advice please

[ted]

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a second hand 96 2.5L defender. I have had very little to do with landys before but have always admired them and heard good things about them.

Could anyone provide me with some tips on what to look out for when buying a secondhand landy?

Also, when test driving the beast i might buy i noticed a clunking noise shortly after i let the clutch out. is this normal? I have been told so, but seek more reassurance.

any help will be greatly appreciated.

happy cruising
ryno

[one_iota]

Firstly a warm welcome to one of the best forums on the subject of our obsession/madness.

There is a lot information not only in our members heads but also in previous posts (available by using the search facility)...a 96 will be an early 300Tdi engine known for chewing timing belts until various fixes were put in place. A well serviced motor will have had these fixes implemented but regardless if I was to buy one I would have the timing belt changed and continue to do so every 80,000 km.

The clunk is probably drive train...any wear in the components (and there are many will result in this)...The transmission is an R380 and the early versions were susceptable to wear on the input shaft due to poor lubrication.

But don't take my word for it.

The best advice will be given by a Land Rover savvy mechanic who inspects it.

Where are you located?

[Xtreme]

Possibilities for the 'clunk' that are quite common are:

1. Wear in the axle splines and the drive member and
2. wear in the 'A' frame ball joint, also on the rear axle.

Another possibility but not as common is dry/worn driveshaft universals.

The 'clunk' may be normal for a Landy that is 12yrs old but that doesn't mean that it can't/shouldn't be rectified.

Roger

[ted]

thanks lads for your replys...


based in perth