Thread: towing a swan with a disco 1995 tdi

I had one crack on my TDi. Not on any trip, but in Toowoomba. Got home and smelt diesel, checked under the bonnet and it was awash. When the car was started the leak was from the pump bonnet where the pipe fitting is welded in. Cost around $400.00 from memory.
Cheap looking pump, but LR$ are worse than US $. :roll:
Trev.

Hi Ianise,

May be too late now (you're probably in Darwin by now) but, for the record, we've towed caravans for at least 50,000 kms with a '97 300Tdi Disco manual. For a couple of years it was a poor, overloaded 16' single axle poptop (at least 1800 kg - don't ask what the rated ATM was!). For the last 8 months or so, it's been an 18' tandem poptop weighing around 2200 kg.

Our Disco has been 'tuned' for maximum output with the standard intercooler and boost levels and I think it can hold it's own against any other 4-cyl turbo diesel wagons out there. Not surprisingly, I do recommend using an EGT gauge if towing any significant weight, whether the engine is standard or 'tuned'.

Our fuel consumption is pretty good: for kms where the entire tank was used for towing, the average is 13.1L/100 (7.6km/L, 21.6mpg). Overall, over the last 86,000 km, we've averaged 11.7L/100 (8.5km/L, 24.1mpg). Solo, the Disco will still regularly returns 9.5 L/100 (10.6 km/L, 30 mpg), such as on a recent 2000+km tent camping trip to the Gulf Country in NW Qld/eastern NT.

I echo the recommendations to check the lift pump and associated pipes, the drive belt and tensioner and the coolant reservoir and hoses. If the coolant reservoir is the original black one, I'd suggest replacing it with a new white-ish one before it splits (it will eventually). One other item to watch is the "P" gasket behind the water pump. This is a known weak point in the cooling system. It's a small gasket between the pump housing and the block. If leaking, there may be stains of dried coolant down the side of the block just behind the water pump.

Hope this helps and have a great trip.