What turbo should I have on my 300Tdi?

Having nearly finished the restoration of my Defender I'm contemplating what might need attention next. I've done nothing to the engine, because it is fine (touch wood) So, my thoughts are all about it as it has done 174K and I was wondering about the turbo. I know its a Garrett, because here it is

But, I was wondering if it had a model number as I wanted to submit a quote request to TurboClinic UK and wanted to be as specific as I could.
I did a bit of Googling to see if specific models were fitted and was reading a wiki page about Land Rover engines LINKY On here it says the 19J and 200Tdi engines use a Garrett T2 and the 300Tdi uses an Allied Signal T25. I know you can't believe a lot of what you read on the internet, so I thought I'd ask if anyone knows for sure what mine would have had originally.
I just found TurboClinic UK on the internet and so if anyone can recommend them or another company that would be great. I'm only thinking about quotes at the minute.

If the turbo recon people know there stuff they will know exactly whats fitted to a 300di.
If its not passing oil and the vanes dont touch the casing its got life in it yet, BUT your vanes do look like they have seen some dirt, the little oil residue is most likely from your crankcase breather and not the turbo.
Be interesting to see their quote versus a new 300 unit?

Al2O3 said:

Having nearly finished the restoration of my Defender I'm contemplating what might need attention next. I've done nothing to the engine, because it is fine (touch wood) So, my thoughts are all about it as it has done 174K and I was wondering about the turbo. I know its a Garrett, because here it is

But, I was wondering if it had a model number as I wanted to submit a quote request to TurboClinic UK and wanted to be as specific as I could.
I did a bit of Googling to see if specific models were fitted and was reading a wiki page about Land Rover engines LINKY On here it says the 19J and 200Tdi engines use a Garrett T2 and the 300Tdi uses an Allied Signal T25. I know you can't believe a lot of what you read on the internet, so I thought I'd ask if anyone knows for sure what mine would have had originally.
I just found TurboClinic UK on the internet and so if anyone can recommend them or another company that would be great. I'm only thinking about quotes at the minute.

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Book says it is a ...............

Cheers, Lynall. I do think it has life in it, I'm just planning ahead. I think because I've got the chassis and body sorted my mind is wandering a bit.
Having said that at 174,000 miles I have to be considering it as a possibility. I bought the Landy just over 10yrs ago and IIRC it had about 72K on it. I suppose the turbo could have failed and been changed before then. I'm just curious to know if I'm still on the original turbo. I think I've read other threads where people have mentioned Garrett turbos in 300Tdi's, so I suspect that wikipedia page may not be accurate. I definitely need to look at the crankcase breather. I tried to get it off once and couldn't move any of the bolts. I'll give it another go.
When I get the quote back I'll post it on this thread so you can see it.

Cheers, Kwakerman. I was typing when you posted that. I thought that wikipedia page may have been inaccurate. My turbo is probably still original then.

Al2O3 said:

Cheers, Kwakerman. I was typing when you posted that. I thought that wikipedia page may have been inaccurate. My turbo is probably still original then.

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I've got exactly the same vehicle (1996 90 300 CSW) and I'm at about 171k. Got a VDO boost gauge fitted and it shows the turbo is still producing the goods (up to 18PSI at max speed). That said I have the service history for the last 15 years and it appears to have been regularly serviced by the PO up to three years ago when I got it and I have done all the servicing since. Regular oil changes and not blipping the engine at switch off go a long way to extending the useable life.

Kwakerman said:

I've got exactly the same vehicle (1996 90 300 CSW) and I'm at about 171k. Got a VDO boost gauge fitted and it shows the turbo is still producing the goods (up to 18PSI at max speed). That said I have the service history for the last 15 years and it appears to have been regularly serviced by the PO up to three years ago when I got it and I have done all the servicing since. Regular oil changes and not blipping the engine at switch off go a long way to extending the useable life.

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My history is similar. It had been main dealer serviced until I bought it and I've serviced it with top quality oil and filter change every 6k since then. Conscious of not spooling the turbo up before stopping too. Got to make a difference!?

On a similar note, I was camping a week or so ago in Sweden. Saabs all over the place and looking great. Did a bit of googling one night reading about Saabs and there 's a guy in America who donated his Saab 900 to a motor museum after clocking up over 1 million miles. Claimed the turbo had done that too. Having said that, I did read it on Wikipedia!

Recon etc is going to be cheaper, but, if you really want to throw money at it, then one of the variable geometry ones is where you could look. Probably about the same as I paid for my 110 though...

Check out m&d. Or don't, if you're just looking to spend sensible money.

julianf said:

Recon etc is going to be cheaper, but, if you really want to throw money at it, then one of the variable geometry ones is where you could look. Probably about the same as I paid for my 110 though...

Check out m&d. Or don't, if you're just looking to spend sensible money.

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Nothing fancy for me. Just want a standard set up working efficiently.

Kwakerman said:

I've got exactly the same vehicle (1996 90 300 CSW) and I'm at about 171k. Got a VDO boost gauge fitted and it shows the turbo is still producing the goods (up to 18PSI at max speed). That said I have the service history for the last 15 years and it appears to have been regularly serviced by the PO up to three years ago when I got it and I have done all the servicing since. Regular oil changes and not blipping the engine at switch off go a long way to extending the useable life.

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+1 to that, my 07 plate Mondeo TDCI has done a shade under 280000 miles on the original turbo with nothing but manufacturer service intervals. I park round the back of the house and I have to get out to open some gates so the turbo is well spun down by the time I switch off. You read loads of cobblers about turbos only lasting 80000 miles, true if you rag it all the time, but a bit of mechanical sympathy pays dividends. Watch the bugger blow up tomorrow LOL

Kwakerman said:

Regular oil changes and not blipping the engine at switch off go a long way to extending the useable life.

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+1 here too - hard to believe how poorly some folk treat such things

Kwakerman said:

blipping the engine at switch off

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I know folk do this - lots of scooby owners round here, but ?!?!?!?

And... OP, what about putting a new capsule in the turbo, if it needs it ?

julianf said:

one of the variable geometry ones

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"Oh yeah baby", (as we said in the sixties) - its on my wish list is that

LordOWar said:

+1 to that, my 07 plate Mondeo TDCI has done a shade under 280000 miles on the original turbo with nothing but manufacturer service intervals. I park round the back of the house and I have to get out to open some gates so the turbo is well spun down by the time I switch off. You read loads of cobblers about turbos only lasting 80000 miles, true if you rag it all the time, but a bit of mechanical sympathy pays dividends. Watch the bugger blow up tomorrow LOL

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I used to have a 07 Mondeo TDCi. Great engine in mine too. I've got a 12 plate now. Did your dual mass clutch flywheel give up?

Disco1BFG said:

+1 here too - hard to believe how poorly some folk treat such things

I know folk do this - lots of scooby owners round here, but ?!?!?!?

And... OP, what about putting a new capsule in the turbo, if it needs it ?

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I don't know a lot about it to be honest. I read a bit about DIY stuff the other night, but the warnings about balancing and how precise everything has to be put me off.

Al2O3 said:

but the warnings about balancing

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Oh, yeah, that would do it all right - as in blow the thing to bits

I didn't even know you could buy an unbalanced capsule - I was under the impression that this is why they exist - its about the smallest unit which is "runnable" to balance it - I mean, you could balance the parts separately, like you could balance a wheel and tyre seperately - but

And a unbalanced capsule would be, er, a bit of a challenge... we could have a competition, rolleyes and see many seconds they last at 280,000 RPM !..... or not... .... in fact definitely NOT

(above fig from:- https://garrett.honeywell.com/products/how-a-turbo-works/ )

Turbos by plumbing suppliers, fills you full of confidence!

Lots of vehicles have issues with turbos but most Im sure are down to neglect, not unusual for the trucks at work to be retired at 10yrs old and over a million kms with the original turbo.

Disco1BFG said:

Oh, yeah, that would do it all right - as in blow the thing to bits

I didn't even know you could buy an unbalanced capsule - I was under the impression that this is why they exist - its about the smallest unit which is "runnable" to balance it - I mean, you could balance the parts separately, like you could balance a wheel and tyre seperately - but

And a unbalanced capsule would be, er, a bit of a challenge... we could have a competition, rolleyes and see many seconds they last at 280,000 RPM !..... or not... .... in fact definitely NOT

(above fig from:- https://garrett.honeywell.com/products/how-a-turbo-works/ )

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Sorry, mate, I didn't explain myself very well there. I hadn't read about an unbalanced capsule. I meant I didn't know much about doing stuff to your own turbo and the bits I'd read about balancing had put me off.
As you referenced earlier, the variable vane technology looks impressive in that animation.

lynall said:

Turbos by plumbing suppliers, fills you full of confidence!

Lots of vehicles have issues with turbos but most Im sure are down to neglect, not unusual for the trucks at work to be retired at 10yrs old and over a million kms with the original turbo.

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That's good to know, Lynall. It's given me a different outlook on mine.

Al2O3 said:

That's good to know, Lynall. It's given me a different outlook on mine.

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It's my experience too - if they are looked after - mainly, IME, the correct amount of the proper oil, but also allowing them to slow down before removing their oil supply (!!), they do last

Al2O3 said:

I used to have a 07 Mondeo TDCi. Great engine in mine too. I've got a 12 plate now. Did your dual mass clutch flywheel give up?


I don't know a lot about it to be honest. I read a bit about DIY stuff the other night, but the warnings about balancing and how precise everything has to be put me off.

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No it was the slave cylinder that failed at 195000 miles. It started sticking and making noise so I popped it in to get the full clutch done, very annoying as I was trying to get it to 200000. The Ford sites were full of woe at around 110-120K miles so I spent 70K with my arse twitching. LOL

LordOWar said:

No it was the slave cylinder that failed at 195000 miles. It started sticking and making noise so I popped it in to get the full clutch done, very annoying as I was trying to get it to 200000. The Ford sites were full of woe at around 110-120K miles so I spent 70K with my arse twitching. LOL

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You did well, I reckon. Mine went about 90K. Not badly, but it was developing a little shake.

I've been driving big excavators for years now and I'll always let them idle for about 5 mins before I shut it down for the day to let the oil get round the turbo. It's in all the manuals you get with the machine too to do that. So can't be a bad thing to do.