Thread: Which engine in Defender 130 for the big trip?

Originally Posted by dutchontoast

<snip>

There's only ONE 130 tdi for sale in oz at the moment, it's a '98 that's been banging around on a farm for most of it's life… only done 85K, but probably lots of hours in a paddock… not sure if that's a bad thing?

Can anyone give me any thoughts on this please?

Asking price is $28K, has a bit of rust on the hinges, a tiny bit of corrosion on bottom edges of doors, clean underbody, good rubbers on bonnet, and quite a few smallish to medium sized dents in doors in body… ie, not fantastic presentation, but seems structurally sound…

Could i get the price down much? It's at a dealer. Or should i stay away from a farm truck?

That sounds like a lot of money for 300tdi.

For that kind of money I'd want it to be plated in gold. Not a scratch, immaculate interior, not a spot of rust, full service history, one obsessive compulsive owner who was a city stockbroker who only drove it to work.

I think that rust at the hinge screws is generally a good indicator of rust elsewhere.

There's a 130 off Fraser Island on Ebay at the moment for $7k. Now I wouldn't recommend buying it, but for that money you could replace the chassis and the body and just about anything else and still come away with change from $28k.

The benchmark I use for 300tdi 130 prices is a pair of ex-Rural Fire Service Defenders that went up for auction less than a year ago. Under 50k Km, immaculate body - judging from pictures only - and went for mid-late $20k. If I was in the market at the time I would have snapped one up. They looked like they were new.

Cheers
Simon

Originally Posted by dutchontoast

Thanks Azza, will certainly post some pix once i'm the proud owner of one…

There's only ONE 130 tdi for sale in oz at the moment, it's a '98 that's been banging around on a farm for most of it's life… only done 85K, but probably lots of hours in a paddock… not sure if that's a bad thing?

Can anyone give me any thoughts on this please?

Asking price is $28K, has a bit of rust on the hinges, a tiny bit of corrosion on bottom edges of doors, clean underbody, good rubbers on bonnet, and quite a few smallish to medium sized dents in doors in body… ie, not fantastic presentation, but seems structurally sound…

Could i get the price down much? It's at a dealer. Or should i stay away from a farm truck?

Wow!! That's an insane price for a 130 unless it is like new, and even then.... trust me, a better deal will soon come up. Two weeks ago I bought a one owner 2001 TD5 (110 not 130) trayback from a dealer for $12,990 with RWC and all on road costs. It is a great car.

I have big reservations about farm vehicles. A rule of thumb is to multiply the kilometres by 3 for a farm vehicle.

I have both a 130 TD5 and a 130 300TDi. I have a home-made slide-on for the 300TDi, total weight with fuel, water etc is 3,300Kgs. I still cruise at 100 KPH in still air, and although it slows on hills, there are plenty of gears.

These are both wonderful engines. The TD5 is a bit quieter and more refined, but the 300TDi pulls better at low speed.

You have a fabulous trip coming up - please keep the forum posted on your progress if you possibly can. Happy travels,

Cheers,

Paul

Until I bought a TD5 I would have said a TDi would be the way to go. The TD5 is one of the simplest electronic engines around and I am sure there would be people on here that would be willing to give you a run down on problems you may encounter and repairs. Even if you pay Graham Cooper or similar a couple of hours labour and have them go over your vehicle with you to point out potential problems and service points would be money well spent. I would suggest the TD5 would be the easiest to repair yourself if you have diagnostic software (nanocom), as everything in the fuel system and monitoring system is pretty much remove, replace and update ecu if required. The likely hood of something going wrong with a TDi is significantly less but if you have major fuel problems you will need an experienced mechanic. In your position I would buy whichever 130 came up at the right price and best condition and if it is a TD5 get diagnostic software and have someone show you how to use it. I am slowly building up my spare parts, sensors, ecu, etc for my TD5 and would not hesitate to take it anywhere. My next vehicle will be a TD5 130 so leave a good one for me.

Rick

I dont understand why people keep bringing up 300Tdi timing belts.

As long as they are done regularly (80,000kms) and are done properly they dont fail.

As far as the rest of the mechanical fuel inj goes.......mines done 308,000kms now on the original injectors and still pulled 12ltr/100kms on a 800+ km run with a tandam trailer load of steel for my shed kinda means fuel supply problems are not so much an issue with a Tdi.

TD5 is a good motor but this bloke is going where TD5's just dont normally go and most of the mechanics will have never seen one as well as you can buy a lot of hand tools for what a Noncom will cost you and the hand tools fit the rest of the car and not just the computer.

You need power to 1 wire on a 300Tdi to keep it going and if your clever (and desparate) you dont even need that, you could do away with the fuel sol all together but it is a stuff around a bit.

TD5 is a good engine (I didnt really say that did I?), but as said before, no power no go, that is number 1 so spares would read :

#1 Alternator
#2 Batteries
#3 Sensors
#4 Computer
#5 Nanocom computer thingy
+ pretty much everything else that you would take for a Tdi

Check this out, I copiled this for a mate who bought a TD5 Disco so he could be awake to what he should look out for.....he took it differently and has be forking out money ever since, latest was on a timing cover for some reason.

Sorry I dont have one for the Tdi, but keep it serviced, good quality filters and feed it timing belts, serpantine belts and idler pulley bearings and theres not much more to go wrong which will stop you.

I would take a spare serpantine belt tensioner and all belts hoses etc but just normal stuff really.

Another Td5 Oil pump bolt scare
Funny brakes, fixed by provent...
Alternator not working on TD5
help with my td5 please
TD5 clutch flare!!!
Td5 water leak
TD5 Exhaust manifold failure
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...g-harness.html
Power Trouble
d2 with lights on!!! what the?
My TD5 is overheating
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...-bad-ugly.html
300tdi vs td5
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...gine-life.html
D2 TD5 Head Gasket
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/electronic...lightshow.html
Discovery 2 TD5 Torque Converter Mods
warning lights on instrument panel TD5
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...auto-mods.html
Disco TD5 - Raising Oil level - Any ideas?
No CDL in sand?
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-ch...ights-off.html
td5 disco2 engine harshness
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...l-working.html
Defender TD5 Fuel Pressure Regulator
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...ounts-td5.html
This is just interesting http://www.aulro.com/afvb/parking-lo...d5-engine.html
smokey td5
td5 disco fair amount of smoke
Replacement fuel pumps research
TD5 Flywheel
soft chirping noise in d2 td5
TD5 wont start
unexplainable power (TD5)
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...to-tranny.html
Td5 - Loosing power mid throttle ... Strange!
No Glow plugs????
TD5 defender starting woes
TD5 oil leak
td5 clutch help.
A mate's TD5 woes
Td5 harmonic vibration
Td5 interesting problem solved
TD5 dont trust the temp gauge
TD5 Brittle Hose WARNING
Serious dangerous problem WARNING: Contains violent images of underside of Disco
TD5 Fuel Cooler leaks.
Help, In Alice with D2 td5 running hot
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...mewhere-2.html
TD5 Injector seals
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/...ewing-oil.html

On long isolated trips or whenever reliability is concerned, I go by the motto of KISS.
Keep It Simple Stupid.

The most important part of your trip is your vehicle, you must have faith in your transportation so but it soon and drive its legs off it so you know it.

For my money, a basic tdi or a late model Td5 where a land rover mech has gone well through it.


I thought again, KISS, so go the tdi.

Thats my 5 cent worth.

I think you have made up your mind, but I would vote for Isuzu or 300tdi.

DaveS on here drove an OZ -built 110 county from vancouver-panama-vancouver a while back, and my wife and I tagged along for half the trip.

IME in 3rd world countries, you want to have something you can fix with a hammer and screwdriver - because that's what most of the local mechanics will have!!! (although we did see a sign in a tiny little village in Guatemala that said "OBDII" )

On our trip, we lost count of the number of GMC trucks we saw which were fitted with IZUZU 4BD1/3.9 engines. We could probably have bought a new engine for $50 USD in Guatemala or mexico, and had it fitted for another $20!!!

Halfway through the trip, we re-timed the injector pump (it had been out since the engine was reco'd) and did a wheel alignment in a dirt carpark attached to a motel.

As for hills, we drove up and down plenty of volcanoes, and drove to the highest point on the pan american highway. No problem. A turbo would have been nice though when we hit the head winds from hell in Wyoming.

Originally Posted by jimbo110

And also remember the quality of the fuel, I'm sure a TD5 would just love a shandy of diesel, kerosene and god only knows what else! The military never used TD5's for a reason...................GO THE TDI!

The British Army has apparently never used Td5's. However, I saw a report that the Yank military bought 100 Defenders with them for use in the Middle East. (Maybe to drive in narrow streets, etc that Hummers are to wide for.) Apparently one thing they liked about them is that Td5's can be run on straight jet fuel, which was used during their development. It is necessary to add some appropriate lubricant before using jet fuel in mechanical diesels.

An issue for the military is that if they use a different type of motor, they also have to train mechanics to work on them and keep another range of spare parts.

I think the British Army also may not have used the Rover 6 cylinder petrol motor, Many others familiar with Land Rovers who prefer to avoid them undoubtedly regard this as sensible policy.

There is one for sale up here. It is a Td5 but has all. It may be greater than your budget figure,but is the ducks guts. Have had the pleasure of travelling with it (includes a couple of Simpson trips),even loaded is great. On highway its manners are great and the increase in power (think it's chipped in Mackay), is noticeable.

Twin cab, ie four doors and a Trayon. Set up nothing to do. It is not mine and I have no interest in it's sale. PM for details if you like, it is not cheap but as said is fully equiped (includes toot).

Regards,
PeterW