R380 4BD1T highway

[noddy]

Gents,

I am considering a 4BD1T replacement for my Td5 (when it finally decides to head off into the after life, touch wood not anytime soon) but want to get people's experiences with the 4BD1T at highway speeds. Is it genuinely an alternative to a mapped Td5 in terms of noise and vibration for long distance touring?

I am assuming most R380 conversions have involved using disco transfer case ratios?

Thanks,

Tim.

[loanrangie]

The R380 is generally not used as the 4BD1 will shake it to bits, the LT95 or an MSA conversion are the norm.

[Standard]

The R380 is generally not used as the 4BD1 will shake it to bits, the LT95 or an MSA conversion are the norm.

The Isuzu MSA may not be an easy option anymore as it looks like CORCONVERSIONS/Sheldon has closed up shop. I'm not 100% certain, but the CORCONVERSIONS facebook has been deleted and Sheldon was/is selling a heap of workshop equipment on Gumtree.

Stan.

[Dervish]

I have a 4BD1T + R380 in a Defender. People will say the R380 isn't up to the task, but they're generally speaking out of their ass. There's a handful of people with over 250,000km on the combination - have over 100,000km myself. I run a 1.003:1 transfer case, but I'd run a 1.1:1 from Ashcroft if I had the opportunity at the time, they're only a new option. I think it's about 1900rpm at 110km/h for me and it's very happy at that speed. Overtaking is easy on the highway and I keep up with traffic in town. If I was towing a heavy trailer often I'd consider a Disco 'case.

I get more wind and tyre noise than anything else, so maybe someone else could comment on that side of things. I have a full length roof rack and mud terrains. Still, I don't have to speak up to be heard by passengers.

The 4BD1T puts every Land Rover diesel put into a Defender to absolute shame; it does a better job, uses less fuel and doesn't break or even leak. A vehicle the size of a Defender needs a ca. 4 litre diesel motor - look at cruisers and patrols. Honestly if you own a 4BD1T Land Rover you won't ever look back.

[Vern]

The Isuzu MSA may not be an easy option anymore as it looks like CORCONVERSIONS/Sheldon has closed up shop. I'm not 100% certain, but the CORCONVERSIONS facebook has been deleted and Sheldon was/is selling a heap of workshop equipment on Gumtree.

Stan.Yes shops shut.
But there are a few conversions out there still. (2 sitting on my shed floor)

[Vern]

I have a 4BD1T + R380 in a Defender. People will say the R380 isn't up to the task, but they're generally speaking out of their ass. There's a handful of people with over 250,000km on the combination - have over 100,000km myself. I run a 1.003:1 transfer case, but I'd run a 1.1:1 from Ashcroft if I had the opportunity at the time, they're only a new option. I think it's about 1900rpm at 110km/h for me and it's very happy at that speed. Overtaking is easy on the highway and I keep up with traffic in town. If I was towing a heavy trailer often I'd consider a Disco 'case.

I get more wind and tyre noise than anything else, so maybe someone else could comment on that side of things. I have a full length roof rack and mud terrains. Still, I don't have to speak up to be heard by passengers.

The 4BD1T puts every Land Rover diesel put into a Defender to absolute shame; it does a better job, uses less fuel and doesn't break or even leak. A vehicle the size of a Defender needs a ca. 4 litre diesel motor - look at cruisers and patrols. Honestly if you own a 4BD1T Land Rover you won't ever look back.Correct about noise, I used a db meter in mine at 100kph, it read 77db, I turned it off at that speed, it still read 77db, tyre noise easily drowns out the 4bd1

[weeds]

How obtainable is the bell housing for a R380 to ISUZU

[Blknight.aus]

Just make sure its a late suffix K R380 or any suffix L, A4bd1 will eat the early r380 like it eats the lt85 split case.

Id also want to put in a T or SE suffix lt230

[Vern]

How obtainable is the bell housing for a R380 to ISUZUKlr make them, from memory about $1200

[noddy]

I have a 4BD1T + R380 in a Defender. People will say the R380 isn't up to the task, but they're generally speaking out of their ass. There's a handful of people with over 250,000km on the combination - have over 100,000km myself. I run a 1.003:1 transfer case, but I'd run a 1.1:1 from Ashcroft if I had the opportunity at the time, they're only a new option. I think it's about 1900rpm at 110km/h for me and it's very happy at that speed. Overtaking is easy on the highway and I keep up with traffic in town. If I was towing a heavy trailer often I'd consider a Disco 'case.

I get more wind and tyre noise than anything else, so maybe someone else could comment on that side of things. I have a full length roof rack and mud terrains. Still, I don't have to speak up to be heard by passengers.

The 4BD1T puts every Land Rover diesel put into a Defender to absolute shame; it does a better job, uses less fuel and doesn't break or even leak. A vehicle the size of a Defender needs a ca. 4 litre diesel motor - look at cruisers and patrols. Honestly if you own a 4BD1T Land Rover you won't ever look back.

What wheel/tyre combo are you running? 1,900rpm @ 110km/h is way below what my Td5 is doing.

It now only seems to be a question of the correct gearing.

Thanks for the response.

[rijidij]

Isuzu’s in Land Rovers generally got their ‘noisy’ reputation from when they were in the Stage 1 (about 1982), they were very noisy, especially on start up when they often had severe vibration and rattled the crap out of everything.
But, later engines are a lot quieter, for example, my 4bd1T (1990) is quieter than the 300Tdi I had in a 130.

[Vern]

What wheel/tyre combo are you running? 1,900rpm @ 110km/h is way below what my Td5 is doing.

It now only seems to be a question of the correct gearing.

Thanks for the response.Guessing it's the 1.003 transfercase that's the main contributor to the low rpm.

[Dervish]

What wheel/tyre combo are you running? 1,900rpm @ 110km/h is way below what my Td5 is doing.

It now only seems to be a question of the correct gearing.

Thanks for the response.

Standard, 235/85r16. It's an early Range Rover 1.003:1 transfer case so yes, the gears are tall. The 4BD1 is happiest below 2500rpm, so it suits well.

[Bearman]

Klr make them, from memory about $1200

Pretty sure they just modify an LT85 to Isuzu bellhousing

[Vern]

Yeah Brian they do. From memory they cut the back out if it and weld in the new bolt pattern.

[C H T]

Isuzu’s in Land Rovers generally got their ‘noisy’ reputation from when they were in the Stage 1 (about 1982), they were very noisy, especially on start up when they often had severe vibration and rattled the crap out of everything.
But, later engines are a lot quieter, for example, my 4bd1T (1990) is quieter than the 300Tdi I had in a 130.

My experience has been the same as Rijidij's. I have a 1999 Defender (ex Tdi) with a late factory turbo 4BD1T and Suffix J R380. The conversion was done nearly 12 years ago. The vehicle has covered over 330000 ks with the Isuzu fitted, the present gearbox has done about 280000 ks since rebuild with no issues at all. The vehicle is used extensively in very remote parts of the country, has made multiple crossings of the Simpson, is used for towing, and is often loaded to GVM on long trips.

Gearing with a 1.2:1 transfer case is very well matched to the engine. Bell housing was put together by British Offroad - they still have the jig - LT85 bell housing with the back of a Tdi bell housing welded in place. I my opinion better set up than the other alternative mentions in an earlier post.

The pundits have long said R380 wouldn't last behind the 4BD1T: they have been proved wrong.

FWIW

[Zcoota]

Isuzu’s in Land Rovers generally got their ‘noisy’ reputation from when they were in the Stage 1 (about 1982), they were very noisy, especially on start up when they often had severe vibration and rattled the crap out of everything.
But, later engines are a lot quieter, for example, my 4bd1T (1990) is quieter than the 300Tdi I had in a 130.

Do you think that its the turbo that cuts down the noise ? I have a normal aspirated 4bd1 that the noise is driving me insane on right now.

[eeyore]

Do you think that its the turbo that cuts down the noise ? I have a normal aspirated 4bd1 that the noise is driving me insane on right now.


Adding a turbo to my NA did make it a bit smoother & quieter. Not a remarkable improvement but it was noticeable. Doing the Nissan Patrol fan clutch conversion also helped, especially at highway speeds (though make sure you use plenty of Loctite plus split washers on the studs and nuts if you do this - my hub came loose with ...ah... entertaining results!).

Of course, I'm sure you'd get better results spending the turbo money on sound suppression materials but where's the fun in that?!? [biggrin]

[rijidij]

Do you think that its the turbo that cuts down the noise ? I have a normal aspirated 4bd1 that the noise is driving me insane on right now.

A turbo will quieten the exhaust a bit, but probably won’t have much affect on all the mechanical noise.

[Dervish]

Do you think that its the turbo that cuts down the noise ? I have a normal aspirated 4bd1 that the noise is driving me insane on right now.

Have a look at the plastic covers on the bulkhead in the engine bay. Most of the time they are warped and the rubber grommets (for the speedo cable and some gauge wiring) either not sealing or missing completely. Any hole here and the noise from the engine bay is piped straight into the cab. Same goes for the oval rubber seals either side of the fuse box.

[Zcoota]

I noticed one of the oval grommets had popped out, very surprised by the difference when I put it back in. My firewall looks like a Swiss cheese with all the missing grommets. Time to seal it all up I think.

I'm surprised the turbo didn't reduce the noise much, I would have assumed it would have a bit of a muffler effect.