New Discovery Owner Questions

I bought my first LR a couple of weeks ago. It is a Discovery 3, TD5, 2003. I am not a trained mechanic but I do as much of my own car repairs as I can. Can someone help me with a couple of simple questions:

1. The Haynes manual says that the oil should be changed every six months. I know that the way to look after the engine is to change the oil, but is this short interval really necessary?

2. The vehicle only has one key and according to the manual there should also be a security card but this is also missing. What is the best option for me here? Can Land Rover supply a second key and can they also provide the security code for the engine ignition? Or if I do nothing but then lose the only key, what would be the way to resolve it and what would be the cost?

Thanks,

Andrew

Aye, these prototypes can be hard to get a handle on

Ok Andrew.U have a typo with in Discovery 3 td5.... ?

1. It appears that the D2 is still classed by LR as a working vehicle much As the Defenders and was same an my old RR which was serviced every six months, the same service schedule is used for my D1 by LR although my D1 was service once a year. Know maybe every two depends. My normal car is once a year.
It all depends on the mileage u door most modern cars now it's once a year.

But then Diesel engines are dirty things, so perhaps an engine oil change at 6 month is a good thing.

2. Yes LR dealer can supply a key, also the codes, emergency access Radio head unit if required, door key number and wheel locks.
If u lost the key there's a way, LR dealer will explain, cost £££££

Welcome to the Forum, you may wish to go to"Introduce yourself" and ...introduce yourself!
As for oil changes, it depends on how you use it as well as how often and how far. Many people say read what LR say then do it twice as often. You should always do it once a year anyway, as an absolute minimum.
In the whole LR scheme of things, oil is cheap maintenance.

My D2 was done every 6 months every 7200mi and it looks like new inside..

Oil is cheap

an engine isn't

Order a second fob from here https://remotekey.co.uk/land-rover-...overy-2-discovery-series-2-year-1999-to-2006/ it's the cheapest and easyest way to have it working and you'll get the EKA code too which is valid only if the BCU is original and the code wasnt changed by the previous owner(s)

Ah, sorry, its a "Discovery Series 2, 2495cc, TD5.
Thanks for all the responses.
Andrew

ANR said:

Ah, sorry, its a "Discovery Series 2, 2495cc, TD5.
Thanks for all the responses.
Andrew

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last question, Auto or manual?

A Td5 has 2 oil filters so 6 months is too soon for most mileages. 12 months is fine.

ronsealdeath said:

A Td5 has 2 oil filters so 6 months is too soon for most mileages. 12 months is fine.

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Previous owner of mine changed it every time he drove it to spain towing his caravan, I am pleased to say. It often had only done 2000 miles.

I'd say that only the mileage is relevant not how many months cos if you drive 1500 miles a month then 12 months is too much or if you drive 150 miles a month then it's too few.

sierrafery said:

I'd say that only the mileage is relevant not how many months cos if you drive 1500 miles a month then 12 months is too much or if you drive 200 mies a month then it's too few.

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Some would say, and I'd agree with them, that if the miles are driven off road or doing heavy towing, like mine is, then the stresses on the oil are more than "normal" driving and thus more frequent oil changes are a good idea. which is why I said this in post #'4

Stanleysteamer said:

As for oil changes, it depends on how you use it as well as how often and how far.

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Stanleysteamer said:

Some would say, and I'd agree with them, that if the miles are driven off road or doing heavy towing, like mine is, then the stresses on the oil are more than "normal" driving and thus more frequent oil changes are a good idea.

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I agree with that... though my statement with the mileage is valid for that too so IMO you should change the oil after less miles of off-road and heavy towing not based on months

sierrafery said:

I agree with that... though my statement with the mileage is valid for that too so IMO you should change the oil after less miles of off-road and heavy towing not based on months

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Changing oil based on how long it has been in the engine is down to the deterioration oil suffers over time, absorbtion of nasties, etc etc. Over miles done is down to physical stresses on the oil, breakdown of long chain molecules etc together with heat stresses as oil is there to transfer heat almost as much as to prevent metal on metal contact. It also acts as a detergent to suck up and remove burning products, ash if you like, which is why it goes black, unless then cleaned by a very fine filter, which I have fitted in the past, but even then they only really work after a long run. But the centifugal filter is good at that. And finally, if the engine is working really hard the physical and heat pressures on it are increased even if you are driving slowly, hence off roading and/or towing.
It is all a compromise. You can read books on oil and find arguments for both. I have even heard of peeps who have tested the wear on engines after changing the oil regularly but not the filter and vice versa, and the results have been surprising. I once had a colleague who earned very little who never changed the oil or the filter in her 12 valve japanese car, she just kept it topped up. It ran like that for donkeys years, and ran well. Couldn't believe it after I had done some work on it for her and I just casually asked her when it had last had an oil change and she told me "never".

I keep it simple for me, i write down the odometer reading on a label and change the oil and filters each time when it shows around 5k more, how much the oil rests in the sump while the engine is not running is irrelevant to me

I do my oil every 7000miles with filters on every second change, the two filters does seem to keep the oil cleaner. Don’t forget gearbox oils/ diff oils, especially if yours is an auto as they love clean fluid and clear filters.

sierrafery said:

I keep it simple for me, i write down the odometer reading on a label and change the oil and filters each time when it shows around 5k more, how much the oil rests in the sump while the engine is not running is irrelevant to me

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5k for me to, easy to remember.

lynall said:

5k for me to, easy to remember.

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yep, also tends to match roughly with once a year anyway. I keep a running service record by photocopying the page out of the Haynes with the service items on it, page 1.3 for the TD5 Disco. then I can tick off the items as I do them and make other comments. Obviously I put the mileage at the top, so each sheet then makes up part of the service record, if you can call it that. Also helps to write on it things like socket sizes needed and even things like "nearside of box" for where to find things when it isn't obvious! Or when there is danger of a mix up! Or when it is Allen/torx etc.
Each to his own, although this one is pretty obvious.

De[ends on usage, mix of mileage and time

I tend to do at least yearly 10,000 mile whichever sooner, Last year 6000 5 months for one change

Thanks for all the help and very useful information. Since posting the message I've found out that the vehicle has only done 400 miles since its last oil and filter change in January 2019.
Andrew