Converting a 200 lump from Disco to Def spec

[Mo Murphy]

Hmmm, managed to get it all in the title

I need to get the job sorted in my head and an account by someone who's already done it would be tremendously helpful.

Cheers

Mo

[gee1599]

just swop over all the parts ie timing chest turbo manifolds etc

[Grant.]

basically its the whole front end and the turbo side of the engine...

Any adults around to clarify?

i would be quite interested in seeing an article aswell!

[steve b]

Hi Mo

I'm doing this for a mate now and thru experience I can say that its easier to change the flywheel housing ( slightly different stud layout) , manifolds/turbo , and the front end - timing inner and outer cover etc , it can be done by drilling for the studs but you end up with no dowels for eng to 'box , similarly it will fit with the disco front cover + manifolds but you then have to fab a turbo exit elbow for the exhaust and also a down pipe...

cheers

Steveb

[Les Henson]

I've recently turned a disco 200Tdi engine into a Defender 200TDi.

Give me a million squid and I'll tell you how

Les.

[Mo Murphy]

Les, be nice or I'll hide your bus pass

Mo

[dirtyninety]

Seems as straight answers are a thing of the past on the forums, even mods can't keep to the rules.

Timing chest needs to be swapped across with water pump.

The alternator will now sit in the lower defender position (not as good IMHO)

Turbo manifold swapped, again not really that greatest idea as the disco postion is better for air flow.

Obviously for use in a defender/90/110 a 200tdi defender downpipe will now need to be used, if disco manifold and turbo are kept a Steve parker downpipe or a custom made (IMHO very easy to make if your handy with the pigeon gun).

Thats all there is to it. (i think)

If your going to the trouble to converting the engine to Def spec you wont be cutting corners so I imagine you will use a Def radiator and intercooler. Disco rad and IC CAN be used, but the mounts need a very simple modification.

Hope this helps!

[Les Henson]

Seems as straight answers are a thing of the past on the forums, even mods can't keep to the rules.

No rules about having to give straight answers.

Disco rad and IC CAN be used, but the mounts need a very simple modification

No need to touch or alter the rad or I/C.

The turbo/inlet manifold bolts onto the Disco head (oil supply and drain all swap over with no problems).

The alt and pas are the difficulty - the timing chests are different, so the alloy housing for the alt cannot be bolted on properly, and the pas pump bracket will go on, but with a couple of bolts missing. I've done the full conversion, which is swapping the timing chest over from the old Defender engine, but I've also done the 'budget' version and realigned the alt, fitted the Disco Crank Pulley, and used a longer fan belt to run everything.

Swapping the flywheel housing over isn't strictly necessary, but you do lose a few bolts - same as the 'usual' 200TDi conversion.

Les.

[Adam001]

You do have to modify the disco rad/intercooler mounts, it's too high to fit otherwise

[Les Henson]

Vehicle is already a 200 engined vehicle, so the rad/intercooler already are fitted (or am I missing something here?) The questione seems to me to be using a disco 200tdi in place of a defender 200TDi and converting the Disco engine to a Defender one?

Les.

[Mo Murphy]

Thank you Gents, all most useful information, however just to clarify matters :-

I have an ex Range Rover 200 Tdi attached to an LT77 Defender gearbox. Fitted with the appropriate conversion downpipe. This sits on a TD5 90 chassis using bolt on 2.5 petrol engine mountings.

I also have a 200 Tdi Defender engine that has had No.4 (rearmost) piston come through both sides of the block. The Flywheel housing is scrap but the timing chest, cover, manifolds and turbo are all good. There is no power steering pump or alternator attached although there is what appears to be a cast mounting for the alternator on the front.

I have a Defender 200 Tdi radiator, intercooler and frame and defender air intake up to the air filter already fitted.

The reason I want to do the conversion is that I'm finding the lower LH side of the engine bay too congested to satisfactorily route the air in to the turbo and to bring said air back out of the turbo. It's also proving difficult to satisfactorily locate the air filter box in an accessible and functional location. The 90deg hose from the turbo outlet fouls the LH inner wing.

The conversion exhaust down pipe runs far too close to the clutch and LH front brake pipes where they pass inboard of the LH footwell for my liking.

Lastly trying to get the bottom hose to the rad is proving impossible without at least a partial kink in the hose.

So that's what I have. I'm hoping that by using the standard Defender 200 parts I can get around the above problems and by only using off the shelf Defender parts I shouldn't have any problem when it comes to replacing parts.

I've seen these also on the Steve Parker website. I take it these would be a good buy, I doubt theres anything like these fitted to mine.

Your thoughts Gentlemen

TIA

Mo