How do you drive these things!

[fender22]

Finally got my Defender today. Just happened to chance a 93 300TDI model on car sales with 140000k's on it. Thing is a minter! One owner, old feller had it since new. Interior, engine everything shmick and he just had all the timing belts done, new HD clutch etc just because he wanted to make sure all was good when he sold it. Original tools, jack all in their like new pouches. 6 brand new tyres, every receipt, service history, stacks of manuals and service books. The paint works even nice and shiny. Not a speck of rust under the floor mats or anywhere else. The old guy was so anal he made wheel chocks because he didn't like to leave the hand brake cable under tension and wear out the cable haha. Abosolutely rapt!

I haven't driven many Defenders, a brand new one last weekend and to me there is no difference apart from this one feels a little less bumpy on the road. Having said that, boy what a step back in time! I was surprised at how well it brakes and corners for a big beast I must say but how should I go up through the gears? Is it like a normal diesel where you keep the revs up (drive it like you hate it)? I was doing my gear changes between 2500-3000 revs, or should I be taking it more easy? I was actually thinking I might have had it in low range for a while there.

I must say, after the initial 15 mins "WTF have I done", I was starting to grow to like the old girl :-) Where's the horn by the way and who's idea was it to put reverse gear next to first haha!

[Blknight.aus]

1800-2500 for economical driving (generally) 2200-35 if your driving it like you hate it.

you dont drive diesels at the top of the rev range you dont get much more out of them and youblow the fuel consumption to buggery. diesels are designed (generally) to make torque down low and not be revved like a rotary.

the horn is in the indicator stalk, push it inwards from the end.

[roverrescue]

If reverse is up with first it is an LT77 gear bag which assuming all is stock as you say was mated to a 200tdi not 300tdi which also fits with 1993- just so you know eh!

Steve

[fender22]

You're right. I thought it said 300TDI on the side of it but it says only TDI

I read somewhere it's hard to buy spares for the 200?

[ScottW]

The 200 is still a tdi, just the earlier version.

[rick130]

Tdi's are driven like you stole 'em (or you'll be going nowhere in a hurry)

Makes eff all difference to the fuel economy too.

Mines a 300 with the wick turned up as far as is safe, tares at 2700kg all the time, has ladders on top, 33" MT's, bar work all round and I average 11.5-12.2l/100km and i drive it flat to the floor all the time just to keep out of the way of semi's and cattle trucks.

Terminal speed affects fuel economy more than how you get there, eg. 100-110km/h chews a hell of a lot more fuel compared to another vehicle than 95-100km/h purely due to the amount of air you are pushing.
My fuel figures from above are running around at 100-110km/h (genuine speed, corrected speedo) Standard Defender speedo with 7.50/16 or 235/85/16's reads optimistic by 7-8%, so when 100 is indicated you are actually only doing 92-93km/h.

Re spares for a 200Tdi, I think the only thing that's hard to source is the head these days, everything else is still available ?

[cewilson]

Tdi's are driven like you stole 'em (or you'll be going nowhere in a hurry)

Makes eff all difference to the fuel economy too.

Mines a 300 with the wick turned up as far as is safe, tares at 2700kg all the time, has ladders on top, 33" MT's, bar work all round and I average 11.5-12.2l/100km and i drive it flat to the floor all the time just to keep out of the way of semi's and cattle trucks.

Oh crap - it's a rare day I have to drive with my foot flat to the floor. It's a waste of time anyway - you can feel when you're just adding more fuel for no gain.


For the record I have a 93 200tDi with no modifications to the fuel or exhaust system; tare pretty much the same as you; roofrack; 235/85R16 muddies; bar work and the rear drawers and storage is permanent.


Me thinks the 33's are affecting a little compared to standard size.....

[rick130]

[snip]

Me thinks the 33's are affecting a little compared to standard size.....

Not crap at all, where I live and work you are at full throttle a lot of the time.
Way back when it was on 235/85's it was bog standard fueling and it was flat to floor, even on gentle inclines just to keep t 100km/h. You dont need as much throttle with the wick turned up but the foot is still heavily buried.
It's my work truck, it's usually loaded to the hilt and only lightly loaded (for me) it's a genuine 2700kg over the weighbridge.

Yes, the 33's affect things but the point was that even driven like that fuel economy is still acceptable and still better than our unladen Patrol ute, but in my experience a Tdi is a slug and so has to be stirred along.

[cewilson]

Ok I'm with you now.

I also just realised that I am running the Disco high range gears - I've had them in for that long that I forget about them now. This does make a huge difference to highway runs - my old girl is happy to sit on 95-100 quite comfortably.

Sorry I forgot about the gears.
Chris

[VladTepes]

but they'd be useless off road woulddnt they cewilson?