Thread: Engine Options...

My 90 arrived in Perth today, following my little miss-adventure. For those of you that want a catch or relive my epic failure you can find it here:

URGENT HELP NEEDED FOR LR90 on Route

Now, since this engine is now essentially cactus for the time being, I have begun to start thinking about a suitable replacement (engine - not car ) so the beast can come alive again. My trip taught me a thing or too; availability of parts being one. It currently has a LT77s fitted, which I understand is a G suffix box according to the gearbox gods, Ashcroft. Plus I would like something with a little bit more go, but lacking all the electrical trickery, that I could hopefully fix. With all that in mind I have the following thoughts on suitable replacement engines:

• Tdi/200Tdi - Will bolt straight in and replace the 2.5N/A to both the engine mounts and LT77s without having to change parts. Issues - Tdi not know for reliability if not looked after, both not particular common in this country. If there are any chances are they, by this time in there life be rather high mileage, and be wanting a rebuild soon...
  
• 300Tdi - Was imported into this country, parts common. However will need a suitable R380 to go with it of the long stick variety. Will need to change engine mounts. Now these too are getting a little high mileage. Rebuild time coming up too....perhaps get a stripped engine from the UK a new turbo and then salvage the remaining parts of a engine from this country?
  
• 3.5 V8 - Imported into this country, great engines, not hugely common. Issues with overheating and cam wear I am lead to believe. Going to be high mileage, unless newly rebuilt. Will need to change engine mounts. What are my gearbox options here - I would need either a LT77 (V8 compatible - long input shaft and bell housing), LT95? LT85? Again not sure on availability of these boxes in the correct format.
  
• 3.9 V8 - Pretty much the same as above, but they seem more common, being used in Range Rovers and Discos. Come with either R380 or LT85? I guess short stick so would need parts to fit in the defender. Or does this not matter?
  
• 4BD1 N/A or Turbo - Legendaryly (ooh I might have made a new word there ) tough. Trying to find one maybe a issue. Box to go with R380 or LT85? Not sure here. Some engine mount modification.

Now obviously if money was no constraint then you could go with any option, but it is not, so I am trying to figure out what is economically viable - i.e less than rebuilding a engine, and that will be easier to get parts than a 2.5 N/A and be able to get my wheels turning sooner rather than later. I like the idea of the V8 but not sure if this id the best/even a viable option. Now, I am no expert in any of the gearbox combinations, but what are peoples thoughts....? And does anyone know where I should start looking....Land Rover wreckers in Perth will be a start. I like to think that I could just go to a wreckers find a rolled 3.9 Manual Disco and crane out the engine and drop into mine, mostly because I don't think that there were too many 3.9 V8 Long stick R380's imported. I could be wrong, but I am sure it is not this simple....its a Land Rover after all...

Thanks for all the feedback.

Originally Posted by Ivan

I have fitted a 300Tdi to my Turbo Grenade as well (was 2.5TD). It just bolts onto the LT77 but, it misses a couple of mounting holes but not a problem. I fitted the 300Tdi engine mounts and just used 2 L shaped pieces of steel (was part of an I beam) for the chassis mounts. I also fitted a 300Tdi radiator and made sure the Trubo was from a Defender as the Disco one is located the wrong way up.
Been fitted for about 4yrs now with no problems (it's gonna break now ). It has absolutely no electronics.

HTH

Ivan

Thats interesting, I thought the 300Tdi was not compatible with the LT77s, but I knew someone would have tried That would make a cheaper option - no gearbox change required. If I could track down a 300Tdi in decent knick, that seems to be the go. I have read that the defender turbo is slightly different - does this include the manifolds too? I see that you can get brand new garret turbos from the UK ~ 450GBP. Is there a mileage you want to try and keep below when find one of these motors? Does anyone make conversion kits for the 300Tdi into a early defender or is that what the stumpy bellhousing does - I see that is gets back the 30mm keeping the engine in the same place - negating the need to change mounts? (if I get a R380).

Originally Posted by garrycol

There was a lot of surmising on what was actually wrong with the engine but have you conclusively determined what it is?

For your vehicle the ideal would be the 200TDI but as you indicated parts are getting hard to find. I would go the 300tdi and if possible match it to your gearbox - if you find a good engine I would still put a set of rings and bearings in and the odds are it will run great for a long time.

Garry

Yes you are correct. I fired it up today and there is still plenty of oil being ejected from the dipstick. My findings are that the valves stems/guides are worn enough that is breathers really heavily from the rocker cover, the big end bearings are showing the bronze and are scored. It all looks to be a worn engine, which I suspect may have been caused by a loose oil pump = low oil pressure/supply to critical parts and accelerated wear.

Or
Warped/eroded head.

Either way I think its going to need a strip down to find the route cause and then a full rebuild. Its in Perth now, so if anyone wants to come and have a look, I am still all ears.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Another option is the isuzu 4JB1T - 2.8L direct injection TD ex jackaroo and rodeo. Like a small 4BD1T - has timing gears as well. Adaptor kits from a couple of places - one of which is M&D Engineering in the UK.

TD5?

You can fit an R380 with the "stumpy" bellhousing. I have a complete kit from Ashcroft to convert a normal R380 to a "stumpy" - which you are welcome to if you want - probably won't be using it soon.

There is very little difference between a 200 and 300 tdi. You can interchange them if you drill a few holes.

I checked out the power/torque for the 4JB1/4BJ1T and the 3.1 version, which are all very similar to the 2.5N/A to 300Tdi i.e 70 - 112bhp, 100 - 200ftlb of torque or thereabouts, so its not going to shred the LT77s. I imagine that would be pretty cheap and easy conversion. 370GBP for a conversion kit with engine mount brackets and adapter, just need to source a motor. It wont make it a ball tearer, but thats not the point, something with a useful amount of power, torque, reliability and parts.

My gut feeling tells me to either to track down a 300Tdi from a defender (and if possible a R380 box to suit) or go along the 2.8/3.1 4BJ1T route.

Edit - I am currently running 235/85/R16 Michelin runflats on wolf rims