Land Rover Defender which engine is best?
Discussion
Robert-q32ja said:
07 to 2015 was a 4 cylinder diesel (2.4 & 2.2 litre ford unit used in transit etc) is pretty good but enjoys the higher revs.
1999-2006 was the five cylinder Td5 (2.5 litre volvo/ford unit) is excellent with lots of low torque where it is needed, but a little slow.
pre 1999 various 4 cylinder units and petrol v8s.
Biased recommendation (as I have one) is the Td5.
Td5 is not remotely Volvo or Ford ffs 1999-2006 was the five cylinder Td5 (2.5 litre volvo/ford unit) is excellent with lots of low torque where it is needed, but a little slow.
pre 1999 various 4 cylinder units and petrol v8s.
Biased recommendation (as I have one) is the Td5.
they also don’t have lots of low end torque either. Very good engines but need some revs and make the same power as the Puma unit (standard or tuned) but a better noise. 300bhp/ton said:
Td5 is not remotely Volvo or Ford ffs they also don’t have lots of low end torque either. Very good engines but need some revs and make the same power as the Puma unit (standard or tuned) but a better noise.
Very different engines to drive.... The TD5 has a character all of its own but IMO the 2.2 Puma is a gutless POS. they also don’t have lots of low end torque either. Very good engines but need some revs and make the same power as the Puma unit (standard or tuned) but a better noise. M
camel_landy said:
Very different engines to drive.... The TD5 has a character all of its own but IMO the 2.2 Puma is a gutless POS.
M
Very different yes. But gutless for the Puma? M
They wouldn’t be my choice. But gutless isn’t a description I can understand. They 265ft-Lb of torque from the factory. More than any other factory engine.
300bhp/ton said:
Very different yes. But gutless for the Puma?
They wouldn’t be my choice. But gutless isn’t a description I can understand. They 265ft-Lb of torque from the factory. More than any other factory engine.
Don't care what it says on your Top Trumps cards, you have to rev the bThey wouldn’t be my choice. But gutless isn’t a description I can understand. They 265ft-Lb of torque from the factory. More than any other factory engine.
ks out of them to get them to do anything. Horrible engines. The 2.4 is a fantastic engine though and a peach to drive.FWIW - I actually quite like the TD5. Like the 300TDi, it might not be a Top Trumps winner but it's very drive-able.
M
camel_landy said:
Don't care what it says on your Top Trumps cards, you have to rev the bks out of them to get them to do anything. Horrible engines. The 2.4 is a fantastic engine though and a peach to drive.
FWIW - I actually quite like the TD5. Like the 300TDi, it might not be a Top Trumps winner but it's very drive-able.
M
WTF are you on.... are you talking TD5 or Puma? You're statements are as usual all mixed up ks out of them to get them to do anything. Horrible engines. The 2.4 is a fantastic engine though and a peach to drive.FWIW - I actually quite like the TD5. Like the 300TDi, it might not be a Top Trumps winner but it's very drive-able.
M
2.2 and 2.4 go almost the same.
And stock or tuned they both do their best work in the low to mid rpm range. Revving them is almost pointless tbh. I wonder if you've actually driven any?
300bhp/ton said:
WTF are you on.... are you talking TD5 or Puma? You're statements are as usual all mixed up
2.2 and 2.4 go almost the same.
And stock or tuned they both do their best work in the low to mid rpm range. Revving them is almost pointless tbh. I wonder if you've actually driven any?
2.2 and 2.4 go almost the same.
And stock or tuned they both do their best work in the low to mid rpm range. Revving them is almost pointless tbh. I wonder if you've actually driven any?
Red9zero said:
Stop arguing and just admit the 300tdi is the best 
Tdi's are fine. Still have one, but they are unrefined and noisy compared to the newer diesels. And while a tuned Tdi might have an addictive power delivery, they will be massively down on power compared to a tuned Td5/Puma.The Tdi probably would be the most economical. 200 and 300 are almost identical in power/specs. But the 300 aside from going serpentine was really an effort of reducing production costs over the 200 and has a few areas more compromised.
A good Td5 is probably the sweet spot. Although a Puma engine goes ok, but they do sound like a Transit van and have their own issues. For me the biggest issue with the Puma's is the interior, lack of vents, poor gearing and a very very clunky clutch & gearchange.
Red9zero said:
Stop arguing and just admit the 300tdi is the best
I do rather like the 300TDi, which is what's in my 110. Not quite sure what 300 has against the 300TDi but there's nowt wrong with trying to reduce production costs, especially when you're having to produce 2x variants of the same engine. Slightly more power, easier to work on... Not sure what he means by 'Compromised'. I'd describe the 300TDi as a slightly more refined version of the 200 but nowhere near as refined as the engines which were to follow.
As for what's best, I really like the 300TDi, TD5 & Puma (2.4) but for completely different reasons.
My old 300TDi is like a pair of old slippers, it's part of the family and we've had many adventures in it... It will always be my favourite.
However, I've used both the TD5 & TDCi extensively for work... The TD5 is just fun, I just love that engine note. The early 2.4 TDCi is probably my favourite as a workhorse though. Quiet & 'refined' enough when on the road and performed well when working hard off-road....and despite what 300 says, the 2.2 is still a pile of poop!!
M
300bhp/ton said:
WTF are you on.... are you talking TD5 or Puma? You're statements are as usual all mixed up
2.2 and 2.4 go almost the same.
And stock or tuned they both do their best work in the low to mid rpm range. Revving them is almost pointless tbh. I wonder if you've actually driven any?
Which bit didn't you understand?2.2 and 2.4 go almost the same.
And stock or tuned they both do their best work in the low to mid rpm range. Revving them is almost pointless tbh. I wonder if you've actually driven any?
I enjoy driving the 300TDi & TD5; IMO the 2.4TDCi is a cracking package (MT82 included); The 2.2 is horrible & gutless.
Nothing mixed up about that.
M
camel_landy said:
Andy_mr2sc said:
Sorry gents but you are all wrong. The BMW M57 3l engine should take pride of place in a defender.
Case closed.
Case closed.
It made a lovely noise but OMG it was thirsty!!
M
To answer the original question, "which engine is best", it depends entirely what you want to do with your vehicle. People are getting into minutiae about vents etc, which although part of the package, is not the engine.
You mention only using it locally, in which case I'd be tempted by a V8. But, being frank, if it's just local use and I was in your shoes, I'd almost not care about the engine at all, and I'd just buy the best example of a Defender I can get within budget, and I would not care about which engine was under the bonnet. I'd much rather have a very tidy Tdi than a bubbling blistering Td5.
I'm currently rebuilding a 200Tdi and fitting an R380 short bellhousing gearbox with a tweaked 5th gear ratio to replace the early and weak LT77. For me, it should be perfect, giving sensible ratios around town but with a taller 5th to give me decent cruising speed that the Tdi should be able to push along quite happily. I'm sticking with the 200Tdi (and therefore the whole vehicle) for life now as in a few years my Landy will turn 40 and go tax and MOT free, and I have a long term plan of an "expedition" style drive across Africa or similar when I retire, and having something as basic as the Tdi, with absolutely no electronics or ECUs to screw up somewhere remote, seems to make perfect sense to me.
You mention only using it locally, in which case I'd be tempted by a V8. But, being frank, if it's just local use and I was in your shoes, I'd almost not care about the engine at all, and I'd just buy the best example of a Defender I can get within budget, and I would not care about which engine was under the bonnet. I'd much rather have a very tidy Tdi than a bubbling blistering Td5.
I'm currently rebuilding a 200Tdi and fitting an R380 short bellhousing gearbox with a tweaked 5th gear ratio to replace the early and weak LT77. For me, it should be perfect, giving sensible ratios around town but with a taller 5th to give me decent cruising speed that the Tdi should be able to push along quite happily. I'm sticking with the 200Tdi (and therefore the whole vehicle) for life now as in a few years my Landy will turn 40 and go tax and MOT free, and I have a long term plan of an "expedition" style drive across Africa or similar when I retire, and having something as basic as the Tdi, with absolutely no electronics or ECUs to screw up somewhere remote, seems to make perfect sense to me.
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