If you are paying to get the cambelt done then it will cost no more to get the water pump changed, worth thinking about if you are not happy doing such jobs yourself.

Unlikely ...

Thanks for the part recommendation. Looks good. I'll check the pulleys again this morning. Quick guilt thought: 3-4 weeks ago I noticed the coolant was low in the reservoir and topped up with a small amount of straight water! Since then I've...

OK. I ran it for 30 seconds without the belts. No noise! Would a failing impeller make a loud noise? I'll try again tomorrow (I assume it's OK to run it from cold for 30 seconds each time?). If it is the water pump and the impeller is...

No, I checked with the belts loose. Should have taken the belts off shouldn't I :D. I'll check again with the belts off.

I checked the pulleys and they are OK. I tightened the belts. This helped the initial (see below) squeaking. (the belts actually need replacing soon). But the concerning thing is this sudden sound that comes about 20 seconds after start...

Hi. Thanks for that. I'll see what the auto shop has. I'll keep an eye on the ignition switch but it's consistently giving me a reading.

Thanks for this. I tested the relay on the bench, as you suggested. Seemed to work well (ie, activated the higher amp circuit), but not in the vehicle. Swapped another relay in and it worked. Either the original relay is unreliable or...

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/relay-guide.html They are pin numbers.

Hi. Latest on my woes! The white cable at the relay IS getting a regular supply of 10.3v every time I turn the ignition to crank. I think my early test must have been a mistake. Testing at the back of the ignition switch also gets 10.30v...

Hi. Yes, sorry. It's a 200tdi - forgot to mention!

Hi On startup, there is a lot of squeaking coming from the belt area. I can't tell if it's belts slipping. Is there a way of testing this. I'm also worried that it could be a timing belt about to fail? On startup the last couple of times...

Intermittent is how mine was for a while so I had the under bonnet lash up and then the jumper until I sorted it. Some other relay behind the main group would click when testing mine [1990 19j] No glow plug relay on pre Defender model diesels...

Ah, could be. I don't actually know where that is, and I don't yet know what the other relays under the fuses are..... Need to find that out..... Wiring diagram (which I THINK is right for my year) also says brake check relay???

Is the clickeing the glow plug relay? Or is yours under the bonnet Nothing else clicks near my fuse box(early glass fuse type)

Thanks for this. Totally clarifies what should be happening. Mine's slightly different in that the Brown/Red is white in my case. I think my relay has 5 terminals but the one in the middle doesn't seem to have a connecting cable.

Think mine had the relay as it was a V8 (1985)

Have to admit when we had the same issue I did none of that fault finding, I just bought a switch for the price of it. If I was having to strip it out to test it all I may aswell replace it anyway, it fixed the problem in our case. You may well...

Jumper's a good idea. I'll definitely make one up and keep it in the toolkit for emergencies. Yes, agree about the relay. Seems over the top.

Few questions.. Have you/could you disturbed the rear of the ignition barrel? >> Very possibly. I need to check that out. Unfortunately it means dismantling everything I've put back. :( But hey-ho... Starter relay. Just swap this for a...

Sounds like a good set of tests. I'll get on it asap. Thanks!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235127935875 Buy the right one as they are not all the same. If you are confident the white wire is at fault could you not energies the relay with 12v just to test it? Then run a replacement wire from the relevant...

I am no electrician but sounds like, from your description you should get a live, white, when you turn the ignition to crank position. This energies the relay, circuit made by the earth wire, and let's current flow to the starter. Warning: I...

Having been away for 10 days, I've got back to these issues. I think I've sorted the earth on the temp gauge but I'm still getting intermittent problems with starting. When I turn the key to start I intermittently (usually) get nothing. There...

12.2v is a good voltage, may be an issue with the relay, swap with one of the others to test. When I was having start on the key intermittent issues I had a stand by rig of a wire from a known 12v feed with a switch in it and a double spade to...

I take your point about the birds nest. I assumed the battery was flat. It was reading 12.2v which I assumed was low. After recharge, the landy started up fine. But then wouldn't restart after a 1 mile journey - battery still should have...

The lower dash is just about the only area I have not been into. I could do with re sealing the cabin air flap in there. As for looking at the loom itself you may well find there is nothing to see unless there has been a big melt down. I have...

Thanks. Yes, I think the earths are good. It's had a recent professional rebuild onto a new chassis. It was starting fine before I got my mits on the instrument panel. But I'll check through that..... Thanks. Yes, I did suspect a drain. I...

Have you got a good earth connection to the battery? And another good connection from the engine to the chassis? If this one is bad the electrikity will try and complete the circuit any other way it can, resulting in odd things happening.

Sounds to me like you have a short in the system some where that is draining the battery. Someone bypassed the main loom to the fog for a reason. An 86 could well have a relay for the starter under the fuses, my 1990 did. But now has a direct...