Turbo Diesel

Apart from the outside cosmetics like square headlights and lights in the rear bumpers as well as the rear quarter panels, the engines look rather similar. All 300s have a black "rubber" cover over the rocker cover which extends to the inlet plenum but don't take this as gospel as I fitted one to my 200. The turbos are different, the 300 sits higher than the 200. Don't quote me but the model change year I think was March 95.

There are big variations in price, all depends on wether it's a main dealer or an indipendant specialist, obviously milage and service history play a big part. I've had three discos, a 200 TDi and two 300 TDis my curent one is a 1996 300 TDi ES Auto which is a bit thirstier than I'd like at 24 MPG, the other two were manual and were beter but don't expect anthig like the book figure of 33 MPG. The only good thing is that I use mine for towing and it does't change the MPG.

Hope all this helps

Peter S

Twas Sat, 27 Dec 2003 22:24:16 -0000 when "Peter Seddon" put finger to keyboard producing:

Thanks for the info, I thought that 300's had a cover but I didn't know you could fit one to a 200. These are 90/110's I'm looking at, retro-fitted. I'm most concerned about looking at an early tdi and having someone say "that's a 200/300 tdi that is, so give me shed loads of money for it!" they will most likely be private sales..

-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.

Mark Hi,

When looking at a 90/110 and you wish to establish whether the engine is a turbo diesel 2.5, a 200Tdi or a 300Tdi I would propose you look for the following clues.

1. A turbo diesel 2.5 will have a turbo but will NOT have an intercooler. The radiator must be covering the whole frontal area behind the car;s grille.

1. A 200 or 300 Tdi MUST have an intercooler. This is located to the right side of the radiator (looking from the front of the vehicle towards the windscreen)

2. A 200Tdi has at least two ancillaries belts. One is driving the water pump and radiator fan and the other one is driving the alternator and the power steering pump.

1. A 300Tdi should have only one belts which is significantly wider than those used on the 200Tdi (about 3 to 4 cm wide) and is also equipped with longitudinal running "teeth". This sort of belt is called a polyvee serpentine belt because of the "teeth"/grooves and the fact that it makes a long travel and bends so as to accomodate for all the ancillaries.

Hope this helps and best wishes for the New Year Pantelis

On or around Sat, 27 Dec 2003 21:29:11 +0000, Mr.Nice. enlightened us thusly:

I assume you;re talking about 90/110s here. You'll not find non TDis in discos, nor in RRs.

Your best bet would be to find someone who has a 200TDi and look at that, I guess. The 300 mostly has the black rubber sound deadening thing, though it can be missing or a 200 can have one fitted, so that's not gospel.

There's not much to choose between 'em really, functionally. A good 200 is better than a naff 300, for example.

I've an idea that the TDi wasn't factory-fitted to 90/110 before about 1990, so anything earlier than that is either a NA, a turbo, or has had an engine swap.

Twas Sun, 28 Dec 2003 18:28:23 +0200 when "Pantelis Giamarellos" put finger to keyboard producing:

Excellent, thank you ;o)

-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.