V8 vs 200 Tdi

[p38arover]

For the past week I've been driving a Disco 200 Tdi manual.

What a gutless thing off the line when towing a loaded trailer (full of daughter's possessions). I was trying to start from a stop sign on a mild slope and I kept getting reverse or 3rd gear - I couldn't get 1st so the bloody thing wouldn't take off, it'd bog down.

After a few tries it dawned on me that I did have 1st gear! ....:eek: ... but the slug of a thing wouldn't pull the load without a fair bit of clutch slip.

I struck this a few times of the next couple of days with the trailer both loaded and empty. I'd hate to try pulling a loaded caravan with one. I think an auto box would be mandatory.

I had the same problem a few days earlier (at a set of traffic lights) without a trailer and the bloke in the car behind me was getting frantic on the horn as the Disco moved further and further back as I kept getting reverse. :D :mad:

Give me the auto V8 any day!

Ron

[D110V8D]

Ron!...When will you learn....you need an Isuzu to be able to pull anything!:p:D:D:D

[p38arover]

Ron!...When will you learn....you need an Isuzu to be able to pull anything!:p:D:D:D

You can't pull birds with an Isuzu!

Ron

[D110V8D]

You can't pull birds with an Isuzu!

Ron

Hey....do you mind if I use that line sometime?:)

[p38arover]

Hey....do you mind if I use that line sometime?:)

All yours - no attribution needed. ;)

Ron

[PhilipA]

Jeez Ron, UNCLEAN!!!
You will be excommunicated from the diesel religion and the inquisition will be coming for you soon.

Having not driven one on the highway I cannot directly agree, but I remember being behind Graeme Cooper's 130 300Tdi one day at a level crossing. He sort of stumbled/crawled away , and I asked him on the CB if something was wrong . He said no that he just hadn't got the revs right on takeoff.
On the same trip we were drving into the Warrumbungles , and there are some really steep little pinches. The Disco 300Tdi auto in front of me on a hill just suddenly virtually stopped. I just kept going until I was a couple of car lengths behind, then asked what was up? He was ****ed at me for coming up on him fast in my 3.9 Rangie. But I certainly didn't expect him to slow down violently in front of me.
The diesel guys all boast about the torque but especially the 200 and 300 have a high torque rise. Fall off the torque and you stop ( as you have found).
Regard s Philip A

[Utemad]

I feel for you Ron.

I have driven a 300Tdi manual with just me in it and I thought I was going to need low range just to pull away from the lights on flat ground :D

I was told they take a different driving style to get them to perform but I wasn't convinced (or interested).

The 3 litre N/A Hilux I drove around had more go.

[loanrangie]

300 tdi auto's definately have better pulling power, the only time i find it sluggish is on a cold morning when i pull out of my court which is in a dip and drive uphill, once the boost comes on no problems.

[waynep]

They pull away better with a straight through exhuast or sports muffler.
But yes, it can be a problem. There's alway low range of course :D

[LandyAndy]

Had the same problem with my D2 TD5 when towing the car trailer with the stage1 on it a few weeks ago,once she was moving it did a good job,just a pain to get moving from a standstill.
Andrew

[sclarke]

Ron, Why do you think i want a V8???

My 300tdi in the bush is great.. i even had comments last week when i was out with the Toyo boys that it goes hard.....

But hwy and towing its a shocker...
So i fixed the towing problem and sold the towbar.......

Then i have fixed the hwy problem...... dont drive it on hwy's....

I guess the 200 and 300 in a Defender really are a slug compared to an Isuzu or V8 (got to pull them chicks)

But the 200 i had in the Disco was fine as an everyday driver...

[gorby]

I find my 300tdu fine too. You should try an NA diesel 2.5 defender.

But as has been said if you don't get the revs right they do seem to almost die. Had this happen a few of times in the last couple of weeks. Especially when I first got it. I found it worse when the air filter was filthy. I cleaned it out the other day and it seemed a bit better.

Havea K&N on order so will see if that makes much difference. (Probably not other than placebo).

[mcrover]

Well at last someones found a use for a V8 other than making a wonderful noise.:wasntme:

Mines Auto but my mate Jammie has a 300TDI manual on 35" Simex's that tows trailers with LR's on them no worries with 3.54 diffs and will do even better with the 4:11s in it now.

There may be something wrong with how it's boosting or fuel delivery problem, as I havnt had much of a problem before, Ive had 2 horses in a huge float with tack and feed and mine pulls away pretty well, normally with any other vehicals around the same load anyway.

But like I said, 300TDI auto with straight through exaust.

[cookiesa]

Happy with my 300Tdi on the highway, most I tow is under 1T though. Sometimes taking off on an incline can be painful though

[p38arover]

My daughter's 300Tdi Disco auto tows quite well. I used it to tow a car trailer (with car :) ) the 200 km up to Newcastle and it was good - slow to start but no problems starting

My complaint is trying to use a manual diesel Disco for towing. I've towed heavy trailers with my 3.5 V8 manual County with no problems at all. In fact, I towed the same trailer I used with the 200 Tdi Disco and you'd have hardly known it was there with the County (with a 4BD1-T, it'd be even better).

Behind the 4.6 P38A, it's easy (albeit expensive!)

Ron

[cookiesa]

Yeah in hindsight should have bought the Auto we looked at. The thing that put me off was on the test drive getting out in to traffic in the city was a terrifying prospect. After the 2.8TD Jackaroo It scared the Sh** out of me.

In retrospect however it was my driving and not being used to it. Having read others posts about it a change to my driving style would have seen me get used to it quickly. Oh well next time!

[p38arover]

Yep - lots of throttle. I wonder how my daughter will find it in traffic. She thought it was a bit slow to get going when she was up in Derby.

Ron

[cookiesa]

Reading what others have said and watching some auto's take off from intersections etc I was too gentle with it, not that much different with the manual really, just takes some getting used to if you haven't driven one before