secondjeremy

Could be release bearing - When I did my S3 i fitted a new bearing and assumed it was supplied greased and ready to go. Thing was noisy - so when I had the box out as I was far from happy with the change quality of the 1st/2nd synchro that I'd used I got another and filled it with spray grease - and it was quiet. The old one seemed to have traces of rust when I looked into it. Spiggot can make noises - and should be greased.

In the interests of being helpful Land Rover decided that it would be best not to number S3 main gearboxes and to stamp the number on the top of the transfer box - where you show your number. As far as i know S3 numbers run like the vehicle numbers and begin 901 and run on to 902 when the 901's were exhausted. The important bit was the suffix letter as there are 4 types of S3 box. The original is suffix A - which suffered from a weak reverse. This was improved for suffix B, Suffix C introduced chemically machined teeth and suffix D had coffin-shaped engagement teeth. there's a bit more to it than this - all of which is shown in the parts manual. So apart from minor casting differences in the casing you can only tell them apaprt when you've dismantled the thing. I took one apart which from the transfer case seemed to be an 'A' but inside it was definitely a 'C'. What I did notice was the letter 'C' firmly stamped on the input shaft - under the seal housing. I don't know if this was co-incidence or a definitive marker of the type. Rover recon boxes usually have a plate screwed to the bellhousing stating what it is and the part no. (recon parts have their own number). Boxes supplied under warranty (ie when the customer expects a new box rather than a repaired one) may only have the suffix number stamped (I found one in a 2a with just a letter stamped. ) the idea was that the installer would stamp the original number on the box when he fitted it. The 3031 looks like a smaller font than Rover used so may not be a Rover stamping.

I think Ashcroft used to do a kit - probably using a Borg Warner box.

Yes they're different - inlet have springs - some exhaust don't. Exhaust are Viton - which has the lumps and rough bits so you can tell them apart.

I don't think you want to adjust the timing if its going well - but you may be able to cut down the maximim fuel a touch - some pumps have an external maximum fuel adjustment. Alternatively are you sure there are no air leaks or restrictions between the turbo and the engine?

If you're thinking of planking it - then Keruing could be what you're looking for. Used for planking horse trailer floors and I think for planking on jettys. Described to me as "jungle mahogany."

Most axle threads are BSF

Isn't the stalk a standard S3 component - in which case I think it has a separate feed for the flasher. As you say the rest of the lights work this suggests that the fault is somewhere in the circuit form the switch to the lights. If its like the standard vehicle there are loads of bullet conectors behind the radiator grill - which corrode and fail. may be worth looking around there.

The gasket face of the Rover IoE 4 and 6 cylinder engine is flat - the combustion chamber being in the partial hemisphere over the exhaust (side) valve and the adjacent side of the pointed piston. the Weslake head/manifold gets round Rover's inlet manifold cast in the head. Its a longitudinal tube with branches for each cylinder (bit like the manifold used on the 4 cylinder S1 engines). There's one carb for the 6 cylinders - I don't know if the end ones do much. Its claimed to produce more power than the Rover head. The compression ratio is controlled by the piston shape.

I found a new rocker shaft helped keep my S3 diesel oil tight.

Sand was never a standard colour for S2/2a's. limestone was - and all were high gloss.

If the oil filter is under the carburettor its a 2 litre spreadbore. Very rare vehicle now.

The 2.6 S3 6 cylinder I worked on the other day seemed to have a full set of timing marks including the EP mark on the front pulley/damper. Otherwise you'll have to compare the available marks on the 4 cylinder flywheel with what's required for the 6, assuming it fits in such a position that the marks are true. With regard to the spiggot the issue will be does it prevent the nose of the first motion shaft from goung far enough forward towards the crank when fitted. Some measuring may solve your problem.

Is this a SWB with 10in rears? If so the rear brake is the standard land Rover drum brake which was used from the later 80in vehicles. Originally the thing was self - adjusting with only the bottom spring - but as this caused probelms the post and return spring was fitted to the leading shoe together with an adjuster for the leading shoe. Why all this? The idea is that the leading shoe is drawn to the drum when its applied which gives some servo action. If the drum is dirty or rusty - there's a tendancy for the leading edge to pick up on the rough drum surface and apply itself. In particular this happens in reverse as there's very little restraint for the back shoe - which now becomes the leading shoe. What can you do about it? - the edges of the shoes should be well chamfered (cut back at an angle of 45 degrees or flatter). The sides of the shoes should also be inspected in case they're rubbing on the drum. If it happens when you're reversing out of a parking place - consider parking the other way round. Rust will form in a clean drum surface in a very short time (few hours) in damp conditions and is polished off when the brakes are applied. There were some cylinders around with excessively strong inner springs - which caused problems. I've had to dismantle cylinders and fit springs from old cylinders to solve the problem. Current ones seem OK. its also possible your master cylinder isn't releasing pressure fully - due to restricted pedal travel or something - and whilst you don't notice anything wrong with the discs - the residual pressure is noticeable on the back due to the self-servo effect.

"Look - no steering relay!"