Specs, fluids & service · 1983–2016
Land Rover 90 / 110 / Defender specs, fluids and service intervals
The numbers you need in the garage, on one page: spec sheet, capacities and service intervals, wheels and tires, and the parts to order. Sourced from owners, specialists and the factory; tags marked confirm in manual haven't been checked against a factory source yet.
Spec sheet
| PRODUCTION | 1983–29 Jan 2016 |
|---|---|
| NAMES | One Ten (1983), Ninety (1984), Defender from 1990 |
| WHEELBASES | 90 · 110 · 127/130 |
| CHASSIS | Steel ladder frame |
| BODY | Aluminium panels, steel bulkhead |
| SUSPENSION | Coil springs, beam axles |
| 4WD | Permanent, lockable centre diff |
| TRANSFER | LT230 (LT95 on early V8) |
| ENGINES | 3.5/3.9/4.0 V8 · 2.5 D/TD · 200Tdi · 300Tdi · Td5 · 2.4/2.2 Puma |
| NAS 110 (1993) | 525 built (500 US, 25 CA) |
| NAS TOTAL | ≈ 7,059 (ECD) |
| US IMPORT | 25 years from date of manufacture |
By year
| YEARS | PLATFORM | ENGINE | OUTPUT | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–1990 | One Ten / Ninety / One Two Seven | 2.25 petrol & diesel, 2.5 D, 2.5 petrol, 3.5 V8, 2.5 Diesel Turbo | 68 hp (2.5 D) to 134 hp (V8, 1986) | Coil springs and permanent 4WD arrive; Ninety from 1984. |
| 1990–1994 | Defender 90 / 110 / 130 | 2.5 200Tdi; 3.5 V8 | 107 hp / 195 lb-ft (200Tdi) | Defender name adopted; badges change for 1991 model year. |
| 1993 | NAS Defender 110 | 3.9 Rover V8, 5-speed manual | — | 525 built (500 US, 25 Canada), Alpine White, external cage. |
| 1994–1997 | NAS Defender 90 | 3.9 V8 manual; 4.0 V8 + ZF 4-speed auto (1997) | — | Soft-top and hard-top; final 300 in Willow Green. |
| 1994–1998 | Defender 90 / 110 / 130 | 2.5 300Tdi | 111 bhp / 195 lb-ft | Watch the timing-belt alignment issue. |
| 1998–2007 | Defender Td5 | 2.5 Td5 five-cylinder | 122 hp | Electronically managed; injector-loom oil wicking is the known gremlin. |
| 2007–2016 | Defender 'Puma' | Ford 2.4 then 2.2 (2012) diesel, 6-speed | 122 hp / 265 lb-ft | Production ended 29 January 2016. |
Fluids, capacities & service intervals
Assume nothing has been done. Most of these trucks are 25 to 40 years old and have usually had several owners. Change every fluid, re-grease the swivels and propshafts, and confirm the timing-belt history on a Tdi. Specs differ between the US V8 (NAS) trucks and the 200/300Tdi, Td5 and Puma diesels, so identify the engine and gearbox first. Fill the axles, transfer box and swivels to their level plugs on level ground rather than trusting a book capacity.
| ITEM | SPEC / CAPACITY | INTERVAL | NOTES & PARTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | NAS 3.9 V8: API SG/SH, SAE 5W-30 or 5W-40 · ≈6.7 L with filter. 300Tdi: ≈6.65 L with filter (Comma lists 10W-40). Td5: 7.8 L with filter, 5W-40 or 5W-50 (Haynes). 2.4 Puma (2007–12 MY) and 2.2 (2012 MY on): 6.85 L service fill with filter, 5W-30 to WSS-M2C913-B or C, or WSS-M2C934-B for the 2.2 with DPF (Land Rover oil chart) | At purchase, then every 5,000–6,000 mi (Comma: 10,000 km / 6 months for the 300Tdi) | The V8 and Tdi engines use the short spin-on filter. The Td5 also has a centrifugal oil-filter rotor that needs servicing.Mahle short oil filter (V8 / 200Tdi / 300Tdi) · Lucky8 ↗DA6003P service kit, 300Tdi · Lucky8 ↗Britpart DA6004 service kit, Td5 · Lucky8 ↗Td5 oil filter rotor ERR6299 · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Air filter | OE-type element for your engine | At purchase; more often in dust | Check that the dump valve at the bottom of the airbox isn't split, because it lets unfiltered air in.RTC4683 Mahle air filter (Defender / RRC V8) · Lucky8 ↗ESR2623 air cleaner element (Defender / Discovery / RRC) · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Fuel filter | Diesel: OE-type element (Tdi: AEU2147L). V8: threaded inline EFI filter ESR4065 (Rovers North lists it for the NAS 90 and 110; Lucky8 for Defender '94–'97) | At purchase | Diesel trucks that sat for a long time collect water and sludge, so drain the sedimenter as well.AEU2147L diesel fuel filter (Defender / Disco 1 / RRC Tdi) · Lucky8 ↗Td5 / V8 fuel filter · Rovers North ↗ESR4065 V8 fuel filter (NAS 90/110) · Rovers North ↗ |
| Glow plugs / spark plugs | Tdi: ETC8847 glow plugs ×4. V8: Rovers North lists ERR3799 for the 3.5/3.9/4.0/4.2 EFI V8; gap confirm in manual | At purchase if there's no record, or if cold starts are slow | A cold start that smokes and stumbles on a Tdi usually means one or more glow plugs have failed.ETC8847 glow plug, 200Tdi / 300Tdi · Lucky8 ↗ERR3799 spark plug, 3.5/3.9/4.0/4.2 EFI V8 · Rovers North ↗ |
| Timing belt (300Tdi / 200Tdi) | Revised kit (flanged crank pulley, idler, tensioner). V8 and Td5 use timing chains, not belts | Every 60,000 mi or 5 years per Lucky8. Glencoyne says 60k or 72k depending on model. Do it at purchase if there's no record | Land Rover revised the 300Tdi tensioner, idler and bottom pulley because belts were wearing early. A yellow paint square on the timing cover was meant to show the fix had been done, but it isn't reliable.DA1300G 300Tdi timing belt kit (OEM) · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Coolant | 50/50 ethylene glycol antifreeze and water · NAS V8 ≈12.8 L. 300Tdi ≈11.1 L | At purchase, then every 2 years (Comma: 40,000 km / 24 months) | The aluminium V8 can't take overheating. Check the radiator for blocked fins and the viscous fan for drag while the system is drained.ETC4765 thermostat (V8 Defender / Discovery / Range Rover) · Lucky8 ↗ERR5911 Polyvee fan belt (2.5 Tdi) · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Manual gearbox (R380 / LT77) | Handbook: ATF M2C33-F or G (as quoted on AULRO) · ≈2.4 L (Comma lists its 75W-80 MTF for the 300Tdi R380) | Drain and refill at purchase | Check the level at the side filler with the truck level. A notchy second gear or third-gear synchro problem on an R380 isn't fixed by changing the oil. A 1993 NAS 110 (LT77) data set lists 2.67 L.R380 gearbox oil and drain/fill plugs · Rovers North ↗ |
| Automatic (1997 NAS D90 ZF 4HP22) | Dexron IID ATF · 9.1 L listed total fill | Drain and refill at purchase | Draining the pan only replaces part of the 9.1 L. Do two drain-and-fills rather than a pressure flush on an old box, and change the pan filter.ZF 4HP22 pan filter and gasket · Rovers North ↗ |
| Transfer box (LT230) | EP90 / 80W-90 gear oil, API GL-4 or GL-5 · ≈2.3 L | At purchase (Comma: change every 40,000 km / 24 months) | The filler at the back of the case is tapered, so it feels tight before it is fully seated. Don't overtighten it. Use a new copper washer on the drain plug. The intermediate shaft and rear output seals are the usual leaks.EP90 gear oil and LT230 drain/fill plugs · Rovers North ↗LT230 output flange oil seal FRC7043 · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Front & rear axles | EP80W-90 GL-4/GL-5 · front ≈1.7 L. Rear ≈1.7 L on the Rover axle (one data set lists 2.3 L for the NAS D90). 110/130 (Salisbury) rear 2.26 L, 90 rear 1.7 L (Haynes) | At purchase, then every 2 years (Comma: 40,000 km / 24 months) | Fill each axle to the level plug on level ground. The Tdi manual figure is 1.7 L, but one Defender2 owner got nearly 2 L into a rear axle on level ground, so trust the level plug rather than the book. Use a new drain-plug washer.Differential drain plug washers and EP90 · Rovers North ↗ |
| Swivel housings | Early trucks: EP90 · 0.35 L per side (handbook). From about 1994: one-shot swivel grease STC3435, one sachet per side | Check at purchase and every service. Comma says change every 40,000 km / 24 months | Lucky8 lists the STC3435 sachet for the NAS Defender 90 ('94–'97) and the Defender 110 ('93), but a 1997 NAS D90 data set still lists 0.35 L of EP oil, and JC's British 4x4's 52,500 km service checklist for the NAS 90 and 110 also calls for EP gear oil in the swivels, so check what is actually in yours before topping up confirm in manual. An AULRO owner's 1994 swivel took about 450 ml to reach the level plug, so fill until it just dribbles out. Weeping seals mean the chrome ball is pitted. See the repairs above.Swivel housing grease sachet STC3435 · Lucky8 ↗Front axle swivel ball oil seal LR059968 · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Power steering & steering box | Dexron IID ATF (Haynes) · 2.8 L system. The 1993 US service checklist says ATF Type F instead, so check what's in yours before topping up. Steering box: EP80W-90 | Check at purchase | Leaks from the box's input seal or sector shaft are common. Top up and watch the level.Power steering box seals and hoses · Rovers North ↗ |
| Brake & clutch fluid | DOT 4 | At purchase, then every 18 months (Comma: change every 30,000 km / 18 months) | The hydraulic clutch shares the fluid type. A soft clutch pedal usually means the slave cylinder is failing.SJJ100351 brake fluid reservoir kit (Defender) · Lucky8 ↗ |
| Propshaft grease points | Multipurpose lithium grease on the UJs and sliding joints | At purchase. Comma says check UJs every 12 months and sliding joints every 24 months | A clunk on take-up usually means a dry UJ or a worn sliding spline. Grease them before chasing the gearbox.Propshaft universal joints · Rovers North ↗ |
Capability
| Towing | 7,716 lb (3,500 kg) braked 750 kg unbraked; 2004 90/110/130 per CarsGuide, same figures for a 2009 90 per GoAuto |
|---|---|
| Fuel tank | 79.5 L (21 gal) 1993 Defender 110 V8; a 2009 Defender 90 is listed at 60 L |
| Approach / departure | 47° / 47° 2009 Defender 90 (Puma), per GoAuto |
| Wading depth | 500 mm (19.7 in) 2009 Defender 90, per GoAuto |
| Fuel economy | 12–16 mpg (V8), 23–27 mpg (300Tdi), 22–26 mpg (Td5), 20–25 mpg (Puma) ECD's estimates (method not stated); V8 12–14 in real-world use |
Wheels & tires
| Factory tire | 235/85R16 (110, classic factory size) · 265/75R16 (NAS Defender 90) · 235/80R16 / 265/75R16 (1998 data, per Limitless Tire) |
|---|---|
| Bolt pattern | 5x165.1 (5x6.5") |
| Center bore | 114.3 mm |
| Lug thread | M16x1.5 |
| Biggest tire · Stock | 255/85R16 (≈33 in) |
| Biggest tire · 2 in | 285/75R16 (≈33 x 11.4 in) |
| Biggest tire · 3 in | 315/75R16 (35x12.50R16) |
Open the Land Rover 90 / 110 / Defender in the tire fitment tool →
Common Land Rover 90 / 110 / Defender repairs
- Swivel housing rebuild and preloadDIFFICULTY 3 / 5
- Top up a leaking swivel with one-shot greaseDIFFICULTY 1 / 5
- 300Tdi timing belt with revised kitDIFFICULTY 3 / 5
- Td5 injector harness oil leakDIFFICULTY 2 / 5
- LT230 rear output seal and flangeDIFFICULTY 2 / 5
- Chassis outrigger and rear crossmember repairDIFFICULTY 4 / 5
- Bulkhead footwell repairDIFFICULTY 4 / 5
Always confirm torque figures, fluids and capacities against the factory service manual for your VIN. See the disclaimer; some parts links are affiliate links.