Thread: Isuzu 4bd1T in an Italian Defender 110

exactly what lotz-A-landies said! I wouldn't play around with a landrover gearbox especially since now your looking for more power...my lt85 is on its way out but that's with 400k and no rebuild im going to go straight for a 6speed isuzu box only trouble I've heard about the isuzu box is dougal having some problem with his but not sure what happened with that??? Does anyone know if isuzu ever made a 7speed gearbox ? Why I ask is usually the msa5g box has numbers on it that will relate to it being a 5speed but I was looking at this isuzu box that was what looked to be an old 6bd1 and the box had a number that consisted of 7 then other letters from memory.... Oh how I wish a 6bd1 would fit in a 110

yep with the conversion kits around the Isuzu box seems the way to go, although I still laugh at people that bag the R380 conversion when most have never actually had one. Ours is still going strong after building a box from s/h bits over 8 years ago. Its simple dont drive it like a drift car

Justin

I just wrote an email to 4bdt swaps web site, I guess that someone in the US has already find the way to fit a 4bd1t in the newer Defenders (NAS Defender has R380+3.9 i V8 engines).

Originally Posted by DRanged

yep with the conversion kits around the Isuzu box seems the way to go, although I still laugh at people that bag the R380 conversion when most have never actually had one. Ours is still going strong after building a box from s/h bits over 8 years ago. Its simple dont drive it like a drift car

Justin

Justin

It's good that you have had no problem with your R380 and there are also people who have had no problems with their 4BD1/LT85. However if I were sitting in Italy where Land Rover Isuzu components are non-existent I'd be spending my Euro on converting an Isuzu box to fit the LT230 transfer rather than being frustrated not finding the bits needed to fit my R380.

Diana

BTW I do have an R380!

Yes, Grubb's idea will be fine, however I'm also looking for an Iveco 4000 c.c. turbodiesel 4 cylinder engine number 8040.25 which has been widely fitted in italian's truck, it could be similar in size and power/torque of mighty 4bd1t with aftermarket pieces availabe at a good price.......

Having said that dranged I do find the R380 a nicer box than the 6speed in my puma and a mate of mine just had to get a new R380 due to the thing flying to bits but he was happy it had done 400k running twice the standard 300tdi power levels. Also saying this I liked my lt77 it was a nice box and had no problems at all

Originally Posted by marcecooter

This seems to be a difficult task:

We have NPR truck engines here only afaik, which 4bd1 and 4bd1t type Land Rover fitted in Australia ?
I don't understand where to start from as I believed that LR made a LT85 bellhousing for 4bd1 (4bd1t) truck engines, if I understand well they made an engine housing+flywheel+bellhousing to suit LT85 and LT95 gearboxes...what a confusion

Land Rover in Aus, did not use the truck engine initially and made some changes. The flywheel housing used by Land Rover is different to the truck engine and the bolt pattern for the bellhousing is unique. So the bellousings for LT95 and LT85 are special (for the Land Rover 4BD1 flywheel housing) and only the LT85 bellhousing is suitable for modification to the R380. Both the LT85 to Land Rover Isuzu 4BD1 bellhousing and the mating Isuzu 4BD1 flywheel housing are rare.

No way is a modified R380 going to be as strong as the Isuzu MXA truck gearbox - 100mm vs 77mm gear centres, wider gears, much larger bearings and syncros. The heavy duty (not light duty) LT85 gearbox that was used behind the Isuzu will give problems if not modified, and the much stronger LT95 needs taper roller bearings fitted to the transfer case - the torque from a 4BD1 or 4BD1T creates too much side load for the standard thrust bearings and spits them out.

Originally Posted by marcecooter

Yes, Grubb's idea will be fine, however I'm also looking for an Iveco 4000 c.c. turbodiesel 4 cylinder engine number 8040.25 which has been widely fitted in italian's truck, it could be similar in size and power/torque of mighty 4bd1t with aftermarket pieces availabe at a good price.......

Sorry I don't know anything about that Iveco. I can understand the advantage of local (to you) availability.

The 4BD1T, especially 1989 or later is a very good engine with excellent strength and durability - they are stronger and will rev higher than the similar displacement Cummins 4BT. With a better turbo, simple injection pump adjustments, and 110 lbs valve springs they can hold up and give close to 500 HP with nearly 50 psi boost pressure, and rev close to 5000 per min.

The torque will be much more (600+ Nm can be produced easily) than the torque rating of the R380 gearbox (380 Nm).