Thread: diesel into P38

Bang on Dougal!

I'd rather be caught driving a punchy diesel P38 any day than caught dead in a time bomb GU!

Originally Posted by Dougal

Over there? The diesels aren't "UK spec", they were sold new in NZ. The engine is a 2.5td BMW item. A mate who owns both says the diesel P38 pulls harder in 4th at 100km/h than the 4.6 does. You sound like someone who has never driven a good diesel 4wd. My Isuzu powered RRC is faster and a far better drive than the 3.9 V8. Roughly double the torque, similar power, under half the fuel consumption (the V8 is still a bit sick, it should get down to double the diesel consumption eventually) and great speed control offroad.

Perhaps at a stretch a reasonably sophisticated new tech oiler?!? But seriously... anything back yarded in from the cheapie conversion corner is likely to be a complete contradiction to the smooth and effortless drive the P38 is.

Personally, keeping a few good ones going as they should be would be miles better than having tractor/truck tech Isuzu lumps (or anything similar) rattling the last living ones to pieces.

Here's an idea for your Franken-plans... Why don't you leave the glorious P38 Rangie's alone and maybe focus on some of those early flea-landers that need rescuing?

BTW, I can nearly guarantee your RRC would be a much nicer and more desirable machine to many more people if properly maintained and kept close to original spec. With an Isuzu in its only a matter of time before the stress cracks start appearing from the horrid death rattle.

And finally, like my P38, my 85 3.5lt County 110 will be staying V8 on LPG forever. Go muck with a flea lander if you cant maintain the integrity of the donor vehicle. At least nobody in our section will miss one of them!

Originally Posted by DT-P38

Perhaps at a stretch a reasonably sophisticated new tech oiler?!? But seriously... anything back yarded in from the cheapie conversion corner is likely to be a complete contradiction to the smooth and effortless drive the P38 is.

Personally, keeping a few good ones going as they should be would be miles better than having tractor/truck tech Isuzu lumps (or anything similar) rattling the last living ones to pieces.

Here's an idea for your Franken-plans... Why don't you leave the glorious P38 Rangie's alone and maybe focus on some of those early flea-landers that need rescuing?

I have no intention of swapping a P38 engine myself. Unfortunately for them they are the wrong combination of complexity and standardisation. Meaning too complex and not enough standardisation of any electrical protocols or interchange with anything else.

I would instead keep the classics and get an L322 to keep them company. I'd love to get the TD6 and fit a 6sp manual gearbox.

Originally Posted by DT-P38

BTW, I can nearly guarantee your RRC would be a much nicer and more desirable machine to many more people if properly maintained and kept close to original spec. With an Isuzu in its only a matter of time before the stress cracks start appearing from the horrid death rattle.

You have never driven or ridden in a 4BD1T powered rangie have you? Mine has ~250,000km post conversion. All your guarantees are void and meaningless.

3.5 carby V8's RRC's are selling for about $4k in excellent condition. Considering it would have drank about 5 litres per 100km extra if it were still V8 it would have consumed 12,500 litres more fuel over that 250,000km.
Cost increment of that fuel over that time would be about $20,000.

It would need a resale of over $28,000 to even come close.

Originally Posted by DT-P38

And finally, like my P38, my 85 3.5lt County 110 will be staying V8 on LPG forever. Go muck with a flea lander if you cant maintain the integrity of the donor vehicle. At least nobody in our section will miss one of them!

That's nice, just keep quiet when the LPG cost climbs to match what the rest of the world pays.
But why would you bother transplanting a diesel into a freelander? The BMW 4 cyl tdi was the best part of them.

Serious? Its just a stinky old car. They aren't that glorious.

Diesel vs Petrol - Maybe think about your cost per 100km.
I have a P38 on vapour injection (EMER system). The economy around town is 20litre/100km.
At 80 cents per litre the cost per 100km is $16
A P38 converted to diesel would do at best 11litres/100km around town – at $1.50 per litre the cost per 100km is $16.50.So that is 50 cents more per 100 km – plus the cost of the engine transplant.
I must say that I really enjoy driving the P38, and it is so comfortable to tow a boat long distances.
It is like being cosseted in silk sheets. After several hours driving you get out refreshed and ready to go further – this quality , its styling, and technology is what I enjoy the most about this vehicle.
BTW I fly the Airbus A330 for a living and its seats are not as good as the
I reckon the V8 is a doddle to maintain.
There is nothing more simple than a fuel injected, single oxy sensor, 2 valves per cylinder, push rod, flat hydraulic tappet engine. Anyone can maintain it whether in the bush or the city. It should never need to go to the stealers. The THOR version has very capable OBD2 diagnostics and with Bosch sensors and the ECU is very robust.
If you need to you can remove the V8 from the engine bay in less than a day – I just did it to replace the rear seal. It went back in a day. The only delay was waiting 2 days for parts.
The parts are cheap – I got an OEM camshaft for $160. Genuine tappets are only $9.00 each.
The engine is just so simple. It is as smooth and quiet and just as powerful on LPR injection as on petrol. The only thing I worry about is the BeCM. I fear going into deep water because if I get bogged and the driver’s foot well fills with water – then it is game over. So I would not take it to Cape York at the end of the wet season.
BTW the air suspension is also soooo simple to maintain. It is just a matter of application and using the forums.
Think about what may happen as petrol prices goes through the roof during the next oil shock. Most of our diesel comes from Singapore – so it too will go through the roof in the next oil shock – which is only a matter of time. LPG or CNG I belive will be the best fuel during an oil crisis and vapour injection systems are coming down in price.
Now you might say – What do you do about being far way from an LPG source? - for those deep outback expeditions where only diesel is available. To solve this every “now and then” problem I took another tack – I bought a second Landrover in diesel guise.
My second bush car is a 1997 300 TDi – I bought it at a steal for $10,750 – new engine, double ARB diff lock, long range tank, new fuel pump, ARB winch and bull bar, 2 inch lift, 1 inch body lift, heavy duty prop shafts, 32inch tyres etc etc etc. I call it the ORK – just like those unstoppable beasts in Lord of the Rings. It is just a matter of being patient until the good ones come up.

It is just another way of looking at the problem, but I have to say that the thought of building a super hybrid P38 is exiting– big diesel engine, solid axles, Arnott’s Gen3 high lift air suspensions, P38 traction control – I think it would be a great all round/bush vehicle.

Personally why would you tear out a smooth velvety sexy sounding rover v8 which just needs some understanding and care and 'adapt' or 'drop' in a chevy v8 which has a boring firing order and is esentially going to give you more problems relating to your 'conversion' or from just being american made? Leave the p38 the way she was made. P38 rangies have their smooth character from bumper to bumper and if you need to change it you have the wrong vehicle and should give the keys to me .

My $0.02

Brian

I think I may need to change my exhaust system... I can't hear my V8!

But why would you bother transplanting a diesel into a freelander? The BMW 4 cyl tdi was the best part of them.

They're a good engine, but if I were spending my money on one I'd be after the Rover diesel.
Solid little lump, quite tunable, and very simple to work with.

I've run one in a Rover car for the past ten years (alongside various Land Rovers) and asides servicing I can count on 2 fingers the problems it's given, those being a burst intercooler pipe, and a porus oil cooler pipe, both easy fixes and it averages 45mpg however you drive it.