2.25 Diesel problems/2.5 TD any good?

[CanIBeFrank]

Hi all,
A little advice please;

I've spent the last 2 1/2 months getting a Serries III 88" back on the road, it's now come time to MOT and time to stop ignoring the enevitable, my engine needs help.

It has white smoke all the time, and black on reving up and down (lots of both).

A mate took a look and reakons it's going to need a new fuel injection pump (£225 +£50 labour), possibly the odd injector (£20 each)  and the valve guide seats replacing (£30 +£25 labour). Total £300 minumum.

However he also said this could only be the start of it. I drove it back from Kent to Dorset a coulple of months ago it laid a smoke screen all the way but drove quite well.

What do you think? is it worth sorting or should I go for a good engine i.e. he has a 2.5 Turbo Diesel that runs v well and will fit for £500 all in except for the exhaust and oil cooler.

Thoughts please, is the 2.5 TD a good engine, will it push the truck along with the Disco diffs it has fitted (I was going to change these too)?

Thanks for your 2 peneth...

[mark.yellow.series.3]

ive got a 2.25 diesel engine, i think its from a 2a, i runs nice only a little black smoke when foot hard down up hills.
you can have it free if you collect it.
iam near grimsby, north lincolnshire.

[CanIBeFrank]

Thanks for the offer Mark. It's a little far to go but worth bearing in mind if all else fails.

Any one got any veiws on the pros and cons of the 2.5 TD ?

Does it need an oil cooler and if so whats the best to use?

Thanks.

[muddy_90]

im picking up a 2.5 diesel in a weeks time to put in my landy and ive been told all u have to do is make a new drivers side engine mount

[bezzabsa]

2.5 na is a straight swap, as i believe is the 2.5 td.. only downside is i think you have to open the bellmouth bolt holes as the 2.5's are metric...
£500 all in for a 2.5 td is rather steep, I brought a complete 90 just for the engine and i paid a damn bit less than that, have seen Tdi's for that sort of money.. there is a member on here with a 2.5 sherpa engine which is all but identical to the land rover 2.5 na, straight swap more grunt..
2.25 are a good - if old- engine, mine still pulls 65 on standard gearing and chucks out black smoke when you plant ya foot :D
the Td has a nasty reputation for going bang, but they also do huge mileages, so if its done over 100,000 then i shouldnt imagine theres a lot to go wrong..
Hope that helps..
check ebay for a NA, or even a TD..

[mark.yellow.series.3]

Thanks for the offer Mark. It's a little far to go but worth bearing in mind if all else fails.

Any one got any veiws on the pros and cons of the 2.5 TD ?

Does it need an oil cooler and if so whats the best to use?

Thanks.

i can send it through work on a pallet for £65.

[Miniman]

I think £500 All in and fitted is a good price. A normal garage would charge you £300 to swap an engine these days. If you dont want the hastle and like the idea of more grunt go for it. If you can be bothered to fit another engine yourself then just buy the engine off him and save yourself money. I would go for the first myself as if anything goes wrong he has the problem to sort....For that price you want a 3 month warranty.... PIECE OF MIND....

[Rich_P]

The 2.5TD is known for self-detonating at around 130,000.  There are a number of examples that are well over 130,000 miles but these engines usually have been maintained correctly.  The main issue occured in that the Land Rover owners were so used to the 2.25 N/A Diesel and 2.5 N/A Diesel robustness, that they abused the 2.5TD as well.  Unfortunately the 2.5TD is a brittle engine in comparison, so abusing them will result in a destroyed 2.5TD.

You will find it somewhat hard to find a good 2.5TD, and even then it could very well end up being a bad one.  I know someone who thought he had a good 2.5TD, and within a week of running it the engine blew up without warning!  :shock:

So if you do go down the TD route, it is best to strip it down and replace the parts that get worn and check over the entire condition of the engine.  I personally would go for either another 2.25 Diesel or the 2.5 N/A Diesel, because the 2.5 N/A is just a longer stroke version of the 2.25 Diesel.  

[CanIBeFrank]

I personally would go for either another 2.25 Diesel or the 2.5 N/A Diesel, because the 2.5 N/A is just a longer stroke version of the 2.25 Diesel.  

Thanks Steel, thats exactly what I needed to know, I'd heard rummours that this was the case i.e. an engine converted to TD not designed as.

I guess I'd better get my 2.25 fixed up :(

Mark thanks thats a very kind offer, if I run into problems I'll give you a shout.

[landyworld]

Thanks for the offer Mark. It's a little far to go but worth bearing in mind if all else fails.

Any one got any veiws on the pros and cons of the 2.5 TD ?

Does it need an oil cooler and if so whats the best to use?

Thanks.

i can send it through work on a pallet for £65.

Can i be really cheeky and ask if Canibefrank doesnt want it and you have no use for it let me know at mattsbmw@hotmail.com and i can buy it off you.

I am trying to restore my 2a back to deisel which it originally ran on.

Thanks

[CanIBeFrank]

landyworld,

sounds like you need it more than me  :) I think I'm going to get my original 2 & 1/4 back up to full spec.

2.5 na is a straight swap, as i believe is the 2.5 td..

Not so. The engine mounts on the chassis will require modification (chopping and welding) to fit either of these engines. I have a friend who has fitted a 2.5td and had to alter them. However the 2.5 N/A from a Sherpa van IS a straight swap (or so I'm told - I'm about to find out). This engine is almost identical to the Land Rover 2.5 but the timing case is different and not completely sealed, so is unsuitable for deep wading. You would also have to move the battery from under the bonnet to under the passenger seat as the battery tray gets in the way of the injector pump.