Yeah, I figured it was do-able. It seems to be all about whether it's worthwhile to spend the time doing the work. I reckon if diesel gets to $1.50 a litre we'd be mugs not to have a go. Besides, there's something cool about getting fuel with your fish 'n chips.... Is that a steel hot water cylinder ...

Have been researching this topic a little bit. Found a really good website with clear instructions for making your own biodiesel - follow the link m This is a helluva interesting link, even if you don't end up making any biodiesel. Seems like you can do it easily enough, but it pays to get it right ...

Could also be a loose earth strap..... try earthing the starter motor straight to the battery and cranking it. If it works first time, you know you have an earth return problem. I had a broken / loose earth strap and it produced all manner of strange symptoms (but all the lights (glow plugs etc ...

Now why shouldn't we just run our Diesel trucks on any old oil? I know that in previous trials they have run diesels for ages on plain old sunflower oil (in South Africa during the 1970 fuel crisis).... I've run my Hilux on chainsaw bar lube on one occasion...not by choice, and it's a LONG story. I ...

I had a LN130 surf and have just replaced it with a KZN surf at great expense BOTH have those $%&*#$ rear bumpers (chrome outside, recycled Nissan Sunny inside).... The Toyota engineers have a lot to answer for with that bumper design - the chrome against the steel means that any salt or water gets ...

I thought DIY car work was all about self-punishment.....

Bloody good bench-press, Hilux front diff.....

Thanks for the help

NOW you tell me! Well at least I know how to rebuild a front hub assembly. Intimately. I can now completely understand why you do it from the inside.... I had figured as much. Tempted to bowl the whole truck at this point since it is beginning to resemble a pile of spares. Anyone got an IFS diff-and ...

NOW you tell me! Well at least I know how to rebuild a front hub assembly. Intimately. I can now completely understand why you do it from the inside.... I had figured as much. Tempted to bowl the whole truck at this point since it is beginning to resemble a pile of spares. Anyone got an IFS diff-and ...

I won't talk about the rugby, but there are some other countries where they're into 4 x 4 trailers in a big way. This link might be interesting, just for ideas about what you can weld on to your fantasy trailer!

http://4wheeldrive.about.com/gi/dynamic ... h.co.za%2F

Suggest you don't mate - only dial-up here and my PC will die screaming!javascript:emoticon(':D')
Very Happy

Thanks though - what do those manuals cost? Might be worth having as it seems as if my 90 surf is going to be taken to bits piece by piece.....

D'you blokes know of a good source of info for rebuilding 2.4 TD motors? I know you'll all say it's better to replace 'em, but Pinky thinks its possible to rebuild for cheaper.

For that matter - is there a really good manual that you would recommend?

G'day all My RHS half-shaft is sliding about on the IFS diff splines in a worrying way and there is gearbox oil everywhere. I can move it in and out about 2 cm and there is shiny metal showing (i.e. cleaner than the general dirt-encrusted grime of my truck. The truck also won't engage the front diff ...

This is the problem with Auckland. Anything that looks like fun has a "keep out" sign on it. It's getting more and more difficult to even get your truck dirty. I would recommend you try the run up Muriwai beach to South Head of the Kaipara - good if you like sand - most of the other spots people ...

Thanks Lilpig

I think that's likely to be the next step. Besides, I might need a tow.

Nahhh! Like I said, don't wanna frighten the wife an kids! Anyway, I wade through the traffic in my little City Council bubble car.javascript:emoticon(':D') Very Happy Besides, it takes a Hard Bastard to cope with the rush hour....a lesser man might jump off the harbour bridge or somethin And it's ...

If it's a similar set-up to the older surfs, I have found a way to undo bell-housing bolts. Involves cutting a perfectly good crescent / ring combination in half, and a long lever.... You slip the end of the half (sob) spanner over the bolt (you may need to bend the spanner laterally also) - I think ...

Now I know all you hairy bastards from down south aren't happy unless you're driving neck deep in swollen rivers, but that sort of stuff tends to frighten the wife and kids! Not to mention that my old surf would probably kaak it in the worst possible place.....out of cellphone reception. And yes, it ...

That's the problem with dodgy old trucks! DB I measured the voltage at the starter and it's getting 12.1 from a 12.7 battery - seems enough to me! I'm playing witch-hunt with all those wonderful, abraded, half-dissolved snaky cables that go everywhere.....have finally called in the local mechanic ...

Thanks DB and NJVS

DB, guess what I'll be doing this weekend.....although it's pay week - mebbe I get a paid professional to do it, eh?

So I've been over the whole electrical system - all the relays clunk and click like they're supposed to, no fuses are blown, and I've taken the starter motor out and checked it on the bench - both starter motor and bendix work fine. I had a problem with my glow plug relay buzzing continuously when I ...

Yep DB it's a 2L The difficult thing at this stage of the truck's life is that I can probably get more for a trade-in (with a buggered engine too) than it would cost me to fix it. In my opinion it's the engine ancillaries (e.g. alternator, pumps etc) that seem to let you down before the engine is ...

Thank you gents for your guru-like knowledge. Of COURSE my injectors need doing over - but when the whole vehicle is reaching trade-in value, I kinda question whether major outlay is justified. Diesel motors are wonderful things - no other machine seems to arouse such fear and dread amongst ...

Hmm...so I won't be adding petrol to my diesel. Besides, I quite like being able to produce choking clouds of diesel smoke by overfueling when tailgated. Although if you've seen my rear bumper, I should encourage people to tailgate me in the hopes of a big rear endo!

I have a humble, down-at-heel 1990 Hilux Surf 2.4D EFI Turbo. It would take winning the lotto to get it up to spec, but I'm interested in all this LPG fumigation stuff. Firstly, I thought fumigation was about killing bugs.... Propane fumigation sounds all very well (until you consider driving your ...