Thread: TD5 worse than I hoped

Originally Posted by clubagreenie

Early carb V8 will suck fuel and probably need a rebuild by now.
Isuzu goes forever but noisy (by comparison) and single application availability.
300TDI (or pretty much anything else) you're going backwards in models.

I tossed up when I bought mine between TD5 or V8 and it came down to I knew the V8 and parts are cheaper for them and there is less ongoing maintenance than a TD5. That said of course it's offset by fuel use.

Of course 2 months after I bought it the engine went so in went a 4.6. Recently due to inept mechanics who claim that you can't install a D2 thermostat the wrong way it blew head gaskets, <$300- later (apart from the niceties of renewing the cam and valvetrain) it was back on the road.

You seriously NEED to find a better mechanic, as said "Highly suspect major damage" just means if you choose to have me fix it I'm going to make sure you pay well and truly for the inconvenience of me having to work on something that isn't a falcadoore. I bet he has a "mate" who just happens to have a good second hand engine if you go back and say yes.

The 300Tdi next to a TD5, I really wouldn't say that in anyway you'd be worries about that the 300 is a simpler motor. As Blknight said anything the a 300 needs a TD5 needs. The D2 is pretty much the last "simple" Land Rover, even Defenders get beyond enthusiast level stuff these days. You get a decent sized vehicle with room for 5 real people and a decent luggage space (vs D1 with 300Tdi). Something that's comfortable by comparison and certainly not as long on the tooth as a county with an Isuzu. And going to require far less ongoing/restorative maintenance to get it up to a reasonable/capable spec by comparison to what you're used to with the D2 than a RRC/County with Carb V8 or County Isuzu.

Ultimately it's up to you but what you have now is a good vehicle you've probably already sunk some dosh into that needs something done to it. I think that everyone here believes that with the signs & symptoms it has it shouldn't be major surgery.

Lets look at the symptoms;

1. Excess blowby: Rings, maybe IF it's broken a ring it's scored a bore so a new liner (extreme case).
2. Excess oil in intake: Turbo seals? Could be (and I don't kow where it plugs in but) the blow by could be pressurising the crankcase to the point it's blowing the oil out the top and feeding it back into the system. Where exactly is the "excess oil"?
3. Miss in engine: Oil in harness, again blowby pressurising the crankcase forcing oil back up the harness to the ECU. It gets up there at the best of times, extra pressure isn't doing it any favours.

Have you plugged it into a nanocom to check faults? I really think that by comparison to getting a good diagnosis, how can he even suspect major damage without opening it up given that we can provide options that could be overcome in a weekend, you'd really be taking a bath on selling it with an engine "suspected of major damage". You'd loose at least the cost of repairs if not more.

But even if it is a scored bore, the problem is with labour so dear, its usually more economical to change over an engine with a more predictable result, labour at $100+/hr adds up very quick, so nowhere near as much mechanicing these days as changing components, as the labour soon outweighs the parts, think about it, $5000 on an engine is merely 50 hours at best, could be more like 35 hours labour, that's not a lot of time to spend **** farting about rebuilding engines, you gotta remember it takes time to source components, take components to the machinists, pick them up, assemble them etc etc

How many hours does it take to correctly diagnose? you can burn up hours easily diagnosing TD5's and their issues, who is paying the bill?

Its the reality of running a shop

Well given that the option is to fix or sell as is. Maybe pulling the head off and having a look inside will reveal something about the level of damage & won't really affect the resale as it'd have to come apart or out anyway.

Not a lot to loose apart from a days work.