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300tdi Auto into a 300tdi Manual


the daddy

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1st I am new to the site and would like to say Hi and please forgive the spelling mistakes!

Ok I have recently got into Discoverys, I always looked at them from outside and thought they were ugly, I got a commercial manual for work and love it to bits. Hy brothers MGF blew yet another head gasket and I ended up giving him the Disco and buying a V8 Auto.

I was hoping to replicate the commercial look but looking at it again I am thinking I should just get a commercial and make it an Automatic!

I have wanted an automatic for ages and on the Disco would appreciate the lazy driving style plus I get extra points been able to hold the girlfriends hand whilst driving meaning ultimatly I also get to keep my Kit car which is manual and hands on to drive!

I have seen Auto Disco cars but only 1 auto van, I am guessing they were made to order or converted after?

So the idea is get a 300TDI Auto Disco car with smooth engine and auto box, take them out with the wireing loom, coolers, and ecu. (Any other parts you think I will need?)

Then get a Commercial (Engine and box not of intrest) and strip the manual box and engine out and put the Auto setup in.

It seems simple when you say it but anyone think of any problems that may need addressing?

Is it easier to remove the engine and box together or split them? How long does it take to remove them aprox? I have worked on cars just nothing this big (except a 4.2lt V8 Russian Truck lol but I didn't do too much with it)

I am happy to stick with a Diesel as its not used for any hard work and I have the Kit car for venting my anger.

Or I suppose the other question would be anyone know of a Commercial with Auto box for sale preferably white!

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how do bud

iv done this not to long ago

mine was a 300 manual commercial , and i fitted a 200 auto

very easy to do , if u stay with the 300 tdi . i had to weld the 200 tdi engine mounts into my truck

there was no wireing to do as the auto box hasnt got a ecu

if u get a complete auto truck u will have every thing needed , but it realy was a simple job to do

if u do it id say leave the engine and auto box together , splitting them and trying to fit together in the truck can damage things if not lined up

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Hi and welcome,

If you already have a non commercial automatic Disco, why not convert it? The commercial version is not the different from the standard one.

Remove the rear seats and fit a false floor and bulkhead/dog guard. The windows can be blanked out with adhesive privacy film, or with body coloured adhesive vinyl if you wish. Most graphics companies could cut film to suit. I think this is how many five door factory variants were done, especially series 2 Disco and on.

A recent edition of Landrover Enthusiast featured Discovery commercial variants from UK and other European markets.

The commercial parts do crop up at auto jumbles from time to time, or you could make your own from ply wood.

Just my thoughts...

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Hi Turbo Nutter, No wiring sounds even better! I have been looking for diagrams and info on the auto but only ever come across should I get Manual or Auto, for me the question has been answered! Auto as I get company petrol/diesel and don't pay to maintain it! lol.

Are there any extra sensors for the auto? Or anything to remove from the loom on the Manual?

Brakes! How did that work out? I am thinking for the pedals I can simply leave them as they are and just remove the clutch and related parts and extend the brake to widen it a little? Is the rest of the braking system the same or is there any fancy bits I don't know about?

Accelerator. I am guessing the set up is the same on both of them?

I have had a friend say it may be easier to take the bodies off each and swop the rolling chassis? Any recommendations? I could see this been a massive job.

Hi Mickey, I have the 5 door "car" and it just looks wrong, my intention was to do it with Vinyl however parked next to the other one it just looks wrong and I think the vinyl will just amplify that.

The whole thing is more about the image and branding of the company than producing a cargo van.

In the Manual commercial we have taken out the van plate and put seat into it as it is more of a car we are after but with the external image of a van with attitude. It will probably carry no more than a tool bag for trade purposes.

I did see the blanking plates on ebay a while ago.

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the motor will just wire in on your manual loom no probs

if u can keep the early 300 stuff without the edc electronics ect its simple

make sure the auto box is the valve type without the ecu keeps it even simpler

the only thing u may want to wire in is the starter inhibitor switch on the box ( stops u starting it in gear ) didnt bother on mine tho

iv still got the manual peddle box in mine , dont think its that hard to change over , just havent done mine yet

brakes stay the same

swapping the engine/box is pretty simple if u can use spanners ! i did 2 motor/ boxes out and one back in in a weekend

i know what your saying bout commercials , bit different

this is my work in progress

100_2016.jpg

DSC00418.jpg

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the motor will just wire in on your manual loom no probs

if u can keep the early 300 stuff without the edc electronics ect its simple

make sure the auto box is the valve type without the ecu keeps it even simpler

the only thing u may want to wire in is the starter inhibitor switch on the box ( stops u starting it in gear ) didnt bother on mine tho

iv still got the manual peddle box in mine , dont think its that hard to change over , just havent done mine yet

brakes stay the same

swapping the engine/box is pretty simple if u can use spanners ! i did 2 motor/ boxes out and one back in in a weekend

i know what your saying bout commercials , bit different

this is my work in progress

100_2016.jpg

DSC00418.jpg

Turbonutter,

what a nice looking disco!

Can i ask you where you found your front lights/indicators! is it plug and play?

They look magnificant on a disco.

Greetings from Brussels,

Fred

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what a nice looking disco!

Can i ask you where you found your front lights/indicators! is it plug and play?

They look magnificant on a disco.

cheers

think the lights came from inovation 4x4 , i have looked on there web site to find them but cant

may need to call them to find out

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is amazing what Ebay can bring!

I have managed to find a White, Commercial, Cruise Control, 2.5 TDI, Auto!

Ok so no Aircon but we all have to compromise somewhere! I think it may be a converted one as the shifter dosn't have a solinoid lock when the engine is off like my V8 one. However its nice and tidy.

I now have a nice Commercial for sale if anyone needs one as I won't be converting it anymore. Also the V8 will sadley have to go too.

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