a I have a long-wheelbase Land-Rover fitted with a diesel engine
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and I find the performance is disappointing. Is there any way in which I Can improve its acceleration, particularly for overtaking?
A Without exceeding the manufacturer's
engine settings there is little you can do to improve the performance of this vehicle— assuming, of course, that it is currently producing its proper maximum output and that its combustion is completely efficient.
Our road test of a similar vehicle in 1966 under fully laden conditions showed acceleration figures through the gears of 0-20 mph 6.2 seconds; 0-30 mph 12.3sec and 0-40 mph 23.8sec. Direct drive, that is to say in top gear, 10-20 mph took 15.7sec; 10-30 mph 26.5sec and 10-40 mph 43.1 sec.
It should be a simple matter for you to check the performance of your vehicle against these times and if it is comparable you can really expect no further. improvement. If, however, the performance is found to be considerably below the figures quoted then it is likely that your fuel injection equipment, the engine timing or perhaps the condition of the air cleaner are not all that they should be. Provided the engine is not consuming an excess of lubricating oil it is unlikely that the general engine condition is responsible for the lack of performance. It is also worth checking to ensure that no brake units are binding.