Turbo lag.....

Any way to reduce the turbo lag on a 2005 Defender TD5?
When changing up on hills, if you don't do it quickly it takes a few seconds to get back on the power. Unless you rev it past 3,000 but l don't want to hammer it, just accelerate without the "gasping" as you wait for the turbo to kick in.

I already have a remap. I can think of two things that might help, CAT removal and shortening the turbo wastegate rod.

Will either of these make a difference? The power is fine when it does arrive.

And yes l have searched online first! There are two main threads that come up, one says shorten the wastegate rod, the other says lengthen it.

Then there's centre exhaust box removal, l don't want to do this due to it being "louder" as l drive a lot on the motorway...but would be happy to remove the CAT, as l am told it won't make any difference (to exhaust noise levels)

I do not see how adjusting the wastegate will reduce turbo lag an improvement may be obtained by removing the CAT, if the CAT is restricting the exhaust flow excessively. You need the turbo to spin faster at low RPM, the engine is just not making exhaust energy to do that hence the lag. Turbo manufacturers have come up with a turbo design that helps to eliminate the lag a VVT turbo whereby the turbo veins self adjust to increase the turbo speed at low exhaust energy. The next thing is to fit two turbos one smaller than the other small one spins at low RPM the larger one at higher RPM.

I've had the Dynachip remap done, shortened the wastegate rod and have removed the cat from my TD5, and although the engine revs easier, most of the turbo lag is still there, it does pick up quicker, but you still notice it. Just have to keep the turbo on boil by not giving it a chance to spool down by changing gear quicker at higher revs, although that's easier said than done when you don't like revving the engine too hard.

So removing the CAT didn't make much difference?
Mine's also got a Dynachip remap.

Removing the CAT is now an MOT fail if the tester realises it should have one as standard.

That's the problem with turbo diesels.

You don't want any lag, get a petrol. Mainly a V8.

Although td5s a great engines, I wish now id got a v8 in mine. Bloody turbo lag, really shows itself when towing!

Yeah l guess. But l drove a 1999 pre-CAT TD5 and l'm sure there was less turbo lag on that.

Hybrid turbo is an option.

Could help the engine breath easier by fitting a much less restrictive air intake.

Grab some 3" induction pipe off ebay, remove the LR intake system, fit the 3" pipe work, to the air box and run it to wing. Plus a less ristrictive air filter like Pipercross

Clean any muck out of the inlet manifold too