Well, how about that.. So I give a tired ole baddery a rest by temporarily removing the earth connection?

What if the baddery is reaallly gooood? Full of that acid juice and electrons rarin' to go towards the coil? (blessed be that there wound-up rattlesnakelike, fire-spittin' coil). Does the aforementioned poppin' effort act on a bad baddery like a relieve to a PMS pent-up HS official at an entry port?

I am delighted for the enlightenment.

There has been some other enlightenments of late: One should be in the automotive parts business. The two local shops punt an ignition amplifier module at $585-00 (I kid you not). I bought the same thing on the interent for $32. They ordered me the two twin-hole gaskets you mention (I did not even enquire after the price) and once it had arrived charged me $66-00 for the two. Three days later I had the same stuff delivered for $8-40.

So much to learn.

An icy rain discouraged me from further reaching from underneath into the cold, oily depths of the Landy's innards so I came inside to cut some vegetables for a hearty soup at about sunset. Partly good for the sustenance and partly good for the soul - a good, hot soup is.

All this fiddling make me understand her better and I had reason for some serious talking to do to her. ("Under four eyes" - as a saying with my folk back home goes). I used the multimeter to take her temperature (so to speak) and some other readings, and found nothing the matter with her. In fact the electricity is just where it is supposed to be and in the proper potential - like a fit fiddle, so I gave her a piece of my mind about this cyclic silliness of failing to fire when all the proper buttons are pressed.

Lo and behold - after one false start I said: "O.K. girl, I'm a patient man so let's try again", and by golly, there she goes - a-purrin' like a stroked kitten at the first touch. A little more pressure and the purr grew into an uninhibited, unashamed little growl. It just goes to show that there is value in a good talk when required.

My hand is not in the picture either - it was holding the camera at the time,

Smiles

 

lol!!!!!!

 

Or even: “A love like that can be a serious illness, an illness from which you may never entirely recover!”

 

The first part conjures up TOO much wild imagery in my naïve mind and the second parts make me jealous that I'm not a Rover....

 

Toujours l'optimiste je vois

 

Although my surname is French and although I am a direct descendant from the French Huguenots who fled to the Cape of Storms in 1688 I sadly am not altogether au fait with the deeper meanings of that wonderful language. I am however a smiling and free and positive thinking, future-oriented individual. L'optimiste may just in fact be my mantra.

Maybe one has to be just that to be brave enough to buy a neglected Landrover and start a project to get it into shape and back to normal ability and dependability.

Oh, by the way - the exhaust gaskets are in and tight and she is quiet. AND by the way - the purely mechanical content of the previous missive was just that - simply technical. :-) There was a measure of inconsistency in the ignition behaviour so the association with the female of the human species was a natural reaction. A behaviour which I understand and respect and even allow up to a point. Had two before, a number of years ago. Both TDi's.

Now for some attention to the cabin, and particularly the windows controls. Sunshine outside to enjoy attending to those.

 

Based on the personalities I've met thru this forum I'd say that would describe many Rover owners, wouldn't you Mr. Montero? The bit about being free, future-oriented and positive thinking..

I don't know, however, if we all bought our Rovers as a project, it just seems to turn out that way. I have a few things I need to work on this summer - mainly getting the air conditioning working again as well as the driver side window to go down... I'd better start doing my research as I have NO idea what it entails. So much for 'ageless wisdom' - I'm 'one fry short of a meal deal' when it comes to mechanical jargon

Glad to hear that your gasket job worked and the sun is shining again.

Renee

 

Renee, (thanks)

The project has just started. Before my ageless and still after 18 years virtually untouched Mitsubishi Pajero came into my life in South Africa I had two Tdi Landrover Defenders. Both started off brand new - both became endless projects. There is very good reason the Mitsubishi Pajero (as the Montero is called there) year on year wins the Dakar rally and why Landrover for the past 20 years do not even enter.

There is, however a certain challenge to buy a really neglected vehicle for little money and then make it a dependable traveller. The body (chassis and cab) of the D1 is very strong and the design philosophy is good. The actual control of design and build-quality in the engine and electrical systems are to be frowned upon but man is cleverer than machines, and physics will always be physics, so the faults can be conquered.

So I am smiling in anticipation

Andries (you may ask me how it is pronounced...)

 

"One fry short of a meal deal", you say. Now that is neat, and new to me. I liked that. .

I have some way out wildernis photos of the Pajero if you are intested.

A.

 

Oscar Wilde

So enlighten me.... how do you pronounce your name?

R.