TD5 or V8

Hello,

I need a small advice from the experts.I intend to buy a Disco 2 and would like to buy the v8.I've done a test drive in the td5
I think that this engine is seriously to small for the heavy disco, but I know fuel economy may reliability is a big plus on the td5.May I'm old fashioned but land rover is in my mind connected with the rover v8.
But my concerns are the problems I read all time in the advert regarding Engine issues headgasket gone / bottom noise
Is that a lack of cooling maintenance problems or an 4litr engine issue regarding the cylinder liner like on the 4.6 ?

many thanks for your advice

Jean I

I have driven V8 and TD5 and a good TD5 drives better than most V8

MJI said:

I have driven V8 and TD5 and a good TD5 drives better than most V8

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"TD5 drives better than most V8" ?. I take up you have not driven them like for like, both brand new or with very low mileage then.
The petrol engine has more power and is quieter straight out of the box, with no further tuning being required. otherwise model on model they are both the same inside and outside.

discool said:

"TD5 drives better than most V8" ?. I take up you have not driven them like for like, both brand new or with very low mileage then.
The petrol engine has more power and is quieter straight out of the box, with no further tuning being required. otherwise model on model they are both the same inside and outside.

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I agree. My V8 engined Auto D2 was a fantastic drive. Much better than any diesel landrover I have driven.

jean ingo said:

Hello,

I need a small advice from the experts.I intend to buy a Disco 2 and would like to buy the v8.I've done a test drive in the td5
I think that this engine is seriously to small for the heavy disco, but I know fuel economy may reliability is a big plus on the td5.May I'm old fashioned but land rover is in my mind connected with the rover v8.
But my concerns are the problems I read all time in the advert regarding Engine issues headgasket gone / bottom noise
Is that a lack of cooling maintenance problems or an 4litr engine issue regarding the cylinder liner like on the 4.6 ?

many thanks for your advice

Jean I

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With any alloy petrol engine any lack of maintenance to the cooling system and or allowing the engine to over heat will be trouble... which could be a liner slipping + head gasket issues.
So make sure you get one that has a full 100% functional cooling system with the correct antifreeze and mix and of course oil and filter changes, in fact has been maintained as it should.

Hundred percent agree, I own V8 D1 and Td5 Defender, V8 is better in every way apart from it costs double to run, that may make deisel a better choice for many or even most people, but it doesn’t make it a better car.

You pay your money you make your choice!

Well my TD5 is definately nippier than the last V8 Discovery I drove

MJI said:

I have driven V8 and TD5 and a good TD5 drives better than most V8

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Only if you are comparing to a poorly V8. The V8 is smoother, lighter, better weight distribution, less nose heavy, sounds better and makes more power.

I like the Td5 very much, its a brilliant engine, but in terms of a performance a V8 is superior,

MJI said:

Well my TD5 is definately nippier than the last V8 Discovery I drove

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If it was a worn out 3.9 D1 with an auto box then a good stock Td5 might feel peppier, but it probably isn’t actually as quick. A good 4.0 litre, esp with a manual box will frankly **** all over a Td5, even a mapped one.

jean ingo said:

Hello,

I need a small advice from the experts.I intend to buy a Disco 2 and would like to buy the v8.I've done a test drive in the td5
I think that this engine is seriously to small for the heavy disco, but I know fuel economy may reliability is a big plus on the td5.May I'm old fashioned but land rover is in my mind connected with the rover v8.
But my concerns are the problems I read all time in the advert regarding Engine issues headgasket gone / bottom noise
Is that a lack of cooling maintenance problems or an 4litr engine issue regarding the cylinder liner like on the 4.6 ?

many thanks for your advice

Jean I

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Only you can really answer what will be best for you.

Auto Td5’s can feel a bit sluggish, although they probably go better than they feel. Although the auto does sap power and mpg. My mate has one and I think he gets around 21mpg from it.

Manuals should go a lot better and with improved mpg. Although if you budget on 26’ish mpg you won’t be disappointed although 30mpg touring is possible.

One thing I’d say is, Td5’s can vary quite a bit. Some just don’t go as well as others. And its not always how they have been treated either. I suspect the fuelling might somehow vary on some. For example, my Uncle has 2 Td5 D2’s. One own from new now with 140,000 miles on. This one has never been speedy or peppy. But its always been super frugal and will easily top over 30mpg and return 600 miles to a tank.

The other one he has is a bit more beat up, but flies by comparison. However it simply will not get close to 600 miles per tank.

Td5’s can be mapped pretty easily and cheaply for more power. But in reality they are more than sufficient for a D2 on British roads and will happily cruise at any legal speed.


V8’s should be faster, although like most petrols, you’ll need to use the revs a bit more to really see the extra horse power. The V8 is smooth and torquey down low, but it isn’t Turbo fed. Most V8’s are autos, these go pretty well and should be very smooth. Expect 15-17mpg. If you can find a manual these will be quite a bit more fun and fair bit more peppy feeling. MPG could be better with a manual too, but will depend how you drive, thrash it and it’lol be lower.

Worn lifters/cams will make a V8 feel flat. Pretty common on the RV8. But it really should be significantly more speedy than a stock Td5.

300bhp/ton said:

Only you can really answer what will be best for you.

Worn lifters/cams will make a V8 feel flat. Pretty common on the RV8. But it really should be significantly more speedy than a stock Td5.

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Mine is not stock but around 170bhp

MJI said:

Mine is not stock but around 170bhp

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Not knocking your ride. But 170hp is probably a high estimate. Never seen any legit rolling road claims for Td5’s as they always claim way too much drivetrain loss for reality.

Either way, that is still 12hp less than a stock 4.0 litre. And it’s pretty easy to mod an RV8 too. 200hp really isn’t difficult from them and if you don’t mind a little less low rpm grunt then 240-250hp is pretty easy too.

300bhp/ton said:

Not knocking your ride. But 170hp is probably a high estimate. Never seen any legit rolling road claims for Td5’s as they always claim way too much drivetrain loss for reality.

Either way, that is still 12hp less than a stock 4.0 litre. And it’s pretty easy to mod an RV8 too. 200hp really isn’t difficult from them and if you don’t mind a little less low rpm grunt then 240-250hp is pretty easy too.

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The Rover V8 is not that great an engine, compared to the various German straight 6s of similar size, not that good at all.

The old BMW 3.5 was lovely

I'm assuming that your mileage will be on the low side and you have never owned a V8, in which case this needs ticking off your bucket list.
I have owned 3 V8's. Two were very reliable and done many trouble free miles. One slipped its liner, blew the heater matrix and filled the passenger footwell with anti-freeze.
But it is a shame that LR didn't fit a powerful diesel to the D2. The 3 litre V6 Merc diesel as fitted to the Jeep Grand Cherokee would be nice.

Vincemcdonald said:

I'm assuming that your mileage will be on the low side and you have never owned a V8, in which case this needs ticking off your bucket list.

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This is my take on it as well - I have owned several - they were all lovely, and very very reliable if looked after ( as are the diesels.... if looked after ). Fuel consumption is the issue - so if you're only doing lowish mileages, then get the V8 and enjoy it.... I'm certainly going to be having another V8 - even if only as a "weekend toy"

Or look at running one on LPG - if availability of same is good where you live...

MJI said:

The Rover V8 is not that great an engine, compared to the various German straight 6s of similar size, not that good at all.

The old BMW 3.5 was lovely

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All depends on what you want, and how you drive.

I drive fast over long distances, but I almost never accelerate hard, because I am a tightwad, and don't want to spend a lot on fuel.

3.9 V8 auto is a lovely comfortable cruiser, and I used to get over 20mpg even towing, due the the electronic engine management.

When you are towing cattle you are going pretty slow anyway, and not accelerating or braking hard. But you want lots of power for hills, and lots of comfort to ease the stress of long journeys towing live animals. V8 Auto fits the bill perfectly.

I'd sooner buy a v8 d1, I like the low tech suspension and hotwire efi.
If you fancy a td5, don't buy an auto before test driving a manual box as well. That way you can judge how bad the auto is with a td5

So take a test drive to find what's bad with a TD5 auto and don't buy it, okay give us a clue what we could expect. I never found anything wrong with the few test drives I have done in the past

cooltide said:

I'd sooner buy a v8 d1, I like the low tech suspension and hotwire efi.
If you fancy a td5, don't buy an auto before test driving a manual box as well. That way you can judge how bad the auto is with a td5

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Mine is fine, but then I have come from a long line of petrol cars, this is my first Diesel

MJI said:

The Rover V8 is not that great an engine, compared to the various German straight 6s of similar size, not that good at all.

The old BMW 3.5 was lovely

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The RV8 is an iconic engine and for it's day very good. There may well be better engines out there, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good engine.

As for the BMW engine, I fear you are comparing apples to a pile of pencils. Totally different eras, generations and costs. And not to mention the BMW engine simply wasn't offered in a a Land Rover, so is a non starter as an option.

As for comparing to other engines, I think these charts say it all really. A big displacement engine offers torque.



And torque means power.

Even compared to the BMW 3.0 S6, I know which engine I'd rather have in a big heavy 4x4.