RRX

You say you have fitted a vnt? any pics and do you have anything taking readings from the engine like a EGT guage and boost guage? If so what are they reading?

Always worth checking but the 300tdi has the r380 with reverse on the right and down

Check what pump is on the van and get some veg oil if its a bosch, the only thing i can think that the acetone probably does is clean the injectors a bit and on a older car it can make a sensible improvement

AFAIK the td5 doesn't like veg at all

The Non edc pumps have the boost actuator on the top and i can't see hy you can't fit on to 200tdi with a bit of part swapping

Do plenty of west wiltshire to cornwall runs at the moment plus trips to south wales with a van so count me in for any relaying if needed

Might have to have a look at my timing as i have the same symptoms with some blue smoke on idle and lots on overrun. but i would be more inclinded to say worn stem seals or turbo seal as its a 170k engine

Take the exhausts off any v8 and it will sounds similar, but a rover v8 will sound alot smoother. also having open carbs will give a very loud induction roar

Sounds similar to what mine does and i agree with DJMZ that its the starter worn out

Sounds very similar to mine when i 1st got it. Full service straight away with new fuel filter and cleaned out the sedimentor(not sure if the defenders have them). Then replaced lift pump and finally got the injectors overhauled. Get some decent injector cleaner and run that through over a few tanks and see if power starts to come back a bit, would point the the nozzles being blocked on the injectors. Also fit a nice paper filter and get the timing gears checked to make sure they aren't about to self destruct like alot seem to

drain the tank and fill back up with diesel and stick what you drained into the rrc, will just smoke a bit but nothing major

I used to run my cars on the V power petrol if i was going on a long run as it improved the mpg noticeably and when i had a Renault 11 turbo it ran better and was noticeably more powerful on v power. The Diesel i put in me works van the other week and it did improve the mpg and response was also up. I believe many tests have also been done comparing the fuels of normal unleaded, super and v power and V power always produces good results. Worth sticking a tank through every so often to clean up the injectors and fuel systems

Just done the ones on mine and the difference in driveability is very noticable. mine were overhauled and the tips i got back are just covered in black gunge

265/70/16 Machos on mine and have had to attack the rear arches slightly

Is the one you have a proper Kill switch at the moment?

I was always told and always do run some cheapish mineral oil through thats a bit thicker than normal to let the engine bed back in. Also i will turn the engine over until oil pressure is up and then allow the engine to fire.

Takes up room for a nice intercooler

Wow he's cleaned it so well the cab and front have worn away

It could be you have a very small leak somewhere that a you drive is leaking until the water level drops down and the system gets an air lock. then promptly overheats and boils over. I had a capri that did similar which i traced back to a dodgy expansion tank cap slowly letting water past under pressure and 1000 miles later it boiled over.

Haze at night is perfectly normal, smoke during the day is more a problem. and leaving the road behind in fog means things are really open too far

Take the engine out, then the box. the engines come out fairly easily although i have found with the 300tdi the steering box gets in the way when you need to lower the engine down to get to the 2 top bolts, so it would probably save alot of of time, blood and swearing to drop it out aswell

That front end is straighter than mine, As has been said cat c and d so long as you have the V5 you can just get them MOT's and away you go. Nice set of late disco headlights and a quick clean. Check no fuses have been borrowed for the lights that don't work.

Petrol or Diesel??

spigot bush, for the few quid to get one its worth replacing

Did you get a free baseball cap? Friend sent a xantia ecu to him for unlocking, new board and a week later working perfect in a 205. Gets a good thumbs up from me