htr
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 1,556
- Location
- Central Otago, Southern New Zealand
OK, my penny-worth: To try and give it more power is quite doable. I've done quite a lot to my own FL1. You can read about it here on LZ. GG mentioned I fitted new springs - they are Dobonsons from Australia, along with some slightly taller tyres 215/75/15 MT's - those do give a smidgen more clearance. I was planning a 40mm lift but that's on the 'back burner'.
With regard to motor mod's, I've focused on trying to improve the air flow. Better intake and A' filter with a cold air feed, bigger throttle body, I've done porting & polishing, decat'...
Future things: I've a VVC intake set-up to try as well at some time. Also I've a VVC 135 exhaust cam to fit too when I've fitted the distributor drive spigot - it will be my inlet cam
oh and I've experimented with water vapour injection as well - it did make a small difference. Would also love to look at a better exhaust manifold with longer primary pipes [4-2-1].
Other mod's have been focused on reliability: remote thermostat, opened up coolant apertures in the head, flowed the oil pump, strengthened oil rail, a tyre pressure monitoring system, substituted a VW coolant tank, new rad' and associated plumbing, engine oil cooler and so on.
I'm not really into cosmetic mod's. Winches?[expen$ive and may not get much use] A removable tow hitch is a good idea if you get into 'off the pavement' adventures. A roof rack - expen$ive will slow you down & co$t you more fuel.
Just what your focus is determines the mod's you do: outright power? [ VVC or a Turbo implant]! fab / hard out 4WD ability - lift kit, underbody armour [front & back], better shockies / springs, a winch maybe? rock sliders, def' good tyres [4 all the same].
This youtube video is a pretty good guide as to the Freelander's 4WD ability [see it here] and it may point you in the direction you want to go. The video maker has commented on this post too. Other comments have come to you from experienced owners - GG - they know what they are talking about.
The fellows who do / did the Freelander Challenge seemed to use VVC engines. I guess they piggy-backed an aftermarket ECU to make it all work?
Fuel economy: I drive conservatively [light foot...], sit at about 95kmh on the open road [ we have a 100kmh limit here] get up through the gears quickly. I commonly get close to 12 km/litre of fuel that's about 8.4 litres per 100km or 33.5MPG. Towing a standard 6x4 trailer with a modest load it drops to about 9.9 km/litre or about 10 litres/100km, or 28MPG.
I don't consider that to bad - it's a smallish motor hauling nearly 1600kg around!
I will watch with interest to see what you get up to.
With regard to motor mod's, I've focused on trying to improve the air flow. Better intake and A' filter with a cold air feed, bigger throttle body, I've done porting & polishing, decat'...
Future things: I've a VVC intake set-up to try as well at some time. Also I've a VVC 135 exhaust cam to fit too when I've fitted the distributor drive spigot - it will be my inlet cam
oh and I've experimented with water vapour injection as well - it did make a small difference. Would also love to look at a better exhaust manifold with longer primary pipes [4-2-1].Other mod's have been focused on reliability: remote thermostat, opened up coolant apertures in the head, flowed the oil pump, strengthened oil rail, a tyre pressure monitoring system, substituted a VW coolant tank, new rad' and associated plumbing, engine oil cooler and so on.
I'm not really into cosmetic mod's. Winches?[expen$ive and may not get much use] A removable tow hitch is a good idea if you get into 'off the pavement' adventures. A roof rack - expen$ive will slow you down & co$t you more fuel.
Just what your focus is determines the mod's you do: outright power? [ VVC or a Turbo implant]! fab / hard out 4WD ability - lift kit, underbody armour [front & back], better shockies / springs, a winch maybe? rock sliders, def' good tyres [4 all the same].
This youtube video is a pretty good guide as to the Freelander's 4WD ability [see it here] and it may point you in the direction you want to go. The video maker has commented on this post too. Other comments have come to you from experienced owners - GG - they know what they are talking about.
The fellows who do / did the Freelander Challenge seemed to use VVC engines. I guess they piggy-backed an aftermarket ECU to make it all work?
Fuel economy: I drive conservatively [light foot...], sit at about 95kmh on the open road [ we have a 100kmh limit here] get up through the gears quickly. I commonly get close to 12 km/litre of fuel that's about 8.4 litres per 100km or 33.5MPG. Towing a standard 6x4 trailer with a modest load it drops to about 9.9 km/litre or about 10 litres/100km, or 28MPG.
I don't consider that to bad - it's a smallish motor hauling nearly 1600kg around!
I will watch with interest to see what you get up to.
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