Thread: What to look for when buying Defender 300Tdi

Are you talking about a Deefer or a disco .

The deefer yes AC is near on useless some have fitted after market Ac units anything from red dot to home type units that will work .
Yes the engines are reliable id be looking at a engine saver to reduce the risk of over heating keep the timing belts up to date also the big ends are a known issue but very easy to change in situ .
If it is a 300tdi the gearbox and tc will be ok
The clutch fork are weak and tend to push through but a updated heavy duty one will fix it

Originally Posted by rangieman

Are you talking about a Deefer or a disco .

The deefer yes AC is near on useless some have fitted after market Ac units anything from red dot to home type units that will work .
Yes the engines are reliable id be looking at a engine saver to reduce the risk of over heating keep the timing belts up to date also the big ends are a known issue but very easy to change in situ .
If it is a 300tdi the gearbox and tc will be ok
The clutch fork are weak and tend to push through but a updated heavy duty one will fix it

Sorry I didnt specify it was Defender 300 Tdi, just edited heading.
What do you mean by "big ends"?

Originally Posted by ProjectDirector

What I would like to know are the following:

1. What major ($$) problems to look for when going out to purchase
2. What can you do to the engine for reliability and performance (I have been reading that engine is less reliable than Td5?)
3. Gearbox and transfer case
3. AC, I have heard that it useless, can this be remedied?

1. Rust: bulkhead/footwells, chassis rear cross member and outriggers.

2. It would be hard to prove a well maintained TD5 more reliable than a well maintained TDI. The TDI needs timing belt replaced on schedule and low coolant alarm for core reliability. Pull the radiator, clean it out and replace/recore if it has any corroded fins. You should have good compression on all cylinders, no visible smoke at idle when warm, no heavy breathing out the oil filler cap. If high km and no history you can do the rear main seal and big end bearings when you do the clutch.

Simplest performance increase: EGT guage, double core intercooler, injector pump tweaked, turbo wastegate adjusted for more psi.

3. If it all works smooth enough and doest howl at speed, replace fluids, you should be alright for a while. LT230 and R380 hold up well behind a TDI. Clunks on take off could be a-frame ball joint, axle/drive-flange spline wear. Best to check those first.

4. Get the bugs out of the AC condensor and gas it up. If its running correct it will be enough for you up front. Its the rear passengers that might complain!

Originally Posted by manic

1. Rust: bulkhead/footwells, chassis rear cross member and outriggers.

2. It would be hard to prove a well maintained TD5 more reliable than a well maintained TDI. The TDI needs timing belt replaced on schedule and low coolant alarm for core reliability. Pull the radiator, clean it out and replace/recore if it has any corroded fins. You should have good compression on all cylinders, no visible smoke at idle when warm, no heavy breathing out the oil filler cap. If high km and no history you can do the rear main seal and big end bearings when you do the clutch.

Simplest performance increase: EGT guage, double core intercooler, injector pump tweaked, turbo wastegate adjusted for more psi.

3. If it all works smooth enough and doest howl at speed, replace fluids, you should be alright for a while. LT230 and R380 hold up well behind a TDI. Clunks on take off could be a-frame ball joint, axle/drive-flange spline wear. Best to check those first.

4. Get the bugs out of the AC condensor and gas it up. If its running correct it will be enough for you up front. Its the rear passengers that might complain!

This is great information you provided, many thanks

Get rid of the AC all together. You’ll be driving with window down anyway if you plan on turning the steering wheel with your right hand. When the condenser is out of the way, you can fit a full size front mount intercooler. That will give the performance boost, that and remove the middle silencer on the exhaust and tweak the fuel pump accordingly.