Thread: 88 Rangie with VM motor, to buy or not to buy?

Oh believe me I have seen many on and off road but only in RRC so my experiences on goes for RRC use

New under warranty they were a great engine at the time ( remember this was the late eighties ) , but out of warranties nothing but trouble

Just to set the record straight, after a considerable search.
VM 2.4
112BHP@ 4200
183 Ft/lbs@ 2400
24MPG
200Tdi/300Td1
111BHP @ 4500
195Ft/lbs@ 1800
28MPG

VM 2.5 ( jeep Cherokee and 90 onwardsRRC)
119BHP
209 Ft/lbs
28MPG
I don't know what changes were made to the 2.5VM and whether with a new long 2.5 the fuel economy would be better with existing 2.4 hardware, but there is basically a "Bees Dick" between 2.4 VM and 200/300 Tdi except better fuel economy form 200/300 Tdi.

My question is whether it is worth buying a probably very old 300Tdi with all the hassle of conversion, or getting a fully remanufactured as new VM 2.5???? after all it seems the VM the poster is looking at has been going for 25 years or so.

Regards Philip A

OK, Ive basically gone off the idea of keeping the VM, given its not a great motor anyway and now may have unknown problems.

I have a good toyota 3b out of a series 3 that was written off.

Does anyone know of a 3b Rangie combo or is this motor a bit too industrial for the rangie.

Originally Posted by relick62au

OK, Ive basically gone off the idea of keeping the VM, given its not a great motor anyway and now may have unknown problems.

I have a good toyota 3b out of a series 3 that was written off.

Does anyone know of a 3b Rangie combo or is this motor a bit too industrial for the rangie.

Lets see:

3B vs 200/300tdi.

Fuel economy, 200/300 wins (tdi vs idi).
Reliability, 200/300 wins (no precombustion cups)
Torque, 200/300tdi wins.
Power, 200/300tdi wins.
Conversion ease, 200/300tdi wins.

Are there any reasons to fit a toyota 3B? I can't find any.

Yes but he has the Toyota.
I don't know of any conversion plates for that combo.
There is one in the UK for a Daihatsu turbo motor. Is that a 3B?
How good is the poster at fabricating engine mounts and adaptor plates, clutches blah blah blah?
Remember whatever you spend will be dead money.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Yes but he has the Toyota.

In that case, sell it to someone who wants it (like someone who has one that's dropped a precombustion cup) and use the proceeds towards a 200/300tdi drivetrain that will close to bolt in and be better in all the above ways.

The UK Daihatsu is probably the 2.8 turbo idi from the rocky. An incredibly thirsty diesel.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Yes but he has the Toyota.
I don't know of any conversion plates for that combo.
There is one in the UK for a Daihatsu turbo motor. Is that a 3B?
How good is the poster at fabricating engine mounts and adaptor plates, clutches blah blah blah?
Remember whatever you spend will be dead money.
Regards Philip A

In 1992 I went down this route with a RRC

I looked at Isuzu ( the one in Daihatsu) , Toyota , Ford Transit, Nissan and the 200tdi and lots of other ways to change a RRC into diesel.

I test drove all of them in Discoveries and RRC. But parts and fuel was alot more expensive on all the others than the TDI

But also the fit was easier and the insurance was a lot cheaper as it was a factory fit for that car.

I put the 200tdi in my 1972 RRC 2 door in the end.

Originally Posted by Reads90

Take the engine out , only use for it these days it back to its marine heritage and that is to use it as an anchor

Thats a little bit harsh, you could also put it to use in its construction phase where the heads made for good door stops and 2 of the blocks could be used in conjunction with a plank to make a good tradies rest bench.