Thread: diesel into P38

Originally Posted by DT-P38

So you want to take a smooth comfortable upper luxury market (at launch) vehicle and bang a tractor/truck engine in?

Why don't you just go buy a disco or a toyo-san and leave the P38's in one piece?

Perfectly good question, my reason is completely selfish, I have always wanted a P38a, from the moment I first saw one, but the fuel consumption makes it a tough sell as a daily driver, lpg uses up the boot space needed for big dogs and the gas tank range when towing means I'm back on petrol before the next filling station, which kind of defeats the object.

For some the P38a must be a V8 limousine, for me the diesel option just makes the most sense, I would never own one without the air suspension, some people swear by coil spring conversion, each to their own.

We are all mad for owning them, but we all still love them whatever we've had to do to keep them, and I would rather drive a diesel franken rover than not have one at all!

My 2c worth on that subject!

Re-engineing a P38 while the existing engine is going well is rarely financially sound and most V8s if they're properly maintained and driven are quite reliable.

A different but equally compelling reason might justify the time and expense however... for example, the UK outfit (Bodylogic?) TDV6 transplant caught my attention because of the high torque/low rev characteristics and claimed 50% fuel economy improvement. With current forex rates however it's close to $12K to get the electronic bits sorted before adding the expense and worry of obtaining a reliable TDV6 locally with all the ancillaries at an affordable price.

This got me thinking about the propect of re-engining using the Ford Trasnit van 2.4 diesel from the recent Puma which could be reasonably tweaked. I'm not interested in tyre burning performance but I would like an engine which has better torque characteristics between 1700-3000 rpm ...especially if I want to retain the very reliable 4HP24 gearbox.

LR seem to procure engines from all sorts of places for different models...

EDIT: a bit more research and I discover that the 3.2 TDV6 is in transit vans and Rangers alike... this just "might" be a future prospect if a few systems engineers could work out the interfaces!

Perhaps all this talk of butchery should be moved to the tech pages instead of continuing to promote tearing apart what most of us here are trying to keep together.

Originally Posted by DT-P38

Perhaps all this talk of butchery should be moved to the tech pages instead of continuing to promote tearing apart what most of us here are trying to keep together.

Its a LR/RR Its built to self destruct all on its own.

cheers
Todd

Originally Posted by DT-P38

Perhaps all this talk of butchery should be moved to the tech pages instead of continuing to promote tearing apart what most of us here are trying to keep together.

It's OK Dave, I truly love my P38 as it is...no Botox needed....

Each to their own though! If you look at the classic Rangie as an example, how many do you see getting around with chev engines, ford Windsor motors, or transplants from jap 4wds! Even down to diff and transmission swaps from them too!

To make an engine conversion financially viable in a P38, it'll take a number of years at 'better' fuel consumption to pay for it. If that's the path the owner wishes to travel then I'm all for it! It'll make life easier for those who wish to do it in the future as well!

Cheers
Keithy

Originally Posted by DT-P38

Understanding and putting aside the financial impacts to non DIY owners (caused mainly by overpriced LR stealer/dealers and rip off artist mechanics/specialists... take deep breath) most in this forum section have all that in hand and probably understand enough about their vehicles to avoid the major, costly, car killing issues.

Some may even consider your "hybrid" suggestions as bastardry of the original design and wrecking of a P38.

I'm sure some will. Probably the same who leave the P38 at home a lot because it costs too much to run and fix.

The reality is, the value of P38's globally is rapidly approaching the scrap value. All the car web sales here are full of them. Being sold because the owners have no place any more for such a thing. Every time fuel prices notch up, the petrols get cheaper and the diesel P38's get dearer.

Currently here diesel P38's sell for about twice what the equivalent year petrols go for. The diesels have more km's on them and are lower spec. Originally they were $20k cheaper than the 4.6's.

Originally Posted by DT-P38

Why wouldn't you spend your time coming up with ways to easily and cheaply "top-hat" V8 engines locally? You know to make less of them go pop? And maybe cheaper LPG injection set ups?

These things would help retain the Rangies as Real Rangies and not Franken-Rangies.

Because that money spent top-hatting a 4.6 does absolutely nothing to reduce the running cost or range on a tank of fuel. It is literally money wasted.
LPG is simply converting it to a cheaper fuel, the range and consumption aren't improved and LPG prices have been climbing.

The only P38's you'll see in the future will be either engine transplants or V8's that are locked away and never used.

Originally Posted by Keithy P38

Each to their own though! If you look at the classic Rangie as an example, how many do you see getting around with chev engines, ford Windsor motors, or transplants from jap 4wds! Even down to diff and transmission swaps from them too!

To make an engine conversion financially viable in a P38, it'll take a number of years at 'better' fuel consumption to pay for it. If that's the path the owner wishes to travel then I'm all for it! It'll make life easier for those who wish to do it in the future as well!

Cheers
Keithy

If my classic had the original V8, it would have been scrapped as worthless probably 15 years or so back.
Because it's got an Isuzu diesel in it, it has always been worth the money to keep running. Because the alternative vehicles it could be replaced with have always had far worse engines.
Do I spend $2k on it or do I scrap it and buy a prado? Easiest choice you'll ever make.

Financially viable isn't about the fuel cost. It's about building the vehicle you want vs buying one that'll do the same job with far less satisfaction.
Consider a P38 with a decent diesel against a ZD30 patrol. Hands up anyone here who would take the patrol?

Aaha! You're "over there" mucking with them. That's all right then... Just don't ask for any of ours back when you've butchered all yours!

FWIW, mine is on LPG and is used frequently both on and off road. V8 Power is great, torque is sufficient and economy and range are more than acceptable. I just wish it had been top hatted too.

Not from first hand experience, but from what I have heard of the 'premium fetching' UK issue diesels they are powerless slugs that are unworthy of having a RR badge on at all.

Perhaps the engineering types out there should find a way to reduce the reco costs on slipped sleeves/top hatting and LPG injection kits to help keep P38 owners in real Rangies and away from those filthy, oily pumps!