Thread: Timing belt & Heater matrix - '97 300Tdi Disco

Easy.
Change the timing belt, if it snaps your up for heaps more than to just change it(engine goes crunch).If you don't know when the belt was changed in any car you should change it staight up. As for heat if your timing belt snaps you won't be going anywhere and you can always put on some warmer clothing while saving for the heater core but then if your talking 10k till then winter will almost be over so change you timing belt put on a jumper and enjoy still being able to drive.
In case you are wondering why i'm so adament about this belt, i have had two timing belts snap on me.One was on a freelander that i was told had the head rebuilt so naturally i assumed that the belt would have been changed,it had'nt, result carmaggeddon.

If its just the timing belt you need to change it should be only around $400 -$450 inc parts & labour at a LR friendly garage ( not a dealer )

If you need a timing belt mod kit there are two versions - Mod kit 1 just changes some pulleys etc and the injector pump rear mount, and the other ( Mod kit 2) you get a new timing belt cover plus all the other bits

Sounds like the price they quoted you should be for Mod kit 1.

Others can verify but that's my experience

$450!!! That's amazing...will have to check. I got quoted from Landrover specialists, but not dealers - have been brilliant in the past..may well search around though.

Not wise to leave any longer. 300 TDI's are known to eat timing belts. Expect major engine damage and big $'s if it snaps.

Get hold of a manual and change it yourself. I do my Disco ( 3 times ) for under $80 unless the tension rollers need replacing.
The hardest part is preventing the harmonic balancer from rotating while undoing the bolt as it is installed using Loctite at a very high torque.

As for the heater core Im lucky up to now, 93 model with 302,000 K's. No choice but remove the dash.

Good luck

Graham

A '97 disco 300tdi should have the latest (and last) timing belt configuration. But the drivers manual states emphatically "60000km. belt replacement"
Because I do all my own servicing I missed the 60k. (small print) in the book, noticed it at 90k. and it was then done immediately. The belt taken off looked like new, but without proper analysis the actual condition is impossible to assess.
If yours has done 190k. without being changed would reckon should be done no further delay. I have seen the result of a broken belt, bent pushrods, broken rocker arms, not a pretty sight. And if it happens when you are far from home ----- big $$'s
sheff

if it has the latest mod kit or is a '97 on, the timing belt schedules are 110,000km (temperite conditions, road use) or in severe service, 60,000km or 36 months.
Severe service according to Land Rover is
1. Driving in dusty and/or sandy conditions
2. Driving in extremely hot conditions
3. Driving on rough and/or muddy roads and/or wading
4. Towing a trailer or driving in mountainous conditions

Sounds much like most of Oz, really.

FWIW, most people go 80,000km safely. I've even gone 100,000 and the belt looked fine, but most wouldn't take the risk.

Change the belt NOW! Your engine is living on borrowed time... That said, when it does let go, it's usually bent push rods, occasionally snapped rockers but very rarely does it damage the valves & pistons. In other words, what you do break, you can usually fix without taking the head off.

the job of changing the belt is fairly easy, just get yourself a copy of the LandRover 300TDi service manual where it's all detailed there. (The only thing to note is that the torque on the tensioner should be a couple of lb/foot lees than quoted as that was revised in a tech note.) The other things that will make the job easier is the timing tools and a fan spanner.

Don't worry about the heater matrix for now. If you can do it yourself, you'll save $$$ as the job is almost all labour and a reall @rse of a job. The only thing to watch out for, if you do the job, is the air bags.... Make sure you know how to disable & remove without setting them off!

HTH

Mark.

Compulsory reading for 300Tdi owners:

http://www.difflock.com/servicing/300tdi-t...elt/index.shtml