110 top speed improvements

[MTyrrell]

I am looking for a way to improve the top speed of the 110.
 Currently the fastest I normally go is 50mph where it sits at about 3000rpm, don't like to take it any faster as it doesn’t sound nice at all.
 
 Toyed with the idea of a disco transfer box but there is a bit of work involved in fitting it so ill keep that to the last resort.

 The other thing is she is running 255/85/r16 tyres. Would changing to a smaller slightly smaller tyre improve matters any?

 I used to be able to do 60 in the TD but since fitting the 200TDi it sesames to have knocked 10mph off.

It has an LT77 Gear box currently fitted

[dew1911]

We can get the TD past 70 when pushing, but it's at high revs and I try not to risk it, try a K&N Intercooler?

[V8MoneyPit]

It really depends on what the limitation is. If you are running out of power at 3000 rpm, you could try the bigger intercooler. However, you will of course have to rev higher to go faster.

If you fit taller gearing, you might need more power to pull it. However, in this case, it would give more relaxed cruising becasue the revs will be lower at any given speed. Larger tyres apply in the same way.

I've had the V8 110 to about 85mph on a runway (Top Gear stylee  :lol: ), but it was all a bit frantic!! And you could watch the fuel gauge plummet  :shock:

It is a fine balance between taller gearing and power to pull that gearing. I have been finding all about this with my Suzuki recently! Only 1300cc's and 31" tyres makes 45mph a challenge on anything other than perfectly flat or downhill with a trailing wind  :lol:

[paul_humphreys]

Mine is a 200tdi 3 speed Auto 110 and will sit at 60 all day. It will pull 65 okish. Look under the transfer box and what ratio it is (should be on a little tag) If its a 1.6 I will have it . What you need is a 1.2 or a 1.4.

Also what size tyres do you have fitted? Should be either 750/16s 235/85/16s or 265/75/16s or there abouts. If its running smaller it will top out to early.

Paul

[V8MoneyPit]

The other thing is she is running 255/85/r16 tyres. Would changing to a smaller slightly smaller tyre improve matters any?

The tyres are taller than standard, so they will travel further than standard for every revolution. But, will need more power to pull them.

Your speedo reading will actually be lower than the actual speed you are doing. Approx. 4 percent more speed than the speedo reading. Not a lot, but part of the equation.

[Bush Tucker Man]

I am looking for a way to improve the top speed of the 110.
Currently the fastest I normally go is 50mph where it sits at about 3000rpm, don't like to take it any faster as it doesn’t sound nice at all.

Not too sure what transfer (& gear) box ratios yours has, but my 110 sits at 50MPH for an engine speed of 2100RPM (tachometer was factory fitted)

I've had the V8 110 to about 85mph on a runway (Top Gear stylee  ), but it was all a bit frantic!! And you could watch the fuel gauge plummet

I once saw an indicated 105MPH from my old 90V8-CSW (on 205's!)

The old 110Tdi saw (again, an indicated) 95MPH once!
Land Rover claimed 93MPH as an official top-speed for the 300Tdi models

[Eeyore]

A mates 200Tdi 110 (as the factory set it, just runnin' 265/75x16 tryes) will happily sit at 75 on the motorways for hours. Don't know about the revs though - sorry!

cheers
 8)
Eeyore

[MTyrrell]

Thanks everyone, It doesn’t seam to be running out of power at 3000RPM, feels as if there is plenty in it still. Just don't like running them at high revs especially as I don't know what the engine can handle.

 Dose anyone know what the redline for the 200TDi?

As for the speedo, it seams pretty accurate, I tend to use the GPS mort than the factory speedo though.

 Ill get under it and have a look for the transfer box ratios tonight. While i find out why all the swivel housing oil is coming out along the stub axel

Personally I’d be happy with a top speed of 60, just so I’m not been overtaken by everything on the motorway :? Not that it sees the motorway all that often.

 When it had the TD in it could handle 70 OK bit I didn’t have the tachometer in then so I could have been thrashing it.

[Mace]

It sounds like you've got a 1.6 transfer box. 3000 rpm at 50 mph seems very high in top especially as you're running 33" tyres on it, no wonder you don't feel like pushing it.  My Disco with standard 1.2 transfer box and 32" tyres pulls 1750 rpm at 50 mph, it would be pulling 85 mph at 3000 rpm.

[dreadnought110]

on my 110 i run standard TD ratio's and at 70mph indicated on speedo she's pulling 3000rpm :D

[AbyssDJ]

our 200tdi 110 does 70 easily and have had 85 out of it, with seemingly more to go. to my knowledge its not had anything changed, although i dont know that for certain.

you should be getting more than 60 though! i can overtake from that speed!

[maverick101]

what work is involved fitting a 1:4 or 1:2 t/box it's a st8 swap if your after 1 I have some good spare 1s  in both ratio if you go for a 1:2 the highest tyre would be a 7.50 and if you tow a lot I would go less again

[davidlandy]

tyres is the big factor - with 255/85 16s its probably doing nearer 60 in reality

I have 35" simex on mine and it maxs out (run out of gears!)  at around 75-80 on the speedo but its doing about 90odd in real life.

[Xtremeteam]

It sounds like you've got a 1.6 transfer box. 3000 rpm at 50 mph seems very high in top especially as you're running 33" tyres on it, no wonder you don't feel like pushing it.  My Disco with standard 1.2 transfer box and 32" tyres pulls 1750 rpm at 50 mph, it would be pulling 85 mph at 3000 rpm.

its not a 1.6 transfer box,its a 1.4,ive got pretty much the same problem with my 90 at the moment & its running on 750s & max's out at an indicated 60 mph,got a disco T box to fit but to be honest theres some ponies gone astray somewhere

[MTyrrell]

When I took it for it's MOT re-test this morning I gave it a bit of stick on the main road and got 70 out of it with my foot nailed to the floor, nice cloud if smoke for the first few seconds.

 It ran out at 70 and didn't sound very happy at all, sounded it the engine was about to self destruct.

 I tend to use the GPS for speed rather than the dash speed as it's bouncing all over the place. The 50Mph is GPS recorded.

 All the way up to billing it sat around 50 - 55 mph

 The tyres that are on it at the moment are nearing the end of there life. Might go for something different as 255/85/R16’s are hard to find at a reasonable price, not many people make them.

its not a 1.6 transfer box,its a 1.4,ive got pretty much the same problem with my 90 at the moment & its running on 750s & max's out at an indicated 60 mph,got a disco T box to fit but to be honest theres some ponies gone astray somewhere

Did you notice much differance betwean the standard T box and the Disco T box or was it allready fitted?

[JD LWB]

On the way to Billing in my 110 (1990, was TD converted to 200tdi) running 235 85 16 tyres, I had 82mph at one point (according to the GPS - about 90 on the speedo) and it would sit happily at 65-70 (on the GPS).  As far as I'm aware, the engine is standard (un tweaked), but I do have a Safari snorkel fitted (facing forward). :D

The gearing is taller than standard though.  I'm not sure what has been done to it.  The transfer box has the 1.4 sticker on it, but it doesn't pull away as well as the standard TD we've got at home.

Does anyone have any idea what would have been the most likely change to the gearing?

[Mace]

235/85's & 1.4 transfer box should be bog standard factory gearing for a 110 (I think) !!!

[JD LWB]

I know that, but it's had something done to it as it's higher geared than the completly standard TD 110 we've got.

[Mace]

The only way to change the gearing if you're on stock tyres is Transfer Box ratios i.e the sticker is wrong and you've got a 1.22 or the Ring & Pinions in the diffs but I'm not even sure you can buy inexpensive R&P ratio changes that would up the gearing, seems unlikely on a stock 110.

[JD LWB]

So you reckon the transfer box's internals have been changed?

[Mace]

Probably, unless it's your other 110 thats actually undergeared? It's quite common practise to change a defender transfer box over from a 1.4 to a 1.2 to improve motorway cruising.

[JD LWB]

The other one's completly standard eccept for the rear springs (it's x stagecoach, so has heavy duty rears)

[dew1911]

Is it possible to get a higher transfer box? (1.6 assuming std is 1.4) or possibly more on road based tires. I know ours isn't the greatest and it's not helped by having A/Ts on it! Even if everyone tells me thier so fantastic.

Only other thing would be a new Intercooler (K&N I think) or possibly uprated Turbo? This kind of thing isn't my strongpoint really, especially as I don't even have a TDi!