Fix one thing...

... and somthing else breaks.

I spent saturday doing a pile of essential underbonnet stuff. Bitsa now has an air cleaner, and leaks a little bit less engine oil (I've still got several lots of oil leaks to trace and fix - I think the worst one is from the oil filter/block mounting gasket).

She is now rather quieter, thanks to the air intake system being existant. The 2.25D intake I'd fitted was like one giant organ pipe at speed, drowning out the actual conbustion sounds totally. The exahust is blowing a little at the front joint - I think an extra hanger to stop it flexing and then some exahust paste my be in order.

I have a fuel gauge that almost works. It shows a level, before dropping back down 20 secs or so after turning the igntion on. Probably because the voltage regulator has had its day. New one will be purchased at the next bank acount emptying visit to Landranger.

After finding my spare anti-luce pin for the tailgate it was duly found to be for the wrong side for the missing on on my rear tub. I ground it off its capping, and welded it in the hole where the old one had gone AWOL from the tub. I now have a back tailgate, and it even really shuts. Just need to sort some chains for it - it has some, but they seem far too short. I *think* there is a spare set up the yard somewhere.

Having done all these jobs, and some more really little ones (e.g. put a working bulb in the oil pressure light, attach the top end of the dip stick to the inlet manifold), the alternator decided to go bang on the way home on Saturday night.

Battery is now being charged every other day, and the spare battery is sat in the back. I had to bump start it in Leak, after stalling it in the worst possible place beliveable. Looks like I need to nick an alternator from somthing else - I'm running out of spares - all my spare ones seem to have issues. If the next one either doesn't work, or goes bang shortly after fitting, I'm going to recheck the wireing, but being honest, I can't see what could be wrong with it. I also really need to get hold of a spare 2.25 alternator block mount to modify, as the current setup is straining the belt a little much. If anyone who reads this has one spare, please let me know (leave a comment, or PM me if you link to this blog from a forum).

In case this wasn't enough, as I was driving to church this moring, I saw through the hole where the red lever goes the front prop moving in a most delightfull excentric motion. It seems that the UJ at the back has lost its needles from the rollers. I've a spare new UJ up the yard *if* I can find it. Don't hold your breath. I did the rear prop not long before she came of the road, but didn't do the front at the same time. Looks like my laziness has come back to bite.

The wiper/washer switch has also packed it in today. I'm using a pattern Britpart (probbably) headlight switch for this. The washers now don't work atall, but thankfully I can still get the wipers on and off, although from the feel of the switch, and the fact that they tend to go off if you hit a pothole, I think I really need to get it swapped soon. Problem is that all these switches I've bought have been the same - I.E. they die after about 5 mins of use. They may only be £2 each, but I'd rather pay £5, and actually have one that works for 40 years, like the originals.

The MPG count at the side of the page is getting more plausable - last time I looked, it was showing 28mpg. That is what Bitsa did with a normal Landrover 2.25D, tweaked to go like stink, and driven like it was stolen.
In defence of the 200di, I'm also driving it like I nicked it, and that figure includes a few miles of greenlanes, which are obviously not doing the figures any good - it is probably at its best at about 40mph in 4th gear. If anyone fancys donating an overdrive to the cause of upping the MPG, just let me know.