Disco 2 longevity

Mine has departed. It was a 99 and had around 270 000. I had it since new.

Of that 270 there was probably about 100 120 on Outback corrugated roads and bulldust, and lots of off road driving. It "worked" for a living. All of the outback roads were with it loaded to the gunnels with the rear seats out. Local off road was normally loaded for a two or three days.

Only real engine problem till it threw the harmonic balancer recently, was the nylon head dowels which were replaced before a major problem. However, less than 20k later the head itself was the problem. When the dowels were replaced everything was within limits but perhaps the head should have been replaced as well.

Transfer case seals, Auto xmission/torque converter seals, Pwr steering actuator, rear axle bearing seals (full bearing unit) three times [Guess it never got over Savoury Creek and continued to give me pay back]

Despite very good maintenance over its life (because of where I go and what I do) it gave me two show stoppers in the space of a couple of thousand km. Harmonic Balancer which ripped the alternator off the the engine, and then a Cardon joint failure. By the time I got home a CV joint was rattling and the rear axle seal was leaking again. After 13 years of sterling service it was time for it to depart!

RF

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Originally Posted by Rick Fischer

Mine has departed. It was a 99 and had around 270 000. I had it since new.

Of that 270 there was probably about 100 120 on Outback corrugated roads and bulldust, and lots of off road driving. It "worked" for a living. All of the outback roads were with it loaded to the gunnels with the rear seats out. Local off road was normally loaded for a two or three days.

Only real engine problem till it threw the harmonic balancer recently, was the nylon head dowels which were replaced before a major problem. However, less than 20k later the head itself was the problem. When the dowels were replaced everything was within limits but perhaps the head should have been replaced as well.

Transfer case seals, Auto xmission/torque converter seals, Pwr steering actuator, rear axle bearing seals (full bearing unit) three times [Guess it never got over Savoury Creek and continued to give me pay back]

Despite very good maintenance over its life (because of where I go and what I do) it gave me two show stoppers in the space of a couple of thousand km. Harmonic Balancer which ripped the alternator off the the engine, and then a Cardon joint failure. By the time I got home a CV joint was rattling and the rear axle seal was leaking again. After 13 years of sterling service it was time for it to depart!

RF

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Sounds like it lived a good life doing a proper job!. Was it scrapped or sold on to keep going?..

Oh I did forget. Don't know if it has been discussed anywhere in D2 Forum.

There is a sneaky little coolant hose (Oil cooler) which lives under the turbo. At the time I didn't know it was there. It is two different diameters with only a couple of mm between the two rigid pipes and near impossible to change out in the bush. I had a bit of luck when it failed and was able to camp for a couple of days while I addressed the problem........and there was water!

Had to cut the coolant pipe at the back of the block and manage to stretch some heater hose over the oil cooler end.. Talking about a day's work here!

When I returned home turned up ferrule and sweated it to the block pipe with enough room to change out the hose it ever needed again and with standard heater hose. Also made up a heat shield.

Would recommend that all TD5 owners continue to check that hose, mine failed around 170 180K

Was traded (wholesaled) to keep going???? Would make a good reliable shopping trolly and "local" off roader. Just not for trans-continental trips anymore :(

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Originally Posted by Rick Fischer

Was traded (wholesaled) to keep going???? Would make a good reliable shopping trolly and "local" off roader. Just not for trans-continental trips anymore :(

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Stick a photo up of her if you get chance!

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Originally Posted by Rick Fischer

Oh I did forget. Don't know if it has been discussed anywhere in D2 Forum.

There is a sneaky little coolant hose (Oil cooler) which lives under the turbo. At the time I didn't know it was there. It is two different diameters with only a couple of mm between the two rigid pipes and near impossible to change out in the bush. I had a bit of luck when it failed and was able to camp for a couple of days while I addressed the problem........and there was water!

Had to cut the coolant pipe at the back of the block and manage to stretch some heater hose over the oil cooler end.. Talking about a day's work here!

When I returned home turned up ferrule and sweated it to the block pipe with enough room to change out the hose it ever needed again and with standard heater hose. Also made up a heat shield.

Would recommend that all TD5 owners continue to check that hose, mine failed around 170 180K

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Been discussed, and christened by Blknight as the "secret hose", but thanks for the heads up, Bob

Just top chime in.
I have a 2002 D2 with a V8 4 litre in it. It has just done 218,000 miles.

Land Rover longevity is a matter from my experience of following the service schedule to the letter.
I have three customers with excess of 350K miles on them & they haven't had head gasket failures either! BUT they have been run on Mobil 1 10/30 since day one by insistence of the owners--Surprisingly they haven't leaked like the Torrey Canyon (*) either! All regularly serviced to the schedule!

As for corrosion and salt. Where I am the humidity is about 25%, a high plains desert. In winter the authorities use Mag Chloride as de-icer, it attacks the alum such as wheel bead seats etc and some exposed alum casings like alternator casings.
Back East vehicles are like UK specimens and getting under an east coast car reminds me of zee ol' country! The D bodies first start showing rot at the C piller to rear wheel arch joint.
We cut that bit out for worried customers and scorch in a repair section to make it as good as new!
Dennis
zedcars
*Torrey Canyon.
An oil tanker that tore open its bottom on a reef off the coast of France and polluted the French and UK beaches. The RAF got their jollies off bombing it to burn off the oil!

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Originally Posted by zedcars

*Torrey Canyon.
An oil tanker that tore open its bottom on a reef off the coast of France and polluted the French and UK beaches. The RAF got their jollies off bombing it to burn off the oil!

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Torrey canyon ran aground on 7 stone reef, off the Cornish coast, the Captain took a shortcut to save fuel. The RAF dropped two 2,000 lb bombs, and dropped tins of aviation fuel on it, but the unusually high tides put the fire out. They then dropped " liquified petroleum jelly " not napalm, because Britain did not use napalm :angel:, I used to be the fire fighting instructor for the RAN, and we kept records of ship fires for instructional purposes. [ when I say " the ', we only had one billet , couldn't afford more }

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Originally Posted by bob10

Torrey canyon ran aground on 7 stone reef, off the Cornish coast, the Captain took a shortcut to save fuel. The RAF dropped two 2,000 lb bombs, and dropped tins of aviation fuel on it, but the unusually high tides put the fire out. They then dropped " liquified petroleum jelly " not napalm, because Britain did not use napalm :angel:, I used to be the fire fighting instructor for the RAN, and we kept records of ship fires for instructional purposes. [ when I say " the ', we only had one billet , couldn't afford more }

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Bob mate.
Yes I knew there would be someone "Down Under" that would know of it!

Leaks like the Torrey Canyon" became an almost overnight expression in the garage business when I lived in the the UK back then.

Of course if I mention it here in the US I just get a blank stare!
Cheers Dennis

Ps By the way the US doesn't use napalm either!!!. Its simply called "whiskey Pete" sounds much nicer and more sugar coated than white phosphorus!:twisted:

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Originally Posted by Robgw

Stick a photo up of her if you get chance!

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As requested :)