They Made Me DO IT, Wasn't Me Gov honest

In a fit of range I swaned into the garage after owning a passat for only 6 DAYS, gave car dealer keys and said, straight swap for that disco ( it was pouring down with rain today ) He smiled that nasty ( YOUR IN BIG TROUBLE YOUNG MAN LOOK - Filled out the V5 faster than handing over a winning lottery ticket and said its yours son, got home rain dryed off it and OMG what the hell have I got.. Well, who cares! its not a car and im back on 4x4. I need help...

Some history... 1995 300 TDI

1. No heat from heater..... Fan blows and fuse ok but no heat?
2. Oil All down driver side of engine from the very top but looking at oil from cap its nice and black with no milk in it so maybe not head gasket and the level is ok looking at dip stick, is there such a thing as a cam cover like on my bike?
3. Doors dont open ( read and found the link, springs ordered ) Thanks for that
4. Smells like dog - Valet Ordered.
5. Can get the disco over 65 without being really scared. Steering feels like it has lots of little problems all over the place adding up BUT ON MY RANGE ROVER I could adjust a lock nut and tighten the free play, can see the same looking unit on disco but there is no ajuster screw in the middle.

If any of you guys could and some knowledge to my points 1, 2 and 5 that would be great. And dont even think about going out for new years eve untill you have answered my questions! ( joke ) merry christmas.

No heat from heater, not sure but read something here a few weeks ago regarding the thermostat. Do a search through this site, specify 'no heat'.

Oil down side of head? Could be rocker cover gasket, cheap and easy replacement. Or, could be from one of the cooler seals, but again, if from the top of the cover, easy and cheap to fix. Find a local independent specialist, they are normally top notch. Where are you?

Wandering over 65mph? Check your tyre pressures first. If they're over 35psi, then that could be why.

Welcome!

This is exactly what I just fixed in the 300tdi last weekend, the thermostat was jammed open and thus the engine was never getting anywhere like the temp is should, occasionaly on a long drive, on a warm day you will get a little bit of warmth, but ONLY warmth at that!

At the front of the engine just above and behind the fan there is a U piece boted onto the engine, with a pipe dissappearing off to the passengerside, unclip this hose (dont need to take it off) and undo the two bolts to remove the U piece, you will see the thermostat, remove it (had to use a bit of force and lever it out on mine) and take it into the kitchen, boil the kettle, and pour boiling water onto it in a bowl or something. It should open (if not already jammed open) then add some cold water until you can JUST put your finger into the water, if its still open much after this, its fecked and you need a new one. I got mine for £6 from uni part. If it does work, put it back in boting that the little jiggle pin (hole thing with a ball baring or the likes) sits at the top.

Bolt it back up, you will loose a little antifreeze but not a lot, put a cupfull of water into the expansion tank for good measure.

Dont worry about that oil, most 300's do it, mind included its just the rocker, could also indicate that the valve clearences could be needing checked. Not a big job/problem.

Our 300 tdi had the speed issue aswell, it turned out to be the lift pump, it was actully working fine, down on power and not good at speed, £15 pump shoved in sorted that.

Thanks guys thats really great news.. Its 1.30pm and Ive only just woke up, spent till 5am reading and searching and reading as much of the forum as I could, and I awake to find great advice, and better still prices of around 6 quid for a thermo stat! phew! Ive found also that the rocker is cheap as I did wonder if it was just that, had a GPz900r once that used to blow oil all over my legs due to the rocker cover. Im going to pop and jet wash the thing now and maybe do the engine ( i will leave it running ) and see if the oil will come off to make things clearer, again thankyou, awesome speed and fantastic advice! If you were girls Id give you a kiss

Rocker gasket is under a pound.

Best prices Ive found so far are from difflock, as I have a few things to buy Im happy to play less than a pound lol, prey tell where from?

uni part... I usually use craddocks, but uni part is much fast and cheaper for some items like that because no P&P and then you need to balance up will you be really anoyed waiting in all day for parts?

Thats also where I got the thermostat, WITH gasket... the gasket is the little round one that seals the thermo in, see when you put the bit back on, get some hylomar blue gasket compound and put that on the mating surface... It is possible however to remove this part, check it and put it back on without worrying about new gaskets etc...

If you do buy online, get the odd spare part like, some oil filters, fuel filters, get a couple of rocker gaskets etc...

re the steering wandering.
could be any number of things. steering shaft uj. rear a frame ball joint. front ball joints. swivel pre load. tyres/pressures.
check all front joints for play.
finally the steering box itself. if its gone then you will need a recon unit.

Thanks guys, I will get onto UNIPART and get some bits and bobs, just come back from the garage and the engine oil that was all over the one side just flew straight off, yes, Rocker Gasket, very happy about that, in fact the engine came up pretty mint using only 3 minutes on the presure washer,

I have checked the tyre presures and there all ok, managed to fix the electric window switches so now I can put all but one window down which is good while smoking like a kipper.

Had a look for the thermostat but im not to sure what it is, so I guess I will know when the new one turns up, if there only a fiver then I will order one anyway.

In the cold light of day today I saw the real condition of the inside, there is more mold in there than a penailin stock pile, think shes far to gone for my steam cleaner so Im going to get here a proper valet as well, Then onto the steering!

If any of you guys have metalic BLUE driver side front and rear doors for sale give me a shout, I have found a bonnet but its miles away so same applies if you have one for sale, will have to go and get it I think but its a colour match!

http://www.uccc.co.uk/

Seems to be down? Is this the correct address for unipart spares?

Unipart Automotive

http://www.unipartgroup.co.uk/

Right the thermostat is circled in red, please note this engine may not look exactly the same to yours, as this one is in a defender and one of the later ones I think...

As you will see there is a U shape piece, the little pipe above it, take it off and get it to heck out the way, right below that is the first bolt, then another on the underside, once loosening the big black pipe on the passengers side, just pull the U piece off, and twist it up, you will then see on the engine, not the part you pull off, a little metal plunger thing, this is the thermo, and it, complete with the black O ring round it will come out with a little bit of encouragement.

Yeah thats the correct address for them,Afew of there site seem to be down also

shanno