No, red charge light competly gone now.. Stayed illuminated for probably round 20 hours of driving and then went out, bulb could be cooked now i guess?

Aye, just checked voltage accross terminals with engine off: 12.4v. Fired er up and then only getting 12.05v so must be a alternator issue. The thing I remembered was that while I was driving round a lot over Christmas the charge light came on and stayed on even with the engine running. It...

Thanks slob - I'll check 'er out in the morning.

I want to test to see if the alternator on my series 3 diesel is working. The battery completly wears itself out on a 1 hour drive in the dark, even after a overnight charge. Was going to fire the engine and take the battery out and put a volt-meter on the battery terminals to see if I'd get 12...

Yeah thanks fellas - I'm going to try and have a look inside at the weekend - by removing the fill pipe from the top of the tank and shining in a light. I'll see how bad the rot / muck inside is like and what quantities. I'll let yous know how things progress..

Hey slob any idea o' any keywords for that search? Trying 'rusty fuel tank', 'fuel tank cleaner', 'dirt in fuel tank' but not havin much joy...

HHmmmm it might of. When i got it i had to do a big quick-steel job all round the drain plug. I was never sure weather it was wearing from the inside out or the other way round. Except from round the drain plug it looks ok, from the outside anyway...

Good call. Do you know what does the crap look like when the inside of the tank starts to degrade though? The stuff clogging the filters is a sort of purple/blue dust, with the very odd particle of what looks like grains of gravel or sand.

The fuel tank in my deisel series 3 is full of muck, getting about 500 miles from a filter before choking fuel supply to the pump. Does anyone know any tricks to cleaning the tank out without removing it??

You could fit an automatic bonnet release catch to assist your poor braking performance. In the event of an emergency, release the bonnet: the added drag caused by wind rushing over the open bonnet will dramatically reduce your stopping time.

Anyone any ideas on design fuel consumption of the series 3 2.25 petrols & diesels? Just got 27.4 mpg from my 77 swb diesel on a 170 mile undulating run and I'm curious as to the design consumptions of the old power plants. Thanks - Pat

Come on you pirates, tell me: is a litre a oil for a tank o' juice a lot or not ?!?

And another: Whats typical oil consumption for a '77 series 3 diesel. I'm losing a few drips round the sump gasket, and a few through the timing cover oil seal, definatley not puddles, or even small pools though. It burns a little oil when climbing, but on the flat exhaust is pretty much clear...

Good man Slob, found a couple o' relevant freds alright, i have reached enlightenment...

Just a thought: the timing on most diesels will tend to become retarded over time, as the gears wear. This is evident from a loss of power and loads of grey smoke. The timing can be advanced to a point where there is a lot of extra power and the smoke clears, but; How can you tell at which point...

Whas pto - power take off ?? Where should i be looking?

Following on from my intrepid journey the weekend, I've decided to look for a overdrive. Question is how can i tell a good one from a piece of s**t one? And are there any ones to be avoided? From the small bit i know about them it seems its comes accross a relatively straightforward job to...

Heh heh heh well all you wise men sure had some usefull advice allright... Arrived home last night, just under 480 miles all up. And all it used (in decreasing quantities) : Time, diesel , oil, injector fuel lines !

Just about to head off on a 450 mile round trip in a swb diesel series 3 for the weekend. Any a you wisecracks got any advice fore i head off, or will i just plow off into the sunset?

Thanks CharlesY, had a feeling it would be somthing untoward... Now to find the local silversmith...