New to LR Disco's and need some advice

[TheOtherLeft]

Hiya gurus,

I'm looking at replacing my 75-series troopy with a Disco 2 to tow a 21" caravan (Tare weight a shade over 2T).

Will a Disco 2 tow it comfortably, ie not struggle up hills?

What year did the electrics go over to Bosch?

Are there any inherent problems with the Disco's?

What's the accessibility to parts in the outback?

Are mods (susp lift etc) more expensive compared to Nissans/Toyos?

[TheOtherLeft]

What's the tow capacity of the 2.5l diesel auto?

[Rocky4.4]

From what i have read they have a 4T braked capacity.

Release Date 1998
Body Style WAGON
Badge SE
No. Doors 5
Seat Capacity 5
VIN Number SALLJGMF7PA######
Drive 4X4
Transmission 4sp Automatic
Gear Location Floor
Engine Size 2495cc (2.5)
No. Cylinders 4
Engine Configuration In-line
Valves/Cylinder 2
Engine Cycle 4 Stroke
Engine Type Piston
Engine Number 18L-##### A
Fuel Type Diesel
Fuel Delivery Multi-Point Injected
Method of Delivery Electronic
Induction Turbo
Power 83kW @ 4000rpm
Torque 265Nm @ 1800rpm
Gross Combination Mass 6720kg
Kerb Weight 1924kg
Gross Vehicle Mass 2720kg
Towing Braked 4000kg
Wheel Base 2540mm
Country of origin UNITED KINGDOM

[disco_thrasher]

Hiya gurus,

I'm looking at replacing my 75-series troopy with a Disco 2 to tow a 21" caravan (Tare weight a shade over 2T).

Will a Disco 2 tow it comfortably, ie not struggle up hills?

What year did the electrics go over to Bosch?

Are there any inherent problems with the Disco's?

What's the accessibility to parts in the outback?

Are mods (susp lift etc) more expensive compared to Nissans/Toyos?
i own a 2000 td5 with 226000km on it i have travelled 147895km around oz towing a campertrailer with a tinnie on the roof with the disco packed to the brim and i have absolutely no problem in towing up hills i have to say i was getting max use around 15l/100k fully packed which i think is bloody good ,there are ofcourse inherent problems with all 4x4 ,one of the main ones for a disco is oil in the engine loom but with a cheap fix of silicone and some metho prob solved ,i have a 2" lift with poly air in the back to help when fully loaded 265/75/16 MTZ with a lot of going bush and never done a front driveshaft as GT60 says ,patrols are known for unexplained engine blow ups and toyo are know for a list to long to list so all vehicles have probs.....parts might be a little harder to find than toyo in the out back ,,in my 2.5 years of circumnavigating oz i had no probs getting parts but i was in no rush

for good info on Land Rovers go to Australian Land Rover Owners (http://www.aulro.com) top bunch of blokes who dont abuse you for what you drive and have a wealth of knowledge on Land rovers

[Utemad]

Why would you even consider it? (a disco)

IMHO they would struggle up hill and on the flat,

Well the Troopy would most likely be powered by a 2H or 1HZ so the Td5 or V8 would easily out power them. The Troopy probably weighs more too.

[convict79]

BEN-GV3
ive got a chipped 90, defender, i know its not D2
but it has the same running gear and engine. if you can get hold of a 3T van
i'll show you just how good at towing the TD5 engines are.
non of this a mate of a mate crap!
REAL world stuff.

the offers there.

phil

[convict79]

Hiya gurus,

I'm looking at replacing my 75-series troopy with a Disco 2 to tow a 21" caravan (Tare weight a shade over 2T).

Will a Disco 2 tow it comfortably, ie not struggle up hills?

What year did the electrics go over to Bosch?

Are there any inherent problems with the Disco's?

What's the accessibility to parts in the outback?

Are mods (susp lift etc) more expensive compared to Nissans/Toyos?

if your used to a troopy why look at a D2?
ide look at a defender. for simplicity and less of the ''evil'' electrics that some LR's suffer.
parts in the outback would be harder to find for a D2 simply because they are differant to any other disco and defender.
where as a defender, disco1(upto 1999) and range rover(excluding the P38a)
have identical running gear, not including the engines.

[beforethevision]

Ok then,


I have towed a 2t boat+trailer in;
a 200tdi D1 auto (83kW @ 4000rpm/265Nm @ 1800rpm),
a 3.9v8 D1 auto (134kW @ 4750rpm/304Nm @ 2600rpm) and
a chipped TD5 Defender manual (increased from 90kW @ 4200rpm/300Nm @ 1950rpm).

For towing, I found both the v8 and chipped td5 to have very little worries with hills, in auto or manual. Coupled with the older ZF gearboxes the v8s are relatively smooth, even with age. The 200tdi will take much longer to get to speed, and will need continual forced downshifts to 3rd to keep 100km/h.

As a trade off, the v8 uses twice the fuel of the diesel, and gets worse still in soft sand.

None of the vehicles though take well to mountain roads at 100km/h with a heavy trailer. Perhaps a car with more intertial stability like a D3 could take it but I wouldnt be trying it.

If you are looking for a spring based lift, they seem to be relatively well priced, atleast from most places. More extreme lifts may get specific and expensive.

Inherent problems that I have had to face, cooling fans, intermittent overheating and valve-sticking in the v8 after around 250,000kms. Apart from that, a broken belt tensioner in the 200tdi and a gear selector issue with the ZF auto. Given those major issues, thats in having done over 300,000kms between both Disco's.

As for parts availability and inherent problems, a land rover specific resource might be a wise option. Parts (from my experience) are likely less common than toyota, but typically rare parts are available within the country somewhere, and simple parts can usually be sorted quickly.

Cheers!

[Harb]

Have you had a look at the new troopies..........or even an older 24valve maybe.....

[Andy_b]

The Disco II would be a great tow vehicle, and there are many TD5 engine upgrades available which will turn the fourby into a beast. My mate raced his re-chipped TD5 defender with 35" against, my other mates Disco 3 TDV6, and the where dead even!

Try to get the 2004 Disco II because the come with center diff lock standard, where the early models you had to buy kits to have CDL.

ANdy

[disco_thrasher]

ive got the 2000 d2 td5 with center diff lock but its manual engagement under the vechile with 10mm spanner on the t case
i think the d2 99 2000 04 onwards had cdl

[Boringrudeprick]

Well I just got back from supercheap, I bought a $40 torque wrench, I just need a philips head screwdriver now and I'll be a Toyota engineer.

Anyway the D2 is an excellent tow vehicle, the only modification I have to enhance it's towing ability was to fit an electric brake controller. The TD5 mated to the ZF auto cannot be faulted. I have towed loaded car trailers (after my mates 60 series broke down and needed towing home), boats, caravans and horse floats. Never had a problem. If you were to do a lot of towing in the summer months or up Nth I would consider fitting an additional transmission oil cooler, for piece of mind and ease on your equipment. In short the disco series 2 is just as capable as a cruiser or patrol, cheaper to run in TD5 format and twice as comfortable.

[brooksy]

It is always dissappointing to hear the constant brand bashing that occurs usually with ignorance or hearsay that causes people to jump on the bandwagon. Land/Rover have a fleet of 4wds past & present that have proven themselves to be industry leaders for a very long time (hell of a lot longer than Toyota & Nissan). All other makes (Jeep can be somewhat excluded here) have a lot to thank for L/Rover as just about any forward thinking are the result of L/Rover design.
I think GT60 that you have brought on the harsh comments that have been aimed at you because of your original post & some of your lackluster facts.
With regard to the D2 I have owned 3 Disco's - '96,'00 & currently '03 which have all been V8's. I have owned my fair share of 4wd's including a Patrol, Hilux's, 75 series Cruisers, etc as well as in the process of buying a BJ42. I have found problems & inherent flaws in all of them but I must say that if you are to purchase a D2 you won't be disappointed especially a TD5. It will be more than able to accomidate your towing duties but don't think it won't struggle in some instances but so will any 4wd. The fuel economy is where the TD5 will shine under load & the auto will make the job easier.
Unless you are over 6'3" the cab will prove very comfortable & the driving position second to none.
If the service history is up to scratch you will be no worse off than any other make of 4wd with similar history. I can as others have said reccommend joining Australian Land Rover Owners (http://www.aulro.com) & d2au.com - the home of Australia's best 4x4xfar... (http://www.d2au.com) as they will point you in the right direction with regard to safety checks & what to look out for in your pre-trip checks as what should be done with any 4wd because they all have weaknesses to keep an eye on.

Happy travels :thumb:



brooksy

[Nemesis]

Thread cleaned, keep it on the topic asked by the owner. Any more direct attacks (even if they are masked with ****'s) will..... you guys know the rest. Just keep it on topic.

[TheOtherLeft]

4T towing capacity from a 2.5l diesel and 265Nm???

Seems a little underpowered doesn't it?

I still have a soft spot for Disco's and at the moment it's still up between the D2 and the LC100 (with 420Nm).

Also, would the cost of mods be comparable to say that of the LC100, and what's a good setup for a bit of playing and touring? Mild lift, A/T or M/T tyres, barwork etc?

[Andy_b]

I think they're rated to 3.5T and 265Nm is for the 300TDI. The TD5 is closer to 333Nm and 100KW. The Td5 can produce 450Nm without to much of a problem.

Andy

[disco_thrasher]

I think they're rated to 3.5T and 265Nm is for the 300TDI. The TD5 is closer to 333Nm and 100KW. The Td5 can produce 450Nm without to much of a problem.

Andy

yeah that what i was thinking my td5 is sitting on 125kw with a bigger exhaust,,,don.t know what the Nm is ,,,i know blokes with the chip upgrade which is not very expensive bringing it up to 160kw and with a bit more work done getting it up to 185kw bigger intercooler i think

is the LC100 a v8 diesel if so whatis there fuel economy like??
[dont get me wrong i think the LC are good vechicle specialy like the new 4 door troopy]

i have a arb winch bar all models they cost about the same
2"Dobinson lift with poly airs in the back $1600
i have same D2 rims with 265/75/16 Mickey T MTZ [bloody good tyres]
winch ,uhf,and a few other bits and bobs
detroit lockers
so it is fairly cheap to get it set up probarly the same as any other 4x4

its a tough desicion to make remember when you chose Land rover its a lifestyle not just a vechile,,you drive past other landys on the road and they wave to you, speak to you in car parks and love helping out when needed ,,,specially when towing toyo and nissan out LOL :waycool:

[weeds]

re:spare parts availability

when i was at mt dare rebuilding my clutch master cylinder (lucky i was carrying a kit) i didn't see a whole lot of repair parts for any make of vehicle sitting on the wall in the shop

i have not owned a d2 but if you prep the car good prior to a trip, go to a local landy repairer and ask them up a box of spares i.e. hoses, pulley bearing, wheel bearing etc etc they will know the things to carry than this is a good start. if you are doing any sort of remote travel it does not matter what brand you make of car you drive you should carry some of the basics. i also asked my local repairer the range of parts he carried, if he didn;t have it he reckoned he could get it

if a major repair is needed than parts can be frieghted to anywhere in aus

[disco_thrasher]

i don't know who this guy is so i am not pushing his disco but this ones totally set up allready got the electric break set up for towing allready
http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/f16/modified-1995-landrover-discovery-tdi-36122/

take it to rick 4x4 in nerang for a pre purshase inspection he is a Land rover legend he knows them back to front

[Andy_b]

As for parts availability, it took a Toyota dealership 2.5 weeks to fix my rear diff on my prado cause they had trouble getting the parts in, and it was only 1.5 hours from brisbane!

Andy

[convict79]

4T towing capacity from a 2.5l diesel and 265Nm???

Seems a little underpowered doesn't it?

I still have a soft spot for Disco's and at the moment it's still up between the D2 and the LC100 (with 420Nm).

Also, would the cost of mods be comparable to say that of the LC100, and what's a good setup for a bit of playing and touring? Mild lift, A/T or M/T tyres, barwork etc?

did i mention that for around $600 you can have 140kw and 480nm!
thats the basic upgrade, after that there's a larger intercooler and another upgrade available.

[Defender=1st]

haahh geez he must have something against land Rovers

[disco_thrasher]

he must really dislike rovers and there owners ,,put it this way alot of bad language was used at prity much any one who posted on this thread there was about a whole page of posts deleted

[Boringrudeprick]

Apology accepted and user given the benefit of the doubt, these things happen occationally, It's reminicent an incident in my schooling, years ago of my mates dog, literally eating his homework. It was cooking class, he made the bestest cookies in the class but alas he was failed. Strangely the dog slept a lot that week. I blame the alien abduction for the dogs fatigue though.

Yum

I can almost smell them cookies now, a very distinct countryfied smell, that mysterious smell always reminded me of the local dairy farm down the road.

In fact reading your post about your cousin kind off has the same odour.


What is that smell?

Anyway back to the original question, I have a TD5 auto disco, if you want to try towing your van give me a PM

[kagee]

I own a 2000TD5 auto and it is retro fitted with manual centre diff lock and also a remapped computer which really gives it some grunt, up with the V8 apparently,but I have not had it over the dyno.
Whilst I am a Landrover addict I just say be warned of major problems with the TD5. Over here in Perth the models 1999 up to 2003 are coming in with blown head gaskets and cracked heads as well as oil cooler failures. I have just spent $7200 on a complete top end reco and this was with a 2nd hand head off a 2004. New heads are around $5500 so if you do a head and have to get a new one expect the bill for total repair to be around $11000. Do yourself a favour and have the vehicle tested by a reputable Rover service centre before you think about buying. The giveaway to a head or head gasket is that the thermo fan will be running all the time.

[tempestv8]

Hi Ben,

Whilst a TD5 will definitely be a big step forward in terms of power and torque compared to the Toyota 1HZ diesel, why don't you just get a replacement Troopy ute with the 1HDT-FE motor?

It will definitely out grunt the TD5. The only negative is that it is expensive to buy, even 2nd hand and you can't get an auto, which makes towing so much easier.

The Land Rover TD5 can produce significant amounts of power and torque when chipped and a larger intercooler is fitted, however this creates a new problem - if you buy the auto (the auto gearbox is very very popular and built by the renouned German company ZF) then the issue can be that sometimes the gearbox can go into "limp home" mode if too much power and torque is pumped through it.

So if you plan to buy a TD5 auto, and want to chip it, go for a mild chip upgrade, not the maximum boost, as this can cause the gearbox to go into limp home mode. The fix is easy though - just "reboot" the gearbox by shutting down the engine and restarting.

Cheers and good luck with your purchase decision.

[v8disco]

With the cost of spares nowdays , not many places carry much , and thats all the brands and models.
I have a '99 S1 V8 ES Auto and I would pit it against any 4WD on the market as an all rounder. Thats in town , towing , in the Desert , in the bush or cruising down the freeway.
You will find something better for each of these things , but you will go hard (IMHO) to find one that will be better at all.
They ARE heavy on fuel .......... BUT ......... power does cost.
I have had almost 4T behind her and it towed ok , an F Truck its not , but it done the job. Take some for a test , and tow something , then YOU can make the best choice for YOU.
:thumb:

[TheOtherLeft]

This might be a silly question but what is the longevity of a chipped TD5 with 430Nm when you get the same amount of torque from a stock V8 diesel (new 70-series LC)?

2.5l TD5 vs 4.2 V8 with the same torque seems like quite a difference in terms of longevity and power/torque curves.

[disco_thrasher]

i've had mine chipped for 2 odd years now ,so i can not tell you longetivity,She running just great ,,v8 20+ L per 100km td5 11L/100KM so its just silly trying to compare a v8 and a td5 or any other smaller engine

[davidl]

hi all i have a 2000 disco 2 td5 as well got defender size tyres on
and fully optioned for touring and off road if you cover all ya bases before you leave ya drive way youll be right the main thing with discos as with any vehicle is maintanance do ya know why the front shafts go ill tell ya its because the air con evaporator hose drips strait on to the knuckle
allso make sure you check all hoses under the bonnet as most of em rub on each other and perish chiping is the way to go but make sure it is ajustable cheers.

[99disco]

gday i have a td5 manual disco ive done a bit of lift and fitted 33in tires i tow a smaller van only about 1t but hav towed over 3t of blue metal on a good size trailer and it just pulls really well has the normal turbo lag but once u get used to it and drive accordingly its a great car comfy and good on fuel you will not regreat it

[DiscoSteve]

I own a 2002 Disco2 TD5, Stock engine no chips with 200,000km's on the clock.
I tow a 2.5T work trailer everyday and a 3.5T horse float on weekends. and I do 1500km a week. And I have NEVER had any issues.

[Zako]

Hey guys,

I'm gonna dig up this thread, coz I'm sort of in the same position as the original poster. I've currently got a 60 series on straight LPG. However I'm looking at upgrading to either a 105 series with the 1hz, or a disco2 with td5 and manual.

I've been told that the electrics on the d2 are a bit of a worry. I am however quite keen on the shape, and comfort. Being a toyota bloke, I'm obviously leaning towards the 105, but the td5 engine seems to be quite refined and shows better specs on paper.

Therefore my question is:

Are the disco2 with td5's as bad as people say, for example with shoddy electrics, oil leaks left right and centre?

Purpose of vehicle? Missus and I want to use it for touring around oz, but will visit tracks/mud in noojee, toolangi, and bunyip when i have some time. Will be used on a daily basis as well to get me to work, and will be decked out with a snorkel, winch bar and a bar like brooksy's d2 at the rear.

I'm looking at a quite specific d2...no less than a 2004 td5 with manual.

So please, any advice on these vehicles compared to the 1hz? I'd be quite appreciative

Kind Regards

Zako

[Psimpson7]

Hi Zako,

There are a few issues, but most of them were related to the earlier td5's. say 1999-2000 or so.

A 2004 one should be fine.

they are a very good engine, and very reliable in the majority of cases.

The issues that are present, that you may find, are fairly minor in one of that age. You may occasionally have to change the injector loom under the rocker cover as oil can make its way to the ecu pins shorting them out (occasionally being about every 8 years - cost $160 from LR)

Another minor issue is the breaking of exhaust manifold studs, although personaly I have never had this.

They dont leak oil at all anymore. Land Rover stopped using paper gaskets a while back and everything was put together with some sort of silicone gasket compound and it stopped all the leaks.

I have a 2001 D90 TD5, and the only trace of an oil leak is from the front crank main where I have got a slight damp patch due to sinking it numerous times in sandy crap.

Another thing about TD5's is that although they are all electronic, you can buy from the uk, a diagnostics and ecu writing piece of hardware/software that can run on its own or through a laptop. This costs about $600 or so. It will also shortly be able to run the Body control module which will mean they are entirely manitainable at home.

The engine can be tweaked to about 180bhp pretty easily (sorry I am english and cant remember the conversion to KW) and 250bhp if you are brave!

You should get 10l/100km. It will be much much better on fuel than the 105.

I really rate them. They are a lot better mechanically than the Disco 1, with stronger drivetrain. The manual and automatic gearboxes are both strong.

Check it has the Centre diff lock as for a period (i think 02-03) Land Rover decided to remove it thinking the traction control would make up for it.

They ended up putting it back!

Having said that the traction control is pretty good.

Try and get one with ACE as they are a lot more fun on the road.

One general Disco 2 mechanical isue you may coem across is from the double cardan joint at the rear of the front prop. They are non greasable and can fail. it will make a ticking noise if its on the way out.

Australian Land Rover Owners (http://www.aulro.com) is the palce to ask questions. I am on there with teh same name.

Anything else you want to know. Just ask.

I had a 2004 TD5 Auto for about 14000km when it was brand new, after someone drove into my Defender.

Cheers
Pete

[BMKal]

Hi Zako. I'll agree with what Psimpson7 has said. I previously had a LC100, then a number of Prado's (90 and 120), then a D1 V8 and now the D2 TD5.

I'm not a fan of the LC100 (had an 80 Series GXL before that and it was a much better vehicle), don't mind the Prado's (have had a lot of trouble-free k's out of them), but definitely prefer the Disco. My next will be either a D3 TDV6, or maybe even the new Defender.

Reliability - they're like anything else. If you make yourself aware of possible problem areas and then make a few inexpensive mods, and keep up to it with good servicing using quality oil, coolants etc, you won't have any problems.

[Zako]

Hi guys,

I REALLY appreciate the feedback I've received. I'm gonna see how things go and make a decision, but I'm definitely looking at the 2004 td5 manual and won't settle for anything less. I've had a talk to the missus and we both reckon we should keep the 60 series for the mud, as tank has proven to be an honest vehicle and i've invested a fair bit onto it.

I've been reading heaps and I'm really liking what I'm reading bout the disco's. Could it be a Cruiser lover is gonna cross over to the green oval? You never know :P

Kind Regards,

Zako

[okbendover]

:drink: thats better now,the TD5 bloody good engine just keep an eye on the diesel presure regulator they have a prob with leaking always have and always will ,yes the injector harness does get oil ingress it follows the wires down to ecu and boom it s a no go looking at $1500 and you need t4 textbook or autologic to fit new ecu not a plug and go!!fit a factory oil cooler it will save you in the long run,dont let 2.5lt turn you off plenty on tap!!the water pump also is a basturd to fit alot of mechs seem to look in the wrong spot "not where you think it is"!. if you want unbiased info speak to bruce davis of davies performance landies he lives and breaths them (i know i said unbiased) but he's not out to get youre money !well technicly he is thats why he is in buisness,his brother john is also very knowageable mainly does expencive mods for the arabs!why do i know this i worked for bruce for a while and he knows his shit!!! i had the chance to drive his very chipped platnium before it bit the dust (crashed not broke down) his intercooler injectoer upgrade stage 5 i think it was and his ecu programed chip bloody thing would have flew if it had wing's!!:zzz: hope you still there!only prob was it blew a lot of smoke so if you are after performance ?chip it if not !freeer flowing exhaust,inteercooler upgrade and keep it seviced you have a good 4wd for towing but its wat you like not us if you like the looks and overall package then its for you:waycool:

[okbendover]

:drink: thats better now,the TD5 bloody good engine just keep an eye on the diesel presure regulator they have a prob with leaking always have and always will ,yes the injector harness does get oil ingress it follows the wires down to ecu and boom it s a no go looking at $1500 and you need t4 textbook or autologic to fit new ecu not a plug and go!!fit a factory oil cooler it will save you in the long run,dont let 2.5lt turn you off plenty on tap!!the water pump also is a basturd to fit alot of mechs seem to look in the wrong spot "not where you think it is"!. if you want unbiased info speak to bruce davis of davies performance landies he lives and breaths them (i know i said unbiased) but he's not out to get youre money !well technicly he is thats why he is in buisness,his brother john is also very knowageable mainly does expencive mods for the arabs!why do i know this i worked for bruce for a while and he knows his shit!!! i had the chance to drive his very chipped platnium before it bit the dust (crashed not broke down) his intercooler injectoer upgrade stage 5 i think it was and his ecu programed chip bloody thing would have flew if it had wing's!!:zzz: hope you still there!only prob was it blew a lot of smoke so if you are after performance ?chip it if not !freeer flowing exhaust,inteercooler upgrade and keep it seviced you have a good 4wd for towing but its wat you like not us if you like the looks and overall package then its for you:waycool:

[Snerk]

I prefer the auto.

[marki]

I've been reading heaps and I'm really liking what I'm reading bout the disco's. Could it be a Cruiser lover is gonna cross over to the green oval? You never know :P

Me too. I love my 80, but the missus can't drive it. We're looking at getting a Disco as well

[Snerk]

Wonderful. Discos rule!