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What pokey Diesel engine to tow with?


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So, I sells the 300tdi 90 for a 3.1 trooper (I know I know) in search of more grunt and a better heater... Which is mostly successful but a) although low down torque is better, it isn't that much better and b) it's just not a blummin Land Rover.

Cue an ex army 110 with no engine in

What do I fit?

Points to bear in mind are:

I like fabrication and oily bits but I'm no electrics genius so BMW M57 etc are a no go...

I'd like at least 150hp and oodles of torque

Fuel consumption is not really an issue but I don't do petrol so no Small block Chevys

Don't mind a remote transfer box

Whole job mustn't cost more than a grand

Ill start the ball rolling with a cummins 6bt: I like the engine, and you can buy a whole daf 45 for £700, fit the engine and box with a short prop to the LT230

All I'm trying to make is a towing beast, it'll rarely leave the road but if it does I don't want to get stuck, hence no clever buggers saying just buy a 7.5 tonner :P

Over to you

Roland

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I saw a thread with a chap putting a Cummins 6BT into a Defender 90 on LandyZone. Link here.

Failing that, a big Jap diesel lump wouldn't be a bad shout. I've got a Mazda SL35Ti waiting in the wings for a long term project of mine, but I don't think that meets your power requirements. Toyota do a 6-cylinder diesel I think?

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Toyota 1KZ-TE (3.0TD from a Surf / LC Colorado) with an intercooler is pretty close to 150BHP, reasonably simple and reliable - I put 100K miles on my old surf without having to touch the engine bar oil & cambelt changes, and it would tow a 2 ton trailer with no issues at all. You could probably go the whole hog and put the axles on too ;)

Other Toyota option would be the 4Litre something Diesel from the Amazon... There was a thread where someone had transplanted the Amazon engine and boxes onto a 110 somewhere - I remember it was a very odd setup with the transmission brake on the input for the rear diff...

The newer LC's (2002-) have the 170-180BHP D4D engine which is great, but monstrously complex compared...

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Easiest option would be to find one that's got a transmission adaptor plate already available, then the transmission side of it is pretty much plug and play...

I'm not sure what kits Steve Parker still has, these guys:

http://www.mdengineering.co.uk/index.php?act=category&cat_id=2

List a few Jap diesel engines too...

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I had one a few years ago, in a 92 swb manual trooper. I set the boost to 1.2 bar, deleted the egr and quick warmup valves and set the fip up to suit and it went seriously well.

It would get up to and hold 60 mph with 3.5 tons on the back up the big hill on the a46 around Lincoln from a standing start at the a57 roundabout,

The only other tow motor I've had that would do the same is a tdv6 manual disco 3

My 4.2 patrol is close but I cannot hold 60.

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Oh I can trump that quite easily; two cows in a Bateson behind the 2.25 diesel series 2, uttoxeter to bakewell. You get good at the old low/second-high/first manoeuvre.

I've been talking to my old employer about the cummins engines and he reckons its the way to go. Especially if I retain the ZF 5 speed box.

How strong is an LT230? Can't be bad seeing as people bolt standard ones on to the back of a tremec etc.

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How strong is an LT230? Can't be bad seeing as people bolt standard ones on to the back of a tremec etc.

It's probably the strongest bit of the Land Rover transmission. You don't often hear of them breaking, except when people don't use the difflock properly and over-load the internal diff gears.

Out of interest what sort of power figures does a 6BT produce?

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6B engines are anything from 130 to 350 hp. They are also used in many trucks much bigger than 7.5 tonnes and also coachs and boats! I used to work for Cummins and it is a fantastic engine (along with the C series, 855 and the K19) however would say that they are OTT in a landy especially when you can tune a TD5 to what ever you want (within reason). If you do use a 6B have a look at the cam before you install it as some fleet use (like stagecoach) use recycled oil and it knocks the cams out which is a pain in the arse to change and remember that by the time they are on ebay they are normally completely knackered after covering huge miles. Something else to consider is a 6B while can rev to about 2500 RPM they are not happy when they do it (and fuel consumption goes sky high) and you may need to raise your gearing substaintially depending on drive train choice. Do not even think about using the later 5.9 litre engines (ISB engines) as they are carp and will cost you a fortune in ECMs and injectors.

Toby

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What about a Mercedes-Benz OM647 (as used in some Sprinter vans) ??

2.7 litre straight-5 dual-overhead-cam turbodiesel ; pleasantly free-revving; outputs up to 170BHP and 400Nm of torque. Not too heavy either (some of the other suggested engines would make your vehicle so nose-heavy it'd be plagued with bowel-loosening levels of understeer).

--Tanuki.

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