200tdi Blowing grey brown smoke

[Jeff Gordon]

Here's a problem. I have a 1984 Defender 90 (the green machine) which was updated with a 200tdi motor and matching 5-speed gearbox (you will know the one) at some time in it's history. It's great to drive and I'm not inclined to sell it.

It has always been a bit smokey under acceleration but starts well and burns no oil. I have had the injectors and the front belt done recently. But the smokiness is getting worse. Power is about the same as always.

At the moment I have it with a Turbo Engineering crowd to get it dyno tuned and checked over. I think it could be the fuel pump (expensive) or the rings (more expensive)

What do you think I should do?

[steveG]

Wait and see what they find. Make sure they do a compression test so you have some confidence about mechanical side.

Steve

[pando]

Is it always smokey or just on startup for a while (a few minutes)?

2 of my glow plugs are shot (open circuit) and I get a lot of smoke for the first few minutes after a cold start.

Many moons ago I had a split turbo hose (very hard to see until taken off) that was cause for a lot of smoke all the time while driving, power felt more or less the same, turbo noise (whistle) was a bit louder with the split, might be worth a check.

[Jeff Gordon]

Thanks for your replies, very helpful.

So after compression testing, it was found that all 4 cylinders are down by 20%. A pretty even result. There was no loss through the valves, so it looks like glazed bores caused by decayed foam filter instead of paper filter the air intake.

So it's a head off pistons out, rings and bearings plus check tolerance & scrub of the cylinder liners.

Apparently the 200tdi is pretty sturdy & just keeps on going, Hopefully this will fix the problem and we will see a 20% lift in power.

Expecting the vehicle back by end of the week.

[Jeff Gordon]

Rang today to see how they are going...and bad news. The bores are not only glazed but rippled at the top at the compression point.

We are now exploring a short motor or a second-hand 300tdi long motor.

Ouch!

[steveG]

Rang today to see how they are going...and bad news. The bores are not only glazed but rippled at the top at the compression point.

We are now exploring a short motor or a second-hand 300tdi long motor.

Ouch!

How worn are the bores?
Oversize piston/ring sets aren't that dear ex-UK - about GBP40 each from Paddocks. Quick rebore and throw it back together...
I could be wrong, but pretty sure the 300tdi isn't a drop in replacement for a 200tdi.

Steve

[Jeff Gordon]

Thanks for your advice Steve,

How worn are the bores?
Oversize piston/ring sets aren't that dear ex-UK - about GBP40 each from Paddocks. Quick rebore and throw it back together...
I could be wrong, but pretty sure the 300tdi isn't a drop in replacement for a 200tdi.

You are right the 300tdi is too difficult to fit and 'a bridge too far'. Unfortunately, the bores on the current block are too far gone, to rebore and use oversized piston/rings. Have located a 200tdi long in SA and will be on the bus this arvo. Has new rings bearings, but will take all the ancillaries off the old engine. Looks like I'm up for a few dollars, but the rest of the vehicle is worth keeping.

Without a motor or with the old motor, it's just going to rot away under a cover.

Current output Kilowatts of the motor 27 & the new motor may get close to 50. So will certainly notice the increase in power with a resulting decrease in my bank account.

[manic]

Ouch, bit of bad luck there. I wonder about the ripple, was that on all bores - how many kms on the motor?

Good that you have found another 200tdi to go in, you'll be back on the road in no time. My 1989 stole one out of a disco that had done approx 200,000 miles so I reckon its marching towards half a million kms now. Had the head off last year and all bores have an even cross-hatch. Lucky so far, but always thinking ahead and whether I would get the 200tdi properly rebuilt or switch to a 300tdi. The only advantage I see with the 300tdi is that you can afford to cook the CH.

Seeing as I have a disco 300tdi there would be a temptation to use that (the less loved sibling). So I've looked into it a bit. A complete engine swap should not be difficult at all.

Fabricate an engine mount adapter to sit the engine in the 200tdi position , use the 200tdi bell housing to connect up to your LT77 gearbox and your 200tdi exhaust manifold and turbo to connect up to your exhaust. Not much else to challenge you.

Here are the measurements for the engine mount that allows you to mount a 300tdi in place of 200tdi.

[Jeff Gordon]

Thanks Manic,

I am always blown away by the knowledge and enthusiasm of subscribers here.

Not sure how many ks the motor has done, just that at some stage in its life the original diesel had been replaced by a 200tdi and LT77 gearbox (which still has the old (now incorrect) knob on the gearstick).

The vehicle has done 166k miles so I think the 200tdi motor must have been second hand, maybe from a disco and had run up a few ks before being plonked in.

I have been pushing it pretty hard during the three years I have owned the car, & it has always smoked, but recently got worse, from any throttle position, no sweet spot there. It has been underpowered, so have had plenty of throttle on to get even 100kph performance.

We looked seriously at the 300tdi option with a brand new (only 8,000k) available out of a dead disco. But have now paid $2,700 for the 200tdi long which has had rings and bearings done, and will bolt on the new timing belt etc. from the old motor that had just been done.

Ray at Turbo Engineering who is doing the job says there is little difference in power between the 200tdi and the 300tdi once tuned well.

I don't think it is going to be cheap, but intend to keep the D90 in the family, have two sons 17 and 14 so ideal run-around, surf trips etc for them.

[manic]

Wow, when I was 17 my first car was a battered Renault 19 with both sides bashed in and a slipping clutch. This was in London, in a grey I couldn't escape!

Your boys with the great Australian outdoors and a defender to get out there, I bet they don't realise how lucky they are...... Get them onto the engine work!

Yep, power difference between 200 and 300 tdi is in the exhaust turbo manifold set up. 200tdi disco manifold and 300tdi produce same 111bhp. It's the 200tdi defender manifold that cuts a few horses.