Disco 300TDi Gbox options

Hi, I am considering replacing my trusty SerIII with something a little swifter. 97-98 Discos seems attractively priced and I would certainly look quite seriously at them.

Considering however that most of them will have done about 100K+, and I do not want to have to rebuild it as soon as I get it, which gearbox tends to last longer?

I know that most seem to think a new Gbox is indicated on anything more than a few years old, but generally Auto tend to last aslong as the car in my experience. Is this true of the Landy unit? Also how well does the 300Tdi auto combo work?

Any comments appreciated.

Regards Stephen

Reply to
fanie
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On or around Wed, 7 Apr 2004 05:58:11 +0200, "fanie" enlightened us thusly:

The 97-98 manual disco would be an R380 5-speed, and *should* have the "cross-drilled gear" mod to the transfer box which is aimed at eliminating the problem with wear on the gearbox output/transfer box input shaft splines, which was a design problem on the earlier 5-speed (LT77S) and on early R380. I expect someone will pop up who knows a definitive answer to that - I've an idea it was around then that the mod became a factory-fitted thing. Apart from that, the R380 seems to be a good, long-lived box - you don't hear of many failing except through the above fault

having said that, the ZF 4-speed (4HP22, ISTR) is a fine thing as autoboxen go. I've got one in my 110, and it's great. I did have one fail which by my estimation had done about 130K miles, but judging by the oil that came out of it when I got it and changed the oil, it'd been neglected. Both the autos and manuals are pump-lubricated using ATF, and both should have regular oil changes (24K mile intervals) as should the t-box and in theory the axles and swivels, although there's a tendency now to put the special one-shot grease in swivels, if this has been done you're not supposed to need to change it.

The auto is a 4-speed plus lock-up on 4th, so it behaves like a 5-speed. I've never actually driven a TDi auto, but I gather they're pretty good. I think it hurts the economy a touch, but that, as ever, is more about how you drive. I can get our TDi manual to return under 25 mpg by hammering it up the M6 flat out, but normally it returns around 28-30, and can creep over 30 on a steady run.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

I run a 300 TDi ES Auto, the only gripe I have is that it's slow to take off as unlike a manual you can't give it some revs first to get the turbo going, otherwise it's just as good if not better to drive than the 200 and 300 manual versions I used to own. It's got EDS fitted which give it a bit more oomph but it is a bit thirstier.

Peter.

Reply to
Peter Seddon

I have a 1995 300 TDi auto with 93k on the clock (and for sale) and 2004 TD5 auto. The 300 is slow from initial start, you have to think ahead before pulling out into main roads, but once it gets going it is ok. The gear changes are very smooth and make for relaxed driving, also when manouvering to park I find the auto very good. I get 24mpg around town and 28mpg on a run. Sits quite happily at 80mph on the motorway. The TD5 is very sorted with no initial lag from take off and makes a much better driving experience. Whether this is to do with the engine, gearbox or both I don't know.

Hope this helps

Martin

Reply to
Martin Coombs

Thanks but probably a little far off as I am in South Africa.

Regards Stephen

Reply to
fanie

Thanks for the advice.

I must say that the two things that scare me most about a disco are a) cost of an engine rebuild.(ZAR 40 000.00) and b) the cost of gearbox rebuild (ZAR

15-20K). If either of these were to go it would make the ownership experience somewhat iffy.

Otherwise I am becoming increasingly soft and the thought of heating/Aircon etc, not too much wind through the doors and various other bits is becoming increasingly attractive.

Regards Stephen

PS intersting sig line. I have just come back from Durban and since this wretched ANC goverment has taken over I have never seen so many motorcades. A mob came up behind me with the old blues flashing much better and I was hoping that they were going to rush into the back of my SerIII but alas no.

Do you chaps routinely see goverment types driving around in motocades at full pelt through red lights etc? I think we have the yanks to blame for these wretched political excesses, but unfortunately no one has bothered to tell our chappies that our pockets do not run quite as deep as the cousins across the pond!

Reply to
fanie

factory-fitted

Reply to
kevin davis

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