Thread: D2 V8LPG vs TD5

Ah the power of Google. I'm sorry, I meant PETROL Tanks!

95 D1 V8 Auto with 285,000k on LPG and petrol...very good even compression and very very smooth on LPG - better than petrol.

2002 D2 Manual V8 with 140,000k on LPG and petrol....single point with simple servo main tap and servo idle hooked up to Oxy Sensor feed to achieve the best mix for the circumstances. 20l/100k ON LPG in and out to town including peak hour with 31s and Bull Bar. I test drive the TD5 and have been in them since...I dont want to start a war but my choice obviously was the V8. I just cant get enough of that silky smooth sound and power...makes it feel like a luxury vehcile and it tows by 2000kg boat very well. I used 3 manifold tanks in the rear and it lies about 200mm high across most of the floor.

Chips, chips - dont know about that for longevity; the TD5 was a very small motor with a very big hair dryer hanging off it to give it some herbs...in a heavy truck. No problems factory, but I wouldnt chip, thats just me. The TD5 must lack something for some many people to chip them I reckon if it could easily handle extra power and torque it would be built like that. The D3 TD on the other hand is a very torquey and powerful mill from the factory.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Camo

Id go the 4.0 V8 with the LPG

More power

will do 300,000k's before you even need to touch the motor unlike the TD5 which cost a fortune.. one of the worst landy motors by far

V8 sound

Cheaper to buy..

Don't need to worry about range.. heaps of fuel stations up that ways..800k range is not needed

Camo

Can you actually back that up with anything approaching empirical evidence?


Nick

G'day Vogue,

I speak as someone who has owned a V8 D2.... pondered putting it on LPG ( Even actually booked it in).... then decided to sell it and bought a TD5 D2A.

Firstly a couple of points.. If you actually talk to most decent Landrover mechanics they will tell you they see more problems with V8's than TD5's... so don't let the forum BS that the TD5 is a bad motor cloud your thoughts... it is simply pure CRAP.

Whats right for you may depend a bit on what you are going to use the car for...

The reasons I decided against gas were:

1. Range.... I am planning a lot of outback touring so diesel won there hands down due to range and availability.

2. Lack of reliable cost effective Gas options - IMHO to get a decent LPG system on a D2 you need to go to sequential injection - and that's not cheap. It's a lot different from gas on a D1 you will find there are a LOT of people that have put Gas on D2's and not been at all happy with the results. Mt Apocolypse may not fully agree but I decided after driving several gas powered D2's that it wasn't the right option for me..Also most conversions mean you either loose petrol tank capacity - or interior space - and for touring I needed both.

Now.... to the people that tell you .. oh the V8 is far more powerful than the TD5..

Again, what a crock...Yes mine is chipped... but honestly, its far nicer to drive than the V8 ever was, it tows better, obviously has heaps more low down torque.. and if I want to...it is far faster off the lights too.

Right now, diesel is slightly cheaper than petrol - and I get 350km more out of every tank around town than I did with the petrol... yes it's still more expensive than gas (debatable after you calculate the conversion cost). But LPG just isn't available in many of the places I intend to travel ( And you cant put it in a Jerry can on the trailer either! )

I'm a petrol head from way back...... I let that cloud my judgment when I got the v8 Disco2.... I couldn't be happier with the decision to go with the diesel.

My advice - give it a long hard think before you rush into either option,go and drive several vehicles set up the way you think you will go BEFORE spending your cash.. As others have said - buy with a good service history - this preferably means serviced by Land Rover specific mechanics. I see you are in Melbourne, I got Roverland ( Ferntree Gully) to check out my new one before I bought it - despite it coming form a LR dealer, that may also help you get one that's been looked after right.

Oh....If you go diesel get it chipped. makes a massive difference..

Bytemark - to be honest mate its a bit trading wife one in on wife 2 - you can never admit that wife 2 is anything but better...

Seriously though I drove TD5s before buying the V8 and the 2 in my opinion dont compare in the TD5s favour, but again a lot if preference. As for which is the most reliable engine the D2 V8 has very few problems. The rover mechanics that get frustrated with the Buick V8 are those that work on the older ones, especially with Lucas electronic ignition systems. The D2 is an entirely different proposition with its Bosch Motronic engine management lifted straight from BMW 7 series V8's and re-mapped.

The D2 V8s are a thing of beauty. They are a class act from their 4 bolt mains through to their injection system. Unfortunately the TD5 have had some real dramas, not the least of which is a oil in the loom, but there are other problems. Again I dont want to get into a war, but you did say that knowledgeable rover mechs say the V8 has more problems. In reality they dont. Also long term a well balanced V8 with chrome bores will be likely to last just as long as a modern TD and when it comes to re-conditioning time...hang on boys who have the TD because it will be horrific.

I like the sequential injecton on LPG but let me tell you that single point using 02 sensors to achieve stochiometric is pure simplicity and it works! I am driving proof of that.

I think what Bytemark says at the end of the day is right though just go and drive a few of each...you may not get a V8 on LPG to drive, but they are sweet with more torque down low than petrol, and the V8 is already a thing of beauty down low torque wise, particularly for its size.

Also, get a quote on ONE diesel injector and the pump, and turbo for the TD5 and also a quote on a top to bottom re-build for both types of engine before buying.

Cheers

Thanks for all your advice.
I was talking to one of the mechanics at Range Rov yesterday since they specialize in LPG conversions. His advice was to go the V8 on gas, cheaper maintainence cost over a long time and a smooth powerful engine. They have a V8 on gas that they offered for me to test drive to help make up my mind.
Still at $5800 less gov rebate for tanks under the floor, makes the TD5 seem a better up front option.
Still confused by my heart and head are going V8

....test drive the LPG! To be honest if you really want a TD5 dont drive the V8 first. I had a good mate who got a TD5 D2 new shortly before I got my V8 - he hadnt tested the V8. Then his brother got the V8 new almost immediately after...he drove his brothers and then immediately took his in only months old and traded it on the V8 because he couldnt stand the truck like sound, and off the line lag...and loved how smooth the V8 was and the sound...its not like most petrol motors in that regard...super smooth right up high in the revs straight out of the box which for a pushrod V8 isnt bad... in the end thats often what it comes down to.

if you want range you go diesel.

if you want yihaa factor and nice noises you get the v8.

chipped td5's beat the v8s in pretty much every respect.