Colin Lindsay

The door looks to be slightly low at the sill; can you raise it slightly, maybe rotating it slightly upwards at this point?

I'll try, but I replaced the wiring in different colours from original but thankfully took lots of photos. Originally - before rewiring - there are two wires from the loom, green / red and green; the green goes to the overdrive inhibitor switch where it splits and the other length goes to the reversing light switch. From the O/D inhibitor there is a short length of white ' green which then joints to a red bullet connector, and a long red wire which doubles back to the switch (it would have been the gearlever but I extended it to the stalk). The other wire from the reversing light switch runs back to the loom connection on the bulkhead. From the switch a long black cable runs to the solenoid, then from that to earth. It has run like this, untouched, for many years. For some reason the red cable was routed to the solenoid in a large loop but not connected to anything other than the switch, so I've shortened that. I replaced the wiring like for like, with the old loom spread out and the new wires parallel until all of the connections were the same, and if anything has been changed round it's the connections at the reversing switch, but this won't matter - it's just an in / out from either direction and I replaced the switch after testing the replacement. I have replaced the short section of white / green with one long single red cable and the dark green circuit is now light green. The two black cables at the bellhousing are the loom / power in - insulated - and the switch connections with the plastic sheath over them. Before and after shots below: This morning I'm going to try with a replacement switch - just any two connection switch from the spares pile - to bypass the column stalk. Everything works until O/D is activated, even the reversing lights, and if the O/D circuit is disconnected then nothing blows, but the slightest touch of the gearlever towards 3rd blows the fuse immediately.

They do; I've just replaced them both to no avail. If I disconnect the entire circuit, reversing lights and all, the fuse won't blow; if I disconnect the overdrive from it by removing the bullet connectors at the switch, it doesn't blow either, but the reversing circuit works and I have reversing lights. I just cannot work out where the short or drain or surge is that blows the fuses - that's absolutely everything replaced bar the solenoid itself.

Thank you, that's very appreciated! If I didn't have grey hairs before, I'm getting them now. I've replaced the O/D switch on the gearbox - it made no difference at all except it now blows even if you wiggle the gear lever in neutral, and don't even get as far as 3rd or 4th. I also disconnected the solenoid - left the earth connection on but disconnected the power input - and it STILL blew. I would suspect the column wiring but I replaced the column stalk switch already. What sort of power does the solenoid draw?

That used to happen a lot a while back; the seller would mysteriously remove the car from sale just before the auction ended. it will be interesting to see what this one makes, if it does indeed reach the reserve.

Latest update: I've stripped down the entire reversing light and overdrive loom and replaced all of the wiring, bullet connectors and spade connectors, not necessarily in the correct colour but all new wiring plus I've removed a lot of the connections and just strung long cables to the column switch, thereby eliminating weak points at joints. Reconnected the battery and the fuse blew the minute it was put into third gear. The only parts I have not replaced are the inhibitor switch and the solenoid itself. The reversing lights work as usual, but it's only selecting third gear that blows the fuse. So: two questions: I'm going to replace the switch in a minute or two but the switch that is fitted is the original kind, you can see it in the photo above - the replacement I bought some years ago at some show or other is a more modern version so has anyone tried these newer switches, are they likely to be better, or should I wait to go for the same as is currently fitted? Secondly: if the switch is not at fault what are the chances of it being the solenoid? I don't understand why it blows immediately no matter if the overdrive switch is on or off. Four hours I've just spent lying in the footwells only to find it made no difference at all, so need a bit of moral support and suggestions before going for the next four. Any ideas?

I knew there was an old thread somewhere about on the same subject; have a read at this one and feel free to add anything we've missed!

Glad to hear that; it looks amazing when you reverse the car into a space... very lowered! Some members at local shows have asked me what's wrong with it - the mudflaps are sitting flat on the ground and it looks like something has collapsed, until you drive forwards again and it rises up. This is not the best photo but you can see the rear wheel right up in the wheelarch and just make out the mudflaps. There's no tyre wear at all, so I'm happy to hear it's no worry. That'll save me a trip to the tyre fitter!

True; I've had the Herald block rebored to +30 and bought new pistons and rings - I could have run as is but it was smoky and needed the work. At least this way I'll know it's been done, and properly. A total cost of about £400. It all depends on what the vendor in this case wants as an engine for his own car, and how much he's prepared to spend in the end; maybe he's just scared himself off, when faced with the final cost? I'm not suspicious as it won't be me buying it! If I was, it might be a different matter... but then I'd be buying one with the expectation of having to complete the work from scratch, no matter what claims are made about previous work.

Can you get access to the rear of the bolt? Putting pressure on the end that you can see whilst unwinding at the head end sometimes gives the outward pressure you need to start it moving. Even just a few good whacks with the end of a smaller bolt placed against the end of the larger one you're trying to release and a hammer can move it. It wouldn't be the first one I'd used the point of a two-legged puller to exert force - is there enough access for something like that? Can you grip the head in a set of grips and pull outwards as you turn?

In all probability he's bought another engine as a complete unit for far less than it will take to have this one rebored and then to source oversized pistons and rings. Depending on the cost of the rebore - say £50 per cylinder, that's £300 for the rebore, another £200 for pistons, add £40 for rings... over £500 if he wants to do them all properly, and on top of what he's already spent... so it could be the case that the costs are spiralling. He'll need to be very sure of the condition of the replacement engine, though, otherwise he could be back to square one again.

Well, they shouldn't be metric, if original UK carbs from the pre-decimal days. One USA site I've just checked claims M4 is correct, but they may have been metric from the word go; I know Solex carbs for other European cars such as VW all used metric. If no-one has come up with the correct size I'll dig one out and measure over the next few days; in the meantime replacement screws are available over the water, and bound to be here too: https://www.carburetion.com/screws.asp http://www.gowerlee.dircon.co.uk/PSEItype.html

As long as you're sure they're from the old UJS... Iain's post on tyres is quite interesting - was the car standing for any length of time ie could there be a flat spot in one or more of the tyres?

As famously quoted to me by a mechanic at BLRC (Landrover Centre in Co. Down) when looking at a Freelander 2 - "It's your differential! I'd stake my career on it. £1200 minimum." £95 fitted a new bearing at another garage and it went for years after that. Jeff - when you say it doesn't happen all the time - can you identify when it doesn't happen?

The loom was replaced when the car was rebuilt... with the exception of the gearbox wiring, which wan't available back then. I'll not get back to the car until Thursday which should give me time to stock up on the essentials, in particular more fuses...

'Mated' just means screwed - no joke intended! Honest! - but it's a straight fit, no mods necessary. What do you need to do to it?

Brake caliper bleed nipple does the same job.

Technically there is an earth but it's the really short wire from the solenoid to the bolt, only a few inches long. This chafed one, although also black, ran from the column stalk to the other terminal on the solenoid so while I guessed earth because of the colour it's the other way round and carries the power back from the switch, which gets to the switch along the red wire - the red wire, in turn, splices into the white/green circuit from the overdrive inhibitor switch. I wonder if the system is live when the gearbox cam activates the inhibitor switch, and the column stalk simply completes the circuit? This makes me think that's what blew the fuses - getting to third gear so that the overdrive cam came into play; it's been intermittently chafing at speed and once in the proper gear for overdrive the current blew the fuse. But this begs the question of how it blew at idle in the garage, with the gears in neutral? In any case I'll rewire the entire circuit, rebush the gearlever mechanism and clean up a few other things which are now accessible. I'm also debating replacing the clutch, which has been there for twenty years now, but I'll need to identify the required plate. Looks like I'm on my own for the loom, but I should have more than enough of the colours required - I might even have the right-angled male spade connectors. 8 amp cable ok? I have lots of it plus a lot more 17 amp but think that's too heavy.

It's not, Doug - the gearbox was Dolomite 1850 with J-type and the wiring was extended - by me - to the column stalk. I've ripped the entire loom out, some of it is getting quite elderly but there was one small section of black - I'm assuming earth - cable that had chafed through: I don't know if that's the culprit but in any case it needs replaced. I'm debating making a loom myself based on the existing cables, but has anyone bought a pre-assembled version recently? None of the colours of the looms that are for sale match anything on my car, which are all black, green and red. The currently available looms are all various shades of yellow, so I'm not sure they're suitable.

Other way round in my house; others use my computer and leave it full of popups and spam as they just tick 'yes' to all cookies, permissions and add-ons. Some of them are darned hard to get rid of, and no I don't usually want the latest gossip on Meghan flaming Markle which is where the one that resets my home page takes me to. Other than that, nice car, and welcome!

Just this bit? I have the top half too, but none of the spring clips to spare.

Just been out for an hour and tried everything to make it blow, to no avail; then it blew when I wasn't watching - no idea why. I've turned on wipers, heater, indicator, everything else on the circuit at the same time, but no good. THEN I put it into third with overdrive on, and it blew first time. Thinking that's the problem I got the camera set up ready to try again, and this time it blew as soon as the engine was started, with overdrive NOT on, nor in gear. Ever watch one of these blow? Scary... fuseblow.mov

Hi guys; just before I dismantle the entire front of the GT6 - yet again - I'm open to thoughts tips and experiences of blowing fuses. My Mk1 is repeatedly blowing the top fuse. This one covers indicators, reversing lamp, brake lights, heater circuit, windscreen wiper, fuel gauge and temperature gauge. On the way to MOT the top fuse blew after only three miles leaving me with no temp or fuel gauges - that's the first thing you see as an indicator of the fault; I replaced it and it performed perfectly all the way to the test and the eleven miles back. The car can sit and idle all day in the garage or drive and nothing happens, no matter what you do. Three miles down the road on Sunday, it blew again; I replaced it and got another two miles, then it blew again, then again after about 200 yards. Nothing on that circuit is on, or was being used at the time - it was a straight stretch of road, no braking, no indicating, no heater nor wipers. I can't make the fuse blow under controlled conditions by turning on any of the circuits on that fuse, or wiggling the loom or fusebox about. I'm therefore suspecting a live circuit that is shorting out; and possibly the overdrive which being a J-type takes power from the reversing lights - overdrive was not working at all but nor was the fuse blowing if I flicked the switch. It must be something happening as the car drives. Any handy tips for narrowing down the problem? I got my first MOT in two years and don't want the car off road and in bits yet again.

The car is currently SORNed according to the Gov website; no current MOT details available. Off-road for restoration, maybe?

There are actually two positions of the actuating lever; light pressure will move the lever to what appears to be the full extent and it will spring back after, so it gives you a false impression that the pump is not pumping. Press harder and it will then go all the way in, and you'll hear the valves begin to suck or blow quite audibly.