I need some help with my 1994 Defender 90 300TDI Engine

Hi my Defender is very sick. Had been running fine besides usual Defender quirks. Several weeks ago it simply decided to die at the roadside.

My mechanic recovered my vehicle. Oil is leaking heavily from breather pipe all over engine. Many years ago before I become the owner he had resleeved the cylinders in the engine. Had been good for 6 years with me.

He thinks the original engine had been replaced with an engine of unknown mileage. He believes the engine is heavily worn out now. Can't get pressure etc. Obviously I'm not that mechanically minded. Have spoken to a few other people who again agree with this.

The poor thing is gasping for air obviously not drivable.

Any advice or what to do now?

Coincidentally my daughter is currently in my mechanics garage for work experience with the possibility of an apprenticeship. I thought this would be a great one for her to work on as a future project perhaps? Any thoughts?

Any chance of getting someone else to look at it? It certainly sounds well worn if you're getting that much from the breather, but it's pretty unusual to just expire through wear. I'd like to know what a compression test showed - the actual numbers for each cylinder.

Whatever though, yes, great project for the young 'un.

You can buy a 'stripped engine' or you can have yours rebuilt.

There are others but here is a compqny you could talk too.

Your daughter could take the engine out.
Clean up the engine bay and the peripherals and put the new one back in... a good project for an up and coming mechanic.

HI, A compression test will give a good idea of how worn engine is but given it is a heavy breather probably one or more pots blowing past. However even then they usually still run. [ my old 19j still ran even with four cracked pistons, two all the way across.] probably rebuild time.

Hi does anyone know as anyone based in Northern Ireland who can do a complete engine rebuild including rebore? I did have someone who was extremely keen to buy her as seen but as usual arranged to view twice and never turned up. Very annoying I'm sure you would agree.