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300tdi install


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After a (very) long lay off, I've finally found the time and money to continue my 90SV rebuild. After fitting an exhaust, I hooked up the battery to check for exhaust leaks - engine ran fine, no exhaust leaks, but coolant temp climbed quite rapidly. Given it's 44C in the shade and I'd not fitted the viscous fan, I wasn't too worried. Refit the viscous fan, thinks I, and check her again...

Problem - the fan won't fit. With the fan loosely placed in the shroud and the blades in contact with the bottom of the shroud, the engine pulley nose sits about 50mm below the centre of the fan, i.e. the engine seems to be over 50mm nose down.

Some history: It's a second hand, galvanised,300tdi LR90 chassis, fitted with a 300tdi and autobox from a Discovery. Genuine parts engine and gearbox mounts were used. I have confirmed the fan diameter (433mm IIRC). I have re-cored the discovery radiator and removed the side brackets and lower brackets from the discovery radiator frame. The radiator sits at what appears to be the correct height on the chassis mounts and the shroud is seated correctly on the radiator. All body panels align (within LR tolerances, anyway...), so chassis misalignment/damage doesn't seem likely. I have visually checked the engine bracket locations on the chassis and these seem OK. I don't have a template to confirm the mount locations, but I'm estimating the mounts would need to be about 25mm low to cause 50mm drop at the fan, which they are not. The gearbox X-member came with the chassis.

Any ideas? I'm stumped!

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Do you not have to shorten the radiator mounts when fitting a Disco radiator in a 90? Pretty sure it is covered in the Tech Archive on here....

You do, yes. The Discovery radiator mounts are 'U' shaped brackets extending about 20mm (ish), tack welded to the bottom of the radiator frame. I have removed these and fitted spigots that locate in the isolating rubbers fitted to the chassis mounts. If you imagine a straight line drawn across the wing tops, the top of the radiator sits slightly below this line.

Just drove home and spent another fruitless hour trying to spot the obvious. Still stumped...

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That may be your problem, Defender 300Tdi cowl is different ESR2308 what you need on ebay first picture

What you have currently fitted http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=85491 2nd picture

Western, you're a Scholar! Just removed my cowl and checked the part number - ESR 3276, i.e. a Discovery cowl. Looking closely at the pictures you supplied, I can see that the circular 'cut out' for the fan blades seems to be offset lower on the Defender cowl. I would never have thought of this, and I've never seen it mentioned in any conversion write ups.

Good call and many thanks!

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Western, you're a Scholar! Just removed my cowl and checked the part number - ESR 3276, i.e. a Discovery cowl. Looking closely at the pictures you supplied, I can see that the circular 'cut out' for the fan blades seems to be offset lower on the Defender cowl. I would never have thought of this, and I've never seen it mentioned in any conversion write ups.

Good call and many thanks!

glad the info helped, good luck for obtaing the correct item.

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