Thread: Making a diesel Range Rover

I know of a fresh 4BD1 powered Disco 1 with an R380 gearbox in good nick which may be up for sale. Can come with a turbo / manifold / twin oil filter on a remote mount and other turbo bits and pieces if required. Not quite what you're after but may save you the hassle / cost of doing the conversion yourself.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

All I know is the best RR I have driven was the TD6 L322.

x 2

Gary

I have just put a diesel into a P38, 2.8 TGV engine (375 N/M so moves along nicely), when I asked about emissions the engineer told me that euro 1 compliant was all that was needed up to 1998, so a 4BD1T should meet those, I used the auto box so no idea about the rest of it but in Queensland you just need documentation to prove the engine is compliant as there are no testing stations!

hope this helps someone at least a bit

Originally Posted by Offender90

I know of a fresh 4BD1 powered Disco 1 with an R380 gearbox in good nick which may be up for sale. Can come with a turbo / manifold / twin oil filter on a remote mount and other turbo bits and pieces if required. Not quite what you're after but may save you the hassle / cost of doing the conversion yourself.

I thought I had first dibs on that one?

Thanks to all who have posted. I have been out and about during past 24+ hours and have just now booted the computer. Not keen on a Disco although that one could be source of major components to be transplanted into a Rangie. Agree L322 with TD6 would be great combination, but don't suppose a manual one could be readily set up so P38A might be easier. Reiterate that a very good RR petrol was the appealing starting point for my project simply because they are so inexpensive and plentiful. If I come across a Ford V6 diesel engine say out of a Ford Ranger wreck for reasonable dollars I would go that way rather than Isuzu but unlikely to stumble across a good one for anything like the going price of a 4BD1T. Ford V6 is likely to mate with the MT82 6-speed more readily (or might come already bolted to one) and Dougal's concerns about pulsing load on the gears would not apply to that combo. Thanks Dougal, I am pleased we are closer to agreement. Congrats on your Isuzu-RR Classic combo. Good tip from finallyrangie on emissions and on 2.8 TGV. Am I going to be able to buy one of those as cheaply as a 4BD1T? I think not by a long shot but it will fit up a lot more easily so might not be so bad for the budget. It's still a tiny engine (defined as less than 3 litres) and I presume that torque only comes when the turbo is full speed, otherwise it's struggling eg hill starts from lights etc. Is it a bit peaky in the torque ie narrow torque band? My experience is that towing a caravan is best done with engine volume, not turbo spin. Those little engine torque figures come from the test bench not the bush. My next moves will be a lot of enquiry, research and design.

Why not just buy the nice 99 Rangie with factory BMW 2.5TD in it thats in the markets ?

Originally Posted by Dougal

I'm seeing maybe 5x as many V8 L322's for sale as diesels. It appears no-one wants to sell the diesels and no-one wants to keep the petrols.

There is a diesel P38 for sale right now in the classifieds. They're a BMW 6 cyl engine and while indirect injection appear to be still a good one.

Originally Posted by sheerluck

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/vehicles-s...diesel-dt.html

As Dougal says. So it's a 1999 not a >2000, but no hard work to do.

Originally Posted by geo41

Appreciate your interest and the trouble all of you have gone to putting forward your views. That diesel RR represents good value for somebody. But the diesel BMW 2.5 litre six only produces 280Nm of torque in its most powerful version does it not? I don't see that as enough to comfortably pull the vehicle and at least 1800kg caravan on unsealed roads, which may have sandy patches and steepish hills. That was why I was leaning towards the 3.8 litre Isuzu turbo in the first place. Quite possibly the P38A is a better starting point for my proposed conversion than the L322 (my notion of post-2000 could be either) but I think I need adequate torque at least 380Nm and I need manual transmission preferably 6-speed because I intensely dislike autos. 4BD1-T is reasonable for the engine, MT82 a logical candidate for the gearbox, LT230 for the transfer box. Original question was can I do that in a very nice RR without huge cost or insurmountable problems. No ****-weak engines, no old rusted out bodies and shabby interiors for me. And no autos.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Why not just buy the nice 99 Rangie with factory BMW 2.5TD in it thats in the markets ?

Yeah, why not!

Originally Posted by sheerluck

Yeah, why not!

Two reasons:

1. The 2.5 litre engine is hardly enough to pull the RR over the Gateway bridge, let alone tow a caravan in off-highway hilly and outback roads. Might as well put in a 300TDi.
2. That will be an auto transmission I believe.