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Old 03-23-2013, 11:01 AM
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Stretch Stretch is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Netherlands
Posts: 14,461
Quote:
Originally Posted by aieeegrunt View Post
...
Here is the list of issues, which should I tackle first?

(1) The glow plugs are the old loop style. They are at least 12 years old. One plug was replaced 12 years ago, the others must be older than that. The relay light works as it should, and the zig zag glow plug wires get fairly hot; the one closest to the rad actually melted an exploratory pen cap. I want to do the replace with pencil plugs things.

(2) The alternator belt is loose and somewhat glazed. The car squeals if it's a "wet" (snow is melting) morning and I put the headlights on. If it's dry or I leave the headlights off it doesn't squeal. It charges the battery up (I never lack for amps no matter how much I crank or how many times I start the car in a day). I tried the soap trick and the squeal stopped for a while.

(3) The air breather elbow hose that connects to the top of the valve cover is leaking oil right where it connects to the valve cover. It's a fairly slow but steady leak down the passenger side of the engine. If I clean off the top and passenger side of the valve cover it'll be oily again after a day.

So how should I tackle this and which one should I do first? Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated, and have a good day everyone.
If I were you I would tackle those jobs in the order you've written them.

#1 needs to be fixed ASAP - you don't want an electrical fire. You don't really need to do the upgrade - you just need to make it safe.
#2 needs to be fixed soon so you don't end up with a flat battery.
#3 can be fixed later on - whilst you are figuring out what's gone wrong be sure to replace the valve cover gasket as well - these often leak as well.
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
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