Originally Posted by
Johnno1969
For the first ten years I owned my IIA it had, firstly, a 173 in it when I bought it, which was replaced with a 186 a mate gave me when the 173 died. Both went reasonably well and the 186 served me for most of that decade with no real problems. I had basically no experience of Series Landies when I bought the vehicle in 1991, but along the way I got to drive a few others with their original 2.25 motors (petrol and diesel) and was amazed at how much better they pulled down low and how much more enjoyable they were to drive in the bush than my own vehicle. I know that if somebody is prepared to tinker they could end up with the "perfect" Holden engine for their Landy - and really what works for people really depends upon their own tastes or demands - but once I'd driven Landies with original motors I resolved to turf the Holden motor as soon as I could afford it.
I put a 2.25 diesel in the vehicle in 2001 and have loved driving the vehicle ever since. It may sound like a joke, given the engine's hardly-high-performance reputation, but the 2.25 transformed my land Rover. Suddenly it was more tractable, less "busy" to drive in tough situations and chugged through feeling very unstressed. It does not have the top-end of the Holden six, but that's fine with me. It's been 100% reliable (knock wood) and much lighter on fuel than the Holden engine was.
Like I say, which engine is a horses for courses choice: but for me, I enjoy the simplicity of everything being original and straightforward and the vehicle performs well.
Cheers,
John
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