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blue juice
27th January 2009, 03:46 PM
Hi to all.
Has anyone ever seen a defender that has had an engine swap as i have been reading a lot of the forum and its always the same { you can put this in or that in } but i have never seen any defenders with it done.
You hear of engines being transplanted and ive been told you can put a v8 into them ?
Dose anyone know who can do them on the gold coast or links to the forum that has photos of the work done.
Cheers

lambrover
27th January 2009, 09:55 PM
marks adaptors i think in melbourne sell kits to allow holden v6 and v8 to rover box or transfers. there are people on this forum who have put holden 8's into defeners, rangies and discos.

blue juice
28th January 2009, 01:44 PM
Anyone put a holden v8 into a 130 def and thanks lambrover for the reply
Cheers blue

Psimpson7
28th January 2009, 02:02 PM
Ive looked at it in depth and there are a number of things that are difficult.

Firstly you need to find an engineer who is willing to sign off the conversion with that large capacity increase. Generally they dont seem to like above about 4.5litres, but some will go higher. I found one who was happy to go to 5.8 as teh architecture underneath is similar to a RRC.

He was the engineer who did my cage and stuff so that may have swayed his decision.

next, you need to decide on which engine... I cant see you getting engineering above 5.8 so that limits the engine choice as some of teh new Holden V8's are 6l.

Next is the gearbox. The R380 isnt strong enough. Rakeway make a race version but it is serious money. The T56 is long but would fit in a 130 (although from my research no adaptor to an LT230 is currently available). Tremec make a tko600 which is available with a multitude of possible shifter locations and that was my choice.

This can also be adapted with off the shelf parts from Rakeway to fit to the LT230...

It wouldn't be cheap.... I got all teh way to sourcing an LS6 engine out of a CTS-V in the states, and getting shipping quotes and so on , then the currency collapsed, and I gave up for now.

mcrover
28th January 2009, 02:54 PM
Ive looked at it in depth and there are a number of things that are difficult.

Firstly you need to find an engineer who is willing to sign off the conversion with that large capacity increase. Generally they dont seem to like above about 4.5litres, but some will go higher. I found one who was happy to go to 5.8 as teh architecture underneath is similar to a RRC.

He was the engineer who did my cage and stuff so that may have swayed his decision.

next, you need to decide on which engine... I cant see you getting engineering above 5.8 so that limits the engine choice as some of teh new Holden V8's are 6l.

Next is the gearbox. The R380 isnt strong enough. Rakeway make a race version but it is serious money. The T56 is long but would fit in a 130 (although from my research no adaptor to an LT230 is currently available). Tremec make a tko600 which is available with a multitude of possible shifter locations and that was my choice.

This can also be adapted with off the shelf parts from Rakeway to fit to the LT230...

It wouldn't be cheap.... I got all teh way to sourcing an LS6 engine out of a CTS-V in the states, and getting shipping quotes and so on , then the currency collapsed, and I gave up for now.

Then you have to cool it.

This is where the real money starts as there are plenty of folks who have put V8s in them on the cheap but only a few get the cooling right so it is useable.

There are a few threads on here of Chev Diesel V8's in Deefas, do a search as all have the cooling as one of the most expensive and annoying aspects of the conversion.

Psimpson7
28th January 2009, 03:04 PM
Good point, although i think cooling the petrols is easier than the diesels.

It should be easy enough to get a nice custom rad made, although as you say, not necesssarily cheap!

rovercare
28th January 2009, 04:48 PM
Then you have to cool it.

This is where the real money starts as there are plenty of folks who have put V8s in them on the cheap but only a few get the cooling right so it is useable.

There are a few threads on here of Chev Diesel V8's in Deefas, do a search as all have the cooling as one of the most expensive and annoying aspects of the conversion.

Cooling is an easy exception on all things BUT a chev diesel:D

PAT303
28th January 2009, 06:55 PM
I'd agree on that.There is a chev defender in town but it uses a lot of fuel for not much more performance,I haven't driven it but the bloke who fitted my D/gas system services it and is not very impressed by it considering it cost the guy 25grand.They seem to run OK at the front but hot on the back cylinders so he was telling me the other day,as I said he doesn't think much of them. Pat

rovercare
28th January 2009, 07:18 PM
I'd agree on that.There is a chev defender in town but it uses a lot of fuel for not much more performance,I haven't driven it but the bloke who fitted my D/gas system services it and is not very impressed by it considering it cost the guy 25grand.They seem to run OK at the front but hot on the back cylinders so he was telling me the other day,as I said he doesn't think much of them. Pat

Nah, I found the 6.2 I had wouldn't better 16l/100klms, upto 22-3 driven hard in the bush:(, whereas my isuzu now gives 12's on the road and a shade under 15 flat bicky through the scrub:cool:

My fuel figures are all pretty anally worked out, with all errors accounted for;)

But the torque of the chev:cool::cool:, fuggin awseome:D

rovercare
28th January 2009, 07:22 PM
Blue Juice, what are you hopeing to fit?

blue juice
29th January 2009, 02:42 PM
Blue Juice, what are you hopeing to fit?

Sorry guys.
I should have gone into more detail.
My 96 130 is getting a bit slow and I keep hearing that they are costly to rebuild. I have just spent money on a 4 core radiator and suspension and im waiting for the old girl to run out of steam.

I keep hearing of the isuzi { 2.4 - 3.9 } but I need something affordable to operate { 70 ltrs to 734 klms at the moment } and not to heavy on the pocket to place in the engine bay.

I was quoted $ 23000 6 mtns ago for the 6.2 chev but he said he no longer dose the work and to contact an engineer in SA. { Im located gold coast )
As im used to working on the old 186 modified 192 back when cars were made out of real metal " I dont know what can or what wont " nowadays
and it would be nice to keep the original gear box just the engine !
cheers
ANd thank you for the replies

rovercare
29th January 2009, 09:15 PM
Sorry guys.
I should have gone into more detail.
My 96 130 is getting a bit slow and I keep hearing that they are costly to rebuild. I have just spent money on a 4 core radiator and suspension and im waiting for the old girl to run out of steam.

I keep hearing of the isuzi { 2.4 - 3.9 } but I need something affordable to operate { 70 ltrs to 734 klms at the moment } and not to heavy on the pocket to place in the engine bay.

I was quoted $ 23000 6 mtns ago for the 6.2 chev but he said he no longer dose the work and to contact an engineer in SA. { Im located gold coast )
As im used to working on the old 186 modified 192 back when cars were made out of real metal " I dont know what can or what wont " nowadays
and it would be nice to keep the original gear box just the engine !
cheers
ANd thank you for the replies

Isuzu, 4BD1T:cool:

extreme6.5
29th January 2009, 09:23 PM
I've got a chev 6.5 diesel in my 01 defender, I love it.Power on the road is nothing special, but torque off road takes it to another level.:)

blue juice
30th January 2009, 03:05 PM
I've got a chev 6.5 diesel in my 01 defender, I love it.Power on the road is nothing special, but torque off road takes it to another level.:)

Hi extreme.
Im sitting down and waiting for you to tell me how much it cost you !
What part of aus you from and who did the work

Utemad
30th January 2009, 03:30 PM
My 96 130 is getting a bit slow and I keep hearing that they are costly to rebuild. I have just spent money on a 4 core radiator and suspension and im waiting for the old girl to run out of steam...

I need something affordable to operate { 70 ltrs to 734 klms at the moment } and not to heavy on the pocket to place in the engine bay...

I was quoted $ 23000 6 mtns ago for the 6.2 chev

If you are worried about rebuild costs of the Tdi then why on earth are you entertaining the idea of spending $23k on an engine swap? :eek:

mark2
30th January 2009, 08:09 PM
You could do a 4JB1T conversion (2.8 Isuzu ex Rodeo, Jackaroo) for under 5k and probably less.

Conversion kit is about $1000 from the UK and you can buy a wrecked rodeo to supply to donor engine.

blue juice
31st January 2009, 07:38 AM
If you are worried about rebuild costs of the Tdi then why on earth are you entertaining the idea of spending $23k on an engine swap? :eek:

Hi justin.
I said i was quoted $23ooo for a 6.5 I didnt spend it and how do you find out costs if you dont ask.
And the rest of the query was for the cheapest way ?? sorry you misunderstood it.

lambrover
31st January 2009, 09:43 PM
ha mate if you where handy with the 186 then you can turn your hand to the diesel just get a genuine work shop manual and get cracking, while your at it talk to Justin C he is on this forum and get his advice on turbo upgrade and better intercooler and fuel pump tweak, but if you don't upgrade those items you should send the turbo, injectors and pump to be overhauled this way you will get the best out of the engine after the rebuild,may as well do the upgrade though, more power.:D

mcrover
31st January 2009, 09:59 PM
You should only need to rebuild it if it is suffering low compression or other wear related issues.

The old 300Tdi will last for a damn long time if youve looked after it, have you considered looking at getting the injectors checked out, the injector pump looked at and tuned?

There is plenty to look at to extract more out of the 300 before having to replace it.

aew849
31st January 2009, 11:04 PM
I recall from my earlier attacks of landroveritus when serving her maj in the UK that LR South Africa was fitting the Beamer 3.0 ltr diesel as an option to the 110 wagon....the UK journo was speechless when comparing it to the 200/300Tdi.

The twin turbo 3.0 from the current X5 would be a belter......as would the cost!

After 4000 kms this first full month of ownership, I'm currently looking to encourage a relatively new (4yr and 66K kms) TD5 to breathe better, fuel better and fart the exhaust in a more rorty way, having started attacking the airbox!!!


aew849
04 130 DCPU...it wasn't a HCPU after all.:o

Bigbjorn
1st February 2009, 09:05 AM
I recall from my earlier attacks of landroveritus when serving her maj in the UK that LR South Africa was fitting the Beamer 3.0 ltr diesel as an option to the 110 wagon


At one time South Africa required South African assemblers to fit engines made in South Africa. Don't know if this is still the case. You saw things like Mercedes-Benz trucks with a South African made Perkins engine, and Chev. badged Holdens with a South African Chev. 6.

eksjay
3rd February 2009, 07:16 AM
What about a Caterpillar Truck Engine? I have seen some Toyota Landcruiser troopies with the Cat badging. The Troopies can take rather large diesel engines.

Bearman
3rd February 2009, 08:15 AM
What about a Caterpillar Truck Engine? I have seen some Toyota Landcruiser troopies with the Cat badging. The Troopies can take rather large diesel engines.

As with most of those Toyota tossers it is usually only the sticker attached to the vehicle - no caterpillar motor at all:eek:

Bigbjorn
3rd February 2009, 08:36 AM
I don't think Caterpillar make anything small or light enough to be used in a Land Rover.

Chucaro
3rd February 2009, 09:09 AM
As with most of those Toyota tossers it is usually only the sticker attached to the vehicle - no caterpillar motor at all:eek:

Spot on :D

Chucaro
3rd February 2009, 09:12 AM
In Argentina some people fit john Deere engines on the Ford F250 and they are going as good as the ones with the 6 cyl Perkins.

To me the logical convertion here in the LR is using the Isuzu turbo engine.