Yet another engine swap

[thirstybeast]

I recently fitted a 200 TDI to a V8 so thought I would record it while still fresh in the memory.

The Defender is a late model V8 rather than an old V8 or 2.5D so I though people may find the conversion of interest.

Time taken was about 5 days (3 Saturdays and some evenings).

The Donor vehicle was a crash damaged disco with 130k on the clock and more importantly I knew its service history for the last few years. I run a similar age disco so many other parts will be used on that.

This is not the first engine swap I have done but probably the most useable.

I have also fitted a 2 ¼ petrol into an 80” S1 (great fun but brakes weren’t up to the performance), 2.5 turbo Diesel into a 1983 2 ¼ Diesel 110 (huge leap forward and a real pleasure to drive when NA 2.5 was still the engine to have), 2.5 D into a 1963 fire-fly (worked well but a bit pointless).

The vehicle requiring the engine was my 1999 3.5 carbed V8 Defender with 64k on the clock and a huge thirst, (5mpg being fairly normal fully laden and working off road for around 8 hours a stretch).

As I was burning a tank of fuel a day while the TDI vehicles were getting around 12MPG something had to be done.

Parts used were disco engine, 300TDI bell housing, disco engine mounts, air filter steering pump ect.300 engine harness,200 disco exhaust down pipe fitted to 300 inter and tail pipe. V8 rad was used to save cash and a basic oil cooler knocked up (the donor disco head eaten a Fiat Panda and the radiator was a bit bent!).

To fit the engine, the V8 mounts were unbolted from the chassis (unusual, must have been LR SV job on TD5 Chassis).

The V8 fly wheel housing was removed and the 300 one fitted.

The R380 G/box has a smaller end than a TDI one so a top hat bush made up and fitted to the 200 fly wheel.

2 x metal dowels were knocked out of the flywheel housing.

Clutch pipe removed and 300 tdi one fitted to opposite side of bulkhead.

Engine then dropped in and mounts cut from the disco were tack welded at the appropriate height.

Engine removed and clutch re -fitted, engine mounts fully welded in.

The engine fits in the same position of a 300 TDI, at the front of the engine bay.

300 engine harnesses fitted and engine dropped it place.

V8 steering pipes went straight on to 200 pump.

Fuel filter went on bulkhead as steering reservoir was in the 300 location.

First snag, how to get petrol out of tank? The ignition turned on but wiring to fuel pump now dead, found wiring colour codes on the web and powered up pump at bulkhead multi connector and pumped tank dry.

Filled with diesel, removed petrol filter from chassis and made up new feed and return pipes.

Turned key and engine ran.

I then made up pipes from turbo to inlet manifold as no intercooler is used at moment.

Fitted V8 rad and disco header tank, hoses a mixture of V8, 2.5D and 300 TDI.

Engine fan is a wee bit offset from cowling but no horrible noises as yet!

Disco throttle cable fitted to fuel pump.

Air filter fitted on brackets that held heater intake and coil on the LH side of the engine.

The air intake is in the engine bay, this is because last summer 300 TDI and TD5 vehicles were suffering from blocked air filters driving in dusty conditions.

The V8 air filter in the engine bay never blocked so I figure the position is good.

200 Disco down pipe fitted to 300 intermediate pipes (all lined up perfectly).

I originally used the V8 inter and tail sections of the exhaust but suffered from a lot of vibration at idle.

I notice others fitting the engine at the back of the bay have trouble with space for the exhaust but for me it was all straight forward.

Initially my temp gauge read very cold and I was told that the V8 dash wiring had a resistor in it, I bypassed that wire and it now reads in the same position as the V8 did.

A test drive proved that it was no V8 and not as quick up hill as my 200 disco on 31/10.5/15 mud tyres but as the Defender is on 33/12.5/15 Hankook MT’s its not too bad

The actual gearing is fine as the transfer box has the same ratio as a 300 Defender.

I haven’t upped the fuelling yet as with no intercooler I don’t want to much heat.

The defunct fuel pump in the tank does not seem to restrict flow and it starts instantly at zero Celsius without heat.

I haven’t got a glow plug warning light sorted yet but will sort out something with the choke warning light some time.

To the un-initiated the engine under the bonnet looks like a 300 TDI and only a closer inspection reveals that all is not as it seems.

Only time will tell if I have done the right thing as despite the hype diesels are no match for a proper engine in a real slog. On the plus side I should have twice the range, half the fuel bill and of course I can no-longer hear my passengers complain about the bumps!

[Abe]

Hiya Thirsty

you may want to consider having the intercooled upgraded - I run a full width intercooler on mine and boy o boy the difference is there

if you can (legally) De-cat the vehicle will make a further inprovement

regarding fueling

I run a electric facet type pump between the tank and the main filter (tank end) as it pumps far in excess of requirement of has the effect of re-circulating the fuel - hence using the motor to heat the returned fuel to warm the tank fuel

I have added a additional loop via a a electric switch) on the return pip just on the back of the motor that takes the returned fuel on a additional bypass via a heating coil on the exaust manafold for addional warming on really cold days (a temp gauge on the fuel line to keep an eye on the fuel )

As you have found too starting isnt a problem as only recently I have installed a Plug heater relay (yet to be fully wired) starting is no problem

The engine i find great and generally runs cool (ok it has the aditional intercooling) but only use a fan for slow low-box off roading (make sure you get a bi flow radiator - (300tdi one is fine about 100 quid)

all the best & happy trails

Abe

[thirstybeast]

Hiya Thirsty

you may want to consider having the intercooled upgraded - I run a full width intercooler on mine and boy o boy the difference is there

if you can (legally) De-cat the vehicle will make a further inprovement

regarding fueling

I run a electric facet type pump between the tank and the main filter (tank end) as it pumps far in excess of requirement of has the effect of re-circulating the fuel - hence using the motor to heat the returned fuel to warm the tank fuel

I have added a additional loop via a a electric switch) on the return pip just on the back of the motor that takes the returned fuel on a additional bypass via a heating coil on the exaust manafold for addional warming on really cold days (a temp gauge on the fuel line to keep an eye on the fuel )

As you have found too starting isnt a problem as only recently I have installed a Plug heater relay (yet to be fully wired) starting is no problem

The engine i find great and generally runs cool (ok it has the aditional intercooling) but only use a fan for slow low-box off roading (make sure you get a bi flow radiator - (300tdi one is fine about 100 quid)

all the best & happy trails

Abe

Hi Abe

Yes I plan to fit an intercooler in the next few months, I have the rad assembly with intercooler and just need to get a replacement coolant rad.

Not sure about what problems I will have with hoses though as 200 and 300 are diffrent.

My Glow plugs are wired up as it was a simple plug in job but the V8 dash harness must be diffrent so I hane no warning light.

I know when the glow cycle is finished as the relay clunks off under my seat.

Hopefully an intercooler will release more power, fitting a proper diesel exhaust has allready inproved thing.