Do I keep my 19j engine?

Removed head from engine today and found 2 cracked pistons. So do I rebuild this engine and keep the Landrover original as not many about now. Do I find a 200tdi to put in there, bearing in mind would probably be high mileage due to the age of these engines now. I would like to see people's points of cue and suggestions, bare in mind my bank account is not a bottomless pit.
Thanks

I guess it depends on how you like the engine and how damaged it is.
As you say tdi's are getting on a bit now, especially 200's and I believe that some parts are getting hard to find.
If you want tdi, I would go for a 300 but it involves a bit more work to fit.
I replaced my 2.5na with one..
If your td has lasted this long it is probably a good one and worth saving. Must admit, I would struggle with the decision if I was in your shoes......
Rich

callisr said:

I guess it depends on how you like the engine and how damaged it is.
As you say tdi's are getting on a bit now, especially 200's and I believe that some parts are getting hard to find.
If you want tdi, I would go for a 300 but it involves a bit more work to fit.
I replaced my 2.5na with one..
If your td has lasted this long it is probably a good one and worth saving. Must admit, I would struggle with the decision if I was in your shoes......
Rich

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Thanks for the reply suppose if I strip the bottom end down I may even answer my own question.

Tough call, I like to keep things as standard as possible, but depends on the state of the rest of the vehicle. I have a 200 tdi and I think they are great engines. It can keep pace with traffic on motorways etc. I think I would find a 19j engine a bit on the slow side. But that depends on your driving style.

mikescuba said:

Tough call, I like to keep things as standard as possible, but depends on the state of the rest of the vehicle. I have a 200 tdi and I think they are great engines. It can keep pace with traffic on motorways etc. I think I would find a 19j engine a bit on the slow side. But that depends on your driving style.

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Have you seen the film driving miss daisy, yes that's me lol

Ddirect said:

Have you seen the film driving miss daisy, yes that's me lol

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Then I would keep it standard and repair the 19J.

Depends on your time and skill, and parts availability. If you can rebuild the 19j to a good standard easily enough it will be very satisfying. A decent 200tdi conversion will transform the vehicle though, they are a great engine, with plenty of power and torque.

Don't bother with a 200tdi, a 300tdi makes more sense, newer than a 200tdi, more of them available and other than the engine mounts they are easier to fit than a Discovery 200tdi.
The 19J engine has a well earned reputation for poor reliability and is significantly less powerful than the tdi, if you do a decent job of fitting a tdi engine, they look like a factory fitment.

You could do some sums using the parts from TURNER ENGINEERING
As mikescuba says, it depend on the rest of the vehicle as to what you might want to spend on it. It will probably be cheaper to buy a second hand 200 or 300Tdi, than rebuild your current engine. Depends on how much detail you want to go in to on the build. Cost me £1800 to rebuild my 300Tdi, that included all of the parts, tools, oils, consumables etc

Rougharse Racing said:

Don't bother with a 200tdi, a 300tdi makes more sense, newer than a 200tdi, more of them available and other than the engine mounts they are easier to fit than a Discovery 200tdi.
The 19J engine has a well earned reputation for poor reliability and is significantly less powerful than the tdi, if you do a decent job of fitting a tdi engine, they look like a factory fitment.

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I never understand posts like this. Do you really thing the age difference between a 200 and 300 Tdi is worth anything at all, really??

As for engine mounts. You don't need to do anything with them for a 200. How is that not easier??

And as for your comments on the 19j. I can only assume you've not owned or driven one. They go perfectly fine. And many have ticked over 200,000 miles with no problems.

Ddirect said:

Removed head from engine today and found 2 cracked pistons. So do I rebuild this engine and keep the Landrover original as not many about now. Do I find a 200tdi to put in there, bearing in mind would probably be high mileage due to the age of these engines now. I would like to see people's points of cue and suggestions, bare in mind my bank account is not a bottomless pit.
Thanks

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Really depends on your intended use and goal. As you know, the 19j TD isn't a bad engine. A Tdi should have more poke, but stock vs stock it really isn't as big a difference as some make out. A TD will trundle about perfectly happily and a Tdi won't want to pull higher rpm. So cruising speeds will be almost identical.

Tdi's are also less refined and more noisy.

That said a 200 conversion is pretty simple really. In terms of engine swaps. Although if you aren't doing big mileage, I'd actually say consider a V8 swap over either of the Tdi's vastly quieter and way more refined and smoother. And potentially a lot more powerful too. There will be an mpg difference, but shouldn't be as big as you might think.

I'd put a 300 in if I was you but I like to drive fastish. If it's fast enough for you might be nice to keep the 19j like you say isn't many standard. Even if yours is knackered bet isn't wouldn't be too hard to pick up another 19j be cheaper than a 300 too.

My observations regarding 200tdi and 300tdi motors is based on the fact that the source of 200tdi engines has virtually dried up, i.e. rotten 200tdi Discoveries and if you look on fleabay there are loads of cheap rotten 300tdi Discoveries for sale.
The prospect of changing the engine mounts puts some people off 300tdis, but if you use the ones from Steve Parker they are dead easy to fit and there are other hassles associated with fitting a 200tdi Discovery engine in a 90.
If you find a 19J engine it will have spent its life in a 90/110 and will probably been hammered, whereas a 300tdi is likely to have spent its life in a school run Discovery.
I put a 300tdi in my 110 and it transformed it, but what do I know.

If it was me I would rebuild your 19 j, I think original defenders will command the top money in the near future.
As already said 200 tdi parts a drying up. Also you could end up fitting an engine that's a load of trouble.
If you do find and fit a good 200tdi, keep hold of of the 19j

Get a cheap 200tdi and stick it in and then spend time rebuilding your original engine to a good standard, for me, originality is important but so is keeping the landy going.

Col

Ddirect said:

Removed head from engine today and found 2 cracked pistons. So do I rebuild this engine and keep the Landrover original as not many about now. Do I find a 200tdi to put in there, bearing in mind would probably be high mileage due to the age of these engines now. I would like to see people's points of cue and suggestions, bare in mind my bank account is not a bottomless pit.
Thanks

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They are pretty easy to rebuild, as above^^^^^^^^, you can get all the parts from Turner, or go the whole hog, and get recon engine from Turner.
Or you could get James Martin to rebuild it for you, might be a bit cheaper than Turner.

Or, as Col suggests, get another engine, Tdi or 2.5 petrol, and fit and use while you take your time over the 19j. And keep the 19j on the shelf for later use, or if you sell the vehicle.

Whatever you do, get your injectors serviced, that is what will have caused the cracked pistons in the first place.

I have a 200tdi and 300tdi, i would keep it original and repair what you have. Original is best, especially if you have been happy with it.

Thanks for all the replies, more food for thought. I think I'll have a couple of weeks to mull things over. I'm lucky it's just my weekend car so no need to rush.

Ddirect said:

Removed head from engine today and found 2 cracked pistons. So do I rebuild this engine and keep the Landrover original as not many about now. Do I find a 200tdi to put in there, bearing in mind would probably be high mileage due to the age of these engines now. I would like to see people's points of cue and suggestions, bare in mind my bank account is not a bottomless pit.
Thanks

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From reading through this post and your later comments I think rebuild your engine. I am like you, I like things stock, but I do have a 300tdi in where my 2.5NA once was but almost everything else is stock and I still have the perfectly serviceable (30,000miles from new) 2.5NA sitting in my garden under loads of tarps and sheets just in case I wanted to go back!

As a further thing to ponder ..

If you decide to get rid of the 19J, (as I did when I put my 300Tdi in) ebay is pretty good, but allow bids from overseas. It appears the Poles (people from Poland for the thickies) and Latvians like the engines for all sorts of things and pay a bit of a premium for them. The chap that bought mine had hired a van, bought a van load of 'stuff' including another 19j and came over specifically for it all. Way easier and cheaper for him than trying to courier or mail all the bits.