Tazz070299
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Well my TD5 had done 6000 miles (plus a little bit) since I bought it, and its last service. So armed with my Haynes Manual, and having ordered a service kit from Craddocks, I set about tackling what should have been a simple job.
Although, according to Haynes, it only needed an oil change at 6000 miles, with filter changes at 12,000 & 24,000, I decided to change the filters as well. I took the car for a short run to warm up the oil, and then back underneath.
Problem 1 - where the hell is the drain plug? Despite crawling underneath all of the engine there was no drain plug evident, but there was a large plastic shield covering the underneath of the engine. Although there was a cut-out which suggested it was for the sump drain plug, but was actually nowhere near the plug. So it was off with the plastic cover. Easy, or so I thought. The back 2 bolts came out without a problem, but not having 14" fingers and a wrist with the girth of a rat's tail the two front bolts were sods. I presume they would be accessible ordinarily, but I have a steering guard fitted so only a ratchet ring spanner would reach, and then with only a couple of clicks each time. :doh:. When it came to spinning the bolts off at the end, only my first and second fingers would reach! one and a half hours later!! all four bolts were out. So would the plastic shield now come off. Not without jacking up the body away from the transmission. Grr!!
Question 1. Do these shields do any good, and does anyone bother putting them back on afterwards? Oh, by the way, I managed to break part of it taking it off so it only has three bolt holes now and I am dreading trying to re-fit it.
Problem 2. Having found the drain plug it had obviously been tightened by an army of prop forwards but thankfully an impact wrench managed to undo it. It's just that I then managed to dump half a litre of black engine oil on the terracotta finished drive as it flowed out quicker then the catch can could cope.
Problem 3. Right, looked at the picture in the Haynes manual and you can quite easily see the oil filter. Looking up from underneath my Landy and there's no filter in sight!!
I eventually found it looking from the top of the engine bay but it only seems accessible if other things are removed first
So much for Haynes manuals!!! So, are there any other TD5 owners who can advise? According to Haynes the filer doesn't need replacing for another 6000 miles, but I was brought up with always changing the filter when the oil is changed. Any views?
Leaving the engine bay I then decided to grease up the UJs. No problem here, but the manual makes no mention of the grease nipple located on the prop shaft itself. I presume this gets greased just like the others?
I then found a grease nipple on the steering arm? Again no mention in the Haynes. Does it need greasing and with what?
I then had to give up for the day to make sure I could clean the drive of the spilt oil before Doris got home. Did it with 5 minutes to spare, and she thought I was being a conscientious husband by just hosing down the drive to remove the Winter grime.
What's left to do? Only the fuel filter, centrifugal oil filter, check the bearings and brakes, and air filter. On current experience, 3 days work.

Although, according to Haynes, it only needed an oil change at 6000 miles, with filter changes at 12,000 & 24,000, I decided to change the filters as well. I took the car for a short run to warm up the oil, and then back underneath.
Problem 1 - where the hell is the drain plug? Despite crawling underneath all of the engine there was no drain plug evident, but there was a large plastic shield covering the underneath of the engine. Although there was a cut-out which suggested it was for the sump drain plug, but was actually nowhere near the plug. So it was off with the plastic cover. Easy, or so I thought. The back 2 bolts came out without a problem, but not having 14" fingers and a wrist with the girth of a rat's tail the two front bolts were sods. I presume they would be accessible ordinarily, but I have a steering guard fitted so only a ratchet ring spanner would reach, and then with only a couple of clicks each time. :doh:. When it came to spinning the bolts off at the end, only my first and second fingers would reach! one and a half hours later!! all four bolts were out. So would the plastic shield now come off. Not without jacking up the body away from the transmission. Grr!!
Question 1. Do these shields do any good, and does anyone bother putting them back on afterwards? Oh, by the way, I managed to break part of it taking it off so it only has three bolt holes now and I am dreading trying to re-fit it.
Problem 2. Having found the drain plug it had obviously been tightened by an army of prop forwards but thankfully an impact wrench managed to undo it. It's just that I then managed to dump half a litre of black engine oil on the terracotta finished drive as it flowed out quicker then the catch can could cope.
Problem 3. Right, looked at the picture in the Haynes manual and you can quite easily see the oil filter. Looking up from underneath my Landy and there's no filter in sight!!
Leaving the engine bay I then decided to grease up the UJs. No problem here, but the manual makes no mention of the grease nipple located on the prop shaft itself. I presume this gets greased just like the others?
I then found a grease nipple on the steering arm? Again no mention in the Haynes. Does it need greasing and with what?
I then had to give up for the day to make sure I could clean the drive of the spilt oil before Doris got home. Did it with 5 minutes to spare, and she thought I was being a conscientious husband by just hosing down the drive to remove the Winter grime.
What's left to do? Only the fuel filter, centrifugal oil filter, check the bearings and brakes, and air filter. On current experience, 3 days work.