TD5 in a P38

Hello,

I'm the nut who put a 2.8 diesel into a p38, mine is a gems, so not sure how much will transfer to Thor but it's actually pretty simple to use the existing gearbox.

The only thing the gearbox needs is a throttle position sensor, I have an adjustable linkage to the factory sensor so I could adjust the change point, the gearbox has its own output speed sensor.

Apart from the crank angle sensor and wiring for the dashboard instruments the gems seems quite happy to run without information, it stores error messages in the memory but nothing on the dash display, I have a list of the wires you can cut and the ones to keep somewhere if you would like it.

On a long run I average 8.5 litres per 100, never seen worse than 12 without low range, it goes a long way on 100 litre fuel tank, just remember to get a hole saw into the filer pipe, otherwise the diesel nozzle doesn't fit at the servo!

Hope some of that helps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PLR

G`day ,

finallyrangie here fitted a 2.8 mechanical diesel a bigger tdi , its is the for sale section so he would have some of the P38a wiring sorted .

Justin Cooper made a post at some time about fitting a TD5 to a P38A , he was given a P38aA so he may have some thoughts .

There`s a Diesel P38A for sale at present in Vic it is factory with the 2.5 BMW , don`t know its full story but it`s looking for it`s sixth owner in 3 years , which sends out warning bells . That`s how long i`ve followed it .

At $6000 if you don`t yet have a P38A it may warrant a look , if we hadn`t got a TD6 L322 it would be in our drive .

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Wow that's a lot of owners! I saw that too and wondered how hard it would be to put in the later Td6 from the L322. However, I'm too busy with Freelander 1's at the moment. [bigsmile1]

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Originally Posted by LRT

Wow that's a lot of owners! I saw that too and wondered how hard it would be to put in the later Td6 from the L322. However, I'm too busy with Freelander 1's at the moment. [bigsmile1]

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They came factory fitted with a td6 so with parts from a bm and some from UK it will be a bolt in job.

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Originally Posted by loanrangie

They came factory fitted with a td6 so with parts from a bm and some from UK it will be a bolt in job.

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With the later M57 Td6 or the older M51 Td6? Sorry I wasn't specific. The M51 had hot start problems IIRC.

If I was going to do it I'd use the M57.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LRT

Wow that's a lot of owners! I saw that too and wondered how hard it would be to put in the later Td6 from the L322. However, I'm too busy with Freelander 1's at the moment. [bigsmile1]

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G`day ,

as i said i don`t know what the story with it is i have only conversed with 3 of the last 5 owners and only via Email .

Each one including the current side stepped questions and wouldn`t get into specifics .

It has a book full of work and receipts that has been done on it in the UK and here , it had new air springs , compressor and valve block fitted in the UK as well as a new head , the 3rd or 4th owner fitted coil springs as it is now .

The M51 being mechanical electric injection seems to be a good thing and i could only find 1 thing apart from the usual things that will stop anything and that was in the injector pump there is a potentiometer that could fail but it is a unit that can be replaced , probably not on the side of the road .

There is a fix for the hot start thing .

Coarse you won`t find a lot of M51s here and the heavy bits from OS would be expensive , though surprisingly things like radiators which are unique to them can be found new here .

They are 2.5 ltrs and there`s talk of being under powered but the M57 is just under 3 lts and people say it is under powered , well the 1 we have when it`s climbing a tarred hill and the car your passing decides it should stay if front and the RR kicks back a gear and the turbo get to spinning , you`d have trouble convincing me it was under powered .


The physical bolting in of the M57 would probably be not all that awkward , don`t know what mounts the M51 uses but the M57 ones are not run of the mill and the wires would be a major job or expense if a loom was bought and a L322 with a M57 would be a better way to go i would think as the arse is certainly falling for them but i`ve never driven a P38a M51 .

For the right money i would still have this one but somethings not right and it spent time in UK winters before coming here so it may be rust that is the thing not talked about , in some of the pics it could be seen that it has done some salt time .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PLR

G`day ,

as i said i don`t know what the story with it is i have only conversed with 3 of the last 5 owners and only via Email .

Each one including the current side stepped questions and wouldn`t get into specifics .

It has a book full of work and receipts that has been done on it in the UK and here , it had new air springs , compressor and valve block fitted in the UK as well as a new head , the 3rd or 4th owner fitted coil springs as it is now .

The M51 being mechanical electric injection seems to be a good thing and i could only find 1 thing apart from the usual things that will stop anything and that was in the injector pump there is a potentiometer that could fail but it is a unit that can be replaced , probably not on the side of the road .

There is a fix for the hot start thing .

Coarse you won`t find a lot of M51s here and the heavy bits from OS would be expensive , though surprisingly things like radiators which are unique to them can be found new here .

They are 2.5 ltrs and there`s talk of being under powered but the M57 is just under 3 lts and people say it is under powered , well the 1 we have when it`s climbing a tarred hill and the car your passing decides it should stay if front and the RR kicks back a gear and the turbo get to spinning , you`d have trouble convincing me it was under powered .


The physical bolting in of the M57 would probably be not all that awkward , don`t know what mounts the M51 uses but the M57 ones are not run of the mill and the wires would be a major job or expense if a loom was bought and a L322 with a M57 would be a better way to go i would think as the arse is certainly falling for them but i`ve never driven a P38a M51 .

For the right money i would still have this one but somethings not right and it spent time in UK winters before coming here so it may be rust that is the thing not talked about , in some of the pics it could be seen that it has done some salt time .

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Yes it does set off warning bells. They should command a higher price due to their rarity. I wonder why we didn't get them? I guess if you could afford to buy one, horse power was above fuel economy!

Thanks for the replies. It's not going to happen. I was offered a good price for the p38, So I sold it as is.
It's a shame we didn't get the diesel p38 here. Maybe the diesel in classic killed it.

Not sure why you did not get the diesels but I always wondered why people shoehorned the wildy differing diesel engines in cars...

Personally if I were to ever go this route I would choose a 80's mercedes benz engine, something like the OM617 (with turbo, still onderpowered but one of the most indestructible engines I know) or the om606. Both can be tuned up quite a bit reliably if need be.

Having said that: diesel is for trucks and gas (lpg) is for cooking :) I'll stick to petrol for the time beeing.

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Originally Posted by woko

Has anyone fitted a TD5 into a P38?

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hi mate , am trying to do this conversion at the moment, unfortunately , the sump is positioned over the p38 diff, wont go without major mods to the sump