Discovery 300tdi Veg Muncher, 21/3/16 - rehomed

[gdhaydock]

Here goes ..... the story .........

 

A few weeks ago, my trusty discovery owned for the last 10 years threw a wobbly (fan belt tensioner disintegrated causing water pump to stop pumping water and i've cooked the head / gasket)

 

I have access to a workshop, but it's absolutely packed with other shite at the moment, there is also a long list of other bits that need sorting on it, so naturally I needed a "temporary discovery"  - There was one for sale on this very forum, which i'd initially discounted as it didn't have enough doors and was a base model (no leather or aircon) - I like the leather because you can wipe it when it get's mucky and the aircon because i'm a soft bugger.

 

Anyway, after a bit of a prod from another forum member I ended up agreeing to buy the discovery from red5 anyway.

 

A price and collection time was agreed. JohnF very kindly offered to be "co-pilot" so at 6pm last night I loaded the subaru up with "collection essentials" and we set off on a 150 mile drive from Hebden Bridge to Bewdley. We stopped once for coffee, and otherwise it was an uneventful trip (amazing considering I used the M6 &M5 during rush hour on a wet Friday night)

 

We arrived in Bewdley at about 9pm, met up with Red5, who is a thoroughly decent guy, a bit of banter and some "casual inspecting" of the purchase took place, a quick test drive, money changed hands and we were on our way for about 9.30pm.

 

No petrol station shot as Red5 had very kindly brimmed the tank with some of Malhamdale's finest veg oil. I took the first shift in the disco, with JohnF following in the scooby. I took it as far as Sandbach services, it's probably the best one I've driven for road manners, needs a bit of attention to the brakes and there is the odd clunk from somewhere, but all in all it's good.

 

johnF then took over piloting the discovery for the remainder of the trip - all in all it was uneventful.

 

 

 

[purplebargeken]

Here's me thinking it was going to be a Punto. Damn

[MarvinsMom]

congrats...

 

i must admit that i was seriously gave buying this some thought.

 

is it as nice as it looks/sounds?

[gdhaydock]

congrats...

 

i must admit that i was seriously gave buying this some thought.

 

is it as nice as it looks/sounds?

 

First impressions suggest it's a lot better than I expected, will hopefully get it up in the air over the weekend for a proper look

[UltraWomble]

I do like the early three door ones ( but Im a bit strange like that).

 

Keep it 20 years and they will* be CLA$$ICS and worth big* coin.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I do like the early three door ones ( but Im a bit strange like that).

 

Keep it 20 years and they will* be CLA$$ICS and worth big* coin.[/quote

 

Don't think you'll have to wait 20 years, my bet is that any half decent Disco 1 will have doubled today's value in the next 3years.

[John F]

Yep, I can only echo Zippy's comments (Zippy = gdhaydock, apparently someone else nicked the Zippy user name so he couldn't have it) - the Disco is well behaved & has a strong motor. It needs a small bit of fettling of the gearchange & brakes, and it's a bit hesitant on partial throttle (possibly due to running on veg atm), but is otherwise a good steer.

 

The current plan is for Zip to use it until he finds a tidy ES model, then it will become Miss F's daily driver. Which means I get my own Disco back from her

 

BTW nice to meet you Sam (red5), top chap.

[gdhaydock]

Plan for tomorrow (hangover permitting) is to crawl underneath and properly investigate the underneath. JohnF will be blocked from this update in case it detrimentally affects the resale value

[scruff]

hebden Bridge eh! Do you know Luke and Steve with the Series ones? 

[gdhaydock]

hebden Bridge eh! Do you know Luke and Steve with the Series ones? 

 

Don't know them, but may have seen the motor about. I only sleep in Hebden Bridge generally, my life isn't there. I'm more commonly found around Shipley / Baildon on a weekend

[gdhaydock]

Bit of tinkering occurred today, first job was to install a CB radio for convoy driving and green laning

 

 

Then the standard Land Rover cassette player needed replacing with something that would play CDs

 

Out with the old .....

 

In with the new.......

 

That's the sum total of "bolt on twattage" that's getting attached to this landy, the whole vehicle is generally original and I want to keep it that way.

 

Once this had been done, it got a thorough vacuum and the insides of the windows cleaned, sorry no pics of this bit.

 

Final job today was to sort the fan belt which had an incessant squeal, the trick with this one is to loosen the tensioner and trap a penny in between the tensioner and the engine, this makes the pulley run at a slightly truer angle stopping the squeal.

 

Next weekend will hope fully see the diff lock lever de-seized and some attention to the front brakes

[2MB]

I do like the early three door ones ( but Im a bit strange like that).

 

Keep it 20 years and they will* be CLA$$ICS and worth big* coin.[/quote

 

Don't think you'll have to wait 20 years, my bet is that any half decent Disco 1 will have doubled today's value in the next 3years.

It's about time. There aren't many cars that came out in the late 80s that are still easy to spot every day despite being worth fuck all. So much for them being unreliable rustbuckets. Growing very attached to mine, there is little else that can be used as a motorway commuter, tow tractor, people carrier, van (inc for tip runs) and off roader with cheap insurance and vegetarian economy

[mat_the_cat]

Then the standard Land Rover cassette player needed replacing with something that would play CDs

 

Do you need an interface to plug in the back of this, and allow you to use the original buttons around the instruments to operate? Yours for a postage plus a drink!

[red5]

Diff lock lever does actually move - honest.

 

Good to meet you both, glad you're enjoying it.

 

Would have another at some point, 5dr naturally now...:-\

[gdhaydock]

Do you need an interface to plug in the back of this, and allow you to use the original buttons around the instruments to operate? Yours for a postage plus a drink!

 

Cheers Matt - PM me your paypal details and i'll take it off your hands

[gdhaydock]

Diff lock lever does actually move - honest.

 

Good to meet you both, glad you're enjoying it.

 

Would have another at some point, 5dr naturally now...:-\

 

No worries, it seems to get high & low OK, but can't get the sideways movement to engage the difflock. It's either seized, or needs adjustment so it gets the full movement. I couldn't be bothered taking the centre console out today in order to investigate further so that will be looked at next weekend.

 

Likewise Red5, it was a pleasure to meet you as well.

 

I'm still on the lookout for a 5 door ES model as well (so that Miss_F can have this one, which in turn will allow JohnF to get his back)

[John F]

gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:gdhaydock, on 29 Nov 2015 - 11:44 PM, said:

No worries, it seems to get high & low OK, but can't get the sideways movement to engage the difflock. It's either seized, or needs adjustment so it gets the full movement. I couldn't be bothered taking the centre console out today in order to investigate further so that will be looked at next weekend.

 

Bollocks. You just need to man up, Zip...

 

I suspect part of the diff lock linkage has come adrift under the centre console, it feels like the lever is pushing against the end stop when trying to force it to the right. The txb linkage feels like it's somehow rotated about 45° to the right. That would also explain the crazy angle of the high-low box lever too. Probably not much of a hassle to sort out tbh, let's have a look at it next weekend.

[gdhaydock]

More progress today, difflock mechanism is now working again.

 

Interior centre console stripped out, linkages straightened, all built back up, road tested only to find  the difflock was now stuck in. Re-dismantle interior, more adjustments, test then reassemble. Cheers to Neil for his efforts today.

 

Here's a pic of it in the garage

 

The console and associated gubbins being removed

 

The offending linkages

[Rusty_Rocket]

Nice work 

I hate playing with the diff lock mechanism. It's so cheaply made and feeble.. although works ok when lubed up! The lever retaining pins wear and give play too!

[gdhaydock]

This is now re-homed. It's still in the family so the new owner may speak up shortly

[Lacquer Peel]

How good is the Land Rover TDi at munching veg? Can you get away with a high % with minor modifications?

[John F]

This is now re-homed. It's still in the family so the new owner may speak up shortly

 

Miss F is pleased with her new acquisition

 

As am I, because I can now have my own Disco back.

[gdhaydock]

How good is the Land Rover TDi at munching veg? Can you get away with a high % with minor modifications?

The TDI is Bosch pumped so no major issue. I'm not best keen on veg (although bought 68 litres today) - but will run the occasional tank full in warmer weather.

 

If using it regularly I would probably run a twin tank setup even though it's not strictly needed

[Lacquer Peel]

The TDI is Bosch pumped so no major issue. I'm not best keen on veg (although bought 68 litres today) - but will run the occasional tank full in warmer weather.

 

If using it regularly I would probably run a twin tank setup even though it's not strictly needed

 

Bosch pump isn't a guarantee of starting and running well on high percentages of veg, the indirect injection VW straight 6 diesel used in LTs and Volvos is shit at starting on veg.

 

My direct injection VW van is brilliant on high percentages veg, I just wondered if the LR TDI is as good because I'd love one. A guy I worked for has a Disco 300 TDi auto, a bit sluggish but a really relaxing and comfy thing to travel in.

[KruJoe]

How did it behave today Zippy, after this happened? 

 

 

Did you put a drop of pez in on top of the WVO on the way home?

 

(That's his other red one, by the way, folks.)

[gdhaydock]

Runs fine - although has a hesitant spot when accelerating which the other one did when on veg as well. Not added anything to it yet, I'll see how well it starts tomorrow.

[gdhaydock]

Haha, spoke too soon. It wouldn't start this morning, flattened the battery trying. Left it on charge for 30 mins, then gave it a boost from the scooby and it started after about 20 seconds of cranking. Suspect the battery is on its way out as it cranked twice as fast on the jump leads.

 

I'll add a bit of petrol later and have a delve in the shed for another battery

[Guest Hooli]

Bosch pump isn't a guarantee of starting and running well on high percentages of veg, the indirect injection VW straight 6 diesel used in LTs and Volvos is shit at starting on veg.

 

My direct injection VW van is brilliant on high percentages veg, I just wondered if the LR TDI is as good because I'd love one. A guy I worked for has a Disco 300 TDi auto, a bit sluggish but a really relaxing and comfy thing to travel in.

 

 

I used to run a tweaked 200Tdi on SVO. Even at 70% SVO it'd run & start fine at down to -5c or so, knocked a bit when started in the cold but letting it idle for 30secs sorted that.

21psi of boost, a full width intercooler and a tweaked fuel pump made it go like a V8 too.

[skattrd]

How good is the Land Rover TDi at munching veg? Can you get away with a high % with minor modifications?

 

Barmatt used to run Discos on WVO without problem, I'll ping him.

Doesn't Red5 do similar?

[Lacquer Peel]

I used to run a tweaked 200Tdi on SVO. Even at 70% SVO it'd run & start fine at down to -5c or so, knocked a bit when started in the cold but letting it idle for 30secs sorted that.

21psi of boost, a full width intercooler and a tweaked fuel pump made it go like a V8 too.

 

70% straight veg oil is okay but I get away with 95% WVO, 5% petrol in the VW TDI engine, down to low temperatures. I'm as demanding as Felly Magic when it comes to running vehicles on veg.