Leyland P76 Owners 2006

Technical tips

Tech Tips from Jildens CD

TECH TIP # 1

If you lose your boot key, or the lock breaks, an easy way to open-your boot is as follows:
Remove the number plate.
At the spot 25mm (1") above the bottom edge of the number plate and 25mm to the right of the exact centre of the boot, drill a 5/16" or 8mm hole.
Wiggle a Phillips head screwdriver around to move the latch lever to the right.
Tape the hole over before re-fitting the number plate.

TECH TIP # 3

Heater hoses can be a problem to obtain.
The long hose can be replaced by a Ford XC hose, part no. XC18472AD, using a joiner.
Or, you can use a VT Commodore LPG heater hose.
The rear hose is best replaced by a Commodore VB-VK heater hose.
It has a 17.5mm widened piece on a right angle end.
To fit 5/8" hoses at the P76 heater, fit these connections over a thin piece of 1/2" bore rubber hose, such as that used on P76 petrol filler breather pipes.
To fit plain 5/8" hose at the water pump, thread the outlet internally to 1/2" BSP and screw in a suitable hose barb.

TECH TIP # 7

If your boot light is giving you the pip, make up a metal bracket to mount a long handled plastic toggle switch right next to the right hand boot hinge bracket.
Fit the switch so that it is on with the handle up.
This way it switches off when you shut the boot, and doesn’t stay on all day if you don't want it to.

TECH TIP # 8

If the plastic clip connecting the outer front door handle to its lift rod breaks ,a quick way to fix it is to drill a 40mm hole with a hole saw at the top of the flat area at the back of the door.
Replace this clip with one off the interior door 'pull lock connection, out of an old door.
Tape the hole over with red reflecting tape or similar.

TECH TIP # 10

To make the odometer and trip meter numbers on your speedo more visible at night:
remove the speedo from the dash, then remove the mechanism from its case.
Undo the small screws holding the face onto the mechanism ONE AT A TIME and insert a very small washer (about 0.8mm thick) between the face and the mechanism.
Hide any damage to the screw head with a black texta.
Now the numbers will be much more visible, because there is more gap for the light to get through!

TECH TIP # 11

Boot springs weak?
Using a Stillson wrench, carefully unhook one torsion bar from its support bracket hole, then hook it onto the OUTSIDE of that support.
If after a while, the boot springs become weak again, do the other one too.

TECH TIP # 12

Has your short handbrake cable broken?
A good substitute is the long through bolt out of a Bosch 55Amp or similar alternator (40 Amp type is too short). Thread the middle of a 10mm long piece of 3/8" rod (a bolt shank etc.)
with a 5mm metric thread and insert the long through bolt.
File out the split top pivot to suit the 5mm bolt.
Fit it head upwards.

TECH TIP # 13

Windscreen leaks:
NEVER use acid cure silicone sealant.
ALWAYS use neutral cure silicone, or rust forms under the seal due to the acid.
For that modern, dechromed look, fill the gap between the glass and frame with black (or coloured) neutral cure silicone.
Mask the edges, trowel off and remove masking tape.
Don't touch for 12 hours!

TECH TIP # 14

When removing the pins which hold in the light switch and/or the wiper switch, make a small loop in a piece of fishing line.
Tie that around the pin and when you push it out, you will be able to recover it instead of letting it slip inside the dash.
Last updated
Jul, 2006
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