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BogMonster



Member Since: 05 Feb 2008
Location: Stanley
Posts: 389

Falkland Islands 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
Upgrade options for driveability
I recently bought a 2.2 TDCi, 2015 model, 110 SW Utility, with about 5000 miles on it.

Frankly for all the years of development, it's bloody awful to drive compared to my 2006 300Tdi. But as the last/newest Defender I will ever own, it's going to have to work, so after a month or two of a loathe/hate relationship I have decided it needs to be made to work. I've driven quite a few Puma vehicles and they are all bad and all have lousy gearboxes with a 1st/2nd/3rd change that belongs in a mid 1970s Series 3 and is a massive backwards step from a good R380.

I see lots of tuning packages designed for a squillion HP and torque to tow the Titanic but I don't want that as apart from anything else the clutch will break. What I want is a vehicle with a nice progressive throttle response where the engine does what the driver and pedal tell it to, in both high and low range, i.e. just like my 300Tdi does. The standard tune is jerky around town in high range and hopelessly laggy and underpowered in low range. I have discovered from friends that the answer to the low range issue is to unplug the range sensor so the thing doesn't know the difference, which has made that quite a lot better, but it is still poor to drive with a perceptible delay from pedal to revs and annoying shuntiness around town.

Driveability can be done in an old injector pump engine, and other manufacturers manage to make electronic throttles work, my Shogun drives perfectly. I have never understood how Land Rover managed to make such a lash-up of engineering it, firstly with the Td5 and then all the same mistakes again with the Puma.

So two questions:

1) Does anybody do a 'driveability' package which makes the engine response both progressive and powerful in both high AND low range?

2) Due to my location, I'll need to be able to install it remotely. What are the options for doing this?

All thoughts and info welcome. Thanks Smile
Post #667430 27th Nov 2017 11:34pm
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pannawonica



Member Since: 21 Nov 2010
Location: Clackline Western Australia
Posts: 568

Australia 
When I first got my new 2.4 puma after driving disco,s I thought what have I done! Big Cry However after a few mods I would not go back. Start with a good remap from site sponsor. Alive,BAS,and IRB (alfabetical order) and go from their because we are all different ! Thumbs Up Very Happy
Post #667435 28th Nov 2017 12:58am
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Swine&Small



Member Since: 20 Mar 2017
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 1223

United Kingdom 
Alive Thumbs Up Thumbs Up Thumbs Up 1983 Series 3 Pick up in Marine Blue
1967 Morris Traveller
1966 Morris Convertible
2012 VW T5 Camper
Quod Abundat Non Obstat.
Post #667436 28th Nov 2017 1:02am
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ozy013



Member Since: 10 Feb 2014
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 105

Australia 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Rimini Red
Clutch will break anyway, whether you have a tune or not.

I went BAS, Pete is a true gentleman, and the tune can be done remotely. My 2.4 is a totally different beast with the BAS tune, originally got it just for the EGR delete, but the tune has totally transfomed the vehicle.
Post #667471 28th Nov 2017 9:00am
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Shax



Member Since: 05 Oct 2010
Location: London
Posts: 391

England 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
BAS remap...

Made my noisy tractor into a driveable, and enjoyable chariot! ... ,-------,
.. I [__][_]|__
.. I __ |"_|"__|
.. "(o)====(o)"
^^_-^-_^-^_^^^^^--^^^^
PAUL
G7ALW 14.200 USB
26FB458 / 27.275 SSB
Post #668135 1st Dec 2017 12:01am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 19454

United Kingdom 
Alive here, but the choice is yours. We're all happy with what we have. Very Happy Diesels Lives Matter. ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️
And if You Love the Country, then we’re on the same side ~
I got’ love for Britain, I got’ British pride’. 🇬🇧
Post #668136 1st Dec 2017 12:24am
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shropshiredefender



Member Since: 05 Jun 2017
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 832

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
ozy013 wrote:


I went BAS, Pete is a true gentleman, and the tune can be done remotely. My 2.4 is a totally different beast with the BAS tune, originally got it just for the EGR delete, but the tune has totally transfomed the vehicle.


As quoted by ozy013 and customer service is second to none. Thumbs Up The tune is done remotely, even to the other side of the world Exclamation

Better off -set wheels and lock stop adjustment improves the turning circle, adding greatly to drivability.
Post #668218 1st Dec 2017 12:43pm
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NinetyTD4



Member Since: 22 Apr 2011
Location: North
Posts: 397

Wales 2012 Defender 90 Other SW Keswick Green
When I got my current 2.4 I was thinking the same and had a look at all kinds of updates. Due to work load it took quite a long time before I really got to change from planning to doing and what do I tell - I found my way of upgrade, I finally upgraded my feeling and did - nothing - and am very happy with that, driving the tank as is. Never forget: cars have owner, Landrover have field service personnel.
Post #668288 1st Dec 2017 6:40pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16812

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
No offense intended but the tenor of the first post suggests that your mind is made up and nothing will make you enjoy this vehicle. I would suggest that you sell it and buy something else altogether!
Post #668298 1st Dec 2017 7:30pm
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JOW240725



Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7866

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
The post also makes me wonder why you have a Defender? However, the BAS150/170AB will dramatically improve the driveability and sounds just what you need.

BAS now also have a remap which doesn't need to open the ECU and can be done remotely. James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html
MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641
MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557
Instagram @suffolk_rovers
Post #668302 1st Dec 2017 7:40pm
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meeerrrk



Member Since: 12 Feb 2017
Location: Surrey
Posts: 548

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
Sound deaden if, makes a huge difference.

Remap, as said above.

If you don’t like the gear shift, Auto conversion? Or there is a slick shift available which apparently makes it easier to shift.

Also chassis work in terms of anti roll bars and comfort springs.

I also recommend upgraded seats, maybe risers if you need them, and cruise control for longer journeys. My 90 Project : http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic52774.html
Post #668339 1st Dec 2017 10:25pm
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MartnH



Member Since: 30 Oct 2017
Location: Nsw
Posts: 28

Australia 
I thought the same that puma defender is quite awful to drive

But not anymore.
I made the following mods
-Bas remap plus intercooler
-new drive flanges
-Slickshift

Then the puma has become the best defender I ever driven
Gear change is perfect, no rev hang. Minimal driveline slack
Post #668354 2nd Dec 2017 12:57am
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BogMonster



Member Since: 05 Feb 2008
Location: Stanley
Posts: 389

Falkland Islands 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
blackwolf wrote:
No offense intended but the tenor of the first post suggests that your mind is made up and nothing will make you enjoy this vehicle. I would suggest that you sell it and buy something else altogether!


Not at all, I have owned a number of Defenders, starting with an old 2.5 petrol, two 300Tdi 90s, my current 300Tdi 110 and now the Puma. I spent years working in a business selling and fixing them and I've driven hundreds - so I know what to expect from a Defender, and know that some drivetrain shunt is inevitable, and I'm well used to driving around that but my lord the Puma is hard work around town... great on the open road but the 1/2 and 2/3 gearchange in stop start conditions is painful.

I am just hoping that somebody must have addressed the requirement to make an electronically managed engine behave more more like one with a throttle cable, where the engine does what the pedal tells it to without stupid jerking and farting around, without the thing doing nothing when you press the pedal, or taking off down the road when you haven't touched the throttle. What is essentially the same engine doesn't behave like that in a Transit or a Ford Ranger (and I've driven both), so it makes me wonder what Land Rover did to it and whether anybody has un-done that.

Sounds like the remap options are worth exploring, so I'll check out the BAS options as it will need to be done remotely. Thanks for the advice to all who replied Thumbs Up
Post #669847 9th Dec 2017 11:58am
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lohr500



Member Since: 14 Sep 2014
Location: Skipton
Posts: 1277

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Another vote for the BAS remap. Thumbs Up

Just installed the 150 remap on my 2.2 using the remote BAS2 RRC tool.

The Defender is never going to be a sports car but the extra BHP & torque is very noticeable, particularly when accelerating between 3K and 4k RPM. Seems smoother as well at lower RPM.

And Aviva, my insurance company only wanted an extra £22.50 per annum for the modification, so no worries over invalidating the insurance.
Post #669887 9th Dec 2017 5:43pm
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Likeomg



Member Since: 29 Jun 2012
Location: Lake District / Newcastle
Posts: 2623

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
if i could have only 3 option's... and i have rather a few on mine



Recaro's
cruise control
remap.



all the other stuff is nice but if i was to buy another, this is where id start..
Post #669889 9th Dec 2017 5:54pm
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