Not exactly for this forum but I am sure someone might be able to help...

I am looking at Defender's and would like to know what the 200tdi/300tdi conversions are like.

I know that the motor is out of the Disco but what are the details?

I am looking at £4/5k cars.

Cheers, Mark

what about the TD5 ??,

pretty sure you'd get one for less than 5k if you looked around

I know when i had mine, the 2.5 N/A Diesel was the one to have - so i did - but it all depends what you want it for. I wanted it for off roading, and it went everywhere that these hybrid things couldnt (Except the black runs downhill) but then that was probably down to my lack of skill!!

Aviod the TD model circa 1987-9 ish. only made for 3 years. usualy problematic, and was replaced by the 200Tdi.

I have a 200Tdi, I did over 100,000 miles and it was a good engine.
It has a shorter and peakier torque curve.

The 300Tdi was the later engine, and has a flatter torque curve, which is nicer.

I fitteed a Allisport full sized intercooler, and it made a hell of a difference. well worth the £300+.

The TD5 is a the later engine, and I think is fly by wire. More powerful, smoorher, but Fly by wire.

Generally all engines after about 1991 are OK. (as above)

Hope this helps.

Better off with a Nissan Patrol I recon....

Drawn to this
Landy

It's for the Mrs to go visit her horse!

The cream Beetle convertable just doesn't work!!!

She only does 3k miles p.a. so no heavy work.

when you say conversion - what is converted?

The 200 / 300 tdi's are great engines but will eat older series gearboxes. Some bloke does an adapter that cushions the drive to stop the box taking all the torque instantly - they claim it helps.

(i looked into buying an old series and adding a 200tdi a while ago - all this is from the office landy expert).

One thing i've seen done is running a 200tdi without the intercooler. Little more power than the old series diesel but more modern and completely unstressed.

I wondering what you mean by 200/300 tdi conversion, these were the standard factory fit engines through the 1990s. Are you looking at a on that's had a different type of engine originally?
The tdi engines are both ok, nothing fantastic in any way but fairly tough with decent servicing. A mate's early 200tdi needed pistons at 80,000miles, a head gasket at 180,000, a cluch somewhere along the way & now has over 230,000 on the clock & all of it short journeys & towing work.
If it's been converted form a different engine to the tdi then it's nothing to worry about so long as it's been done by someone competent. The way Landrovers are built lends well to fitting non-standard parts & the tdi motors are no trouble to get running in a different vehicle.
The early ones have the LT77 gearbox with reverse top left while later they had the R380 with reverse bottom right, the R380 is the better box but both 5 speed & are ok if not abused & have good oil in them.
Chassis rust is a major point to check out on any Landrover more than a few years old but they are easier to weld up & better catered for in repacement sections than most vehicles.
The TD5 is a much more complicated thing, fully managed common rail 5 cylinder & engine wise much less use to a DIY maintainance bloke.

Thats the trouble with Defenders - 5 grand for a 22 year old motor with 56000 miles - no thanks

quote:

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Originally posted by bmseven
Thats the trouble with Defenders - 5 grand for a 22 year old motor with 56000 miles - no thanks

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I was a land rover mechanic at a main stealers for just over a year, I used to pdi them and send them out new with the rear crank seals gone, we'd just change them all on the 600 mile courtesy service, the ability is there but the quality isn't, or rather wasn't, can't comment on the modern ones really

Haynes Land Rover Buying & Selling Manual @ Poundland recently.

fair enough they leak oil,but if looked after they are reliable.there's a p shaped water gasket that was prone to blowing,then causin them to overheat then the inevitable headgasket(although this was sorted on later ones).as far as price,pay 5k,you'll get 4k back after putting another 50,000miles on it,where you'd be scrapping a jap one in!my dad sold his m reg 90tdi van after owning it from new for 14 years and 130k miles for 4k.bought for 14k ex vat back then not bad depreciation really!

Ps.be careful on later years.same engine models crossed the tax barrier.might have been td5 by then but on one year you'll pay the sub £200 per year,same model the next year gets gordons emissions tax and is near double!

[Edited on 10/3/10 by StrikerChris]

[Edited on 10/3/10 by StrikerChris]

I am sure that some people would question the value of our cars....£6/7/8/9k for a car that you have built yourself from bits out of the scrapyard?

As all cars have their weaknesses, I am sure they all have their strengths too.

I think that the landy is timeless and as has been mentioned above, will always have a resale value.

Thanks for the comments so far, keep 'em coming

Just got to sell the Beetle now.

Mark

My father-in-law has an 02 Disco for sale if that's of any interest...

linky

I really don't see the point in paying that much for an 1988 90, tops it's a £1500 -2k landy with an engine conversion, which to be honest you can do yourself for £6-800 if not less, thats the way i would go, or just buy one after 91 then it will have a factory fit tdi, for some reason people seem to go mad for retro fitted tdi landrovers.

I'm running a 52 Disco II TD5. Great car! I've spiced it up with an Allisport intercooler and a TurboTechnics variable nozzle turbo from Bell Auto Services in York, who also re-mapped it for me. It pulls like a train and chucks out almost 200 bhp. You do have to watch out though, a lot of long high speed motorway work can eventually crack the head and diesel leaks from the gallery into the oil (which is the tell tale sign).

Also if 200bhp is not enough BAS can chuck a 3.0 TDV6 out of the latest Disco into a Defender for you! Awsome!