love2learn Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 i have this engine and its okay im told but...has a few chinks in its armour ive been told its the worst engine land rover ever fitted ive looked for books and such but cant seem to find anything apart from forum comments that are seriously varied in opinion. so i turn to you again so hit me from all sides and give me the bad news, the kinda stuff im lookin for is whats typical for this engine faults and strengths wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 well i found my TD engine fine, but i did have to replace my valve guides and 2 head gasgets. but fitting the 200tdi was the best thing i've done to my 90 and couldn't go back to the TD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Ive been driving my 19j 90 for 5 years without a problem ,I dont bolt about in it doing 60mph ,I also leave it for about 10 second after stopping to let the oils in the turbo lubricate all the bits ,as per the manual, I think landrover got the standard engine in the 1980s and plopped a turbo on top,and if you drive around like a looney the pressure will crack the block.The later 200/300 engines are suppost to be smoothe ect but I prefer the older style, ive got a series 1 as well and enjoy a nice summers day with a big queue a traffic behind me as I plod about at 30 mph ,del Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohbear Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I bought my 90 with a 19J just under a year ago as a 'doo-er upper'. The engine was well tired when I got it but it always ran and started however rough it sounded. It was swapped for another TD, mainly cause' I got it cheap and it seemed easier to swap the engine than rebuild the existing one- the 'new' lump was found to have four cracked pistons which I believe is a common problem with the 19Js'. Having swapped the TD for a Tdi I really cannot see any reason for running with a TD - I would even say that it is easier to find Tdi's now than it is to get hold of TD's, although you should be able to pick up a running TD for well under a ton. I would say that if you have a reasonable mechanical ability then get a Tdi in there, it really isn't that difficult and you will appreciate the reliability and economy compared to the TD - not to mention the extra power. there are so many off the shelf kits to make the swap easy you really have no excuse IMHO . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2learn Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 id like to know more about these off the shelf tdi kits you mentioned? you also say that the later 200/300 engines are slightly better how do i know if i have one of these? thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 There are no Tdi retro-fit kits now, although mine was when I bought it in 1994, brilliant engine, to drop one in a older 90/110 now you need to find a old Discovery with a good engine & remove it, have a look in the Tech Archive Engines section for more detailed guide. how to tell a TD & Tdi engine apart --- TD has a red painted block with a cast iron cylinder head & pressed metal rocker cover Tdi Defender 200 spec has a Alloy cylinder head & rocker cover, a Bosch injection pump, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 id like to know more about these off the shelf tdi kits you mentioned? you also say that the later 200/300 engines are slightly better how do i know if i have one of these?thanx I think Del is referring to 200/300Tdi engines, they're not different versions of the 19J. If you want to get more info on conversion kits for Tdi's, either do a search on here or google Steve Parker. He does a range of conversion kits for lots of different applications. Also do a search for Land Rover 200Tdi conversion kits on "Flea Bay", they have some on there that include exhaust, hoses etc. HTH Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyfarmerboy Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 The early 19j engines has some problems with the block, however i have heard that land rover did something to thr later engines and they were supposed to be reliable, my parents has one and it did 180,000 miles and was perfect until the water leaked out and it overheated, i think the 19j is ok, aslong as it is looked after and driven jently, however if i were going to do a conversion i would go for a tdi, or a jap conversion, i am planning a 2.8td daihatsu into my 110, and putting the 2.5td from the 110 into a series 3 as i know the engine runs and pulls well and passed the emissions test by a mile, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22lr90 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 i have this engine and its okay im told but...has a few chinks in its armour ive been told its the worst engine land rover ever fitted ive looked for books and such but cant seem to find anything apart from forum comments that are seriously varied in opinion. so i turn to you again so hit me from all sides and give me the bad news, the kinda stuff im lookin for is whats typical for this engine faults and strengths wise. i once had a duel fuel 19j in my 90 duel fuel meaning letting it idle for five minutes and then it would pick up on its own engine oil (a bit hairy in traffic) fitted a 200tdi with a straight through pipe and it goes like a rocket cant remember doing a overtake manouvre with the 19j i thought it was carp save ya pennies and go tdi absolutely no comparison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2learn Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 suppose i wanted to take the advice and get the 200tdi fitted . what do you suppose id need to pay to have it all fitted and would i need to buy the gear box too or will the discovery engine fit mine already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 discovery originally used a LT77 variant as well, so yes your existing box will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 discovery originally used a LT77 variant as well, so yes your existing box will work. Is there anything wrong with your engine? Like the others said, they are ok if treated gently and looked after. If yours is ok and does what you need, run it till it dies and in the meantime save up for the tdi. When you do get the first big bill on this engine though, swap it for the tdi - dont make the mistake i made and spend a fortune on it. The tdi was a worthwhile swap but the 19j was fine whilst it was running ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2learn Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 well it has a ticking sound which im about to have treated and its been standing for the best part of 10 years,(although it was inside not out in the elements) it has a new injection pump and new bushes and track rod ends that was needed. its driven from england to germany. its got 115 000 on it and im about to attempt a holiday from hamburg to italy and back thats about 3500 kms and im hoping itll do that without tipping me and the family out onto the street. it starts okay and has many small things needed like the heater dont work ,the drivers door dont open from the inside and about 5 months ago a wheel cylinder had to be changed (ive been told that will increase the pressure on the others so im wondering if theyll go ? its an old beast but lovable ya know what i mean im just a bit nervous . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22lr90 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 suppose i wanted to take the advice and get the 200tdi fitted . what do you suppose id need to pay to have it all fitted and would i need to buy the gear box too or will the discovery engine fit mine already? ive got a disco 1 engine and box fitted in my 90 using the disco gearbox crossmember ok you lose the middle seat if youve got one i moved my cubby box back a bit which now makes a comfortable arm rest for gear changes and theres allways a good supply of rotten discos 1s thats what swung it for me realy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirkthe1 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 cant really say any different-they work, but the later engines are better-more efficient, more grunt, etc, etc and for the price of them its worth saving up and getting one. im currently saving up for a 200tdi and counting down the days til i can over take a lorry on the a3. although on the plus side, the 19j's are redily avaliable for next to nothing so if your happy with it you could judt swap ike for like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 You can modify your 19J engine yourself - it involves taking out the welch plugs and removing some flashing or whatever inside the block that restricts the coolant flow. I know a guy who had one in his SIIA camper with added intercooler. He used to think it was a great engine until a combustion chamber disintegrated and destroyed the engine a long way from home. Fitted a 300tdi and now it goes too fast for the brakes! Better fuel consumption as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohbear Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Just remembered - my TD had a habit of feeding itself on engine oil and running away - but that was the FIP boost diaphram and was easily fixed! As others have said the swap to Tdi is so straight forward with readily available 'made to fit' parts its a no brainer really. I collected all the bits I needed over a few months using fleabay where possible to save costs, also did all the work on the Tdi while it was on the garage floor and used the TD as my daily runner until I was ready for the swap. There is loads of advice and pictures on the forum which make the job a lot easier - just don't do it in February when it's snowing Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdoiron Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Has anyone ever done a non-rover conversion of a 19J to say an LS ? My 19J has some pretty expensive problems, and for the money to repair I would prefer to upgrade to some power. If I could find a non so difficult to drop in NAS Defender or RR donor I would go that route, but there seems to be lots of LS available - but not sure what challenges I may run into in mating to the Transfer case etc... Appreciate anyone who can share thoughts, m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn12 Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 I’ve got a 1988 landrover defender with a 19 J turbo that has just been rebuilt and she goes like Frick and rolls coal. The engine has done about 10,000 miles now not a single problem she has way more power than the TD5 discovery that I had before 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 2 hours ago, Finn12 said: I’ve got a 1988 landrover defender with a 19 J turbo that has just been rebuilt and she goes like Frick and rolls coal. The engine has done about 10,000 miles now not a single problem she has way more power than the TD5 discovery that I had before Both are 2.5 litre turbo diesel engines. The 19J in standard form is 85hp and 203Nm. The Td5 is 122hp and 300Nm. These figures suggest that something isn't right, maybe you had very large tyres on your discovery or an engine problem. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger110 Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 3 hours ago, Finn12 said: I’ve got a 1988 landrover defender with a 19 J turbo that has just been rebuilt and she goes like Frick and rolls coal. The engine has done about 10,000 miles now not a single problem she has way more power than the TD5 discovery that I had before 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 13 hours ago, Finn12 said: I’ve got a 1988 landrover defender with a 19 J turbo that has just been rebuilt and she goes like Frick and rolls coal. The engine has done about 10,000 miles now not a single problem she has way more power than the TD5 discovery that I had before 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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