Replacement Engine & Auto box for Defender?

[VladTepes]

Think "economical" and "affordable"

I would like to change my Defender from Manual to Auto. One option would be to pop a Disco box in there instead of the R380.

On the other hand I've had a few dramas with heh Tdi over the years and was thinking that it would also be the right time to consider other options at the same time.

There was some info in another thread here (which I can't locate) regarding replacing teh Tdi with a Holen Jackaroo diesel of some sort. Apparently has similar power to the Tdi but parts etc should be easier to get ?

Anyway does anyone know the one referred to? Good engine? What about the auto gearboxes that match up? Are adaptor kits available and if so do they adapt the engines to teh R380 or an engive nad gearbox to teh trans case?

Discuss.

[87County]

Think "economical" and "affordable"

I would like to change my Defender from Manual to Auto. One option would be to pop a Disco box in there instead of the R380.

On the other hand I've had a few dramas with heh Tdi over the years and was thinking that it would also be the right time to consider other options at the same time.

There was some info in another thread here (which I can't locate) regarding replacing teh Tdi with a Holen Jackaroo diesel of some sort. Apparently has similar power to the Tdi but parts etc should be easier to get ?

Anyway does anyone know the one referred to? Good engine? What about the auto gearboxes that match up? Are adaptor kits available and if so do they adapt the engines to teh R380 or an engive nad gearbox to teh trans case?

Discuss.

hey Vlad - what is not easy to get in the way of 300tdi parts? - if that is your only problem

(I think I'd rather cope with tdi annoyances than those that I've heard of with the Jackaroo diesel)

[isuzurover]

I assume you are talking about the isuzu 4JB1T. 2.8L 4cyl.

There are a couple of UK companies which make adaptor kits to mate one to a ZF auto from a disco. That would be your best option - 4JB1T/D1 ZF auto/LT230, as I doubt you will find an adaptor to mate a jackaroo auto to an LT230.

No engine conversion is cheap... And as for economy, the cost of an engine conversion will buy a lot of diesel...

[Benny_IIA]

jackaroo engines have a lots of dramas

From what i understand they use oil to pressure for fueling similar to what CAT used.

[d@rk51d3]

jackaroo engines have a lots of dramas

From what i understand they use oil to pressure for fueling similar to what CAT used.

Yep, don't change fuel & oil filters at the same time.

[Blknight.aus]

easier just to leave the tdi in place then drop in a disco box.

Just so happens a dead vehicle I'm looking at aquiring for some parts has a workable auto and tcase...

[VladTepes]

ENGINE

Thanks all. Yep just wondering out loud.
The Tdi seems to be down on power and no-one seems to be able to get to the bottom of it... (haven't had a chance to get out to see blknight yet though)

I just figured if I was goiing the auto route it was the appropriate time to also consider these other things.

What other engine options are there?

(I did find this thread but there must be more)
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/137447-engine-options.html

A little more power wouldn't go astray but I don't need a TDV8 powerhouse that'll start snapping expensive drivetrain bits

From the sound of it chucking in a ZF from a D1 wouldn't limit my engine options too much if I wanted to look at an engine change down the track...?

AUTO CONVERSION

On the auto conversion - trying to work out how much it would costs / how easy or difficult it is to do. Some of the indicative quotes I've got are around $6K which seems way too expensive to me... ?

[Blknight.aus]

welll if you got the gearbox for nearly nothing.

the enginerring cert would be ummm $500 by the time you did everything.


the welding of and panel shaping to make it fit would be the hard bit.

[strangy]

eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/120985174185'ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649):angel:

[redrovertdi]

I put a disco auto[and later a transfer case] in my 300tdi defender a little over a year ago, best thing i ever did. there was no welding or panel shaping required- just covering the r380 gear lever hole and drilling a hole for the auto selector cable, Vlad you welcome to take it for a drive to see if you like it.

[Vern]

could always go Mazda 3.5SLT/ZF/LT230 combo, big in the UK, M&D Engineering do a conversion kit for it.:)

[uninformed]

2.7td v6 from a wrecked teritory ;)

[rick130]

jackaroo engines have a lots of dramas

From what i understand they use oil to pressure for fueling similar to what CAT used.


Yep, don't change fuel & oil filters at the same time.


That's just the 4JX1 engine which uses a 16 valve head and unit injectors which I believe was used under license to CAT.

Only fitted to '98 to '04 or thereabouts.

Excellent power/torque for a 3 litre engine but a problem child with O ring problems and very sensitive to oil viscosity.

[Ranga]

I put a disco auto[and later a transfer case] in my 300tdi defender a little over a year ago, best thing i ever did. there was no welding or panel shaping required- just covering the r380 gear lever hole and drilling a hole for the auto selector cable, Vlad you welcome to take it for a drive to see if you like it.

Did you do it yourself?

[redrovertdi]

Yes, did it all by myself on the driveway with parts purchased on ebay, cost me approx $1100 and then sold the r380 for $500, mate picked up all the parts[for his tdi county after driving mine] for $500[except oil cooler], the only hiccup i had was that nowhere i read said that the alloy "adapter"plate on the 300tdi block was different between manuals and autos[it unbolts and swaps over]

[Blknight.aus]

theres instructions in the rave on how to mod it to work (its covered under the v8-tdi conversion area)

vlad the auto I'm likely to be able to supply has a dead engine in front of it so all the bits to make it work are in location.

[redrovertdi]

no need to mod anything, just need to get/swap the bellhousing adaptor plates over, also have to be sure the auto being fitted is out of a tdi and not a v8[different valving/shift pattern]

[rainman]

So, steering back towards the "economical" part of the original question, how is the fuel consumption of an auto pushing a 2.5~ish tonne vehicle around going to compare to that of the manual?

James.

[redrovertdi]

My 110 has steel bull bar, spare on the bonnet, winch,scrub bars-sliders and a full length steel roof rack, fridge and work stuff so its heavy and is used for work every day, i get around 600ks befor im looking for fuel much the same as when it was manual, i had MR auto replace the top of my injector pump[leaking spindle] about 6 weeks ago and my car lost its state of tune[reasoning was i had fitted a fully rebuilt engine the week end befor and the engine only had 800ks so was to tight to thoroughly retune the injector pump] so it is possible that when the pump is tuned with the fresh engine i might do better, i also run an allard full frontal intercooler

[Blknight.aus]

So, steering back towards the "economical" part of the original question, how is the fuel consumption of an auto pushing a 2.5~ish tonne vehicle around going to compare to that of the manual?

James.

1'd expect 11-12l/100k city cycle and around 10 with conservative highway cycle