miketomcat

The 200/300 TDI takes some beating. Conversion doesn't make sense. Just need to get one or both these engines sorted. Mike

I agree for daily use an ev makes sense apart from the horrific purchase price and the fact that by the time I can afford one the battery's are likely to be knackered. I've even said in our situation and ev for me to work (50miles return) and ice for the wife, longer drives and towing. However this all falls apart when she returns to work because then she would likely require an ev as she's likely to work in a town. I also use my truck at work for boat movements from time to time. Worst of all it means selling or converting one of our vehicles. Neither of us want to, the 110 goes tax exempt shortly and conversion just doesn't make sense on a land rover. Mike

Nice idea but given I can barely afford to run a TDI, a TD5 is out of the question let alone a V8. It still astonishes me that the most economical engine land rover ever used in a defender/discovery is a 35 year old design with roots going back even further. Mike

Mine also feels it could go through if I tried. I just tighten mine till flush, I've never bothered with PTFE just get a slightly damp patch round it. Mike

So I've put the leak dye in and been for a drive. The good news is there's no sign of a leak. The bad news is I've lost some water and there's no sign of a leak. Mike

It's not personal if it's true.... Mike

I'm beginning to think the same. Fridge has given me some leak dye so I'll try that and if nothing the head will come off and I'll check/skim it. If I can get this one to behave I can buy time to sort the other one. Mike

I wasn't able to in Scotland due to the lack of anything straight. Mike

Radiator was fine before the head gasket so doubt it's changed. Changing the thermostat made no difference to the symptoms so that should be fine. It's possible the head gasket has gone again but last time it didn't get hot until it was utterly dead (it took 700 miles of towing to kill it completely). Mike

I fitted a new Ali radiator at the same time as this engine. Thanks @monkie I should have a water pump here, failing that I can rob the one off the other engine. It's typical I won't risk using the ibex for towing at the moment so I've got a fair bit to do, looks like the 110's getting a work out. Mike

I replaced the thermostat in an effort to reduce the running temp, but it's made no difference. I know the guage is fairly accurate as the electric fan keeps coming on which it didn't before so it's definitely running warmer. It is possible the thermostat housing is leaking as the new gasket didn't seal. I ended up reusing the original gasket however I'm fairly sure it's good. Mike

Ok so I've established I'm stripping the other engine as soon as I can. However I need to prolong the one in there for now. Prior to the head gasket going it ran fine but smoked a little. Since replacing it I came back from Scotland fine, but it's now getting a bit warm at random occasion. It seems to take a long time to warm up but once it does it settles just above half way (it was just below half way before). However it seems to increase when in traffic or under load but once moving again it comes down a bit. It does use a bit of water but I'm not sure if this is being blown out or going into the bores again. The cooling system doesn't seem to have excessive pressure but is elivated due to running hot. I've replaced the thermostat. It almost feels like the impeller has come off the water pump, but that was new when we fitted this engine. Mike

Thank you gents for the reality check, I will be collecting the other engine soon and will see what I find. Mike

Changing the oil/filter made no difference hence I pulled the engine out. Whilst I love your optimism I'm really not that lucky. I didn't check it with a guage but I'm fairly confident in the diagnosis as the exact same symptoms happened with our 110 shortly after the cam snapped. Mike

A conversation with nonimouse I while ago lead me to believe it maybe possible to replace the cam bearings without a full strip down. As has been suggested I think I need to get it here and apart enough to see what's what. Mike

To be honest I kind of knew the answer before I posted just wanted a reality check. If I had the money I would recon and go, but I don't so was looking at options. The biggest issue is it's my daily and I was hoping the current engine would buy me a year or two. Mike

It's only a no brainer if you can afford it, which I can't. Mike

That's about the numbers I thought it would be. Thank you. Mike

@western did you rebuild yours yourself or get a recon block. If the former what sort of cost was it. Mike

My biggest concern with rebuilding any of them is cost. I really can't afford for it to cost much more than £300-400 less if possible. @rusty_wingnut fittting a 300 is not going to happen. Firstly I'd need to buy one and a gearbox then I'd need new engine mounts, radiator and exhaust. Second a 300 is no better than a 200, no better on fuel and no more powerful. Yes there's more of them but they still have a set of standard problems just different ones to the 200. Mike

I have a bit of a conundrum. The ibex has a discovery 200tdi in it, the original engine went well with not issues till I started getting low oil pressure. I suspect the cam bearings have moved but haven't checked. So I removed that engine, threw together a bitsa and fitted it. Said engine blew a head gasket on holiday, which I changed and drove home. Since then I've done some towing and I've just come back from Silverstone on both occasions it ran warmer than I'm comfortable with and it's smoking more than my mot man maybe happy with. I suspect it has a broken ring but not sure that explains the elevated temperature. I'm tight on budget and time so a full rebuild looks to be un-likely. Do I, A, replace the cam bearings without line boring so I don't have to fully strip it. Whilst there check as much as possible and re-fit. B, replace the rings on this engine Insitu and hope for the best. C, find another 200 TDI fit that or find a disco and grab the gearbox as well given mines tired. I know which is quickest but it's potentially an unknown engine, doing cam bearings would mean I could nurse the current engine for now or do rings but it means the truck off the road for a bit. Mike

I might be wrong but I thought at some point land rover made calipers the same across the range but that may of been just defender. It would of been around 300tdi td5. From memory the bolt pattern is the same but off set isn't, I have two 110 rear calipers with different offsets but I don't know what year the newer one is. But as Mossberg says why upgrade? Unless you have massive non standard front brakes upgrading the rear may result in locking the rear often. The brakes on all land rovers are good assuming they work correctly. I normally find I loose traction (mud tyres) long before I get brake fade. Mike

Not that I can afford it, have space for it or have other projects in line. The wife would kill me and bury the bits in the woods........ So when do we go. Seriously though it has lots of potential but needs to be stripped and start again. It also looks like it needs IVA. Mike

I've never hit the PTO drop box even though it hangs below the chassis. Whilst Sid will undoubtedly be used harder than mine or Ed's neither of us are known for holding back. 45 on the other hand was used to the point of serious damage at Ladoga. However all of the damage was to the chassis and cross members, I never wished I'd fitted a belly pan. Mike

What he said ^^^^ The only guard I have on the ibex is a tank guard and that's because it doubles as a removable tow bar arrangement, the tank it's self is 3mm stainless so it doesn't need it. Mike