Thread: The best most reliable Defender motors.

Regarding 4bd1 noise, when on the freeway i've had passengers with 200tdi, 300tdi and puma Defender owners make comments such as "It's no louder than my puma" and "My tdi is louder than this". This is despite only having four gears so highway speeds mean high revs. Mine has a slightly louder exhaust over standard too.
It's only around town that the Isuzu is noisier.

Originally Posted by Kanga1

Also knowing that the towing capacity is 3.5 Tonne, realistically, which would be the best model of Defender to pull a 2.5-3.0 Tonne caravan around the block most comfortably? Thanks for any advice. Kanga.

What's the ball weight on your caravan... the Defenders may pull 3.5 tonne easily enough but the ball weight is only 250kgs.. many vans of that weight are over that ball weight...

Originally Posted by Sue

What's the ball weight on your caravan... the Defenders may pull 3.5 tonne easily enough but the ball weight is only 250kgs.. many vans of that weight are over that ball weight...

.
I'm far too old to be so juvenille.

I ran a 300tdi 130DC hcpu for a number of years in WA where it has train weight of 7450kg and it did that no probs , I also pulled a tandem axle caravan IIRC 34ft and it did that as well , so a TD5 should handle it even better , plus you will get far better mpg than a cruiser FMHE

Originally Posted by goingbush

its the 1hdt but with 4 valve and electronic fuel injection , arguably the favourite of the 1hz series that was in the 100 series cruiser.
122kw 380nm

I know what they are, was asking if it was one that failed

The puma defenders aren't as powerfull as the FTE but the drivetrain as a whole is better,the gearbox is alot better and well matched to the engines power and when chipped are better again.The ride and handling in the defender is light years ahead of the troopy and the handbrake on defenders works also unlike tojo's and the brakes in general are better.The only thing the troopy has which is better is the FTE. Pat

Originally Posted by Naks

the BMW 2.8i - amazing engine, but thirsty!

Except they didn't sell them in Australia.....

TD5 or PUMA - I like both of them. Haven't had to pull anything on the PUMA apart yet, so maybe I'll change once it's given me headaches, but they are a great engine. Neither engine stupidly powerful but they've got enough get up and go 99% of the time and good fuel economy. I've towed 2.5T and wouldn't like to go much more than that at all. I imagine you'd get pushed around quite a bit with 3.0T behind you.

Originally Posted by rovercare

I know what they are, was asking if it was one that failed

oops, sorry. my dyslexia, I thought you wrote 'what is a' not 'was it a' ,
no mine was a 1HDT .

I hear arguments from Tdi fans that they don't like the TD5 because of the electronics , The FTE is also that much better than the 1HDT because of the electronics, not despite them.