Teething problems!

[addo]

Have you identified the origin of the leak? Talc might assist.

[LeWaftBarge]

There is always a pool of diesel surrounding the in tank pump and screw down collar.

[Dommo]

How are you tightening it down? The way I found worked well was to get two flat bladed screwdrivers, with very large heads on them (almost cold chisel sized in fact). If you can get one other person to help, you put your screwdrivers 180 degrees across from eachother, one of you on each side of the tank for instance, both of you turning clockwise (to tighten it), and doing it like that you can easily (and fairly safely) tighten it fully down.

Hope this makes sense?

[LeWaftBarge]

Pushed it round with a large screwdriver, no hammers or anything. Since I greased the threads it went down very smoothly too, hence the confusion.

[Dommo]

I found that when doing it by yourself, it locks itself up by pushing on the collar unevenly, hence my suggestion of two people. However this may not help you if you're sure it's all the way down. Is the collar too thick possibly? Bottoming out on the tank before the pump is tight. Could be that someone changed the pump and broke the old collar in doing so. Then fitted a non original collar instead?

[LeWaftBarge]

It is possible, the pump was changed last year. I'll look into that!

[Dommo]

It would appear that phase 1 and phase 2 have different collars:

1531 20 = phase 2
1531 25 = phase 1

However every car in each phase uses the same collar. Ie all phase 1's use 1531 25, and all phase 2's use 1531 20 (according to service box).

So if you can get to a scrap yard where there's a phase 2 (in fact there's one at my local scrappers in Stoke on Trent) then that would be a good starting point. Where are you based?

Of course, this may not be the issue but it's worth a try.

[LeWaftBarge]

Right, I haven't got round to checking the collar as the car is crammed with my stuff as I move down to Cornwall.

The appears to be a new snag rearing its head and quite a biggy.

When I leave the car overnight, and start it up in the morning, for about thirty seconds I have no brakes and pressing the pedal firmly brings up the STOP light.

Obviously this concerns me. Any ideas? LHM level is fine.

[Mandrake]

Yep, check the hose from the hydraulic tank to the hydraulic pump for splits or air leaks at the ends.

Also shine a torch into the top of the tank to see if there is lots of froth like bubbles on the surface of the tank when you're first starting it - if there is that confirms there's a big air leak on the feed hose to the pump.

With an air leak like that the pump can struggle to prime itself hence a long time to get started and get the pressure up. That hose has to be absolutely air tight and its not always obvious when its not sealing properly.

[LeWaftBarge]

Right if the date stamps on the collar are anything to be believed then the collar was manufactured in late 2000. There were no part numbers on it matching the ones in the post.

Used a metal hammer as opposed to a plastic face and it screwed down a bit further so I'll fill it up tomorrow and see how it goes.

[LeWaftBarge]

What would your diagnosis be for heavy steering when turning the wheel quickly at a standstill? Belts are fine and the LHM fluid has been changed to see if that improved anything. Slowly turning the wheel is okay too, most noticeable at low revs.

Fuel tank seems to be alright now, although I think the nose is a bit high, I remember seeing a guide on adjusting it somewhere.

Still going strong though!