Someone has recently told me they have one stuffed in a barn that I can have for free ( no MOT ).
It has therefore been dry stored and is said to be in reasonable condition, just failed its MOT years ago for something and never got put back on the road.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone here had any experience of the diesel model?
I drove a 2.0 litre about 5 years ago and it was a throughly pleasent car to drive and I wish id bought it now. Still, the diesel may offer better economy in this day and age.
Im aware parts might be an issue so was also wondering if the 2.4 unit was fitted to anything else?
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It's a VM unit which was also fitted to the Range Rover during the late Eighties, so perhaps parts would be obtainable through 4x4 specialists?
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I drove a VM diesel in a Rover 800 around 1995 and can assure you it was neither very refined or particularly economical.
They are notorious for cracking cylinder heads around 70-90k miles , or gasket failure or warped heads. Repair is ££££££s.. certainly more than the car would be worth. As part aluminium, unless stored with full antifreeze, the head may be corroded ditto radiator.
Stored cars can cost ££££s to renovate to MOT standard and if you have fuel injector problems du to diesel settling in injectors..
Up to you but personally I would not bother as I don't think driving it will be particularly memorable (in a good as opposed to bad sense..)
madf
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Make a good hen house ,it would need a complete rebuild mega bucks and what do you get a hen house
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If it were a twin plenum Vitesse or an early 3500S I would take it off his hands otherwise I would steer clear of SD1s.
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Didnt the 800 diesel have a 2.5 unit? Is it of the same design as the 2.4?
Im not afraid of SD1's as I like them, but no idea how the diesel one drives. I would only take this one on as a five year project, I know it will need some recomissioning.
I shall have to check if the diesel in the 800 is the same design as the SD1.
Thanks for the Range Rover link, maybe useful. Did they have issues with the diesel Range Rover too then?
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believe that 2.4VM diesel was known for appalling turbo lag. Remember a particularly harsh report by Chris Goffey on Top Gear when he tried the Range Rover version and tried to climb a moderate hill and the engine failed to gain revs and the turbo took about a minute to spool up....it was the first time I saw a very critical report on Top Gear...can't remember what Goffey said but in more modern terms it would be total carp...or something like that.
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800 had a 2.5VM. Relation to 2.4? But I suggest it was an improvement as a later design.
"Coarse and unrefined " would be a polite description.
One of those cars where the engine was unsuited to the executive style of the car. I was always pleased to stop driving it.
Cooling with AC on was marginal : mine boiled in Bournemouth in hot weather. I had to switch off the AC!.
I left it with a sense of relief (dodgy electrics as well!)
madf
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a 5 year programme.......good
you like them ....................good
you have room?.................good
go for it i say...........
they are rare now,never my favourite car but worth saving if you have the time to coddle it,be aware that the inner rear sills may be totally rotten and that is why it was parked up,i also remember rear shockers were bad on those cars and quite expensive to replace.
good luck got to be better than holding the bar up and keeping your landlord in new estate cars..
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I second that - go for it - I think there'd be a lot of satisfaction in restoring an old SD1 with an Italian boat engine!
I believe the 2.5 engine was based on (bored-out from) a 2.4 but I don't have any expertise. Perhaps if the project looks like a goer once you have seen the car, you could try getting in touch with some owners clubs / specialists to find out more.
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I think I most likely will go for it, although have to check the cylinder head as advised as its mentioned in HJ's appraisal of the Range Rover aswell, so obviously a common fault - anyone know what causes this?
Now just have to find storage and see if it will start up....
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Remember that SD1 electrics where also rubbish, Best thing to do with this is flog it to someone in the SD1 owners club & get some beer tokens for your trouble.
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What about dropping in a nice V8 if the engine is finished ? Apparantly there is one of the best V8s in history that will drop straight in !
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No thanks, pointless. May aswell buy a V8 one and the MPG on them is pathetic as are my wages.
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I think the head problems are due to insufficient rigidity in the head castings.
madf
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Part of the problem is it's not head it's head's each head is seperate. Whole thing is modular so their is a 3.7 litre 6 pot as well, I know cos me brother has one in a 6 x 6 Range Rover. It used to go like hell until he drowned it (literally) at Billing a few years ago. Normally OK unless they are allowed to overheat, loads of bits about for not lots of money, but labour is mega bucks if you can't do it yourself as if I remember properly it's a wet liner jobbie & they need shimming.
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So if you get one that isnt ruined, make sure the cooling is up to scratch to avoid overheating? Sounds much like alot of cars that are prone to head gasket issues.
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