Diesel in a 101

[101RRS]

Like many 101 owners I have thought off and on about converting my 101 to a diesel.

The 3.5 petrol is not exactly a powerhouse and motoring in a 101 is a leisurely affair at 90 kph with fuel consumption between 10 and 14 mpg. It also runs well on LPG when further than a few 100km from major cities is not obtainable so ULP gets a bit expensive - where gas is available in remote locations it is often as expensive as ULP.

So what diesels would you consider putting into a 101. Noting that the front suspension is sensitive to weight increases over the front axle and that without extensive modification to the radiator mountings the engine would have to be a max of about 4 cylinders long - straight 6 cylinder diesels would most likely be too long.

Given the costs of conversion there would need to be an improvement in onroad performance so that easy cruising at 110kph would be possible. The LT95 transfer case would have to stay (to operate the winch) but it would be possible to graft another gearbox (short one) to the cut off LT95 transfer case.

The obvious conversions are a 200tdi or 300tdi but from what I gather performance is even more leisurely than the petrol but fuel consumption is good.

A TD5 with a chip would provide the required oomph but might be a bit squeesy length wise. I assume that the electronics could be modified with a bit of patience.

The Izusu 3.9 is old school and a bit low on power and revs but does have good torque - however it is really too heavy for the front end.

Chev 6.2/.5 V8 diesels do not have a good reliability reputation and again for the hassle of doing the mods the engines are old school and down on power but have good torque.

The Mazda 3500 has been fitted and runs OK just a little down on power.

What about the modern jap diesels like the Triton 3.2 DID - nice power and fuel consumption.

You can get D3/RRS 2.7 TDV6 diesels in the UK for about $5000 and even TDV8s (exchange ) for about $7000.

For me the TDV6 diesel would be ideal if the electronics could be sorted.

So, 101 owners, you know your vehicles - if you were to change to a diesel what engine would you go for and why??

Thanks

Garry

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Gary

One of your problems will be that the 101 has a very short bellhousing when compared to the V8 in other models and the other Land Rover diesels are designed around having a similar length to the V8 variant in the bonnetted Land Rovers therefore using the same engine mounts. Td5 is designed for an R380 box.

Which ever option you take you are likely to have to adapt the 101 bellhousing to it.

Secondly diesels like the Isuzu have lower power bands, so you are going to have to up your ratios somewhere.

If not the 4BD1 what about one of the later spec Isuzu turbo diesels, from the NPR range?

BTW: aren't the TDV8 a joint venture with Pugeot? The electrics would have to be 12V and you'd solve the issues by using the same ECU and fitting all the original sensors where possible.

If it were my choice, with a non-electronic vehicle like your 101, I'd still be looking for an old school turbo diesel and my choice would still be a 4BD1-T or 4BD2-T (although you could go for the 6DE1 - a 125Kw 24valve V6Td found in the Saab 9.5)

Diana

[bee utey]

I still think you are better off with a high comp 3.5 V8. The 3500S engine runs rings around the low comp truck motor, both in power and economy. 187 BHP I believe in stock trim. They rev beautifully and everything is a drop-in fit. Just the other day someone asked me to remove a dismantled 3500S engine from their shed. It appears to have a complete set of 10.5:1CR pistons with it. Put them in with a cam and a set of EFI heads and you wouldn't know your truck.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I still think you are better off with a high comp 3.5 V8. The 3500S engine runs rings around the low comp truck motor, both in power and economy. 187 BHP I believe in stock trim. They rev beautifully and everything is a drop-in fit. Just the other day someone asked me to remove a dismantled 3500S engine from their shed. It appears to have a complete set of 10.5:1CR pistons with it. Put them in with a cam and a set of EFI heads and you wouldn't know your truck.

Still doesn't solve the problem of the cost of ULP and lack of LPG in remote areas.

Although that said when I'm going away from LPG areas, I run on city price ULP after the last LPG fill station and use the full LPG tank to extend the range in remote places. Hopefully with 125lt ULP + gerry cans and 60lt LPG I don't have to buy a lot of real expensive ULP.

[bee utey]

Still doesn't solve the problem of the cost of ULP and lack of LPG in remote areas.

True, but a 10 to 20% increase in efficiency is not to be sneezed at. And not doing a diesel conversion buys a LOT of litres for a vehicle that isn't used daily. I assume that's why Garry bought the RRS.

[Mick_Marsh]

Why don't you buy Mr Benson's diesel 101?
No use re-inventing the wheel.

Replacing yours? I'll give you a fairly low price.

[101RRS]

Why don't you buy Mr Benson's diesel 101?
No use re-inventing the wheel.

Replacing yours? I'll give you a fairly low price.

Who is Mr Benson?

Bee Utey/Diana - haven't said I was changing the donk - just looking at options for remote travel. If I went to the cost of changing engines I would want a performance improvement - not just better fuel consumption and fuel availability. Modern higher revving diesels best match the rev/torque requirements of the 101 over older types.

Staying with petrol is still an option as I could turn the back into a fuel tanker - with the ability to carry about 6 44gal drums plus but it would be just easier if it were diesel.

Certainly with any engine modifications it will be necessary to look at other things like the space between radiator and transfer case.

I think the ideal engine if cost was no object would be a TDV8 but then issues would be what gearbox and making the electronics work.

Cheers

Garry

PS - I could always do what a previous owner did when my 101 was travelling the vast north was rig up a few large domestic household gas tanks to the LPG system and run an them.

[101 Ron]

I just wouldnt do the diesel thing.
You will never never get the cost back after conversion unless the thing is a daily driver and who wants to drive a 101 every day when there is a range rover in the drive way.
4.7 diffs would have to be part of the conversion...more cost and time.
To me personally the 3.5 makes the vehicle as the old rover 8 is reliable and has a good spread of power though the rev range.
If you up the power, the rest of the vehicle will look worse because brakes, steering and suspension will not be in the same class as the rest of the vehicle.
the 3.5 donk is a good one and in fact a lot more reliable than the later bigger rover V8s.
the 3.5 is cheap for parts and as pointed in a earier post it can take a bit of tune from standard for the better.
TDI motors will fit and only just and the vehicle performs no better, but the TDI rover motors have torque on paper, but in the real world make you do alot more gear changes to keep things moving along.
The 101 is about the only landrover that was really tough in all areas from the factory with all the bits working well together as stock.
You sit only a few inches away from the motor....the purr of a 8 or the rattle of the diesel
Get the tune sorted on the standard motor and go looking for a better gas tank.
Take note on the pommie 101 web site , even with the cost of fuel in the UK alot of 101s get converted back from diesel to petrol....why.
Want a good forward control 4x4 diesel go buy a Mitsubishi canter 4x4 with disc brakes and air con with no rego problems and engineers certs for engine conversions.
Sorry I know its not what you want to hear but I hope it helps.
101 buddy
Ron
Ps i love the pommie 8s exhaust note.....it is so cool .
[ame="http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p299/101Ron/?action=view&current=P3090013.mp4"]P3090013.mp4 video by 101Ron - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid131.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid131.photobucket.com/albums/p299/101Ron/P3090013.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid131@@AMEPARAM@@131@@AME PARAM@@p299/101Ron/P3090013@@AMEPARAM@@mp4[/ame]

[Blknight.aus]

4bd1-t with uprated front springs.

[justinc]

Gearing, gearing , gearing. IMHO the only cheap alternative is the originally designed for petrol V8, and suck up the $$$ I agree the 3.5 high comp engines are way more efficient than the low comp ones, and beautifully simple in carby form.

IF you wanted to diesel it, I would pick a 4BD1t and change final drive gearing, 3.54 I guess would be a start, IIRC the LT95 high range in these is 1.4:1?

Anyway, with the gearing carefully chosen, the Isuzu would eat any V8 on hills.

The 4H series later Isuzu engines are very wide, may not fit in engine compartment???

JC