300 Tdi auto a few Q's*updated*

[bezzabsa]

OK so I now have an R reg 300 disco Auto - now never having had an auto before, i have a few questions..bear with me if i seem a numpty - but we all have to learn!
OK - fuel - worse , better or same consumption as a manual?
off road...how does an auto help / hinder??
also is there anything I need to look out for? and how often does the box need looking at - refilling etc?

[muddyjames]

Auto is very sluggish off the line (the 300tdi auto is. yours maybe td5?) remove egr and you will be amazed with how much better it goes from 50mph onwards. It pulls wonderfuly.

Low ratio 1st gear down hills is fine. scary at first as it goes a few mph faster than a manual but pop it into 3rd and it will climb through the gears going up a muddy hill and it works a treat as you never loose power to the wheels whilst changing gear.

I usualy get about 350 ish miles to a tank if I dont put the grizzly claws on or tow anything. I towed a 2 tonne box trailer for a couple of hundred miles recently and having to give it some real wellie to get up hills (2nd gear 4500rpm and I have got about 250mile out of half a tank. It costs about 60ish pounds to fill up fromjust above red line. It works out to be about 18p a mile solo.

I cant think of anything else at the mo but if you have any more questions feel free to ask as I have an auto m reg disco. I used to slag off the auto something horrible but now I have got used to how to tow with it and drive normally and the egr gone I am loving it.

[bezzabsa]

take it from me this is no slouch off the line! quicker than my old manaul 300!!!
egr is still fitted, previous one had been removed! wil have to be nosy

[thermidorthelobster]

Less economical, but nice to drive off-road as you can gently pump the power in as you need it.  The torque converter will smooth out the power delivery.

[muddyjames]

take it from me this is no slouch off the line! quicker than my old manaul 300!!!

Im very jealous now! Whydoesnt mine go fast then off the line :( I can safely class mine as nearly dangerous when I am towing as you need a even bigger gap to pul out into  

[Thrasher]

You know.....some Land Rovers don't actually come with a manual option ;-) <grin>

[BLUE DISCO]

hi i have the same problem my disco is a real slug pulling off ive blanked off EGR bit better could it be injectors or kick down cable not set correctly
also my gearbox seems to over heat when towing on the limit any ideas please

[petergalileo]

Mine too is slow off the mark, I have blanked off the EGR too.  I am going to try an oil and filter change on the gearbox shortly.

The ZF auto is a great box and seldome (touch wood) go wrong, The system locks up at about 50mph so your fuel economy on a run should be the same or better than a manual.

[stevegreen]

Fuel economy will be slightly worse than a manual, but I still manage to get 23-24 MPG and on motorway cruises to and from work (along the M62 to Hull) get just over 400 miles on a full tank.

I have had the g/box overheating light on a couple of times when towing my Supacat on a heavy trailer.  Always when giving it some welly from a standing start (r/abouts on the A1) but stopping for a few minutes sees the light go off and there has been no change to the oil coluor of smell.

Checking the level can be a confusing if you are looking for a nice clean line on the dipstick.  Whilst on the dipstick, have a look to see if it clicks shut when replacing it and whether it ends up riding back up after a few miles.  The concern being getting muck down the dipstick pipe.  I have not really found a properly solution.

It has always been slow off from a standing start - almost to the point of being dangerous at T junctions, as it seems quite a while between pressing the accelerator and the vehicle finally starting to move.  Only solution is to adjust your driving technique accordingly as its just the way they are rather than something wrong.

Off road it is supreme, especially crawling over rocks.

[Range Rover Blues]

Fuel economy saounds a lot worse, the wife gets 450-475 miles from a tank in hers, and she doesn't hang around.  200TFi with R380.

[drmike]

I must be doing something wrong - I filled up from the 1/4 mark after 476 miles, I'd be quite disappointed to get under 30 mpg on my manual 300 TDI. Then again maybe I drive like old fogey, which is roughly speaking what I am.

Mike

[stevegreen]

I must be doing something wrong - I filled up from the 1/4 mark after 476 miles,Mike

Not sure about yours, but my fuel gauge is very inaccurate - on a full tank it hardly moves for 200 miles and the last quarter tank ges in less than 60 miles!

[muzzer]

I got 500 miles on a full tank last week all motorway, manchester to portsmouth and back.then put fifteen pounds in it on thursday, and had to put more in today to go shopping.

[Matbrown]

Just a quick Q about autos, i'm new to them so not sure if i have a problem or it's my driving!
When just driving on roads at normal speeds the revs sometimes jump up suddenly then settle as if the clutch was slipping when changing gear or is it just my pedal control?



Mat.

[rommelsraider973]

300 TDi with auto , ab-fab and wouldn't go to manual. Got a k&n filter in and fitted a snorker which i think improves response and mpg....have had 600 miles out of a tank before driving down to southampton and back , got cruise control which i think also helps?

Off-roading then autos are the bizz! You can concentrate better not having to worry about changing gears.

Its maybe worth having all the gearbox and transfer box oils changed...that way you know its done and they are all clean oils!!

The dip stick jumping out can be cured with a surgical glove and a tie wrap and a bit of duct tape keeps mine in and don,t have to worry about water and dust ingress!!

[bezzabsa]

well to bring the thread back to life - now I have a 300 tdi auto RRC softdash :D:D:D
well off the line it can frighten boy racers ;)
economy well its over 400 to a tank - and thats running 100% biodiesel too!! not bad for something that according to LR weighs in at 2500kg  :shock: . lol

MUDDYJAMES i'd seriously think about getting yours looked at if its that slow off the line, as i said mine frightens boy racers - ok if you 'potter' it aint quick - but plant it and WOW  8)
pump has been tweaked slighlty and has an uprated intercooler (as i was informed by last owner) but still a rapid and semi economical motor