Petrol / diesel engines

[Originally posted by 1953 Lars Larsson]

You are talking about two different things here…

If you are thinking about getting a Defender, and remember that Defenders are 90 and 110 from 1990 on, there is really no other choice than diesel. Maybe a very few were sold with a V8 on special order. Or in South Africa with a BMW engine. Then, the diesel engines in Defenders are brill – 200Tdi, 300Tdi, Td5. Plenty of grunt at low revs, exactly what’s needed in an offroad vehicle. And peppy enough for the everyday traffic.

On the other hand, if you are talking about a Series Land Rover, there are two versions of the same basic engine – petrol and diesel. The diesel putting out 60 hp is probably quite OK in a SWB (88"), but for a LWB (109") the extra 12 horses in the petrol engine are IMHO needed. It’s still quite slow…

A Series diesel is noisy, no question about that.

There are also "pre Defenders", i.e. coil sprung Ninety and One Ten (note that the models aren’t written in numbers…) of years 1983 to 1989. The One Ten was introduced with the old Series engines at first, together with V8. Soon the 4-cyl engines were a little enlarged, from 2,25 to 2,5 litres, which at least on the diesel made a vast improvement. Later on there was also a turbo charged version of the diesel, but that has got a somewhat dubious reputation. Maybe because of neglect from the owners, some say that this is quite OK if properly looked after.

I suggest you try to get in touch with people in your neighbourhood, Stockholm etc, and meet up with some that can give you a tour. There are these regular meets at Brostugan, I’m sure there are people there that can give you some clues.

[Originally posted by 1953 Lars Larsson]

100 Sorry…

The 300 is a bit more refined and "modern". It’s a bit less noisy than the 200, and push out 112 hp compared to the 200’s 107. In reality I doubt there is any difference.

Being a little newer, it also has flat drive belts, while the 200 has V-belts and there are several more differences that I can’t specify.

However, if you find yourself a good Land Rover, that’s more important than which of these two engines it’s got. Both engines are well built and last almost forever.

I have converted my 110 from a 2,5 naturally aspirated diesel to a Discovery 200Tdi. When the engine was out. I also changed piston rings and bearing, just for safety’s sake. The cross pattern in the cylinder bores could still be seen and I suspect that the engine has done in the region of 300.000 kms or more.

[Originally posted by 1953 Lars Larsson]

And "here" being? No clue in your profile… But welcome anyway.

[Originally posted by 22900013a]

Can I just ask, in relation to this question, what is the road tax cost of the V8 defender 110, and tdi 110 in Sweden please?

[Originally posted by Tord_Lj]

My 110HT 2.3P -84, I belive that engine is a lot heavier than the sporty alu V8 so if use to you my tax is 2790.- per annum.

It is registered as a "personbil" with 4 seats and not as a light truck/lorry which should be about half the sum but that tax is rising.

FYI, last january the category lt/l was given a 45% invrease… fun is it not?

[Originally posted by 22900013a]

Hang on, so for a 110SW, you would pay nearly £1000 in road tax???

I take it Sweden is opposed to diesels then (I must admit to seeing very few diesel cars there, although I did see two 110SWs (TD5s I think)

This seems a very bizzare situation. I really want a 110 for use in Sweden, guess I would have to go for petrol and lpg then? I take it the tax is worked out on a combination of vehicle weight and spec, plus emissions?

What would it be (roughly) for a 110 V8 hard top with lpg, and only 3 seats?

[Originally posted by 1953 Lars Larsson]

I think it’s about what Tord wrote, but you can almost forget about the LPG bit. It was "taxed to death" several years ago and there are very few places to fill up. The ones still remining are more or less a service for tourists. Depends on where you live of course, but I haven’t a clue about the price.

BTW, almost all Land Rover 90/110 you see are diesels, nothing else have been sold here during the later 25 or so years. The very few V8s are rather old and/or imported.