Hey guys,

This is my first post on here, so good to meet you all

After being bitten by the usual Freelander overheating/head issues I noticed that lots of guys have asked about the possibility of different engines in the Freelander but no-one seems do have actually attempted it...until now...

I have bitten the bullet and decided that instead of forking out for another Rover motor with the same inherent design flaws I am going too put a Mazda F2 Turbo motor out of the MX-6 in it's place. For those unfamiliar with this engine it is a 2.2L SOHC 12 valve, with multipoint injection and an IHI turbocharger. It's a bulletproof little engine, and the best part about it is that it's common and cheap. (A fully rebuild one can be had for about $2k) If stock form they make 100kW (At a low 4500rpm) and 233Nm (at 3500rpm), putting it firmly within the new NCOP engine conversion guidelines, however running a turbo means that a slight increase in boost will increase those figures noticably.

I have purchased an 89 MX6 with a good engine from the salvage auctions for $290.00 as a donor vehicle for the electrics and mechanicals.

If anyone's interested I'm willing to post photos and costs as the conversion progresses. The actual swap will be done from the 22nd to 24th of June so Stay Tuned...

Wow, you're keen. Good luck with the conversion & I'd love to see how it all works out.

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Scott

1987 Range Rover
1996 Range Rover

This will be fun to watch

Make sure to post heaps of pics!

Cheers

Camo

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2004 Black Range Rover L322 Diesel

I'll be following this keenly too - I love frankensteins

Clark

Yep - an interesting project for sure - and welcome to the forum - I'm sure you will get all the help you need from the AULRO brains trust.

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Grover - 2007 Defender 110
Matilda - 1956 Series 1 86

LRSOC Member 5512
SLOW Foundation Member 3

Welcome to AULRO! This sounds interesting...looking forward to seeing how you go.

Cheers for the support guys
I'll make sure I get lots of pics...

For the record a lot of the credit will go to a mate of mine who's a mechanical engineer with one of the big mining firms...the reason the swap is waiting till the 22nd is he's on a FIFO roster and that's his next time back...otherwise I'd be a little lost on the really technical/fabrication side...

The plan is to mate the Mazda engine to the factory gearbox with a modified clutch assembly and bellhousing and leave the Rover ECU in place to handle anything not engine related that it may run, while using the Mazda ECU and loom to handle everything engine related...as part of the swap we will be putting a 2" stainless exhaust in with hi-flow cat and straight through muffler.

I'm not expecting it to be fully road ready by the 24th, but the engine should be in place...

Costs to date:

Donor Vehicle - 1989 MX-6 Auto with minor front / major rear damage (Mmmmm Mazda sandwich!) - $290
Mazda MX-6 Manual flywheel & clutch assembly (because the donor was an auto) - $150
SCA Pod Filter - $25
Venom Boost Gauge - $90
Gauge Pod - $11
2" Stainless Exhaust Piping - Free from an HSV performance shop (they fit aftermarket kits on brand new HSVs and throw out the factory stuff)
Straight through muffler - Free off my old TX3 - It had been on there for less than 12 months when she met her untimely end in the back of a Honda CRV

Euro Spec 5 Cat Converter (to ensure it passes emissions testing)- $TBA
Clutch Modification - $TBA
Bellhousing adaptor plate or modification - $TBA
Cooling/intercooler piping - $TBA

TOTAL TO DATE = $566

There will probably be other costs as well as they come up I will list them...

Looks like a fun project... keep the pics coming..

Where abous are you based?

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06 SE V6 Discovery 3

Hey DJ...based in Perth,WA

Hey again...MX6 is now safely in the carport next to the Freebie...Here they are, don't they make a cute couple


The Freebys bumper only looks so battered because we were on a country trip when the engine spat it and we haven't wahed it since... streaks are rain...we do look after her better normally...promise

And in happier days...



Now to the project...last night I fitted the boost gauge into the dash...Not a real dramatic start, but it was something easy to do on a wet night...I wanted it to fit in as close to the dash as posible so as not to attract attention...

I cut the pod down to the right size for the gauge and removed the base. Then cut a slot into the left side of the RHS rubber dash insert to mount the pivot point of the pod. To angle the pod to the correct viewing angle from the drivers seat I put a single screw from the right side of the mat into the back of the pod (plastic pod) to pull the back down and across. it warps the mat near the cluster slightly, but is not visible once the cluster is installed. A piece of 10mm cable sheath to hide the tube and wiring finished it off...here's some pics, I got carried away and forgot to take progress pics sorry...






Stay Tuned...Tommorrow I start pulling things apart