Great to be getting all points of view. Unfortunately events this weekend kept me in house so I havent done my one wheel up and turnp tests yet. What I did do was take the td4 for a spin tonight. ( old mans currently driving it daily). Full lock reverin test I was a bit more at ease with, I was able to walk the car round on clutch only without any throttle. I got a quote from a local garage of 720 for new vcu and 8bearings. If I do one wheel up test and if I prove vcu not seized and turnip test shows it not cooking then I think im oin to leave it for now. One more question tho.....I had a peek at vcu ( lying on **** wet drive). The casing of vcu and damper look good, paint/coating intact. This make me think it has been changed at some point in its life, or can someone convince me that vcu on a 2003 plate would still be like this or would you expect rust? I saw some on fleabay that looked dire.
To get my little bit I about the argument over to do or not to do, as an engineer im all for prevention rather than cure. What I can say is that my particulr industry is now leaning heavily towards condition based rather than sevice life due to premature failures or, on other side of the coin, cost saving....why replace something when thats not broke. This of course involves regular and conclusive testing. A regular one wheel up test with constant weight and lever seems the only way short of removing vcu and somehow bench testing it to eliminate interference from rear brakes/diff
A lesson I learnt - a number of years ago thought it a good idea to put my car ( not a landy) in for its scheduled service which at 80k inclued timing belt. One week later I got car back and my lovely quiet v6 engine sounded like del boys van. I couldnt trade it I fast enough.
To get my little bit I about the argument over to do or not to do, as an engineer im all for prevention rather than cure. What I can say is that my particulr industry is now leaning heavily towards condition based rather than sevice life due to premature failures or, on other side of the coin, cost saving....why replace something when thats not broke. This of course involves regular and conclusive testing. A regular one wheel up test with constant weight and lever seems the only way short of removing vcu and somehow bench testing it to eliminate interference from rear brakes/diff
A lesson I learnt - a number of years ago thought it a good idea to put my car ( not a landy) in for its scheduled service which at 80k inclued timing belt. One week later I got car back and my lovely quiet v6 engine sounded like del boys van. I couldnt trade it I fast enough.