SIIA questions - top speed, overdrives and 300Tdi's?

[akelly]

G'day All,

As mentioned in another thread, I just purchased a SIIA ute (was advertised on here by a fellow called Roscoe). Its a little beauty, very neat and original, except for a 186 holden and Santana overdrive (plus a bit of checker plate). The plan is to find the rear canopy and bows and keep it forever... (I've said that before!)

Driving it down from Brissy to Sydney it went very well, no overheating or other dramas. The gearbox is noisy in top, more so once the OD chimes in; that needs doing as a priority. The diffs are the standard centres and its running 31x10.5x15's on sunraisers.

Now to my questions... top speed in 4th overdrive (5th) is about 105kph - this seems pretty slow to me, even for the holden (its reving well past its peak torque at that speed) - can anyone with a similar vehicle tell me if this is normal? I checked the speed with my GPS and its pretty close (as close as GPS can be for this sort of caper). 4th gear without overdrive tops out at about 92kph, so I'm not getting much out of the OD (it seems). I'm going to check wide-open-throttle tonight as it seems to lack any reserve of power at 100kph (takes a long time to wind out to the max 105kph).

Next - has anyone had a SIIA box rebuilt recently? Who in Sydney is good for this, and how much did it cost (approx)? Also, the t'case will get done at the same time, but I'll probably do that myself (if a reco box is too exy then I'll do that too). If I need to do the box myself, does anyone do a "kit" for it or do you have to order each part?

Also, I am assuming the OD is a Santana as it has an extra rib on the sump, and its not a fairey (got one of those in the shed) - is this a fair assumption or could it be something else? Where do we get parts for these things?

lastly - there's been a few threads about sticking a 300Tdi into a SIIA, it sounds like a fine idea; has anyone done it (and got it on the road)? I'd love to see one in the flesh.

Cheers!

[JDNSW]

............

Now to my questions... top speed in 4th overdrive (5th) is about 105kph - this seems pretty slow to me, even for the holden (its reving well past its peak torque at that speed) - can anyone with a similar vehicle tell me if this is normal? I checked the speed with my GPS and its pretty close (as close as GPS can be for this sort of caper). 4th gear without overdrive tops out at about 92kph, so I'm not getting much out of the OD (it seems). I'm going to check wide-open-throttle tonight as it seems to lack any reserve of power at 100kph (takes a long time to wind out to the max 105kph).

Next - has anyone had a SIIA box rebuilt recently? Who in Sydney is good for this, and how much did it cost (approx)? Also, the t'case will get done at the same time, but I'll probably do that myself (if a reco box is too exy then I'll do that too). If I need to do the box myself, does anyone do a "kit" for it or do you have to order each part?

Also, I am assuming the OD is a Santana as it has an extra rib on the sump, and its not a fairey (got one of those in the shed) - is this a fair assumption or could it be something else? Where do we get parts for these things?

lastly - there's been a few threads about sticking a 300Tdi into a SIIA, it sounds like a fine idea; has anyone done it (and got it on the road)? I'd love to see one in the flesh.

Cheers!

My 2a with a standard engine and Fairey overdrive will do more than that (although it is happier around 100), so I would suspect something is not quite right, although the Rover engine likes revving more than the Holden one does. You won't have a lot of spare power at that speed, and I would check that none of the brakes are dragging slightly, also the tyre pressures. The wider tyres will slow you a little but shouldn't make that much difference.

There are at least two overdrives other than Fairey for Series Landrovers, both are considered to be more robust than the Fairey one, but have the drawback that parts are far more difficult to find, although with any luck all you will only need are seals and bearings, which you can probably get from your local bearing shop. Apart from seals and bearings I don't know where to even start looking for parts!
Any competent gearbox specialist should be able to do the gearbox - they are relatively simple and easy to work on. Again, it is likely to only need seals and bearings, depending on which model - there are three main versions of the boxes fitted to the S2a from memory, and the last of these is considerably more robust than the earlier ones (or the S3 box). the transfer case almost certainly only needs seals and bearings (unless it has been run dry or with water instead of oil), although if it is an early one the idler shaft may be worn.

I have heard of Tdi engines being installed in Series Landrovers but never seen one. They are much more powerful than the original engine and are likely to cause main gearbox failures and (unless you have a salisbury rear axle) broken half shafts. A solution to this is to use a later gearbox, but these are all constant four wheel drive, so you would have to convert to this or convert the box to part time four wheel drive, or mate the new gearbox to the Series transfer case, which will stand the extra power (an auto box would probably save the rear axles!). It all adds up to a very complex and hence expensive conversion - but it could be done.
The 200Tdi is a little easier in the respect that the engine mounts and the bell housing are the same as the earlier engines, assuming your original engine was a four - I think the pattern on the six is the same as the 300Tdi, although I am not sure.

John

[justinc]

I have a customer who has put a 300Tdi, intercooler and R380/LT230 in his ser3 SWB H/top from a Defender 130 donor vehicle. It is a fantastic job and he also fitted RR 3.54 diff centres.
He is apparently taking it to Cooma, so keep an eye out. His friend is also doing the same, and has a S3 SWB aswell.


I haven't driven it yet but he is over the moon with performance and fuel economy


JC

[JDNSW]

I have a customer who has put a 300Tdi, intercooler and R380/LT230 in his ser3 SWB H/top from a Defender 130 donor vehicle. It is a fantastic job and he also fitted RR 3.54 diff centres.
He is apparently taking it to Cooma, so keep an eye out. His friend is also doing the same, and has a S3 SWB aswell.


I haven't driven it yet but he is over the moon with performance and fuel economy


JC

I wonder how much it cost?

John

[akelly]

So do I...

Just came in from the shed - timing was pretty retarded and I think a couple of plug leads are dodgy, its going much better now.

[justinc]

I wonder how much it cost?

John

Hi John,
Not sure, as he did all the installation himself, but he bought the mech bits from one of our Defender / intercooled 4BD1 turbo/Santana 5spd conversion customers, who sold all of it to him for about $7k I think. The 300Tdi was recently rebuilt and had a new turbo etc also. He threw in a new clutch kit and some electrical parts too I recall.

Not my cup of tea, as I would like power steering and disc brakes all round, I actually tried to get him to buy a D1 wreck I had for the chassis/ diffs etc and make a 90 out of it at the time, but he liked the series 'aura' too much I guess:o

Each to their own.

JC

[JDNSW]

Hi John,
Not sure, as he did all the installation himself, but he bought the mech bits from one of our Defender / intercooled 4BD1 turbo/Santana 5spd conversion customers, who sold all of it to him for about $7k I think. The 300Tdi was recently rebuilt and had a new turbo etc also. He threw in a new clutch kit and some electrical parts too I recall.

Not my cup of tea, as I would like power steering and disc brakes all round, I actually tried to get him to buy a D1 wreck I had for the chassis/ diffs etc and make a 90 out of it at the time, but he liked the series 'aura' too much I guess:o

Each to their own.

JC

Yes, I was wondering what he did about brakes - Stage 1 brakes would probably handle it, as long as they were kept in top condition. And the handling would be reasonable with the suspension and steering in top condition and with good tyres. But all of this would add more to the cost! One of those things that can definitely be done, but you have to ask "is it worth doing?"

John

[justinc]

Yes, I was wondering what he did about brakes - Stage 1 brakes would probably handle it, as long as they were kept in top condition. And the handling would be reasonable with the suspension and steering in top condition and with good tyres. But all of this would add more to the cost! One of those things that can definitely be done, but you have to ask "is it worth doing?"

John

I could be wrong, but I think it was him or his mate that had fitted the Zeus engineering disc front conversion, in which case at least he had front disc brakes(!)
Yes you are correct, I asked myself the same thing...I would probably still do it though, but I'd use a shortened to 90" RR or D1 and fit the series body and some 'fender panels here and there....And a V8!! And then I'd paint it Tangiers orange:D:D:D

JC