Thread: Looking at a few little upgrades, is the standard TD5 auto okay?

I killed my auto towing. Just once, long trip, heavy load, hot day. I hadn't had it long, didn't know about the auto and the heat and lockup thing. Shack and Slunnie make important points, and I will add a little of my own. I don't believe the auto carries enough oil to cool effectively. A bigger cooler will help ( Slunnie will tell you to beware of the quick connect pipes, as will I ) and I would love a bigger sump as well. The more oil, the longer it takes to heat etc...

I stand to be corrected here, but I believe I could have saved myself a lot of trouble had I known that the converter locks up at or above 80K, but locks up below 60 in 3. The auto issue is probably the main reason I sought online help and thus found AULRO.

Enjoy the Disco. Treat it well and it will be a good friend.

If their prone to over heating, put a gauge/alarm on it!

You need to have a low coolant alarm, and some sort of accurate engine temp gauge anyway, so look at something like this.

Engine, Transmission Temperature, Coolant Level Dash Gauge
– Gauge Innovations

Originally Posted by GasketGoneWild

Hello,

So I’m looking at getting a set of factory 16” alloys and going from 255/55r18 to something around 265/70r16 (any suggestions for similar sizes?) as well as getting a mild remap to give the TD5 a little more pep! Nothing to crazy.

Is upgrading or modifying the torque converter a necessity with these modifications? And if so is Ashcroft my only option or do we have any local auto builders that can work a little magic?

thank you.

Shack and others have covered it pretty well, and a remap ( from Shack ) is a good move, no matter whether you have a Flashable or chip type.

If you have the later flashable type will need something to load the tune, and until something better comes along, then a Nanocom will pay for itself in other ways as well.

I have sent a couple of upgraded Zf22/24's to Queensland now, strange, surely there must be someone that can do it there, as they are a relatively uncomplicated box, but to summarise.

A V8 converter is a great upgrade, better, stronger and more efficient than a lower stall TD5 one. but the stock one in good nick can handle a well sorted mild tune.

Use a full synthetic Dexron 3 oil, change it out x3 so as to replace about 95% of any old oil, then do a sump drop every 40 000k ( more if it's been working hard)

Don't stress too much with extra oil coolers at this point, unless towing heavy, but as mentioned, try to keep lock up when you're able to, and if you're working the engine hard before lock up speeds, then keep the revs up above stall speed, as this causes fluid lock up and generates less heat.

Definitely low range for soft stuff.

Pay attention to the cooler lines ( especially the swages ) and replace if required.

265/70r16 is a good size if you wanted to go that way, but speedo will read slow by 6%.

Great vehicles when looked after.

Originally Posted by discorevy

Shack and others have covered it pretty well, and a remap ( from Shack ) is a good move, no matter whether you have a Flashable or chip type.

If you have the later flashable type will need something to load the tune, and until something better comes along, then a Nanocom will pay for itself in other ways as well.

I have sent a couple of upgraded Zf22/24's to Queensland now, strange, surely there must be someone that can do it there, as they are a relatively uncomplicated box, but to summarise.

A V8 converter is a great upgrade, better, stronger and more efficient than a lower stall TD5 one. but the stock one in good nick can handle a well sorted mild tune.

Use a full synthetic Dexron 3 oil, change it out x3 so as to replace about 95% of any old oil, then do a sump drop every 40 000k ( more if it's been working hard)

Don't stress too much with extra oil coolers at this point, unless towing heavy, but as mentioned, try to keep lock up when you're able to, and if you're working the engine hard before lock up speeds, then keep the revs up above stall speed, as this causes fluid lock up and generates less heat.

Definitely low range for soft stuff.

Pay attention to the cooler lines ( especially the swages ) and replace if required.

265/70r16 is a good size if you wanted to go that way, but speedo will read slow by 6%.

Great vehicles when looked after.

cheers mate much appreciated, I’m loving driving the disco so much so it’ll be getting the love it deserves!

my advice..

before you mod anything get something like the madman EMS 3 fitted, set your warning points on it with one of the temp sensors begin fitted to the auto to monitor oil pan temps.

drive it and learn it, then do your upgrades one at a time, if you can drive it without hitting your previous warning points then you are all good with no undue risk to anything.

when you start hitting a warning point (and Im tipping that the auto oil temp will be the first one) work a solution to that which doesnt involve adjusting the madman. My opening guess would be fitting a secondary cooler into the trans cooler circuit and either having the manual tc lockup or fitting an aftermarket auto contorller (compushift) to give better control over the TC lockup and shift pattern done would be high on your priority list.

yes you stock auto driveline stuff will deal with a little more enthusiasm from the donk while taking a little more asking in the form of larger wheels, but it wont do it for long or happily if you abuse it. other mods include

diff ratio changes
fit the v8 TC
change the ratios in the Tcase

good luck.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Shack makes an outstanding point about the Auto, its a big concern of mine also. I would also add that towing can also mess them up.

I recommend an additional ATF cooler, the hard part is getting one that handles the abnormally high pressure that comes from the 4HP during TC lock up. This one is expensive but effective, reliable and it fits, which is a lot more than I can say for many others. This setup with 2 ATF coolers also prevents the auto overheating when the OE cooler unknowingly gets plugged up with mud from offroading. It only takes 1 overheating before you need to rebuild the auto.
Aux Transmission Oil Cooler

This is what I have put in mine. Can't remember the cost but it was nowhere the cost of the above linked one.20230525_215925.jpg

Originally Posted by d2dave

This is what I have put in mine. Can't remember the cost but it was nowhere the cost of the above linked one.20230525_215925.jpg

Is this a universal kit? Are you running it in-line or as a standalone? Looks like a decent bit of kit

Originally Posted by d2dave

This is what I have put in mine. Can't remember the cost but it was nowhere the cost of the above linked one.20230525_215925.jpg

That looks like a good unit too!

Originally Posted by reid25

Is this a universal kit? Are you running it in-line or as a standalone? Looks like a decent bit of kit

They run in series with the OE ATF cooler. You cut one of the rubber ATF lines and add it in. Make sure you use proper multi-barb pressure fittings, not just slip on and hose clamp jobs which will blow apart.