Thread: Puma, 5 cyl 3.2 Tdci

Originally Posted by camel_landy

No, I'm not after feedback. Anything I say here is me just being, well... Me! I don't mean that to be harsh but outside of my work, I'm just another enthusiast... If you see what I mean.

As for worrying about heading into the bush... Don't. Just learn a little about electronics and how it all works. OK, I've got a background in electronics & IT but what is going on under the hood is still very simple. If you get a problem, it is usually caused by the computer not being able to get the information it needs and that's where you need the combination of mechanical engineering & electronics to solve it.

Lets face it, when traveling, most people take a laptop these days for their photos, etc... All you need do is get a set of cables and ECU diags software and you're most of the way there.

M

Diagonostics is one thing, field repair another...

Originally Posted by uninformed

Diagonostics is one thing, field repair another...

Haha yep

Camel_Landy, I didn't really think you would be after some feedback, just hoped you were somehow related to LR. You've done well getting a bit of stick here defending the home office.

Diagnostics....if only. I colour in houses for a living, working out what was wrong with my landy I'd have no hope, and in the middle of the farm or the desert, never in 100 years. As mentioned before it took LR 6 weeks, and thats with emails all over the world I was told as well. In the end they started just replacing anything that could be related to the issue. Chuck a big enough net over it and most likely will get the problem.

I guess I am in a long list of LR owners, love their car but frustrated by the weird doings of Land Rover. To me they could take the 4x4 world by storm with some basic but quality modifications, even like the 3.2 5cyl. But I have no idea about the working of a big company. I just know if I would by another one or not.

Originally Posted by uninformed

Diagonostics is one thing, field repair another...

Give me an example of what you couldn't repair once you knew the problem.
Broken Crank maybe but if you carry spare sensors and an ECU the vehicle is no different than a non computerized vehicle.
I say this at least from the perspective of a TD5 and probably a Puma Defender.
Not so sure about D3 and later though.

Originally Posted by newhue

[snip]

You've done well getting a bit of stick here defending the home office.


[snip]

He's alright, he's one of us

Originally Posted by djam1

Give me an example of what you couldn't repair once you knew the problem.
Broken Crank maybe but if you carry spare sensors and an ECU the vehicle is no different than a non computerized vehicle.
I say this at least from the perspective of a TD5 and probably a Puma Defender.
Not so sure about D3 and later though.

Im not familiar with all the electronics and wiring in the new defender, so not actually sure of all the potential fault points.....but going off my 98 TDi, that has had its fair share of electrical problems (all silly things like bad earths, bad design ie no relay in headlights melting switch and undersize wiring) it is this sort of real world end product that I have little faith in LR ability to deliver a reliable vehicle...main roads are one thing, but dirt roads play havoic on delecate componatry.

It also seems that the fact all the components are "talking" to each other can lead to some random shut downs because of some silly little gremlin

I have never had my defender not work because the key fob suffered static problems or the imobiliser was on the same frequency as an automatic door.......

K.I.S.S

I do realise that these days the engines are required to have comp involvement to get the power, emissions and economy we love. And while mating this to sensors in gearboxes and axles etc make it even better. For this type of vehicle the engine should really be stand alone.

It wont take much to set off an air bag in the bush, think roo or bad luck driving a greasy track....if that means vehicle is shut down until reset by dealer than means no bloody good.

i agree with uninformed's statements...
when running correctly i do believe my 2010 defender is a much nicer car to drive long distances than my 1986 county BUT when the inevitable happens and it will because its a landrover i MAY be able to locate the problem but if it is something to do with the engine management system i highly doubt anyone can do anything hundereds of K's from help...LR in my opinion need to take more care! if nissan and toyota can make things strong i cant see why LR cannot..i would pay extra for extra

Africa is converting to Jap where once the Series LR reigned supreme.

Ditto Australia.

So LR's sales strategy (if one can call it a strategy) is based on a shrinking Euro market which wants smaller and smaller diesel engines and smaller and smaller carbon footprints?

But then LR sell a range of "lifestyle" vehicles that cannot, to be frank, be used in Africa?

Here are my suggestions for LR's DC project team:

- keep the F&R live axle
- keep the coil springs (air suspension can be an OPTION)
- keep the ladder chassis
- change the body production to a more automated layout (larger pressed panels, less rivets, less panels, less alignment issues, and then either aluminium OR steel, NOT both)
- but retain the modular approach to still allow various back ends: 110 PU, 110 HCPU, 110 SW, 110 HT, 90 SW, 90 PU, 90 HT
- provide petrol AND diesel options, both entry/commercial (2.2 or 2.0 Ford Durotorq, maybe a 2.4 EFI petrol) and high end (TDV6/8 and petrol V6)
- better interior layout: elbow room, seat arrangement, legroom, etc etc)
- airbags, SRS etc to open up more markets

Failure to do this will mean that the Defender will come to an abrupt end and the icon will be dead.