VM Diesel

[Damonski]

Hi,

Just aquired a RR with a 2.4 TD VM engine in it.

After googling and reading some of the good and bad points, whats everyones view on here, in the know, about it ?

Thanks!

Damian

[carls200tdi]

Hi mate i had a vm in my rangie and found it was a good reliable engine until the injector pump went.It was  then when i found how expensive they are to repair, i have now fitted a tdi easier and cheaper to repair
The vm did have a bit more power

[Damonski]

Just a little extra based on much reading this afternoon,  seems they like to be looked after and kept very cool ?

[clbarclay]

Having both the TDi is the better engine, considering the TDi was design a fair few years after the VM and designed for land rovers (rather than boats?) it would be rather a poor do if it wasn't.

In its own right the VM is not a bad engine but certainly has its faults, main problems I've found being a lot of turbo lag/lack of torque at low revs and they are very prone to terminal damage when overheated. Get the turbo spinning and make sure temperature guage is working and then they go better. From experiance though I wouldn't say a TDi is going to be that much more reliable, they are getting on in years now and the weaker parts are starting to show.

Another plus in favour of the TDi is mpg, the TDi is averaging low (mid on a good run) thrities where as the VM was more like high twenties.

[carls200tdi]

You do need to keep a close check on water levels etc. They are well known for heads cracking or gaskets going the power is a liitle bit noticable compared to tdi but not much

[clbarclay]

seems they like to be looked after and kept very cool ?

Depends what you mean by very cool, we have cooked 2 VMs at home the one beyond redmption and the other just enough to perish the piston liner seals and on both ocasions the radiators were almost completely blocked.

[ChrisV8]

Make good boat anchors in my opinion, head gasket issues on a lot I have heard about, my advice take it out and find a nice jappy diesel  :P :P

[iluvmud]

Hi i have a 2.4 vm diesel and had it for 3 years now has been a decent engine but as said the turbo lag is a big downfall and sourcing parts for it although some parts from a 200 tdi fit most vms !!! 
At the moment i am getting very low 20s regarding mpg  and it struggels towing our small 800 kg caravan  :oops: :oops: i am hopefully replacing it with a tdi in next few months so i will see the difference hopefully !!    [-o< [-o<

[squaddie_fox]

i have a 2.5 vm, i find it is very good but the turbo lag was annoying me, so i just increased the amount of air getting into the engine quite basically, and it has improved it. though it has affected the MPG, i use veg oil in the rangie and bought a nice small car for my commute to work!

a problem with the setup of the engine bay on the vm's is the placement of the header tank. such as when you go up steep hills all the coolant (if its even a little low) will run away from the route of circulation stopping the engine getting the right amount of coolant. therefore causing overheating. i found this at coney green, halfway up a nice muddy hill!  :roll: :?

[simdeb]

Hi i also have a vm with the same problem have you got a step by step on what to adjust and does it make much difference i have got a 200tdi lump to put in it when i have time as this looked the best way  to get more power at the bottom end

Simon

[Damonski]

Hi i also have a vm with the same problem have you got a step by step on what to adjust and does it make much difference i have got a 200tdi lump to put in it when i have time as this looked the best way  to get more power at the bottom end

Simon

No idea of the step by step that you talk of, oh wise VM owner :) hehe

Ive read a few posts about the coolant tank position.

Cheers

Damian