Defender need [b]more[/b] power???

[Gaz69]

Is your defender in need of a few more horsepower?Try a 6.5L chev diesel Turbo. Stumbled across this site the other day and was impressed with the engineering into the adaptor kit and in general the whole vehicle. Worth a look.

Regards,Gaz.




http://apogee-eng.com/Assets/album_engine_conversion/

[bigbugga]

I wonder if they do discovery's??

[Gaz69]

Hi BB,
I emailed the bloke a couple of weeks ago to find out if he sells the kit and he informed me he only made that one for his own project. To sell the spud shaft and adaptor he reckons about $2000 US. I want to swap my ZF over for a manual but the R380 is not strong enough for the chev. A chev will fit in a discovery (tight) as the under bonnet area is similar to a Rangie. THe NV4500 under the floor pan is an unknown to me?
Cheers Gaz.

[bigbugga]

Thanks Gaz.

[Goblin]

Have you guys seen Marks adapters. Local mob in Melbourne.

Does a lot of engine conversion and adapter stuff.

http://www.marks4wd.com/index.html

[Gaz69]

Hi Rob,
I am familar with Marks and have used one of their conversions when i put the V8 diesel in my Rangie. Only problem their adaptors are meant to be used inconjuction with standard gear boxes. My ZF auto in the rangie is okay but the lock up torque convertor is set up wrong for a diesel(revs too much). I want a heavy duty five speed and adaptor and no-one in Australia makes one for the LT230 transfer case to my knowledge. Marks make a kit for the series landrover's using a nissan Caball gearbox i think. Its a good kit they make but not for the Torque of a Chev diesel. I surpose the main market for Marks is Tojo's and Nissan's???If i liked auto's i would use their kit for a T700 as it is an excellant kit.

On another note how's your extreme going? Good fuel economy? Have you got photo's in the Gallery?

Cheers,Gaz.

[Goblin]

My def is great.
Economy is nothing to write home about. About 11 - 11.5 litres per 100km.
I have tried creating a gallery but the photos never get uploaded. Even shrunk some down to 90-120k. Maybe a snail internet thing. Getting ADSL as a work tool (yeah-ha) so I'll try again in a week or two. If interested I can email some ...

[Gaz69]

Hi Rob,
Thats not bad economy for a 2.5 ton brick. My 97 Defender ute gets around 25 m.p.g. The aerodynamics of a land rover certainly dont help us. I had problems loading photo's in the gallery until they replaced the router. I have ADSL and it works a treat, just have to be patient when uploading.

Gaz.

[CraigE]

Most guys I know who have done the Chevy diesel conversion end up not that impressed with the conversion as there is little power increase and no better economy in the long run. A better alternative would be the V8 turbo diesel Chevy duramax engine. Lots of dollars though. This is the engine they use in the Chevy 3500 pick up trucks in the states. The guys at Brunswick diesel specialise in V8 diesel conversions here in WA and are the best conversions I have seen. Have a chat with them as they send conversions all over the country. They are located in Brunswick, WA about 20kms from Bunbury. I have seen the result of a Defender with a conversion and it was quite impressive. Just dont expect huge power increases etc.

[Gaz69]

Hi CraigE,
I have had my chev 6.2L in my Rangies since 1997 i think. I originally went down to Brunswick diesels to get a quote when i was working around Kalgoorlie back then. They definately the most professional of the companies doing the conversion in Oz.An important thing with the chev is to get your gearing right otherwise they rev too much and are un-econimacal I personally want to put a bigger engine in my ute and have been looking at the Duramax for a couple of years. Standard the LLY 2004 engine puts out 310 H.P. and 580 Ft LBS. of torque !! Being a full electronic engine like the TD5 you would need all the computer and sensors etc. When i have a few spare dollars (heaps) i want to import a wrecked chevy 2500/3500 with the ZF 6 speed box and and squeeze it into the chassis rails of the defender. Mob in Sydney had one for sale couple months ago with the allison auto for $13000. Hopefully in the next 18 months i can get one?
Gaz

[CraigE]

Gaz, excellent, let us know when you have done so and how happy you are with it. The duramax are the pick I think. Make sure you post the details and some pics. I would actually like to import a 3500 dual cab and have a custom flatbed tray fitted so I can lug around a couple of quads, fridge etc. Cost prohibitive at the moment though. A mob in QLD import them but at about $80k for a second hand RHD and $112k for a newbie I think it will be a dream for a while. Maybe I will have to swallow my pride and buy a F250.