Got myself a Defender. What to do?

It's a 99' TD5 with 104000 miles on it.! It runs great and everything seems to work on it (besides the clock) It's my first LR, so I'm wondering what I should look out for over the next few years. I'm planning some long trips around Iceland, so any tips on TD5 maintenance, links to similar threads (I did search!) etc. would be great.

Take the TD5 lump out and put in a 200/300tdi...

The veichle itself should be fine, I would give the chassis a good jet washing (local truck shop will let you use a ramp and steam wash for £10 or something, then check it for bad rust, get it undersealed if its looking a bit tired, that will keep the rust at bay for a good while.

Regular oil changes, every 5000miles filter as well, its worth it, 104000miles is nothing for a diesel, not sure about a TD5, but its still got MANY miles to go.

When was the timing chain last done?

Important to keep oil in diffs, gearboxs and swivels good...

If u do that can i hav ur engine?

Plleeeezzzzzeee

Is the TD5 really that bad?

I heard it is pretty solid if you are good on oil/filter changes

No its not bad, they get alot of bad press for some reason. I think its becaue ppl are afraid if they brake, they wont be able to fix them cos of all the eletric gizmoze and plastic covers.

I see, Kinda like why I love my old Morris Minor. All you need is a screwdriver and a hammer to fix just about everything one it.

they get alot of bad press for some reason.

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For the same reason the TD's get a bad press, 'cos someone new someone whos' uncle had one that had been thrashed to hell and back without any maintenance, then complained 'cos it broke.

My TD is broke and ive looked after it. TDs hav bad press because they deserve bad press.

Did the bloke before you look after it?

If he drove it expecting Tdi performance from it then no wonder it's broke Part of the trouble with the TD is people read the word 'turbo' and immediately think 'performance' - which you're only going to get from a landie with an Overfinch conversion or similar.

Yes thats right, they are slugs even when they do work. I shoulda stayed away from the thing in the first place.

I've just bought a Td5 Def 90,
52000 miles. I'm expecting it to keep going for a long time. I was unsure whether to get the td5 or a tdi. Most people say the tdi, but I chose to ignore them. Looking at it, the TD5 was around for 8 years, more than the two tdi's put together, so it can't be that bad. Just remember to change the oil and filters.
Mine is going great at the moment, and really hope it continues too. Good luck with yours.

Jens said:

Is the TD5 really that bad?

I heard it is pretty solid if you are good on oil/filter changes

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I personaly would not own one, I know people who take them out and put in TDI's.

It really is not a great engine, just google TD5 and the bad press goes on and on.

However, it does go, it will get you from A to B, the majority of landrovers sold are to take the kids to school, it breaks down, it goes to the stealer, end of problem, but for what its been designed for, they really didn't think it through; driving through the Sahara with autologic and a spare ECU in the back?

A landrover sitting in the middle of the field, used just for going about a farm, battery runs out, you shove it down a hill it goes, no electrickery to go wrong, in 10 years time TD5's are not going to be standing in fields as the field 4x4.

The main problem with the TD that all they did was throw a turbo at the engine they already had! Had they re-engineered it slightly it would have been fine.

This is what i said...

What u got to think about though is that TD5 dont genrally go wrong in the first place so u dont need to push them down hills. I wouldent be so tempted to downgrade myself.

And yes the TD engine is nasty. You can live with them when they work, but when they go wrong, they realy go wrong.

The engine hasn't gone wrong in these landrovers, the owners just dont usually bother putting new batterys in them because they know they can park them on a hill and bump start it everytime. All I am saying is, your not going to do this in a TD5.

I have a friend who used to keep a landrover purly for checking round his land, went for ages with a knackered battery, all he did was roll it down a hill, and parked it at the top when he was done.

Jens said:

I'm planning some long trips around Iceland, so any tips

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Yes buy some steel tyres you can then skate down the
volcano's without the rubber melting