1990-1998 Defender Tdi 4x4 Review - Land Rover Owner International Magazine
On the 200Tdi, fuel rail return pipes disintegrate. With the 300Tdi, timing-belt edges shred on early engines. The belt can be checked through the wading-plug hole, using a small bulb. Check the service record. if a belt change isn’t recorded, it needs doing immediately. To check, shine a torch through the grille. The mainshaft of the fuel lift pump (on the side of the engine) can wear. A failing fuel lift pump can cause a lack of top-end power. To be certain, crack the bleed screw on top of the filter – if no fuel comes out the lift pump isn’t working. The 200Tdi had the LT77 five-speed gearbox and LT230 transfer box. The 300Tdi has the R380 gearbox, with the LT230 transfer box. As originally built, the LT77 mainshaft chafes its splines where it mates to the transfer-box due to oil starvation. The clutch fork is weak, metal wears away and the middle pushes through. Check service records for clutch fork. Be sure to check a 300Tdi’s 3. Expect wear in the suspension bushes. A clonk as you take up drive can be caused by a worn rear A-frame ball-joint. Source: www.lro.com
