How to tell what year Defender?

**Lotz-A-Landies** · 7th May 2013, 02:15 PM

Some people in Oz get confused with Land Rover Model Year (which is something like September to August) and the manufacture date affixed by Land Rover Australia on the compliance plate.

On a MY13 vehicle built in October 2012 at Solihull arrives in Australia in December and gets a MY12 compliance date.

For registration and insurance it's a 2012 model and for Land Rover parts its a 2013 vehicle.

**goingbush** · 7th May 2013, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by TonyC

It is unlikely to be a rover diff, most likely a P38A/Wolf diff.

Looks similar but not interchangeable.

Tony

yes your right of course, a seniors moment !

**Siska** · 7th May 2013, 05:50 PM

Thanks for all the helpful info.

This is a vehicle that I may have the opportunity to purchase in the future. Being an '03 with the 300tdi does that make it more or less disireable?

Also what are the pro's if any of the wolf/p38 diff in the rear? I have a brand new Detroit Locker for a 'rover' type diff, would I be able to put a disco rear housing under it and use that? Or are there lockers made for the wolf/p38 housing that would be better?

TIA

**Loubrey** · 7th May 2013, 06:02 PM

I'd say very desirable...!

The 300Tdi is in general a very desirable car and to find a genuine 2003 model is unique.

It would be very much worth buying the workshop manual in the UK applicable to that model though. In the UK the 1998 and 1999 300Tdi's were pretty unique as they started having some Td5 R&D parts fitted to them. That 2003 will no doubt fall into that group and spares should not be a problem at all.

I used to have a 1998 Defender 90 Hard Top and it was an absolute gem. If I knew what I know now about importing cars to Australia I would never have sold it.

Cheers,

Lou

**Lotz-A-Landies** · 8th May 2013, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by goingbush

Originally Posted by TonyC

It is unlikely to be a rover diff, most likely a P38A/Wolf diff.

Looks similar but not interchangeable.

Tony

yes your right of course, a seniors moment !

Now just to enlighten the uninformed among us, who manufactured the P38 diff if not Land Rover?

**TonyC** · 9th May 2013, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Now just to enlighten the uninformed among us, who manufactured the P38 diff if not Land Rover?

Hi Diana,

As far as I know it's made by Rover, for the P38A Range Rover.

I looks similar to the "Rover Diff" that is used in SI, II, III, 90 RR classic, Disco, 110/130 front., but it's not interchangeable.

I has been used in the the rear of 110/130s since the Salisbury was dropped in about 2001?
I seems has caused much grief to some people in the rear of Puma Defenders, so much so that Ashcroft has built a bolt in hypoid replacement.

See the the last few pages of this thread.
Life of Puma Rear Diff's

Tony

PS
I'm surprised that this is news to you! Given your amazing technical and historical knowledge of all thing LR

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