hangover

i think i read that wrong, i assumed he was an Aussie in the UK looking at a Disco. Great Wall , get a van of some kind, toyota Hiaces are pretty popular and reliable. A Mitsi L300/ Delica in 4x4 would be good for getting off the bitumen.

Amps are not so important, CCA wise anything over 600 will suffice With aircon an N50 is biggest that will fit in the space and likely around 650 CCA.

Nothing a bit of 10mm plate wont fix, otherwise an Iveco 2060V has the same flange but uses studs so either the manifold or the turbo will need to be drill out.

The GT2052V is also found on the 3ltr nissan ZD30 without any electronics.

i'd check the tappets and the condition of the lash caps.

Forget a V8, the fuel cost will kill you. My money would be on an old defender, more room inside to sleep in if needed.

When were the tappets last adjusted ?

I agree with Carloz, there is a reason why there are 4 piston calipers up front and 2 piston calipers in the rear, the front handles around 60% + of the braking which prevents rear lockup and you heading off the road.

Ah, i thought you may be after a suitable donor to fit it into.

Dave are looking for a home for your 200tdi ?

Not that tight, and i doubt it will do anything to the reinforced hose.

i think it would be ok in a classic vehicle or rod but i wouldnt use it in a vehicle offroad, if you have any issues you cant just top up with creek water and be on your way. If you cant bleed the air out then you may have other issues.

i think i used 1/8th inch fuel hose on mine, tight fit but wont ever come off.

Most common ball size here is 50mm but 1 7/8" were used a while ago, most aussie cars use a 50mm square receiver with a removable tongue.

I keep eyeing off kitted out D3's but the repair bills scare me, yes all makes have their issues but the D3/4's are having spun bearings, blown turbo's at relatively low mileage. Add to that the oil pump housing and control arm replacement and its starts adding up, my TDI D1 has only cost AUD$2500 in my 10 year ownership for non service related repairs but a used D3 will probably cost me that each year if i'm lucky.

I just use OEM land rover pads, LRA is on my way to work so i can just pick them up. In 10 years i am only on my 3rd set of pads and original rotors.

In the 10 years i've owned my disco i had never had cooling issues until 2 years when a hose split resulting in a cracked head , then some issues earlier this year which resulted in a head gasket failure but this was a combination of a few issues. Now with skimmed head new gasket and bolts, reco'd stock radiator, new viscous clutch its running as good as it ever has. Most of our driving is in 25C plus temps, the original cooling system is fine if well maintained and the correct concentration of coolant is used. I spent 6 months in Africa driving from Kenya to SA in summer so i know what the temps are like.

I tow a camper trailer with mine but not often in really high temps , if i dont work it too hard it runs fine and no temp rise. I usually have 4 on board plus 2 dogs and all the carp that goes with it , trailer weighs in around 600kg.

East coast from Sydney head either north or south, i would go north as far as Byron Bay then start heading back south to Victoria either inland via Canberra with a visit to the War museum or along the coast. Blue Mountains are a must see and if heading inland the astro telescopes at Parkes where they tracked the Apollo missions is worth a visit, i wouldnt be going to the High country unless they hire a 4wd for a few days. In that time they should be able to drive The Great Ocean Road.

Aluminium swarf is not a show stopper, it would melt pretty quick . You could use compressed air in the inlet manifold to prevent it from falling in.

For us Aussies, the VE Commodore has an electric vac pump and are starting to turn up at wrecking yards quite cheap now.

Have you replaced the o-rings in the cooler pipes and the oil thermostat ?

Not something i have thought about but yeah there does seem to be a lot of businesses around that rebuild/ modify engines.

No completely different turbo, i have a GT2260V off a BMW with a different exhaust flange and this will make it a bolt on job. Bigger turbo and being a VNT will provide a better spread of torque and more power, came off an Iveco Daily which is probably more common there than hear.