Thread: Disco 2 V8 Manual to Auto conversion

I suppose I could put in a manual valve body and drive it like a manual.

The only problem I can see is that you'll have to find a D2 auto flywheel, drive plate and torque converter to drive the crank angle sensor. Recently I found a set of these behind a 3.9 in a '94 RRC hydraulic ZF auto so it should be possible. I'm not sure if you can mix and match drive components to use the D2 ring gear with the D1 drive plate and spacer and torque converter. The D1 and D2 torque converters have totally different drive plate mountings, but I guess they fit the same at the pump end.

And of course you'll need to figure out how to adapt the kick down cable, the D1 one will be far too short as it reaches the throttle by the fire wall. Maybe a 300TDi one is long enough.

Many thanks mate!

Cheers

There was a write up some years back by Urban Panzer (if that's how it's spelt). It was all d2 stuff he used. The whole car had to be striped to fit the wiring loom and basically a huge job. I guess it wouldn't need the loom replaced if not using the electronic box. I'll be interested to see where this goes as I hate my manual in city traffic due to dodgy knees, still love the manual in the bush though.

Do it right.
you didnt spend all that money,
and keep the car this long,
to do something half-arsed and turn it into something you hate.

Buy a modded HP24 box from ashcrofts

Urban panzer did the swap on a td5, which I think was a bigger job.
And x2 what Pedro said, do it right with quality bits instead of Frankenstein-ing it.

Sent from my HTC One using AULRO mobile app

I don't see any problem fitting a hydraulic transmission, this makes refitting the manual a doddle if the vehicle is to be sold. By the time you've done a full house D2 auto conversion you will have saved nothing over buying a good used auto D2 and just driving it. The only advantage the D2 auto has IMHO is the torque converter lockup is better organised so more suited to towing. If the OP is doing little towing and mostly light duty work there's nothing wrong with the earlier auto. It's not as if V8 D2's are worth a lot anymore.

I fitted a Thor inlet manifold to a 3.9 RRC, and the damn Kickdown cased me more grief than anything else.

The Thor throttle spindle is near the front so a 3.9 kickdown cable is far too short.
I made one up by joining a length of bicycle brake cable to the original Kickdown cable with a crimp connection then running it up to the Thor throttle. I made up a sideways U shaped bracket that was fixed to 2 of the throttle body bolts. I made up a "u" shaped bracket which bolted to the side of the LH rocker cover in two existing holes, although AFAIR these may be used in a Thor for the IAC.
I also had to make up a lever for the cable to join the throttle spindle , which involved making a reversed "7" shape about 30MM long, and hand making a double flat shaft adaptor with jewellers files. I had to do this a couple of times before I got it correct.
I don't think a 300 Tdi cable is long enough as I bought one but never fitted it before selling the car, but I measured it up. You could have a cable made by a cable place.

All in all it is a PITA to do and would cost you a fortune if you paid labour to have it done. It was by far the most complex and time consuming part of the whole conversion.

Can I suggest that you would be far better off using an electronic transmission and an aftermarket ZF transmission controller which are expensive but would cause you much less hassle.
Regards Philip A