Monday, January 25, 2016

200TDI in Land Rover 109, driving impressions

Ok, so while not a long drive, only 26 miles round trip, on a windy valley road and over a small pass of a couple hundred feet elevation and a posted speed of 45mph over the pass.

The 200 feels slightly more powerful than the 2.5DT but the extra power means staying in fourth gear or third overdrive at around 35mph. Fourth over lugs it too much at 35, my 2.25D 88 will run 35 in 4over just fine.

The turbo lets the transmission wind out more, increasing road speed between shifts. It's been awhile but it seems not unlike the Chevy 6 I had in another 109 years ago.

Easy enough to take off in second gear and eliminating the unsyncro'd shift of first to second.

I'm not a lead footed driver and I'm still being careful so I didn't try and speed related manuvers.

I really couldn't tell you which modification transforms the 109 the most. The power steering is wonderful, effortless turning, the wider tyres make it feel glued to rails on the turns, an engine that while not resembling Hermes, will pull you along nicely, tons better than the 2.25P it replaced, whilst sipping at the food trough and the disc brakes...Powerful stopping when you need them!

I think if I could do just one............disc brakes, the rest I could live with but the brakes can save lives.

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