Thread: 300 TDi Lifespan??

a mate of mine has one with 320,000 klms on it and it has never had any special treatment and it runs a treat. (dont think the guy has even washed it this century actually [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img])

in the 150000 to 250000 bracket the important part is not the total k's but what sort of work it did getting the k's on it.

long run with load is best for most tdi's and high milers with this pattern of use are quite common and they will still go for yonks with that pattern of use.

short run with little load is not what tdi's are designed to do best and it is this pattern of use that kills them early. Nearly all tdi's of any brand have problems with glazing the bores and sooting with this style of use.

Hi Inc,

How do you find yours, was always worried about early 300's being troublesome have you encounted any probs and how many Ks does yours have.

Used to get auto discos as loan cars when the defender was in for warranty or service work and always suprised how good they were to drive but thought at the time that they(autos) wernt really for any sort of serious offroading but since driving an auto riceburner (pajero) 8O offroad how easier an auto is in most situations(plus the wife factor) :roll: except in downhill but different techniques can master most of that.

Plus the ability to be able to steer change gear and hold your beer all at once makes an auto the no 1 choice [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img] not really a beer but sometimes a radio mike or meat pie etc

Regards Glen

My Uncle has a 300tdi Disco 1994 model that has been to hell and back.
It is what i call Routed.....
body is stuffed from misuse, suspension has been replaced 4 times.
it has driven around Aust so many times it could do it on its own..
i think it is up around the high 400km mark.

It has had the following mechanically.
oil changed every 7000km
Timing belt every 100k
gearbox rebult once, transfer twice
Head off it once from overheat as the radiator let go.
Turbo replaced once
Injectors replaced 2 times, pump once.
Waterpumps. 3

Diff rebuilds several times from broken drive shafts

It is Very Very Very Very Very Routed.

I'll get a photo of it.... i have one somewhere.

Ohh its been rolled once...

i think the wreckers would take it just for the sake of having a stuffed Disco....

its got to be worth on the black market... $50 maybe $80

So to answer your question..... this one had not had rings and bearings.... and 400k old

Originally posted by seqfisho+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seqfisho)</div><div class='quotemain'>Hi Inc,

How do you find yours, was always worried about early 300's being troublesome have you encounted any probs and how many Ks does yours have.
[/b]

No problems encountered of any significance.

it has had a vibration thu it since i bought it and that is the only thing that concerns me to any degree as i cannot pick what is causing it, transfer or rear diff ...

had the auto gearbox checked and serviced a week or so ago and they reckon it is immaculate.

My disco has 182000 klms on it and had been looked after by 2 previous owners, but did a hell of a lot of horse float towing with both of them.
<!--QuoteBegin-seqfisho

Used to get auto discos as loan cars when the defender was in for warranty or service work and always suprised how good they were to drive but thought at the time that they(autos) wernt really for any sort of serious offroading but since driving an auto riceburner (pajero) 8O offroad how easier an auto is in most situations(plus the wife factor) :roll: except in downhill but different techniques can master most of that.

Plus the ability to be able to steer change gear and hold your beer all at once makes an auto the no 1 choice [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img] not really a beer but sometimes a radio mike or meat pie etc[/quote]

yeah makes life a little easier once you work out the tricks....

My father has just clocked over 400'000 on his 95 disco 300TDI. Does a lot of hard work towing heavy tandem trailer out bush. Motor had new set of injectors put in about 360'000 but that is it beside timing belts, and oil every 5000 and filter every 10000. Mind you he is averaging 100'000 k's every year with it. Its getting a new water pump today. Tappet cover has only ever been off a couple of times for tappet adjustment only. Nothing has been touched internally at all. His fuel economy has dropped though even with new injectors?? Does not burn a drop of oil and the oil leaks are not to bad. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] Very reliable engine and loves hard work if looked after.

Gaz

the design life was 400,000 miles (640,000 km)!!!

so there are many more Km's to go in most TDI's

I loved my 1996 TDI Auto SOOO much - I am now putting a 300 TDI Auto into my 1987 RR.

HTH

LRH

My dad has a 97 300, we took the sump off because it was leaking, the engine was clean as the sump just wiped clean with a rag, the engine has done 160k. The thing runs like a clock. A mate has a 200 with 270k on it and it goes fine, the boost gauge says it still has 14bl of boost, same as it did at 50k, uses no oil

I'm not selling mine after 5 years and 150,000k and I reckon another 10 years subject to regular maintenance. The only problem is what I will buy then.

Everything else needs TLC as well.

They keep on keeping on. Tortoise and Hares.