 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > Driving a Puma smoothly |
 
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| Johan_B Member Since: 20 Sep 2024 Location: Gothenburg Posts: 153   
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I had a lot of kangarooing on my 2.4 2007 110 when I bought it last spring. It then had 130000km.
Since then I have: New drive members all around. New bushes all around. New A-frame ball joint. New oil throughout the driveline. One UJ replaced. Before I bought it the clutch was replaced and had new suspension all around. It now drives the best I've had a 2.4, but there is still a little jerkiness but nothing that bothers me. The biggest one was the upper link bushes. Recently though, me and my wife started to speculate that one of the root causes to the jerkiness is the lack of sound insulation in the engine bay. We noticed that if you rev it to 2700-3000 rpm you almost always get a good gear shift. But especially in slow city traffic it just doesn't feel right due to the loud roar from the engine. It would be interesting to hear from someone who have added sound insulation to the engine bay, if their driving style was changed. |
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1st Oct 2025 12:05pm |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3877 
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Hello
Mines poly bushed all round and a remap, I do tend to start in second.... I know not the best thing to do, I find 1st far to short it town. Its on 110K so still seems ok. Drives more than fine like this. I am 'gentle' with it. I have other issues that I am addressing but thats the diff / tannsfer whine...  |
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1st Oct 2025 12:11pm |
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| 90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2306 
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posted this info in your "tuning thread"
regards "kangarooing" then if you rest your foot on the clutch switch it will try and activate the anti-stall and can see things a little less than smooth I also had various issues when first purchased which in the end turned out to be a faulty clutch switch and is transformed once it was replaced |
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1st Oct 2025 12:53pm |
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| jbcollier Member Since: 29 Apr 2024 Location: Edmonton AB Posts: 274  
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You mention “transmission clashing”. Do not rush shifts. It is a truck, not a sports car. Clutch in and pause for the revs to drop before shifting. Or, you can double clutch on the way up.
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1st Oct 2025 2:52pm |
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| MarkBrown Member Since: 03 Oct 2022 Location: Mid Wales Posts: 587  
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I’ve not driven a puma, but people say that an atb centre diff kind of preloads the transmission and takes out the driveline slack. 1983 110 automatic OM606
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1st Oct 2025 3:23pm |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3631  
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Could be a case of faulty clutch switch.
I did test disconnecting the clutch switch and also shorting the connector on my 2.2 (you will find quite a number of posts here saying to short the clutch connector - unlike a Td5 where the connector should be left open), but neither case gave me a good or smooth running of the engine. If I recall correctly- With clutch switch disconnected - the engine maintained very high revs between gear changes. Throttle response was normal. I suspect that this would be the state of the switch when your foot is off the clutch. With clutch switch shorted - the engine rpm dropped very quickly, faster than when clutch switch was connected, but throttle response became too sharp and led to kangarooing. So in short, check that your clutch switch is operating correctly. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing 2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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1st Oct 2025 4:04pm |
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| lightning Member Since: 23 Apr 2009 Location: High Peak, Derbyshire Posts: 3437
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lt seems to be working because if l hold the clutch pedal down a little, the engine is less smooth, so something is changing.
The issue is, and l am sure this has been discussed to death already, when changing up through the gears if you bring the clutch up too slowly it can chatter and "kangaroo". lf you bring the clutch up quickly it doesn't do it but more often than not you get a lurch as the engine revs match your speed. Sometimes l get it right and sometimes not. l suspect a new clutch and output shaft would improve it, together with a remap. But that's £1,500-2,000 As suggested above changing gear at 2,500 rpm is better, but it's unnecessary in traffic and probably uses more fuel. |
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1st Oct 2025 4:46pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17987 
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Don't drive it like a car, don't slip the clutch, don't rush the lever movements and don't loiter with the clutch movements. Double-declutch both up and down the box and change from first to second at little more than a fast tickover. When pulling away in first, unless on a hill, don't touch the throttle until the clutch is fully engaged.
Most of which equates to develop mechanical sympathy and drive it like you'd drive a 1950's lorry, which, in many respects, is what it most resembles. |
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1st Oct 2025 5:02pm |
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| Clemmo Member Since: 03 Aug 2012 Location: Mile Oak Posts: 1312 
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I have always ( except when towing or hill start) used 2nd to pull away.
Its a tip I got from the Land Rover Experience Guy back in 2014 And like the above say.. a direct but sympathetic change with a bit of double declutching works wonders. I have had a Puma since 2010 both 2.4 and 2.2 and never had a remap. Its just not for me..although I can see for some there are benefits. Eventually you will drive it without thinking as it all falls into place. Clemmo |
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1st Oct 2025 5:10pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2782 
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Once you’ve eliminated as much slack as possible you just have to get used to it and adapt your movements.
There is huge variation so some vehicles are better than others, in the course of work vehicles I had a brand new 12-plate which was absolutely horrible and a 10k-mile 60-plate which was pretty tight. In my opinion none are as nice a change as a Tdi/Td5 but it’s just the way the gearbox/clutch is it seems. |
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1st Oct 2025 5:17pm |
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| CarMan Member Since: 29 Nov 2010 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 1911
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Completely unhelpful to Lightning, but your last sentence is so true. I have in mind future proofing and streamlining my 90 ownership from a 200tdi & 300tdi into a Puma (again!) which has many advantages including the 6 speed, but the earlier gear change is so nice
 Rob
1993 200tdi 90 hard-top 1998 300tdi 90 soft-top |
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1st Oct 2025 6:08pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17987
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It would be worth checking the state of the clutch, too. If the driven plate has lost its springiness it will take a lot more dexterity to drive smoothly. Plenty of threads on the Puma clutch death rattle.
Unless you're supremely unlucky the MT82 gear change should be much nicer than the agricultural change on the R380 (but noting that there are bad and good examples of both). |
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1st Oct 2025 6:46pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20998
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Clutch switch can be involved a lot, Bear in mind there is I think about a 20% or there abouts momentary torque cut with the clutch switch.
When it’s in good condition there isn’t an issue, but as they get old and worn they can get sticky, when it gets really bad you can get rev hanging. In my experience the rear DM’s and the clutch switch has the most effect, if you’ve got poor rear damper bushes can make things wobbly too when pulling off if badly worn. ____\We|Will|Win/___ ____/🇬🇧🇺🇸\____ _//*⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰*\\_ |
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1st Oct 2025 8:14pm |
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| MR_JAMES Member Since: 10 Oct 2013 Location: ESSEX Posts: 267 
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Mine is the same. The only way i can drive smoothly is to change every gear at 2000 rpm and not touching the throttle until fully off the clutch pedal. Having replaced bits and bobs over the years nothing was every worn but I've managed to nurse it to from 50000 to 86000 miles and now the clutch is making more rattling than normal so its probably clutch time! joy 1953 80"
1987 mini city e 2011 90" |
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1st Oct 2025 9:20pm |
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