Land rover discovery info.
Turbo Mini Forums

As you lads know most stuff about everything,

I am going to test drive a 1996 land rover discovery TDI tomorrow night.

It's the TDI 2495cc, 5 speed manual.

So is there any pit falls to these that I should keep an eye out for? It's just had a new mot so that's good.

It's going to be used by both of us to stick stuff in and not care about it, also when it snows, and as Jo pointed out to me, It would make a good toe car

Any info would be great lads as I am going a little blind into this one.

Simon.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

Rust rust rust.

One of mine had an oil pump let go and killed an engine. Easy enough to swap if you're not scared of spanners, though.

Bits are generally cheap and there are loads of places to get 2nd hands parts from, too.

ABS sensors can go if it's a later specced up one.

Did I mention rust?

Edit: here is my old one - awesome old beast!
http://dorkish.com/albums/Cars/The%20Old%2...10-IMG_2728.jpg

Edited by AlexB on 3rd Dec, 2013.

I was thinking rust, is there any hot spots to look out for? I have seen you can get most parts cheep. Also I am sure there will be some odd bits I could find at work.

Edited by madmk1 on 3rd Dec, 2013.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

Boot floors, chassis (all over), arches mostly.

IT's british - everything can and will go wrong. Electrics are shockingly bad. They are very characterful and I'd buy another tomorrow

What sort of cash would you say is right for one of its age? With a years mot 4 good tyres and in very good over all Nic ?

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

As a baseline, a running MOT fail with solid mechanicals is 500 quid as a rule, so one with good tyres and a full ticket is 1500 quid of anyones money.

If you find one without a sunroof, chances are it'll have less rust - many will pay a premium for one wihtout a sunroof.

The lower 5ft of bodywork is where you need to really focus on LOL
In all seriousness, footwells, A-pillars, B Pillars, Sills (behind the plastic covers), inner arches, C-pillars, seatbelt mounts on rear arches, boot floor, and the rear 2/3 of the chassis.
The boot floor, inner arches, C-pillars, are all pretty easy fixes with new panels and a welder. If you come across one with "flaky" A pillars and sills though (and iffy boot floor / arches), it might be time to let the old dog die and find another example.

Always a good idea to carry a 6ft piece of wire with a croc-clip at each end to put 12v straight to the fuel solenoid incase your immobiliser starts playing up.

Rear end chassis as like minis the front is normally covered in oil lol. Front challis (steering joints) on early models same as defender get corroded and leak.

as mentioned ....rust on lower body and rear of chassis ....main one to look out for is the body support struts...6 of these in total equidistant along each side if these are rotten its a lot of fabrication to re-build them.....and engine wise make sure it gets up to temp fairly quick (ie they havent taken the thermostat out), that there is plenty of coolant and there is no evidence of overheating (ie headgasket issues) can warp heads if over heated badly but new heads are only 400ish fully built. and make sure the heater works and there is no evidence of coolant in the foot wells....heater matrixes can corrode and leak and speaking from experience you will get to know the entire dash setup very well in the course of changing it......



If you maintain them like a 15-20 year old vehicle they are fine....neglect them and they will be fine...for a while but then you get hit with the big labour intensive jobs.

(NB the 3 doors are less prone back end rot than the 5 doors especially round the rear arches but its all relative....wouldnt be without mine)

Edited by smokestack-lightning. on 3rd Dec, 2013.

Double-Blind experiment, N:
An experiment in which the Chief Researcher believes he is
Fooling both the subject and the lab assistant. Often accompanied by
a belief in the Tooth Fairy.

all of the above but also check the fuel filter and follow the fuel lines to see if anythings been tapped into or replaced a small section
or any wires not connecting to anything

as you may not know these discos run on straight veg oil, and usually use an inline heater made up of a couple of glow plugs to heat the oil up before it reaches the injectors
& fit extra inline filters

also if they havent done that or used waste veg oil the filter will be pretty clogged with fat or a deep yellowy colour and probably smell like chips haha

and if its reddy pinky colour theyve used the tax free farm only red diesel and you should walk away
if you get caught for that the fine is in the 000's

Reading up on RTS Clutches

Bit late but also try to find when the timing belt was last done. They also like to fail if neglected.

I have just been to see it and let's just say I am off to get some cash now lol...

It drives spot on and has all the gears lol. There was no rust that I could find with out getting right under it, it had its mot last week so if it don't go tits up it will be cheaper than a set of winter tyres for my BMW

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

If you want my opinion, before you hand over the readies get your Scruffs on and get your arse under there with a torch, if there is no rust at all you've either found a museum piece or someone has done a good dollop of welding.

Yes I had my torch with me mate, all the arches was clean, and it seemed to be well looked after.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

Check drivers and passengers foot wells rust hot spot there too!

If its a 2.5 should have a manual fuel pump, so no ecu and IIRC adjustable fuel and boost ;]

All the tdi apart from auto had the Mech pump. Bigger intercooler, gt17 or gt20 and they can be made to do things they shouldn't be able to... The stock turbo and intercoolers are pretty asthmatic as standard imo.
Next one i play with will also be getting a ported head and better manifolding as these are the next hindrances imo.

Edited by TurboDave16V on 3rd Dec, 2013.

I've also seen some that should have lead a hard life and be toast but are ok, and others from places that aren't known for rust that have issues.

Perhaps I've been unlucky then, but every single one I've ever been near has been a total rot box. Hence even though my old man was a Land Rover apprentice at Solihull and is Land Rover through and through, I bought a Shogun!
There is a lot to be said for Jap reliability I have to say.

Maybe some met the same fate as some later mini shells and sat outside with no protection to the bare metal.

Well it's sat outside my place now and I have too pick up jobs for it tomorrow.

I will get some pics up in the day light.

Edited by madmk1 on 4th Dec, 2013.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

I worked on a tdi300 engine , its been running around 30 psi on its stock t25 for 2 years now , with a huge intercooler , in cold weather it wheelspins all 4 wheels in the dry coming out of roundabouts.

for those with a poor opinion of the t25 upper boost capabilities ,the difference between 25 and 30 psi is very noticeable..;-0

Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM

I don't think I will be mucking about with it really, I want to keep my cash for the mk1 lol.

There is some little things I want to put right more like my OCD

Edited by madmk1 on 4th Dec, 2013.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

where are these pics then si? :p

Reading up on RTS Clutches

As always in my life the Devil is in the detail !! So I have been sorting out a load of little bone jobs on the beast!

Here is my valeting team giving it a going over it was to cold for me to get my hands wet lol.


Also I found I nice bit of ply out side home base that fits in the boot nice.

Here it is now all good to go on it's first job.



Simon.

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.