Nissan SD-33 in a Series III

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Has anyone on this thread have an SD33 running in their Series III? Hunter my LWB ute came with one sitting in it. Check out the photo of the engine mount and you can see what I mean by sitting :eek:. For some reason I would like to improve on the current technique.

Also being new to Land Rovers and especially Nissan MQ Patrol Motors what is the engine missing? Photos attached. If someone has one of these units functioning could you please take some similar shots showing what should be there - thank you

Can people tell from the photos if I have a single or dual brake system in the ute?

Assistance would be greatly appreciated :D

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

More photos of Hunter's engine bay.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

More and more photos of Hunter this time showing some required modification of the seat box so I can shift to and from high and low one day;).

Is the first photo a filter of some kind and is it a Land Rover filter or a Nissan one and should it be hooked up to something?

Again if anyone out there is running a SD-33 in their vehicle then I would greatly appreciate photos of how they tackled the modification problem

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Finally, does the front and rear driveshafts need to be modified if fitting the SD 33 and its gearbox?

Thanks for your assistance :angel:

Kind Regards
Lionel

[pfillery]

Hey Lionel,

The filter looks like the original land rover petrol filter, probably disconnected but not removed. The brakes look like the standard single circuit brakes, same as the ones on my series 3. As far as I know there is either some shortening or lengthening, or a combination of both, required with the driveshafts when fitting a nissan gearbox to an landy or holden motor so I'd imagine some modification may be needed.

[Timj]

I know someone who has one in a Range Rover Ute but not in a series. Not sure if that would help you at all as the mounts and such like would be quite different.

TimJ.

[chazza]

It looks to me as if the transfer-box is a Rover one - is that that the case?

The engine looks to be placed too far to the rear - I would be inclined to remove the fan and move it forward, which may need a crossmember modification; the crank pulley hitting the front axle may become an issue as well.

If you want to proceed with the installation, it might be worthwhile to see if the engine starts and runs well first, to try and gauge its condition/cost effectiveness,

Cheers Charlie

[NiteMare]

there's a fellow here in England running a S3 with a sixpot nissan engine in it, i've very little idea about the fitting but do believe it's in a sixpot chassis as i also think yours is (not sure about yours as the bulkhead isn't too clearly pictured) this allows the extra length of the engine to move back slightly into the cab space and also brings the gearbox rearwards

if you would like to attempt to speak with him you'll be looking on O.L.L.R. (Old Leafsprung Land Rover), his land rover is known as Dougal, introduce yourself (they love pictures the same as anywhere else) and then ask your questions in "technical"

i was offered the chance to drive it earlier this year, i'll certainly be accepting next year, it really did sound nice

if yours is in the combat or 1 ton chassis i'm not too sure you'll need to be too concerned about the crank pulley hitting the axle/diff as you'll have extended dumbirons and bumpstops

hope this helps

[cmurray]

Lionel,
What do you need pictures of? My parents have an SD33 in a Series 3 sitting in the paddock and I can take some pictures next time I'm up there.

Regards
Craig Murray

[cmurray]

Lionel,
I managed to get a few photos yesterday, let me know if you need any more. I didn't take any of the transmission tunnel/firewall as they didn't look to be modified on the inside.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/737.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/738.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/739.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/740.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/741.jpg
Regards
Craig Murray

[Lionelgee]

Lionel,
I managed to get a few photos yesterday, let me know if you need any more. I didn't take any of the transmission tunnel/firewall as they didn't look to be modified on the inside.


Regards
Craig Murray

Hello Craig,

Thank you very much for the photos they are very helpful and much appreciated. Thanks again.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[mickrae]

Hey Mate read your post,i have a Nissan ed33 and 5 speed box in my
6x6 series 3.
I can send you some photos if you like.I wont be home until Friday as i work
away.
Reguards Mick.

[Davehoos]

ED33 4cyl with 5 speed or duel range nissan gearbox was a common conversion due to the cost of an import cabstar motor.
rear shaft was modified/replaced into a ser3 transbox.
I think there is a ED35T

be similar to using a toyota 2.8 dyna/delta diesel.
I prefer a mazda-perkins trader engine if you can get a good one.

SD33 is a big 6 cyl from a different UD family of engines.
dont know if that whats being asked.

[jlhface]

Hi L
Im new to the site but very interisted in your build with sd33, i have aquired the same build and plan on improving the current state of it, prop shafts vibrate like crazy rear very short been chopped and not balanced , but looks like lots of fun and i can wait to get started..

[Lionelgee]

Hi L
Im new to the site but very interisted in your build with sd33, i have aquired the same build and plan on improving the current state of it, prop shafts vibrate like crazy rear very short been chopped and not balanced , but looks like lots of fun and i can wait to get started..


Hello Jlhface,

How are you progressing with your SD 33 Conversion? Mine has been overtaken in the queue by a Land Rove with a diesel 2.25 litre original engine and another Land Rover with a 202 CC Holden powered utility so the SD 33 project has come to a halt.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[AAFitArm]

Mate, that looks almost worse than my series III! Good luck!

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

It has been a while since I did anything more than walk past Hunter my second ever purchase of a Land Rover. I revisited the advertisement on eBay which I bought Hunter through - a deceased estate where the previous owner took ill before the conversion to the Nissan SD33 was completed and obviously they never recovered. The advertisement did say that it did not have a starter motor. Popping the bonnet confirmed this. :(

Without the presence of a battery or batteries and with the identification plate on the alternator being illegible I embarked on trying to find out what voltage the SD33 Nissan Patrol motor was. Most of the available parts I have seen advertised about the tracks suggested 24 volt.

I found the engine number and posted off an email to Nissan Australia and contacted a couple of dealers and no one could match the engine number to what voltage the engine was meant to be. I joined the Nissan Patrol Forum and posted some messages there and they were quite helpful. However, there were no conclusive solutions.

The first Nissan Patrol MQ diesel arrived in Australian in 1980 and they were 24 volt as standard. In 1983 they were fitted with 12 volts as standard and informally called the MK Patrol. However, just to complicate things some of the 1983 - 84 systems kept running the 24 volt systems until they used up all their stocks.

I took the alternator out and dropped into the local auto electrician and they said they could not say for sure without splitting the alternator. The bloke did try to "grab a spark" and was very non-committal that it "could be" a 12 volt but would not go any more than 50/50. He did say that the vacuum pump shaft was broken and since the shaft in the early alternators was very large it indicated that a whole world of pain was laying within the covers of the alternator. It was best that I just dumped it.:(

So one step back - not knowing if the system was 24 or 12 volt and minus an alternator.

One of the blokes on the Nissan Patrol Forum suggested that I take a glow plug out and it may have the voltage written on it.

After spraying the glow plugs with CRC for a couple of days I took two glow plugs out and I am happy to write that it said "Japan ... 2H .... 11 V." So I am very pleased about not having to transition between 24 volt engine bay and 12 volt Land Rover parts.

Despite scouring through various wreckers and telephone calls, plus checking eBay and Gumtree for a couple of weeks, I could not track down a 12 volt starter motor. Just heaps and heaps of 24 volt ones. Then within hours of looking at the glow plug a Nissan Patrol MQ 12 volt starter motor appeared on eBay! It already had a couple of vultures oops watchers lurking around and it had a "Buy it Now" price. Whoosh and swoop the Buy it Now button was pressed and I should have a starter motor coming my way by the end of this week.

Since any 12 volt alternator with a vacuum pump with a negative earth will fit the Nissan motor I will be getting a new clone for the Isuzu 4BD1 so I can swap it between the Nissan engine and Baldrick my 2.25 litre diesel Series 3 ute to run the brake booster.

The purpose of the exercise is to finish the conversion to the extent that the engine is not sitting idle and deteriorating. Especially since God only knows when it was last turned over. Sort of maintaining the asset.

During my visit to the wrecker they said that a SWB MQ Patrol with an SD33 had just come in and was in the yard. After looking for the incorrectly described coloured vehicle I did find it. I popped the bonnet and the VIN plate identified it as built in September 1980 and the two batteries pointed to 24 volts. It did provide me with my first opportunity to look under an MQ Patrol bonnet and I quickly found out that I am also missing a pre-cleaner that is attached to my already missing air cleaner that sits on the inlet manifold throat. Yes this is the another of those one step back parts of this post.

Well that is it for now - hopefully there will not be such a long time between posts and I can report some progress.

Oh and can Nissan SD33 diesel motors be started without a Fuel Injection Pump Control Unit - because the Gregory's manual says that the engine is supposed to have one - hmmm that is another step back. I just hope that the manual refers to really - really "late" Nissan MQ SD33 Motors like 1986 or 87 and hopefully Hunter's engine is from 1984-85. Who knows someday someone for Nissan Australia might be able to match my engine number to year of manufacture!

The sheer delights of having a semi-converted hybrid vehicle which uses parts from the 1980s.:eek:

Kind Regards
Lionel

[NiteMare]

you could always fit an electric vacuum pump to save you trying to find one on an alternator, it might be easier

volvos and a couple of other modern cars use them, just make sure the pump is for the brakes rather than the central locking

wire it up to operate via a relay from the brakelight switch then it's only running when needed

[Lionelgee]

you could always fit an electric vacuum pump to save you trying to find one on an alternator, it might be easier

volvos and a couple of other modern cars use them, just make sure the pump is for the brakes rather than the central locking

wire it up to operate via a relay from the brakelight switch then it's only
running when needed

G'day NiteMare,

Thank you for the reply.

I can source alternators with vacuum pumps more readily in Australia than I can a straight electric vacuum pump.

Phin is doing the type of pump you describe in the Series III thread - New project - 1974 Dutch camper conversion .

I am in no real hurry so I will wait to decide which way to go. Thanks Phin :) It is sometimes good not to be the pioneer :angel:.

The Nissan is already fully plumbed with oil and air lines and it does need a vacuum pump and it needs an alternator. The same alternator can be swapped between the Nissan and my Land Rover 2.25 diesel. The Land Rover diesel will need hooking up regardless of what type of vacuum supply.

It will come down to flexibility between vehicles and cost.

So the jury is still out. I will wait cautiously in the wings to see how Phin goes :twisted:

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I am further advanced with trying to breath life back into Hunter. The second-hand 12 volt starter motor arrived from the wreckers in Orange New South Wales today in the post.

I also revisited one of the local wreckers and the SWB MQ Patrol; which unfortunately has the 24 volt system, was not sold as a whole vehicle. So I got first pickings :) I now have the complete air cleaner system that is clamped onto the inlet manifold and the pre-cleaner that sits next to it. I checked on the Nissan Patrol Forum and I was informed that it is one-size-fits-all for the air cleaner parts on the Nissan SD33.

I needed to go back to the wreckers a second time today. Originally I did not think the vehicle would still be there so I did not bring my tools with me. Armed with the right equipment on the second trip I was able to grab the three bolts that secure the starter motor. Apparently, they too are one-size-fits-all between the 24 volt system. I will find out how accurate these suggestions are tomorrow and see if my SD33 has unique fitting quirks all of its own. Hunter did not come with any starter motor bolts.

With the starter motor and the air cleaner parts all I should need is a 12 volt alternator with a vacuum pump. I can then grab a battery out of another Land Rover and try and coax some life into the motor.

I have not heard back from Mark's 4WD Adaptors to answer my questions if they can identify what type of clutch and gear box are joined to the adaptor and if I have to shorten drive shafts?

I reckon I am up for a new clutch slave cylinder and it would be really handy to know what the donor vehicle was so I can get the right parts for it.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I spend a fair bit of last night looking through some threads about Nissan Cabstar gearbox conversions. I saw a photograph posted up by Navigation 2000 which showed a symbol and a part number that suggested it was a Nissan Cabstar gearbox. The number was 71129. I found the same symbol in the same place on my gearbox :). Then I found the number 60212 :mad:

Not being daunted I thought I would take off the clutch slave cylinder in the attempt to find some sort of identifying mark. That way I could walk into the respective dealer and place the slave cylinder down and go, "I would like a new one of these please".

I took the clutch slave cylinder off and all I found was something I did not expect on a Japanese manufactured part for a Nissan. It had a raised cast of 7/8. What is an Imperial measurement doing on a Japanese Metric part I thought to myself?

The 7/8 mark got me thinking - what manufacturer uses Imperial measurement? I have a clutch slave cylinder that I will be shortly be fitting onto Baldrick my Series 3 Land Rover 2.25 litre diesel. I took it out of its new box and placed it next to the clutch slave cylinder I had just taken off the one joined to the Nissan SD33 diesel. Well bugger me!

Now I just wonder if that means that the clutch and pressure plate are Land Rover parts too????

Kind Regards
Lionel

[mick88]

Lionel I am rather sure that the Marks conversion I have uses a Land Rover nine inch clutch pressure plate and the clutch plate was a "special" with a centre spline to suit the Nissan Cab Star main shaft.

Cheers, Mick.

[Lionelgee]

Lionel I am rather sure that the Marks conversion I have uses a Land Rover nine inch clutch pressure plate and the clutch plate was a "special" with a centre spline to suit the Nissan Cab Star main shaft.

Cheers, Mick.


Hello Mick,

Thank you for the reply. Yes I reckon there is a hell of a lot of things "special" about Hunter. :p

Every time I get one thing sorted out a new mystery element appears.

I suppose I will get it all sorted out one day.

I will be writing to Nissan Japan to see if they can do better than Nissan Australia to decipher engine numbers and gearbox numbers to model of vehicle and date of manufacture.

I will also be telephoning Mark's 4WD Adaptors since emails do not get responded to.

Kind Regards
Lionel