Should i worry or not???

I have a 300tdi D1, late '94 ES with 120k on it, it was bought to tow a trailer and I love it to bits, its much more fun than the daily runner We had our first towing session this weekend with 1500kg behind it and it managed a steady 50-60mph in 4th or 5th depending on the gradient on the M11, acceleration is painful but it chugged along very happily and after a 120 miles, the fuel gauge only dropped from top peg to just under the first 'full' line so i'm very pleased with the economy too. Bodywork is good, chassis seems fine too, all in all, a good motor.

So, i'm guessing your'e all thinking "why the bloody hell is he prattling on about all this crap?"

There seems to be a 'thing' with these engines cooking and eating heads and pistons etc, this bothers me. I have also read threads where it was mentioned that the temperature gauge is crap and to fit an aftermarket unit, that bothers me too. My gauge has never gone above 1/3 point, it seems to warm up normally and settle around the 1/3 area every time.

So, do i motor on happily, trusting my gauges or fit extras? Surely Landrovers cant be built that badly can they? My main concern is extra expense naturally and the wish to avoid it! I still have the timing belt to do as i have no history on it, and have just found the boots on the drag-link ends both shagged to bits. On the lighter side, i got a bargain on a complete front bumper to replace the bent up junk that was there which will tidy up the front a lot.

Dave

as with any motor, keep your eye on it.

check the fluid levels regulary, tyres, bits hanging off, (ok so this bits aimed at l/r's) etc.

stuff goes wrong mainly due to lack of maintenance.

i deffo check mine before the heavy towing or long journeys

nrgserv said:

as with any motor, keep your eye on it.

check the fluid levels regulary, tyres, bits hanging off, (ok so this bits aimed at l/r's) etc.

stuff goes wrong mainly due to lack of maintenance.

i deffo check mine before the heavy towing or long journeys

Click to expand...

Agreed

Since I've had this Disco I do regular weekly check's on fluids etc., and give her an all over check at least once a month. Wife think's it's OCD on my part, I prefer to know what's what and what may need replacing before it goes bang!

thats what i figured.

She's pretty mollycoddled and looked after, full service, the works, and of course a quick check before serious driving etc.

I was the same with my series 3's many moons ago, i lost plenty of cash when i sold because i spent so much on them, even a full recon head with hardened valve seats about a year before i sold We dragged the 109 station waggon around the country camping and she never missed a beat, lovely old motors, just too damn thirsty now, hence the 300tdi.

I'll carry on as i was.

Thanks
Dave

the only reasaon they have a problem with cooking the heads is because wen people drain the cooling system they don't bleed the air out the system properly thats why theres a plug where the thermostat is its all because head sits higher than the radiator so unless you bleed the coolant through properly no water gets to the head

Thats what i was figuring, i just could'nt beleive they were crap by design as i know of landy's that sit idling for hours and others that are worked beyond what they were designed for, so it must have been operator error as you said by not refilling it correctly. There are many modern cars that are bastards to refill properly, luckily i dont have one

keep looking behind the alternator on the block joint for any sign of antifreeze/water leakage as that is how the P gasket shows up any leaking and is the biggest cause of 300 cooling problems. If doing your cam belt also do that whilst in there - can be done without cam belt change, just working around the front of the engine it gets 2 jobs done at one time.

i was intending on doing the belt job without touching the cooling system because of the "if it works, dont mess with it rule" i have. The car has aircon too so removing the rad wont help anyways.

I do/will keep an eye out on the pump area and core plugs too for weeps etc, as well as checking the coolant level regularly.

dave