series 3 engine

[1965]

hello everyone i could do with some help if you don't mind . today i bought a series 3 lwb van that i've been looking for for months , and i'm desperate to start using it and get rid of my 90 and my disco and get back to a propper landrover , the problem is the engine is duff and it's a 2.6 6 cylinder ( oh dear ) . now here is the problem .

what would be involved in swapping it for a 2.5 nad that i have sat in my back yard ie : will it bolt up to my 6 cyl gearbox and engine mounts . ( other suggestions welcome)

i have big plans for this motor at some point in the future but they need to wait due to other projects . i need and want to start using it now .

all help and advise will be welcome , thanks in advance .

rick...

[Tonk]

i believe the 6 cyl bellhousing is different than the 4 cylinder one, the 2.5NA will mate straight to the 4 cyl series bellhousing. no idea about your engine mounts though its not hard to chop them off and remake

[FridgeFreezer]

Tonk's right - the 6cyl bellhousing and engine mounts are different although I believe the gearbox is still the same (EG you should be able to just swap bellhousings but don't quote me on this). The whole engine & box are further back in the chassis, which shouldn't be a problem but it's worth remembering.

If you have a 4-pot sat round then that's a good option, if not then consider a V8 - it's more powerful and more economical than the 6 and a lot cheaper to replace/repair, and although the conversion is a bit of work it's not rocket science. A 3.5 EFi will see you getting 20mpg if you're well behaved which makes a 4-pot seem like a less attractive option.

Whichever way you go there will be plumbing issues - rad hoses and fuel pump spring to mind, the 6 has a decent electric lift pump (will plumb straight into a V8) whereas the 4pot I think has a mechanical pump on the engine.

Search back on this forum for 6pot -> V8 info, it's been asked and answered a few times.

Edit: Check the classifieds: Clicky. This seems like a good price and the 6-pot conversion rings appear on eBay for about £40, in fact you might find someone who will swap it for your 4-pot one (I know a couple of people who have bought the wrong ones and had to change )

[1965]

thanks for all the info ,

i've just been told there maybe a 2.25 engine and box for sale local so i may just put that in for now , at least i can use it then .

i'll also check if thats right about the bell housing swap ,that would be even quicker .

i plan put a 200 tdi in it later ( i've got one with auto box in a scrapper ) but thats been earmark for someone else . ( dam) .

thanks again , and if anybodys knows if the gearbox is the same could they let me know .

[Phil Hancock]

thanks for all the info ,

i've just been told there maybe a 2.25 engine and box for sale local so i may just put that in for now , at least i can use it then .

i'll also check if thats right about the bell housing swap ,that would be even quicker .

i plan put a 200 tdi in it later ( i've got one with auto box in a scrapper ) but thats been earmark for someone else . ( dam) .

thanks again , and if anybodys knows if the gearbox is the same could they let me know .

Yes the bellhousings will interchange, the 2.5 will be a better bet than the 2.25 as it is a good bit better in the torque department and slightly up on BHP as well. Oh and the rad will need changing as the fittings are in the wrong position on a 6 pot rad when it is coupled to a 4 pot.

[1965]

cheers phil , thats good news about the bellhousing , got the 2.5 nad radiater from my 90 ( it's the vehicle the engine came out off ) . so i guess all i need now is engine mounts ( and someone who can weld better than me to put them on ) . thanks for all the help i thought i'd made a mistake buying one with a 2.6 but i could'nt resist .

cheers people ...