Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
Bensla - D3 2008 HSE Stornoway Grey
Thought I'd introduce my new to me disco and some of the backstory.
My last car was a Tesla Model Y and it was obviously tying up a lot of money and cashflow with repayments. Watching the sudden freefall in depreciation got too scary so decided to sell and replace with a combination of two cars. A used Nissan Leaf (depreciation even worse for them so a used one is a bargain!) and a Disco 3.
The Disco will let me take my family and a set of grandparents on trips to the beach etc as well as camping and the occasional green lane. Really pleased with the combination.
I looked for a while before finding a good D3. I found one on ebay that didn't sell or get any bids with a £3.5k starting bid but seller wasn't going to let it go for any less so I took it as it was for £3.5k. It has 173k miles 2008 HSE in very good overall condition with 4 good tyres.
In the 3 weeks I've had it I've done the following (myself except for the lower suspension arms):
- front discs and pads (old discs were basically disintegrating, had to drill out the retaining bolts)
- rear pads
- genuine lower steering column to fix play in steering wheel from non-genuine part previously fitted
- aux belt and tensioner (I gave it 50/50 chance of getting me home, but it did!)
- lower suspension arms
- oil change and service interval reset with iCarSoft
- deep carpet clean with tornador-style air gun (amazing results!)
- Blackfire polish and paint protection
- Chris Fix style deep clean and protect interior
- Fluid Film underbody protection
- air conditioning fixed with regas - passed the pressure test so bit of a mystery as to why it was at zero pressure - ice cold now
- Yakima roof bars fitted ready for Thule Canyon basket.
So all in I've probably spent a bit over £4.5k in total which I'm pretty pleased with (not including roof bars). The suspension drops slowly so will give the valve block a clean and new seals at some point and there is the usual surface rust on the rear door corner (the sills are in good shape though) but other than that there doesn't seem to be anything else needing attention.
I'll update this thread with future work/mods. Thanks to everyone who's replied to all my other questions over the past few weeks!
12th Jul 2023 10:04 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13910
I love my daughter's D3. It's a cracking car and a lot of car for not a lot of money. I paid £5500 for it in Jan. Its just passed its MOT with only a few minors, including an air freshener having from the rear view mirror!
Now she's finished her A Levels I've got to start modding it for her. Unfortunately she's seen AndyButch's D4 so has a clear idea of what she wants
The only thing thats pressing is some work on the suspension. I think I'm going to replace the valve blocks, tank and possibly the compressor just to be on the safe side. Not sure it all needs doing but at least I know it'll be sorted.
Were planing to do the Strata Florida with her D3 and my Defender and a few other trips.New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
12th Jul 2023 10:29 am
bensla
Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
Ha nice - plenty of toys on that one! Have you done the byways around Wellow/Bath?
12th Jul 2023 10:49 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13910
Tell me about it!
Haven't done anything around Wellow. We've done Salisbury Plain and local routes and the girls take my car and go exploring. Oddly they never seem to take their own cars
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
12th Jul 2023 11:00 am
ClassikFan
Member Since: 02 Nov 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1027
Moo wrote:
I love my daughter's D3. It's a cracking car and a lot of car for not a lot of money. I paid £5500 for it in Jan. Its just passed its MOT with only a few minors, including an air freshener having from the rear view mirror!
Now she's finished her A Levels I've got to start modding it for her. Unfortunately she's seen AndyButch's D4 so has a clear idea of what she wants
The only thing thats pressing is some work on the suspension. I think I'm going to replace the valve blocks, tank and possibly the compressor just to be on the safe side. Not sure it all needs doing but at least I know it'll be sorted.
Were planing to do the Strata Florida with her D3 and my Defender and a few other trips.
Just to let you know it had a new compressor last Nov when I was getting the D3 ready to sell to you Just 'cause you got the power... that don't mean you got the right.
13th Jul 2023 10:28 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13910
Brill. Thanks for that. I'll start with the tank and go from there.
It's a cracking car and she really loves it. You looked after it well. New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
13th Jul 2023 10:40 pm
Jbenekeorr
Member Since: 22 Jun 2023
Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 3
That looks like a bit of a bargain now that you've got the work done on it. Great colour too - my favourite!
Also your Leaf compliments it well! I'm glad you didn't get the one with the alloys that have about a million spokes on them - whenever I see one, I can't help thinking they look like they'd be incredibly hard to clean
24th Jul 2023 4:31 pm
bensla
Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
I'm not out of the woods yet Diesel leak and low fuel rail pressure code and limp mode to diagnose (not sure if related yet but seems likely!)
Thank god for the leaf as backup lol.
24th Jul 2023 4:34 pm
bensla
Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
Very pleased to report she passed her MOT today with no advisories. Feels like a huge achievement! List of work done (mostly myself) so far:
-Front Brake discs and pads
-Engine oil
-Lower suspension arms (bushes)
-Fluid film underbody
-Air con regas
-Fan belt and tensioner
-Front air springs
-Replace missing transmission under guard and bolts
-Steering UJ
-Antiroll bar bushes
-Front ARB links
-NSF CV Boot
-inner and outer tie rods
-rear toe links and bolt
-4 wheel alignment
-injector leak off test - diagnosis path for low fuel rail pressure faults - injectors ok
-LH EGR replaced with Pierburg unit from Advanced Factors inc gaskets and clamps
-Replace coolant
-Machine polish and ceramic coating
Total spend including purchase is now £6k though.
The low pressure fuel rail pressure faults haven't come back since it was hot in the summer but my next job will be to put a second hand original unit on. It's a Lucas part on there at the moment which seem to be notoriously bad and I don't trust it. Once that's done I think I might actually have the backlog cleared!
Amazing car driving beautifully now. Replacing the EGR valve has shown me what proper throttle response is like. Why they felt they needed more power for the D4 is anyone's guess. They should have just kept the 2.7 in play!
11th Oct 2023 1:57 pm
bensla
Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
Getting stuck in to replacing my high pressure fuel pump. Second hand original unit sourced from a car with 89k from https://landroverpartsuk.com/ - seems like a good breakers.
Huge relief to say the glowplugs all came out without any major effort too.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Will report back once I've tested the new pump - assuming I manage to get the chaos of pipes and wires all back together again!
24th Oct 2023 9:39 am
bensla
Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
All back together and new fuel pump works. Bit early to really be sure the P0087 codes won’t come back but I’m optimistic!
24th Oct 2023 7:09 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13910
🤞New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
25th Oct 2023 8:48 am
bensla
Member Since: 02 May 2023
Location: Trowbridge
Posts: 139
Full list updated. 4k miles with replacement HPFP, no issues so am now 100% sure of the fix.
-Front Brake discs and pads
-Engine oil
-Lower suspension arms (bushes)
-Fluid film underbody
-Air con regas
-Fan belt and tensioner
-Front air springs
-Replace missing transmission under guard and bolts
-Steering UJ
-Antiroll bar bushes
-Front ARB links
-NSF CV Boot
-inner and outer tie rods
-rear toe links and bolt
-4 wheel alignment
-injector leak off test - diagnosis path for low fuel rail pressure faults - injectors ok
-LH EGR replaced with Pierburg unit from Advanced Factors inc gaskets and clamps
-Replace coolant
-Machine polish and ceramic coating
-Glow plugs
-HPFP
-Rear belt and tensioner
-brake calliper
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Diesel leak and low fuel rail pressure code and limp mode to diagnose (not sure if related yet but seems likely!)
