Thread: D1 v D2.

20 years on and I’m only just considering replacing the rotoflex during the new build.

Same lift as Slunnie and never a problem.

Thought I'd add to this from a mechanics perspective, I service , repair and modify around 25 D2's , only around 6 D1's , 8 defenders, probably 25 or so D3 / D4 , RRS , some freelander , as well as BMW and the usual array of Japanese stuff.
The well looked after D2 Imo would be one of the best all round for several reasons .
The Td5 engine would ( after the initial problems have been sorted ) be one of the toughest engines i have had experience with. most of the Td5's I see have between 300 000 to 700 000 kilometres all on the original engine, with nearly all running remaps from mild to wild.
The running and maintenance costs compared to the later stuff that runs the tupperware under the bonnet is negligible as well as being a lot more accessible to work on . Combine that with the ability to repair if required in the field and it's a no brainer.
While the D2 might be somewhat tractor like compared with later stuff it is still a very comfy tractor.
I like the D1's and have owned a couple , but the D2 is better in every regard except the external plastics.
But one of the things I love the most is the fun factor that a well sorted ( manual or auto ) gives , either on or off road .
I've been lucky enough to own a modified D'3 and also modified RRS , but ended up moving them on and have kept an auto and a manual TD5 D2A , happy days.
A couple of true stories from the last 2 weeks.
I was speaking to a bloke that lives nearby who does most of his own work on his D2 , he ended up giving it to his son last week who promptly jumped in it and drove it from here via a few out of the way places 3000 k to Broome , where he phoned Dad to say the harmonic balancer exploded ( TV damper) taking out a few fan blades and denting the a/c pulley , rather than fix it he drove back home the 2800 odd k's where dad , rather than fix it just replaced the fan .....it's still going apparently , the kilometres?, 540 000 original engine.

Got a call from a customer on his way to Exmouth who was having rough running issues around 90k after filling up in around 2am , long story short , he'd filled it with petrol ,( 60 litres TD5 ) and drove till it stopped. Drain petrol , add 20 litres of diesel , on his way...... try that with a common rail.

I have covered around 400 000 kilometres in various D2 TD5's and never been broken down.

Geez , that was a bit long winded so i won't go on

But accurate mate. I’ve found the Td5 to be a tough old beast.

Usually their downfall is cheapskate owners or back yard mechanics getting it all kinds of wrong. (And cheap pattern parts)

Exactly, I've had people bring them to me after buying them from Perth , despite me asking them to let Dazza or Kevin ( rovertech ) have a look first, in some shocking states.
The last one had the radiator / intercooler held in by nothing but the hoses and the top shroud ( which was cable tied )and that was just the start

I also have one in one in at the moment whose previous owner had taken it to a well known Perth Indy and for 5 years had been driving it around with the cam timing out so far out it was like driving a 1hz tojo , despite them apparently having remapped ( they had proudly put their name , next to the words upgrade unit on to an MSB ECU and installed to a 2003 Model ) , so not always backyarders but they'd be 80%. The rest of the **** ups would be Joe Blows workshops who have an inbuilt hatred for Landy's probably through a fear of the unknown .

The Td5 requires more maintenance but will go longer most of the time than the D2 V8. The V8 just doesn't have maintenance issues...then dies at around 200k to 250k usually from cracks in the block or head gasket failures (the latter is easily fixed at home and cheaply so). The D1 V8's usually put up far more miles than the D2 V8 but the D1 ran richer and had better casting on the production line. Having said that my 4.6...well wouldn't give it up but if I had to go out now and search for a good 2nd hand D2...would probably go Td5.

Cheers

D1 V8 should really have been the last of that power plant, would have been a good thing if they had introduced the AJ 27 Jag V8 along with the TD5.

Td5 very loose maintenance figures based on what I see

Around every 200 000 k or 8-10 years depending on heat cycles:
Fan bearing and idler pulleys, cam plug , rocker cover gasket, injector harness and FPR.
250-350 000k :
Starter solenoid, alternator and vac pump including oil return hose, harmonic balancer and radiator / thermostat , water pump and coolant hoses, fuel cooler O rings on pre 2004 as well as engine mounts.
Occasionally I will replace the small hose at the back of the oil cooler before this.
400-500 000k:
on some I will replace timing chain guides and chain / tensioner, sump gasket if the oil wasn't replaced often in it's early life.

This is assuming all fluids and coolant have been kept up to date and the exhaust manifold has been done, as well as having those with the plastic head dowels replaced with steel.

Work on top of this is mainly upgrades, except oil pump bolt check when given the go ahead, and occasional injector washers / O rings, I may jinx myself here but to date I haven't found a loose oil pump bolt.

Every oil cooler I have had to replace is the result of wrong , diluted or no coolant .

Agreed, they did no favours dragging the rover V8 out that long,it was already outdated by the 80's.

Originally Posted by AK83

Actually! .. can be .. if you're not fussed about the remote locking and 'alarm annoyance'.
Same keys. Or, more accurately same key blade shape and size.

Had a " locksmith " tell me that it would cost me $30 to cut the key, and $200 to program it. Huh? Bought a key off stealbay ( it was fine, genuine Valeo ) for $50 and programmed the fob with the Nanocom.

I also reprogrammed my EKA. Now that I am trying to bring my D2 back to life, I wish I still had the Nanocom, as I don't recall what my EKA is now. I'm hoping it's 1,1,1,1. Lol