to put a Y fitting in where the lower rad hose heads to the expansion tank. Then I'm thinking if I put another Y into the return line (the one that goes into the head) from the heater core that will provide a bottom to top unrestricted loop for the convection current to circulate. Does that sound right?

Can you think of another location near the bottom of the block where coolant could be drawn from? Preferably on the oil-filter side vs the cluttered side? Seems to be on 223 which does mean it's on the more difficult to access side, I'll have to pull and see if I can make things fit there. Probably can, just a whole lot easier on the other side. Thanks.

There are extraction sockets, if you're careful and tap them on gently they work pretty well. The ones I have were made by Irwin. WD40'ing all the bolts in advance would probably helps. http://www.irwin.com/tools/browse/screw-bolt-extractors/bolt-extractors

Does anyone know where and what thread the water jacket drain plug is on a 200TDI? I have a tank/circulation heater to install and looks like that'll be the best place to pull from and then Y into the heater matrix return hose for the return. I know where they are on the RV8 but haven't found them on the 200 yet (though I just brought it inside and hopefully all the ice melts off and things dry by morning and I'll be able to take a closer look.

I am trying to determine what thickness/diameter of tubing (and type of tube) I need to match the top weight rating for a set of Zu Alloy wheels which is 1400kg each and it will be a single axle trailer, is the wheel weight rating of each wheel added together for a maximum load or for an off-road trailer is there a normal ratio considered sane? I'm thinking that having a GVWR of around 2500kg would be ideal (I'm not likely to get it that high, but build to last.) I was thinking about using coil suspension with trailing radius arms and a panhard rod so that I can later equip it with air-bag helper springs (part of a forced articulation system that's about item 100 on the todo list for the vehicle) and any insight would be appreciated.

Your major issues are ground loops or stray current, you'll want to read up on http://www.epanorama.net/documents/groundloop/ so that you're familiar with why they occur and how to prevent them because next to an intermittent ground (loose connector usually) a ground loop is the most frustrating gremlin to squash and they present with all kinds of wacky behaviours.

Actually, if it was for competition then going belt isn't a bad idea really. The reason you use oil bathed gears is for heat equalization. Many things use belts strong enough, the final drive on Harley Davidson are almost all belts. If it could make it cheap 'enough' it would be worth looking at... however I suspect it cannot be made cheaply since you end up still needing toothed wheels etc.

The reviews in Overland journal seemed to indicate that they are good close up the lack of a single lens means they just don't have the range of the other options. The led Headlamps are designed differently to get around the limitations of using hundreds of 3mm lenses vs one big one.

It is supposed to be 45 degrees, I'm aiming for 60 degrees once I get my supplemental air-bag system in place with individual 4-corner forced articulation.

Better to adapt portal-tek boxes to the Rover housings.

A charge isolator takes the alternator output and then splits it between the two batteries so that when you discharge the accessory battery disconnected from the starter battery you can re-charge it without draining the starter battery. A 3-pole means that you have one connector for the alternator and one for each battery positive post. A 4-pole isolator has 4, the same 3 plus one for a voltage-sense wire, presumably because without a sense-wire the alternator does not know how much to supply to the battery. I'll give it a try and keep a meter on things. I do hope it's at least 60A though, even just headlamps plus the stereo amp and computer will be pushing a 45. I wanted to save the AC location for an air-pump but it's looking like a 200A alternator/welding generator might be a better choice (a Xena one likely) since I could then attach that to the accessory battery and leave the stock one on the starter battery and have proper fault tolerance.

I have two batteries fitted and I'm wondering what 'type' of Alternator is fitted to the 200TDI? Specifically does it have voltage sense cables or can I use a simple 3-pole charging isolator?

OK, so no specific crazy rules, just 'be safe' OK thanks.