Thanks for this. I tested the relay on the bench, as you suggested. Seemed to work well (ie, activated the higher amp circuit), but not in the vehicle. Swapped another relay in and it worked. Either the original relay is unreliable or there's some sort of loose connection in the panel...

Hi. Latest on my woes! The white cable at the relay IS getting a regular supply of 10.3v every time I turn the ignition to crank. I think my early test must have been a mistake. Testing at the back of the ignition switch also gets 10.30v. Why 10.3v and not 12+v? Does the voltage drop...

Hi. Yes, sorry. It's a 200tdi - forgot to mention!

Hi On startup, there is a lot of squeaking coming from the belt area. I can't tell if it's belts slipping. Is there a way of testing this. I'm also worried that it could be a timing belt about to fail? On startup the last couple of times, there has been a fairly dramatic noise that sounds...

Ah, could be. I don't actually know where that is, and I don't yet know what the other relays under the fuses are..... Need to find that out..... Wiring diagram (which I THINK is right for my year) also says brake check relay???

Thanks for this. Totally clarifies what should be happening. Mine's slightly different in that the Brown/Red is white in my case. I think my relay has 5 terminals but the one in the middle doesn't seem to have a connecting cable.

Jumper's a good idea. I'll definitely make one up and keep it in the toolkit for emergencies. Yes, agree about the relay. Seems over the top.

Few questions.. Have you/could you disturbed the rear of the ignition barrel? >> Very possibly. I need to check that out. Unfortunately it means dismantling everything I've put back. :( But hey-ho... Starter relay. Just swap this for a relay close to it to check it works. Think they...

Sounds like a good set of tests. I'll get on it asap. Thanks!

Having been away for 10 days, I've got back to these issues. I think I've sorted the earth on the temp gauge but I'm still getting intermittent problems with starting. When I turn the key to start I intermittently (usually) get nothing. There is no voltage engine side on the white and red...

I take your point about the birds nest. I assumed the battery was flat. It was reading 12.2v which I assumed was low. After recharge, the landy started up fine. But then wouldn't restart after a 1 mile journey - battery still should have been strong. So far I do know that, when it won't...

Thanks. Yes, I think the earths are good. It's had a recent professional rebuild onto a new chassis. It was starting fine before I got my mits on the instrument panel. But I'll check through that..... Thanks. Yes, I did suspect a drain. I hooked up a multimeter between the neg terminal on...

Thanks Anaconda. I should add that there was a brief short at one point when i was doing the work (at a time I had the battery connected) between the fog light live feed and another connector and some clicking came from the relay area below the fuses. Could I have upset something there?

More head scratching going on with my Land Rover Defender 90, 1986 200TDi (Discovery engine). So I completed some work in the dash, getting the instrument illuminators to work correctly on the proper switch rather than being hardwired to the ignition and fitted some nice LEDs. I also had a go...

Hi, thanks for the great advice. Yes, I tightened the lower screws on the upper shroud first, followed by the steering wheel end which could have distorted the top shroud towards the steering wheel. I'll start again as you advise. It seems to me impossible to get the top shroud on with the...

Hi Defender 90, 1986. Just fitted a new instrument panel and put on the shroud around the steering column Is there a best order to put the screws in underneath the shroud. When I put the shroud together it is very tight against the dash and rubs on the steering wheel. Also, the instrument...

So is it only po So is it only possible to have the instrument lights on at the same time as the internal light. Or would there normally be another switch on the internal light, or is it supposed to just run from the door post switches (which I haven't got!). Sorry to ask, but the original...

Thanks for confirming. Clearly been hacked about then. I've got the switch but it's unplugged and the wire chopped for the internal light. The wires for the instrument light have been rerouted to run off something else - obviously a permanent live - not quite sure where that's coming from...

Thanks all. It looked like such a hacked about hole that I thought it was mostly the work of the PO. But good to know it's alot of the original wiring (albeit I don't have a rear wiper or rear demister). I've got the casing for the radio but don't have the domed plastic cover, I don't think...