You can check your engine temp with a hand held IR temp reader, aim at thermostat housing, top hose and radiator just after you have stopped.

Fingers firmly crossed: I think changing the relay has helped, if not sorted it! It's starting! However, I'm still getting a problem with the temp gauge. Earth issue? In less than 10 minutes, the gauge is climbing well towards the red. I'm...

Just to give you an update, I changed the drive belts for new ones yesterday and started up. No noise! Fingers crossed, I'll check again today for any noises. However, after running for less than 10 minutes, the termperature gauge was...

With regards to the noise, have the water pump replaced with the cambelt. If the noise is still there you can change the pas pump yourself at a later date if you are happy doing it.

Yes, it's a good time to do it. I had wanted to do cambelt myself but new to this vehicle so don't want to stuff anything up on such a mission critical job. I've also developed a recent phobia of shearing bolts and I gather there's potential...

I checked all the pulleys yesterday again. Slight distortion in the water pump pulley (that could be the pulley itself), it seems to turn smoothly. Slight bearing friction on power steering. No sideways play on either. Also ran the engine...

Hi. What's the knack for running the water pump / PAS pump one belt at a time?

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...