Land Rover 300Tdi weaknesses on expedition

No engine is perfect, so forewarned is forearmed. Here I go through some of the things you can do to help keep an eye on the most problematic things with your Land Rover's 300Tdi engine.
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[@gavinanderson3693]

The comment, "better the devil you know" is so true. I'm onto my third 300tdi. Check out the Australian made (Brisbane made) TM2 or better still TM4 engine temperature device/alarm. Great here in our very hot Queensland summers. Happy motoring.

[@harveysmith100]

Really interesting learning your thoughts on the 300tdi cooling system and position of the components and the effect it can have. Reminded me of your video in Malawi on the 1HZ and it's cooling system. So obvious when someone says it but the water pump needs to be low down.

[@kieranl7975]

The 300 TDIs pops head gaskets like popcorn. TD5 and 200 TDIs are the bomb

[@kieranl7975]

@@neil5587 yep. Not made for the Australian heat

[@BittnerBuddenbrock]

Drove Discovery 200Tdi and 300Tdi in Egypt never had a head gasket fail! And we had heavy cars - 1500km without refueling and temperatures up to above 60°C in deep sand - Western Desert!

[@kieranl7975]

@@BittnerBuddenbrock maybe its just the Aussies then ;)

[@keidicko]

Do you even know what the difference is between a 200 and a 300 internally? A rocker shaft every thing else is almost identical so stop talking shit about 200s are better than 300s because it’s bollocks ! 300s are newer and have better drive train better brakes it’s just an all around better defender.

[@deanwilliams4365]

@@kieranl7975 funny i don't have any problems in Australian heat.

[@husq2100]

The factory Temp guage in the 300Tdi's is also a problem. It sits in the normal postion at about 88c. It will remain there up to about 98c, then start moving. By the time you notice it problems are already bad. Replace it for a simple VDO or such and youll get an idea of the temps moving and what is actually normal. ANd youll see it rising and be able to act on it. I found I drove more by the temp guage rather than the EGT gauge after months of monitoring both. A great and simple mod for the 300Tdi's to help the cooling system, is to cut a vent in the left side guard. Make it look the same as the intake side if you like.You could use a 200Tdi intake grill or anything that suits. The problem with the air flow is it dams up inside the engine bay and new cool air cant flow through the rad/intercooler. By cutting a guard vent in, the hot engine bay air can exit and new cool air can replace it. Its even more of a help on the turbo side (left side)

[@aymanzein7]

Thank you for this project.Still I feel it is complicated ! Any way , I hope to see you in Sudan - East Africa

[@garthlee8166]

many thanks cheers from ZA

[@lincolnmicahfox]

yes the water reserve bottles do split with age (around 15 years)

[@Reaper4367]

Nice video mate. I like the idea about the water level sensor from a Rangey. Cheers for sharing:)

[@paxtonkobe6720]

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[@coryisrael2406]

@Paxton Kobe instablaster ;)

[@paxtonkobe6720]

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[@paxtonkobe6720]

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[@coryisrael2406]

@Paxton Kobe glad I could help xD

[@AJ-qn6gd]

Change the P gasket on300Tdi engine for the steel one, paper one fails and dumps all your coolant.

[@highdownmartin]

Know what your looking at when you looking at water gauges. Fitted my 200 tdi with a smiths mechanical gauge. Sensor in a brass pipe cut into the top hose. So if the water level falls below 2” the sender is dry. Still 2”” above top of the cyl head. Oil gauge capillary? Be very careful. You can squirt out 5 l of oil in a couple of minutes. The 10 lb pressure switch will only open when there’s no oil pressure left. You’ll have seized by then

[@deanwilliams4365]

do you mean water level gages or water temp gages? if level then brilliant if temp then no good?

[@highdownmartin]

@@deanwilliams4365 temp.

[@randomoldbloke]

The 300 are very reliable if you service and keep up with some maintenance, i am often in 40c plus temps working it fairly hard in low range without a problem. The trick is the biggest copper radiator you can fit in and a low coolant alarm . Over the last few years i have done approximately 80k off road and dirt road in auto D1 without a problem with any of the drive line . A couple of suspension bushes wearing out has been my only problem I cannot say the same for other breeds of 4 wd doing similar miles with way more problems

[@MarkWright1963]

pete ryan you obviously never seen the warranty claims on them.

[@davidgray9897]

I run mine in northern Australia and I concur its dickheads that cant maintain that have probs..

[@deanwilliams4365]

South Australia here. i agree. keep on top of the basics and know how to drive.

[@deanwilliams4365]

@@MarkWright1963 lol neither have you on a 300tdi

[@hondata05]

Where does the turbo gauge plumb into

[@ZoubirKabir]

Stillawaiting your video on top mods for Defender and 70 Series...

[@landypaule]

Not to forget the timing belt and its pulleys. Those were a source for failures before they changed the design slightly. It's important to know, that evereything has been changed to the newest modification.

[@canamsteve5321]

All those must surely have been replaced by now. Unless you find an early one stored in a barn :-)

[@kalaharibushwarrior]

This is very good. Did you have any more tips on weaknesses when you returned from Morocco?

[@lrworkshop]

I only drove at 60mph max speed no matter what, just to keep the engine understressed. This ended up giving me my best ever economy of 36mpg! I kept an eye on the levels daily. The power steering pump did fail on that trip, but that's probably age related and a story for another time...

[@jakob3856]

Great vid. Would you recommend the 300TDi for a trip across Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India? I've seen a lot of TD5's on the market but am concerned the engine would be too difficult to repair at a small roadside garage in the middle of Iran, for example. Please let me know your thoughts.

[@deanwilliams4365]

yes and don't worry. a well sorted vehicle will get you there easy. and there are a lot of LRs in Iran and Pakistan

[@ZoubirKabir]

You're popping down to Morocco, i live in the Sahara. They say adventure begins where the tarmac and phone signal end. At that point you'd best be in a 70 Series LandCruiser. If you must take a Solihull product at least choose a Series I or II which are mechanically more simple and easier to fix. Ask any of the Saharawi in the Western Sahara if you get that far south. You know yourself the best engine available: 1HZ. If anyone ever presented the case for a 1HZ powered Defender as an ideal overlander / expedition vehicle you'd have a merry old debate!

[@defendermodsandtravels]

The Land Cruisers certainly aren't ideal. I don't own a LC but I understand that (depending on model) they have IFS and cart springs at the rear instead of live axles with coil springs; different track front and rear; rear axle too far forward requiring a chassis extension. In many ways a true dog's breakfast. I can see the supposed attractions of putting aToyota engine into a Defender however I would point out hybrid vehicles have a huge number of problems. My Daihatsu powered Defender took more than a decade to get running with NO engine problems however re-engined vehicles take an awful lot of sorting to get them right. My advice would be to use a fully sorted Defender or to use a Land Cruiser with the necessary chassis and suspension mods. Don't try to mix them.

[@AapVanDieKaap]

70 series cruiser is notoriously poor in sand due to rear wheels being closer together than front ones.

[@overlanderaden]

Hi, you have done very good point about low coolant alarm. I did same. Thnx for it. I saw also next to the low coolant light, there is a indicator of red gear signal on 1:47. I think it is LT 230 temperature sensor. Right?. If not what is this?

[@lrworkshop]

It is for that but is not connected. Currently it operates with the handbrake for some reason. I'm not totally sure about LT230 sensors ever being fitted for Defenders, but they definitely were for Discos. My 1.2 box from a Disco has a sensor fitted.

[@overlandready]

@@lrworkshop FYI, the sensor was in thetop of the gearbox block oil extesion case (FTC2104) it was also used on the NAS V8 for the auto overheat.

[@overlanderaden]

Hello, Good Day... I've noticed you have digital themrometer on your exhauts where the prob mounted (at 2:39). I bought the gauge but I couldn't find the correct prob that you use. Could you please kindly advise what is the name of this prob and where I can find? Best Regards

[@lrworkshop]

It's a "K type thermocouple". A fairly standard piece of equipment

[@overlanderaden]

@@lrworkshop thnks for your advise. Best Regards....

[@Tekspert]

Would you do a long distance defender overland with a v8?

[@lrworkshop]

Personally no, but only because I don't know much about them. Diesels are generally good compared to petrols because they don't require electrics to run (only to start), are better in water and other reasons too. I wrote more about it here: www.landroverexpedition.com/articles/engines-on-expedition-why-is-diesel-best/ But the best option is whatever you're comfortable with and know the weaknesses of

[@canamsteve5321]

It's the thirst that gets you. Double your fuel costs and half the range. So doable, but much simpler with a 200 or 300tdi

[@onwheels8232]

i like the 300tdi beacuse is a meccanical bosh ve injection. no electronics. you know what is actualy better then the 300tdi? the isuzu 4bd1t of the australian version of the defender.

[@georgegardiner4651]

Was the 4BD1-T sold from Land Rover? I was under the impression that it was just transplanted in to ADF vehicles which are then sold to the public when they are decommissioned.

[@mrjohnsonclarke]

@@georgegardiner4651 Indeed you are correct. The ADF 110 (4x4) variants were fitted with the 4BD1 (non turbo) where the 6x6 ADF variants were fitted with the 4BD1T, a little stronger and with a turbo. They were also fitted with the LT95 4-speed. the 4x4 had standard 3.54 diff ratios where the 6x6 were fitted with 4.7 diff ratios. Great engine, very reliable and over-all problem free. I have the 4BD1T in my 110, however very noisy and it weighs about 150kg more than the 300TDI. Always pros and cons I guess...

[@canamsteve5321]

Some South African models got the ADE tractor engine. Reliable, but s l o w. Then there were the SA Defenders with the 2.8L BMW petrol engine. Great for a 90 in Notting Hill. Not so great in the bush

[@speedmachine69]

I had a Range Rover with that engine....... brilliant but also kept breaking drivelines....

[@davidgray9897]

Ive run my 300 hard in the tropics for 3 years its a daily driver its always run cool never had a problem ...

[@canamsteve5321]

Blue coolant? Shouldn't it be the orange multi metal type? There are a lot of dissimilar metals in the 300tdi. A Madman EMS is a good investment. Covers EGT, water level and temp, oil temps and pressure

[@DonegalOverlanding]

We will be installing the Madman EMS3 system into our 300TDi project Disco 130. Full video will be on our channel in the next couple of months.

[@leemellors3843]

Hi am im really liking the header tank upgrade! what year range rover is it from?

[@lrworkshop]

It's just the header tank cap. Here's the full article on how I did it and the parts: www.landroverexpedition.com/technical/300tdi-low-coolant-alarm/

[@canamsteve5321]

Later Defenders had the translucent tank and it is handy. But the splitting of the tank is almost always caused by a blown head gasket. People think the tank splits and then the engine overheats and cooks the gasket, but 99% of the time it is the other way around . Watch your coolant levels!

[@carlos-ek5de]

@@canamsteve5321 what a load bull.....t you probably never owned a 300tdi

[@stevep8773]

​@@carlos-ek5de Only for 15 years or so and 200K miles. (1995 110 CSW) And let's see. six, maybe seven friends with 300tdis. Also TD5s. Pumas. As I said, 99% of the time, the pressure tank splits from head gasket problems. People will jump through hoops pretending that's not the case because the head gasket is a big buck problem. But then, those are the type that cooked it in the first place. I haven't seen every 300tdi issue yet, but I've seen most. You?

[@deanwilliams4365]

@@stevep8773 wrong.

[@deanwilliams4365]

Sorry mate but the low water alarm is great but you have the wrong one. either the sensor that you dill and tap into the thermostat housing or the pipe that you splice into the to radiator hose is the way to go. your set up will react to late

[@blaketrooper]

Sory mate, but I know you're wrong. The sensors you mentioned might work sooner than the RR level sensor, but the RR does work and has saved my Disco's engine twice... first a leak in a hose, second the infamous black expansion tank side burst. Best 20€ i've spent on the car. Oh and both times in summer I'm in Portugal, not exactly cold UK weather.

[@overnighter]

Will, I think that 300Tdi overheats "by design" or "by engineering", even if your water is full and your cooling is fully functional 🙄

[@davidgray9897]

Not true i live in tropics engine runs cool all the time even on 12 hour runs in the bush !!!

[@deanwilliams4365]

Rubbish. clime 3-4 klm long sand dunes in 44 deg heat. no problems

[@blackhat400]

removed the Fan 20 years ago, no problems, no electric fan either, As for the P gasket, it dosn"t dump the coolant, it evaporates ,[ as it runs down the block] making it hard to spot,[ look for rust/ residue behind alternator area,

[@terrygribb9185]

Weaknesses on Tdi na

[@tbonesteak4961]

👍🏽

[@kingquadking6075]

Don't leave your garage with land rover and your be fine.

[@robertraman6307]

But the floor of the garage needs some whiping from the mandatory 3 simultaneous leaks.

[@Coordinator61]

Get a nice 6 cyl diesel Land Cruiser.

[@speedmachine69]

Coordinator61 or spend a lot of time lurking in workshops...... I've blown so many differentials and gear boxes and God alone knows how many half shafts, Landys have a charm for sure but I've gotten sick of fixing them and went to Toyota ten years ago and between Land Cruisers and Hiluxes I've never had to make a major repair. There's also the factor of six cylinders and 4.2 litres pushing 2.5 tonnes versus four cylinders and 2.2-2.5 litres.....

[@harveysmith100]

1HDFT

[@Coordinator61]

@@speedmachine69 27 years of experience for me in oil and gas industry worldwide. Only Toyota nothing else in the deserts. Land Rovers stay in town.

[@phantomwalker8251]

id be raising the rad as far as pos,& lower the motor as far as pos.that,is not a good set up.here,we get 40c,why do people buy these chunks.get a real 4x4.weak transfer,diffs,g/box.no thanks.

[@speedmachine69]

Explosive drivelines.....

[@deanwilliams4365]

rubbish, or are you talking about the land cruiser alt being in the mud as well as having the radiator to low. or the patrol CVs going bang etc.

[@MarkWright1963]

The 300TDI is a crap engine. ( more head gaskets, water pumps than I have had hot dinners, I’m 56) The 200 TDI breaks cranks. The TD5 is better as long as the fuel rail loom loom and egr are sorted. The best diesels in a Defender are not LR engines the Cummins, Isuzu or Iveco conversions are best. However if you are globe trotting or going across Africa buy a Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol as they are more reliable. Oh and before I get some LR fanatics making comments I have 30 years with LR, ( parts, service, vehicle testing and development) and did the Camel as a support driver. Finally I did two Rally Raids using Nissan Patrols they never broke down, could find a LR product that could do that.

[@harveysmith100]

Well you are straight talking! I have loved Land Rovers all my life but my one true love is my LandCruiser 70 series. I only fit Genuine Toyota or OEM and she never lets me down.

[@keidicko]

Funny I have had 200 three 300 and td5 defenders and not had one had gasket failure on a 300 and no problems with my td5 . All of my 300s have run 1.5bar of boost and two of them have run a little tiny corsa c header tank because I run 12” travel front shocks and standard header tank won’t fit with no problems at all ! I even drove my 300 I have now 10miles with no fan belt so no water pump it was absolutely boiling hot , put a belt on the next day and fine so don’t talk crap!

[@overlandready]

near 200,000 miles on 300tdi's, one is an auto on 255,000, never had a problem, maybe it's the dealer maintenance? Last guy I heard of with a Yota was 3 months waiting for parts... Swings and roundabouts I guess...

[@davidgray9897]

Tell that to the australian and british army and a half a dozen other country's that used it as the pick of any motor on the market for reliability it was used in uk up to 2015 no electronics and fixable in the field and super reliable !!!

[@deanwilliams4365]

only 30 years? mate with the greatest respect you are full of it. i live where patrols and cursers as well as 110 and all there smaller cousins are the main necessary mode of transport. a fail to get back very likely equals you turning into a skeleton cast about by the dingo's. they all have there fail to proceed issues. the advantage of a 110 is there is usually a work around. actually i don't know why i am even responding to your silly rant?