towing a swan with a disco 1995 tdi

[lanise]

Hello all.
I have a question regarding towing a jayco swan camper ( 1982) with a 1995 tdi discovery. We are going to darwin and then cairns. No off road.

However I was wondering if anyone has towed this combination before and how did it go? We realise it will not be speedy, however as long as we track along with no big hassles.
Does anyone have any advice?

I accidently posted this on the technical chatter forum and then realised this forum was here! sorry.

Regards Lanise

[hiline]

mate it will do it easy style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

little slow up hills, but whats it matter :wink: :wink:

[lanise]

Thanks for your encouragement.
The car goes well and just changed the timing belt. However we get mixed reactions from people when we say we are towing the camper to Darwin!
I thought that the car would cope well and appreciate your comments. Is there anything that is likely to be a possable problem ( spare parts). We have a landrover dealer here that will give us a spare parts kit for $100.00 and we just pay for what we use ( hopefully nothing). We can decide what spares we want to take. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks again Lanise

[disconut]

We towed a 1400kg 16 ft Jayco Expanda (full height van), behind our TDi300 Auto to Darwin and back with no issues. We too changed the timing belt prior to leaving, along with the engine, diffs, gearbox and t/case oils. Fitted new fuel and air filters. (80,000 klms at the time), On some of the larger, (longer) hills I found it was advantageous to turn off the air con unit to give a bit more power. I am not sure why you would get a mixed reaction going to Darwin towing a camper! You will be one of many happy campers on the road.
Unsure where you are, but if going via Qld, Beware the road out of Mt Isa to Camooweal, it is a shocker. Some of it is under reconstruction at present thank god! That was August 04, so more will have been done by now, hopefully!
Trev.

[one_iota]

Hi Lanise,

Good to hear that the timing belt change went well.

Noted your post in the tech forum and also LRH's suggestion for the fitting of an egt guage.

A low coolant level alarm is also cheap insurance. Discussed here:

http://www.aulro.com/modules.php?name=Foru...iewtopic&t=5517 (http://www.aulro.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=5517)

As for spares and related to this are hoses for the cooling system.

Also check the condition of the oil hoses from the filter to the oil cooler. The swaged connections are prone to failure. An hydraulic hose company like Pirtek can modify these so that replacement of the rubber hoses is easier, cheaper and more convenient. The standard LR issue is expensive.

Finally as for towing the Tdi will do the job inspite of some people's belief that only a large capacity petrol guzzler can tow.

[lanise]

Thanks for your replys they are very helpful.
One question: How bad is the road from Isa to Camoweal? Is it narrow, broken up or all of the above? How long is this stretch?
I had heard that this part of the road was windy and not too good, and it is great to be informed about these things ahead of time.
We are travelling from Coffs Harbour.
Regards Lanise

[disconut]

Lanise,
Large parts of the road are single lane so if a truck is on it you need to get off into the dirt. They cannot, as they weigh far too much and could roll over. This is I suspect the main reason for the upgrades taking place. This stretch of road is also like a roller coaster, you are constantly going up and down into hollows. I normally travel it early morning to try and avoid other traffic. There could be others on this forum who have travelled it recently and can advise on the current road condition, or check with the RACQ. Main thing on that piece of road is to keep the speed down, and be prepared to get off it reguarly. It is not a scary drive but does require a cautious approach.
Trev.

[barryj]

Lanise,

We travelled the road from Isa to Camoweal a month ago (April/May 2005). We went from Brisbane to Broome and return. Only 10,300km or so in five weeks. The road from Camoweal to Mt Isa needs care but the trip is not too bad. Just take it slow (80 to 90kph) and pull over to let others pass on the narrow sections. This should avoid stone damage as this was my main concern.

Road upgrades are on the go but there seems little rhyme or reason to just which section they work on. One time you will be on a good road and then on a one lane wide section with rather nasty crests, just be prepared toslow down is my advice. I can email some pics of the road if you like. Just let me know your address.

I am not at all impressed with Queensland Roads in general, even though I am a Qlder! They are just too bumpy compared to Northern territory and Western Aust roads. I did not come across pot holes, just ups and downs and wobbly roads.

We towed an off road camper trailer without any problems. I have a TD5 auto.

Have a great trip.

Barry

[DiscoTDI]

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album112/Tinaroo2.sized.jpg

This was my last disco, a 95 TDI auto. This was taken on a trip I did from Bris to Atherton tablelands, loaded with 2 kids all there junk and enough goodies for 3 weeks (Heavy) style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

The vehicle did the trip very well, but I have to say if its an auto keep an eye out for the temp light when going up hill, I had to back off going up the range because it started getting warm, if this looks like its going to be a problem dont be afraid to drop it in low range without CD lock on. My other suggestion is make sure your idler pulley is in good order as mine was a bit off and caused the belt to jump a couple of ribs on rough roads and ended up shredding half the underside of my bonnet.
Also if you are not sure when the radiator was last cleaned out get it done and replace the thermostat as the motor will be getting a good workout and it tends to get warm up north 8)

And against popular belief I overtook a few semi trailers on the trip 8O

[DiscoTDI]

One more thing, check your line between the fuel filter and the pump, if it doesnt have alot of play get it looked at, personal experience again the pump ended up cracking where the pipes attach.

worth a look, could save a few dramas as they tend to expose themselves on a stressful trip style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[disconut]

I had one crack on my TDi. Not on any trip, but in Toowoomba. Got home and smelt diesel, checked under the bonnet and it was awash. When the car was started the leak was from the pump bonnet where the pipe fitting is welded in. Cost around $400.00 from memory.
Cheap looking pump, but LR$ are worse than US $. :roll:
Trev.

[DiscoTDI]

Originally posted by disconut
I had one crack on my TDi. Not on any trip, but in Toowoomba. Got home and smelt diesel, checked under the bonnet and it was awash. When the car was started the leak was from the pump bonnet where the pipe fitting is welded in. Cost around $400.00 from memory.
Cheap looking pump, but LR$ are worse than US $. :roll:
Trev.

mine did it in the bush, lucky I had another vehilce to get to atherton to order the part, I am sure it didnt cost that much though

[weeds]

Hey Lanise

We get down to coffs a couple of times a year to visit my wife family and we are going down this weekend. Have to take the ford as the defender is in Rockhampton. Megs family name is McIntyye.

[shaunp]

Originally posted by disconut
I had one crack on my TDi. Not on any trip, but in Toowoomba. Got home and smelt diesel, checked under the bonnet and it was awash. When the car was started the leak was from the pump bonnet where the pipe fitting is welded in. Cost around $400.00 from memory.
Cheap looking pump, but LR$ are worse than US $. :roll:
Trev.

Pumps are about $110 at MR automotive in Brisbane last time I got one. I glued one up with cornflakes packet and Araldite , 6 months and still diddn't leak but for $110 new Dad just changed it next service.

If you are worried about the box be it auto manual stick some synthetic oil in it.

[lanise]

Thanks everyone for your comments they are very helpful and we will look at these suggestions. I appreciate your time.
Oh and by the way, I am not sure if I know anyone in Coffs called McIntyye. However have a good weekend.
Regards lanise

[disconut]

Hi all,
Check out the June/July 2005 copy of the RACQ Mag, “The Road Ahead” page 27. Seems like the worst road in QLD is the Barkley Highway between Mt Isa and the NT Border. (Camooweal).
Trev.

[Leo109]

Hi Ianise,

May be too late now (you're probably in Darwin by now) but, for the record, we've towed caravans for at least 50,000 kms with a '97 300Tdi Disco manual. For a couple of years it was a poor, overloaded 16' single axle poptop (at least 1800 kg - don't ask what the rated ATM was!). For the last 8 months or so, it's been an 18' tandem poptop weighing around 2200 kg.

Our Disco has been 'tuned' for maximum output with the standard intercooler and boost levels and I think it can hold it's own against any other 4-cyl turbo diesel wagons out there. Not surprisingly, I do recommend using an EGT gauge if towing any significant weight, whether the engine is standard or 'tuned'.

Our fuel consumption is pretty good: for kms where the entire tank was used for towing, the average is 13.1L/100 (7.6km/L, 21.6mpg). Overall, over the last 86,000 km, we've averaged 11.7L/100 (8.5km/L, 24.1mpg). Solo, the Disco will still regularly returns 9.5 L/100 (10.6 km/L, 30 mpg), such as on a recent 2000+km tent camping trip to the Gulf Country in NW Qld/eastern NT.

I echo the recommendations to check the lift pump and associated pipes, the drive belt and tensioner and the coolant reservoir and hoses. If the coolant reservoir is the original black one, I'd suggest replacing it with a new white-ish one before it splits (it will eventually). One other item to watch is the "P" gasket behind the water pump. This is a known weak point in the cooling system. It's a small gasket between the pump housing and the block. If leaking, there may be stains of dried coolant down the side of the block just behind the water pump.

Hope this helps and have a great trip.