What TDI is my engine?

Okay, this may be a real stupid question, but I don’t know?

I know the engine size is 2.5 and it’s a Defender 90, 1989.

How do I know what TDI it is? People keep asking but I honest don’t know?

It has a cambelt if this helps?

I assume 200 TDI?

Youve attached three photos, but none of the engine bay.... ??

ps. wikipedia does not think the 200tdi was fitted to 90s until late 1990.

But there could be anything in it now, so just point your camera under the bonnet....

A genuine 200tdi in a defender with have a high mounted turbo and ribs on the rocker cover with a yellow or green filler cap.

If it has a smooth rocker cover and a black ball looking think on the rocker cover its a 2.5 turbo diesel.

The 200tdi will also have an intercooler (small aluminium radiator on the passenger side next to the main radiator.
A black plastic radiator expansion tank not a metal one.
Without a picture I can give a definitive yes or no

A 200tdi conversion may be from a discovery an won't have a turbo up high but will have a Land Rover logo on the air intake next to the rocker cover.

Sorry gents, attached the wrong three photos!

Correct ones below.

19J turbo diesel ,pre 200 tdi so may be the original engine

JonnyRae said:

Sorry gents, attached the wrong three photos!

Correct ones below.

Click to expand...

Don't look like a 200 tdi can't think what it's is a j something

Also,

Just for fun, your engine number should be able to identify what it is and it should be on your V5, check it against your actual engine no.

Cheers

it is a 19j td

Thanks for your help guys. After some reading, i can see some really mixed reviews on 19J TD.
Looks like it all points down to Land Rover made the mistake of adding a turbo and not doing anything to the engine itself?
I agree on some points, It definitely struggles up hills but it doesn't struggle with towing as some people have said with these engines. I pull our tractor trailers around the farm no problem.

What's your view?

they can be alright if looked after, be religious on your oil change schedule and servicing etc

Yours being a late 19j means it should have improvements Land Rover made to the strength of the engine. The first ones were the problem ones.
Cooling and oil changes are a top priority to longevity.

if you were worried about the engine keep a look out for a cheap 200tdi and buy it and store it. Then run your engine until it pops. In a weekend you'll have the Tdi in and drive able.
They can achieve 250,000 miles before any major problems if looked after.

cheap 200tdi = yeah right

haha, thanks guys.

flat said:

cheap 200tdi = yeah right

Click to expand...

Picked up mine for £120 off eBay. Seller listed it as tho it had loads of problems. One of the timing belt idlers had a worn bearing which made an awful noise.

So cheap tdi's are possible, they aren't if you wait for an engine to blow up and need changing but if you look before hand they do come up.
I bought a genuine 200tdi defender at a farmers market last year £800, if I sold the rest and kept the engine I would've had another cheap Tdi.

Then 5 months ago I bought a 1984 110 with a defender 200tdu conversion for £550. Could've sold all 4 wolf door tops for about that figure and had a free 200 Tdi.

So very possible and certainly not difficult to find. The key is to look when you don't need it than need it urgently. All these engines were in a 30 mile radius of my house. And I've had no issues with any of the engines.

You sir, are the official 'Bargain hunter'

JonnyRae said:

Thanks for your help guys. After some reading, i can see some really mixed reviews on 19J TD.
Looks like it all points down to Land Rover made the mistake of adding a turbo and not doing anything to the engine itself?
I agree on some points, It definitely struggles up hills but it doesn't struggle with towing as some people have said with these engines. I pull our tractor trailers around the farm no problem.

What's your view?

Click to expand...

I have one in my 90. Contrary to the popular myth, they are not simply the old 12J non-turbo with a turbocharger bolted on. They were reworked to handle the higher temperatures and stresses associated with turbocharging. Many were killed through lack of proper maintenance. In the 1980s, 'turbo' on anything was usually taken to mean 'really good and fast' rather than 'a bit more power than the old one' which didn't help.

The trouble is, it used to be a common swap to ditch a 19J and replace it with a Discovery 200tdi, back when a MOT-failure Discovery with a good engine could be found easily and cheaply. Therefore you were comparing a decent 200 with a knackered 19J, which of course made the old engine look terrible. These days all you're likely to find for sensible money is an engine on a pallet, or a really manky one in an equally bad Disco.

Kept in good condition, they are perfectly adequate for most landy-type stuff. It should be capable of an easy cruise of 60-65 with a bit in reserve, and how fast do you really want to go in an old Land Rover? It will struggle a bit up hills with a heavy trailer, but for low-speed work should be perfectly capable. Likewise, they aren't brilliant for long motorway runs, and are happier on the smaller roads. But there's certainly no compelling reason to swap one for a tdi of unknown condition. Look after it (particularly the cooling system which is often neglected) don't thrash it too hard and it will most likely serve you well.

Should also point out that, if it came with a 19J (and being on an F-plate) it's technically not a Defender. What you have there is a Ninety

FlyingPete said:

I have one in my 90. Contrary to the popular myth, they are not simply the old 12J non-turbo with a turbocharger bolted on. They were reworked to handle the higher temperatures and stresses associated with turbocharging. Many were killed through lack of proper maintenance. In the 1980s, 'turbo' on anything was usually taken to mean 'really good and fast' rather than 'a bit more power than the old one' which didn't help.

Click to expand...

Sorry, but a 2.5 td is a 2.5na with a turbocharger bolted on!

Later ones had minor improvements, coated pistons and minor tweaks. But it was the introduction of the ladder frame, intercooler, and different head made the Tdi reliable.

It is possible to run a 2.5 td reliably, and I have done so for years, but it is a fundamentally unsound design. Some engines take turbocharging, like Toyota Landcruiser, others don't!

The introduction of turbocharging on diesels, was actually more to do with fuel efficiency than performance. HGVs led the way, Scania. Volvo etc.

You are absolutely right, though, It is a Ninety, not a Defender.

@JonnyRae Change the oil cooler stat as well as recommended service stuff in manual.

That actually looks a very tidy engine bay compared to most I have seen. Turbocharger elbow looks rusty enough, watch out for tired turbos eating oil, recon is cheaper than runaway!