Thread: Defender Engines??

Your choices are as follows

Powerplants
200tdi
300tdi
or td5
the first two are 4 cylinder 2.5 litre turbo diesel landrover engines fitted with intercoolers. The 200 and 300 were also used to power the discovery. The 300 is identified by having a larger rubber sound shield over the top of the engine. Both engines have a manual throttle (a cable from pedal to engine). No computers to worry about if you park it in the creek.
The td5 is a BMW 5 cylinder. Good engine by all accounts but I have heard of instances of the electronic throttle locking in the fully open position. They can also be fitted with a new computer chip to raise output. The worst thing about them is the cost of parts (injectors about 2000 dollars each!!!!)
Gearboxes are 5 speed manuals LT77 or RS380 both had problems with the output shafts before landrover got their act together and drilled the gears for lubrication.
Some early 110s and the army 110s were fitted with an isuzu 3.9 litre 4 cylinder. This is the best engine ever put into one. I have just sold one to a workmate. The same engine is turbocharged for the 6 wheel drives the army use.
I have a 1994 300 tdi trayback in Cairns I am thinking about selling where are you ?

Thanks Toaddog,

I'm in Tassie but am looking to move to Q.L.D. soon. :wink:

What year did they have gearbox problems??

When did dual cabs first appear??

I met a couple of people on my way to cape york who told me about the rear diff hub and axle splines getting flogged out on the early ones. I also met someone who had the axles and cap things replaced with billet units made on the gold coast.

I was impressed how many defenders and disco's were up on cape york, thats why i want one.

If it is not a problem, what sort of $$$ is a ute like yours worth??

Thanks peter

Gearbox problems? Every year [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]

Dual cabs and other questions: check out this site:
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~lloyd/4/LandRover/

The axles etc that you speak of are made by a mob called maxi-drive.
Check out: http://www.4wdworld.com.au/products/maxidrive/
I'd recommend you ring rather than email as they don't email back in a hurry. Too busy doing good work I suspect. Their gear has a good reputation internationally, too.

I have a 200Tdi and it has been good to me so far (fingers crossed). I have heard the 300Tdi had more timing belt problems than the 200Tdi engine. (They are essentially the same engine with a slightly different head)

For prices the best thing I can suggest is research , research, research. You'll get an idea of what range is reasonable and who the dreamers are.

Ooooh pete, you just said the magic word "Tasmania" [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]

The 3.9L only came in the stage 1 or county vehicles, defenders will either have a 300 or 200 TDI, or the later ones a TD5.

Which part of the state are you in? (i'm just curous really, by the sound of it you won't be here long anyway [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] )

BTW, how did you find AULRO?

Hi Pete

You've got some pretty good answers there. Perhaps I can add that the gearbox problems are actually caused by the Transfer Case, a lubrication problem that led to premature wear on the gearbox mainshaft. If you have a read of this thread you'll get more info than you really want. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]

The timing belt problem only affected the 300Tdi engines and provided the correct upgrade kits have been installed, there shouldn't be too much to worry about with them, as long as the belts are replaced on schedule. Once again, if you have a read of this thread you'll see the engines that were affected.

The 300Tdi was slightly more powerful than the 200Tdi which it replaced, and was supposed to be smoother and quieter. But we're talking about Landrover diesels here so I don't think 'quieter' but more 'less raucous' would be a better description. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] The 200Tdi is apparently more economical and in my case certainly does well, averaging about 28mpg.

Most of the used Defenders you'll see will be 300Tdi powered because there were relatively few 200Tdi powered Defenders made, unlike the Discovery version which received the 200Tdi engine some years before it was fitted to the Defender. The Discovery 200Tdi is also a bit different to the Defender version. The Disco has a low mounted turbo with a high mounted inlet manifold whereas the Defender is just the opposite. The other significant difference is under the Timing Cover. The Disco has an idler pulley which the Defender does without...I think I'm waffling a bit now :roll:

Anyway either engine is pretty good if they're looked after, unless you're in a hurry. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] In which case a TD5 is the go. It's the last engine to be designed by Landrover and has a small power hike from the Tdi's, but doesn't produce the same power as the Disco version. Maybe someone else wants to add more detail about those newfangled electronically controlled diesels? 8O

Ooh, I just read all that...I gotta get out more ops:


Paul