2.8 / 3.1 Isuzu into 90. Anybody done it?

[Woody 90 2.5TD]

What would I need aside from the new lump? I would change the LT77 for an R380 too if that makes much of a difference.

I have heard that the engine will bolt up to a V8 bellhousing, is that true?

Am I better going with a V8? If so, how straight forward is that?

For info the current engine is the 19J 2.5 TD

Any help and info would be great.

[FridgeFreezer]

Although obviously it's been done with such reverence for historical accuracy you will struggle to spot it, there is a 2.8 in this:

It's on an R380 box but not sure what the bellhousing is, I'm fairly sure it's not V8 but stand to be corrected. You won't bolt the engine to a gearbox without an adapter ring anyway.

[Mo Murphy]

Far easier to put a Tdi in it, easier to fit and much easier for parts.

Mo

[Ivan]

Stormin Norman in the Series III club has done this. PM me and I'll see if I can get some contact details.

Rgds

Ivan

[FridgeFreezer]

Far easier to put a Tdi in it, easier to fit and much easier for parts.

Mo - don't follow your logic there mate, the 2.8 goes really well and Jez's one has done two ladogas (plus the miles it had on it when he bought it) with no problems. Parts availability isn't a problem when it doesn't go wrong. They're also a lot cheaper than a 200TDi and more powerful, with lots of tuning potential.

[JST]

Craig on here has one in his 90, try pming him

[callum]

Far easier to put a Tdi in it, easier to fit and much easier for parts.

Mo

who said easier is better

tdi is a lot less hassle to put in in the first place and plenty support exists in the aftermarket.

parts? all you'll need is an oil filter every 5-10000 and a cam belt every 50... isuzu parts, when needed are extortionate from the dealer (as are landy parts) and not much of an aftermarket exists. milners sell some bits and there are isuzu specialists/breakers who will get you 2nd hand bits. bits are also available from vauxhall dealers as the 2.8 was used in the frontera. i'm led to believe a discount scheme exists at vauxhal parts counters, but i've only bought a filter, and a thermostat. i had to get a 2nd hand thermostat housing when i cracked mine overtightening something, but that was easy to get hold of second hand.

above all the engines only cost about £200 second hand, so if yours goes bad big style, throw it away and get another.

as said, it goes pretty well, is very robust (doesn't mind overheating too much) and is pretty refined when compared with a tdi. they do big miles too, mine had 273000 on it when i took it out of the rotten carcass of a trooper.

given the price of tdi's i reckoned a year or two after doing mine that it was maybe not so much worth the bother. i can recall a few annoying niggles and they took a while to sort, but it did about 150 miles on its first run ok, apart from having to stop to beat some more clearance out of the bonnet with a hammer for it.

my spectacles must be getting more rosy with time as i cant recall any major issues which led me to think the above.

in summary, if you need to take the engine out on the friday and go to work withthe new engine on the monday, go for the tdi.if its more of a play thing, the isuzu makes more sense as you have time to sort out the little niggles that come with putting an engine where it was not supposed to go.

jez said a while back that the 2.8 isn't the perfect engine, but it ticks lots of boxes. in my limited experience i would agree. my armchair offroading excursions through forums have not revealed any engine that ticks more boxes for me. you just need to decide which boxes are on your list and how big a tick you need to put in them.