How fast, really,

...are you able to make your 110 go?

I see people making statements all the time on going 70 mph on the freeway is "easy". But this isn't my experience.

If I'm on flat ground, I might be able to reach 70mph, but I would need to find a good long stretch to make it happen. And even if I do get over 65, the engine is screaming mercy.

I'm running the 300Tdi, R380 with 1.4 case, standard diffs, and 235/85 tires. But when I went over the mountains this winter, the guy with me was in a 110 that weight 2050 lbs more than me, running 255 tires, and he was able to overtake me on the hills without flooring it. He also got 3 mpg better efficiency than I did on the same trip. He has a new head, but has standard exhaust, standard turbo, and has not boosted the fueling. A 200Tdi truck with more weight and 255 tires, and no special treatments has also proven itself to have better performance than mine.

I've got just over 5000 miles on this truck, and I can't figure out what's wrong. I don't know where to start. No one else hears the roughness, no one else hears the ringing bell sound, and there just isn't anything "wrong" with it to point at and try to fix.

Technically, I'm happy enough that I can drive like this for a long time, but the difference between mine and others is enough to take note of. And I'm still sure I feel a difference between "rough" days and "smooth" days. I get about 1 smooth day for every 2 rough days of driving. Some days the engine is super smooth, quiet, and powerful enough that even my passengers can tell when it's running right.

I had a 1.003 tcase ratio with the SL35TI. It would easily cruise gps speed of 70mph. It wanted to drive at 80mph with that engine. Towing at 70 I got 24mpg I think and at 70 normal about 28mpg. Over 30mpg with anything is always a lie or calculated with an over fill to under fill.

Most people neglect their steering and suspension upkeep and should not go over 55mph.

I did make it go real fast once. The faster you go the smoother the speedo needle oscillation becomes.

The 200tdi 90 I daily drove when stationed in the UK I would cruise at 60-65 for my daily commute. It is awfully noisy any faster than that and like you said the engine screams.

5 door Sw, 300 tdi, 1.2 case, 3.54 gears, full cage basket and winch bumper on 235s and can go 70 easy. 80 on long flats

Rebuilt injector pump, stock tune. Plans for putting on vgt turbo, bigger inter cooler, pin mod, boost ring etc and expect it to move a little faster.

My tuned 110 , 200 does 70 easy

Dan kemper said:

5 door Sw, 300 tdi, 1.2 case, 3.54 gears, full cage basket and winch bumper on 235s and can go 70 easy. 80 on long flats

Rebuilt injector pump, stock tune. Plans for putting on vgt turbo, bigger inter cooler, pin mod, boost ring etc and expect it to move a little faster.

Click to expand...

LOL, I can't imagine mine doing 80. It's loud as hell at 60. You'd think the motor was gonna come apart.

85 is top speed in my 200tdi 90. It takes 80% more power to do 85 versus 70. So if you can only do 70 you have around 65 hp.

So I'm looking at an engine on it's way out. Must be getting bad compression?

No. Probably just does not have the timing and fueling setup properly.

My intuition has been that there is something off with the fueling. I don't know enough to know why, but as I'm driving, starting, stopping the engine, checking my low MPG, getting a smooth ride vs. a rough day, I keep coming back to the fuel pump/injectors being off some how. When it runs rough, it isn't like it is running bad, more like something is just slightly out of sync.

I think I could do a reset myself, but I don't have the tools.

It's good to know that I could cruise at 65 sometime in the future.

I'd like to hear from more people, and I'll update. If the weather is good enough to drive the other Rovers, I'll be taking this in to the shop next week.

I'd check timing with a gauge first then start tuning the fuel

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1994/1395920/land-rover_defender_90_hard_top_300tdi.html

Factory claim
Top speed: 135 km/h / 84 mph
0-60 mph (sec): 15.7

Click to expand...

This is about right for a stock truck. If yours can't do that, then something is not right. Assuming completely stock. Things like lifts and roack hurt top speed.

My 200TDI 90 will cruise at 70 and I can go as fast as 85mph if I push it, now that it is all sorted.

Make sure injectors are in good shape, injection pump in good shape, valve lash set correctly, timing belt timed correct, injection pump timing is correct, boost is correct or higher, air filter is clean, fuel filter clean, compression is good, and lastly that your throttle is actually opening 100%

And make sure your intercooler coupler clamps are tight and that the couplers don't have any holes in them. Back when I worked at a shop half the turbo cars would come in with boost leaks. If you are still running 25 year old clamps, it is time to replace them.

I used 4 packages of these for my intercooler coupler clamps

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vpe-2791

What is the known history of this engine?

AdamSanta85 said:

I used 4 packages of these for my intercooler coupler clamps

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vpe-2791

Click to expand...

http://www.siliconeintakes.com

I had done similar and used a bunch of silicone connectors and pipe from these guys. Great products. I think these cost way less than those on summit.

Red90 said:

What is the known history of this engine?

Click to expand...

Bought it from a guy here who had it picked out for him from a running Disco. He had 3 Rover projects going at once, got rid of this one. I've put 5500 miles on it.

Had main seals replaced, other normal things, and the timing done when it went in the truck.

Does it have electronic control and computer for the injection pump?

No! It's a stock 300Tdi.

Many stock Discovery 300tdis have electronically controlled injection pumps and should also have an immobilizer on the fuel solenoid. If it just has a plain injection pump it has probably been modified by someone.

I didn’t know that about Disco Tdis, but mine is a standard, and it doesn’t “look” like it has ever been opened.