Hi Chris
I'm sure others will be along with faults they've found. Here are a few of problems I've had:
1. Fuel regulator leaking (fairly cheap fix - approx £90) - you'll see diesel all over the rear of the engine.It doesn't have to be fixed immediately, and the diesel leeking into the chassis helped with rust-proofing.
2. Oil in the loom (cheap fix). Mine is a 2002 model which supposedly was cured..... £70 later and a good scrubbing of the connector all seems to be well.
3. Cracked head around the injectors (very expensive fix - I got mine sorted before the turbo got a chance to cook itself, but it still cost £2300 including a new head from Turners). If you can, get the oil tested before you buy - its £37 well spent! Mine was cracked on injectors 2, 3 & 4. The only indication that I had a problem was the oil level increasing on the dipstick.
The airflow meter can also cause trouble, but mines never been an issue.
If looking at a Defender:
The ecu is beneath the front seat, while checking for oil in the loom, have a look and see if anyone has ever taken the electrics for a swim.
Rust - all the usual rust issues are the same on Defenders.
If you do get it, get rid of the egr, mid box and cat. This will not impact on your MOT - infact for some reason its seems to have made my figures better. Once you've done this take it to BAS or Porny.
Check the transfer box ratio - I had the 1.4 on my 110, which gave it a top end of around 55mph. Ashcrofts sell the gear (not too sure what it costs, as I decided to get both a recon gear and transfer box installed). It makes the vehicle a lot more driveable & with the remap I get exactly 30mpg if I keep my foot off the happy peddle. Towing heavy loads shouldn't be an issue, other than having to use low ratio when pulling off
Tom
