Defender Questions

[TimMcC]

Hi All

Hope to have a look at a 1988 Land Rover Defender 110 soon . Its the one with the 2.5TD, BMC engine . Can anyone tell me if this was a reliable engine and what to look out for while I am viewing it in general .
I don't want to start another debate on Defender v's Japaneese jeeps .

Thanks

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by TimMcC

I don't want to start another debate on Defender v's Japaneese jeeps .

Thanks

Too late, you've gone and done it now...

[chewy]

The engines not as good as the tdi's. Is there any reason your looking at a 110? I'm picking up a 1995 Discovery which has a 200tdi engine in with 12 month MOT and its £800.
I do like the 90's 110's and Defenders but they cost alot more and comfort wise aren't as good.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by chewy

The engines not as good as the tdi's.

Damned good job LR never made a two-stroke Defender in the past. This forum would have been hell

[Simon B]

Originally Posted by TimMcC

Hi All

Hope to have a look at a 1988 Land Rover Defender 110 soon . Its the one with the 2.5TD, BMC engine . Can anyone tell me if this was a reliable engine and what to look out for while I am viewing it in general .
I don't want to start another debate on Defender v's Japaneese jeeps .

Thanks

Why did they change the engine? as said by others the 200 TDI or 300 are good engines as are a number of other engines fitted as conversions;
Nissan 3.5
Isuzu 2.8
International 2.8
The age of vehicle you are looking at you will need to look carefully at the chassis £1200 plus labour to change
Doors, suffered hideously from bi-metallic(?) corosion (bubbly doors skins)
Some dealers are more ropey than private sellers, look at forums like;

LR4x4
Difflock

[chewy]

Engines were changed as they "improve" althought the British Army wouldn't buy Land Rovers fitted with the TD5 as they said it would be too complicated to fix in the field.
Out of the 200tdi and 300tdi the 200tdi is supposed to be the prefered engine.

[doggypaddle]

Originally Posted by TimMcC

Hi All

Hope to have a look at a 1988 Land Rover Defender 110 soon . Its the one with the 2.5TD, BMC engine . Can anyone tell me if this was a reliable engine and what to look out for while I am viewing it in general .
I don't want to start another debate on Defender v's Japaneese jeeps .

Thanks

Right then.....its not a BMC engine,(unless someone retro fitted one and retro fitted a turbo to that) its a 2.5 diesel version of the old 1960s rover 80 petrol engine (AKA landrover 2.25)and called 19J engine
as a petrol they were reliable and gutless, as a diesel they were slightly less reliable and even more gutless. then they changed to 2.5 and 5 main bearings which improved matters slightly, hten they added the turbo, 10 steps backwards.
To sum up i would rather eat my own spleen than buy a landrover with a 19J 2.5td engine, anything over 60,000 miles and your into bonus territory
200/300Tdi are light years ahead.
unless the vehicle is really tidy(and i mean tidy) and you dont mind doing a Tdi conversion i would leave well alone.

[markg]

Originally Posted by doggypaddle

Right then.....its not a BMC engine,(unless someone retro fitted one and retro fitted a turbo to that) its a 2.5 diesel version of the old 1960s rover 80 petrol engine (AKA landrover 2.25)and called 19J engine
as a petrol they were reliable and gutless, as a diesel they were slightly less reliable and even more gutless. then they changed to 2.5 and 5 main bearings which improved matters slightly, hten they added the turbo, 10 steps backwards.
To sum up i would rather eat my own spleen than buy a landrover with a 19J 2.5td engine, anything over 60,000 miles and your into bonus territory
200/300Tdi are light years ahead.
unless the vehicle is really tidy(and i mean tidy) and you dont mind doing a Tdi conversion i would leave well alone.

i was just going to say that, i wouldnt touch it, discos are better value than defenders i bought a 99 td5 es for £1650

[J S]

Originally Posted by chewy

Engines were changed as they "improve" althought the British Army wouldn't buy Land Rovers fitted with the TD5 as they said it would be too complicated to fix in the field.
Out of the 200tdi and 300tdi the 200tdi is supposed to be the prefered engine.

Apparently that isn't true, it was explained as an urban legend in last months LRO Owner International. But I do agree that a 300tdi is simpler to fix with a hammer etc.

James

[chewy]

Originally Posted by J S

Apparently that isn't true, it was explained as an urban legend in last months LRO Owner International. But I do agree that a 300tdi is simpler to fix with a hammer etc.

James

So how come the Army never bought any then?