Defender · Defender 90 / 110 / 130 · 1990s–2016
Internal and external engine parts for Land Rover diesel and petrol engines, from the 300Tdi and Td5 to the TDV6, SDV6, SDV8 and Ingenium units.
The Defender (Classic) was sold in South Africa with 5 different engines. Internal parts, gaskets, timing components and sensors are specific to each, so the engine code decides the part before anything else.
| Engine | Code / family | Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 300Tdi turbodiesel | 300Tdi | Diesel |
| 2.5 Td5 five-cylinder turbodiesel | Td5 | Diesel |
| 2.8i straight-six petrol (South African derivative) | BMW M52 | Petrol |
| 2.4 TDCi Puma turbodiesel | — | Diesel |
| 2.2 TDCi Puma turbodiesel | — | Diesel |
Early Td5 engines used plastic dowels to locate the head; they can break and lead to head gasket failure. Diesel in the sump from leaking injector washers or a cracked in-head fuel rail is another Td5 warning sign.
On Td5 vehicles the injector loom, fuel pressure regulator and cylinder heads are common replacements, while Puma owners look for EGR valves, glow plug modules and injector leak-off pipes. South African 2.8i owners are a small group with specific needs, because that BMW-engined derivative was assembled locally and its engine parts are shared with BMW passenger cars of the era rather than with other Defenders.
Replacing the whole unit? A complete unit may cost less than rebuilding one on an older Defender (Classic). See engines for sale or turbochargers for sale .
No. The Td5 is a Land Rover five-cylinder diesel and the 2.4 and 2.2 Puma engines are Ford-sourced four-cylinder diesels, so heads, injectors, sensors, gaskets and ancillaries are all different. The 300Tdi and the South African 2.8i petrol are different again. Quote your engine number when you ask for a price.
Early Td5 engines located the cylinder head with plastic dowels, which can break and let the head move, leading to head gasket failure. The usual repair is to remove and pressure-test the head, then refit it with metal dowels and new head bolts.
Start with the VIN on your licence disc and in the windscreen corner. The vehicle's registration papers, the service book and the engine number stamped on the block also identify it. Model names alone are not enough: a Discovery 4, for example, came with different diesel and petrol engines, and a Defender could have a 300Tdi, Td5 or Puma diesel depending on its year. Send the VIN with your quote request so the part can be matched to the engine code.
It depends on what failed. A leaking gasket, a worn timing kit or a faulty injector is a repair job. Bottom-end damage, such as a spun bearing or a broken crankshaft on a V6 diesel, often makes a complete replacement engine more practical than a rebuild, because the block, crank and turbo may all need attention. Get a proper diagnosis first, then compare the cost of a rebuild kit plus machining against a complete engine.
For how these parts work and the signs of wear, read the Land Rover engine parts guide.
Share the VIN and engine number and the SparesBoyz parts team will check fitment before quoting.
