More or less any car should be able to move off without throttle. Decent injection control will let it drive up slopes without touching the accelerator as it maintains revs.

Your first question. No surprise, bodgers get everywhere. The parts book should be the Bible! I've always drifted them, but a 'hatchbacks' wheel bearing puller/pusher I had to get for one of the kid's cars last year would probably adapt. Deffo cut the old one for the good fit though. This is...

You could take them to a decent machinist and get them sorted. Maybe do the groundwork for that and get it done when it's off the road for the next five minute job.

There is.

I bought one from this guy (under a different name). £38 in 2021, ouch...

You may get a good reading on a meter that's still a problem with serious current.

Have you disturbed the earth?

Because, on your car, the alternator has current supplied to it from the ign switch through the warning lamp (32) that 'excites' the windings and allows the opposing ones to generate current. Without that, no generating.

Ah, I hadn't registered that you'd suggested splitting it at the maf sensor. Apolologies.

@sierrafery would it be worth taking it for a drive with the turbo inlet hose off to make sure there's nothing wrong upstream? (As long as @tweedandbriar doesn't live by a sand quarry).

Have you got a multimeter or spare bulb and bit of wire? Check to see if you get 12v at the actuator connection. If yes then look at the earth (which I believe to be be though the unit's mounting). If you haven't a meter to check that earth - take a wire from that mounting to battery -ve and try...

Swivel bush?

If it's happy on taller diffs I'd rather them than an accurate speedo.

I've had a look at my parts book and the only difference in drives is for the 109 V8 - and totally different setup. 'Standard' Except for 1 Ton and 109 V8. I Ton. 109 V8

You're sure it was the water pump leaking? Just wondering if it might have been the head gasket leaking both in and out. Unlikely.

@jamesmartin told me to buy K or L suffix because they had a stronger input and rear layshaft bearings. I did!

I've got some fairly challenging slopes around here and I can usually get up them in third. In a 2.25 petrol SIII. Pretty sure that the only time I had to use second on those hills in the 110 19J was when the pipe from turbo to fuel pump split. Maybe you've got steeper hills? What gear would you...

Just a thought, but do you know any local with a td5 that would let you have a quick shot to reset your 'normal'?

It's infuriating. If I had more time I'd have taken it on as a sideline, got a great machinist in the next village.

The decent retailers I spoke to about two years ago told me that they weren't selling drums any longer because they had so many coming back. I ended up getting my originals skimmed 'judiciously' so going a little outside green book tolerance while leaving traces of the deepest grooves.