Land Rover SAR diesel

today I found out I need to replace the front ring and pinion on my H3 Hummer - I don't need another project... oh yeah, and the BMW, I think, has a failing head gasket (keeps blowing lines)...

I don't need another project - which is actually kind of why I went this route with the Land Rover. At this point, a 4bt would have saved me money - but it wouldn't have saved me time; and bonus, it "passes" smog in Washington because it's a diesel and since I used a Land Rover motor - it's a "stock configuration"....

anyway, once the Hummer gets off the lift (should be by the end of the week); I'll get on this one like a weight watcher on an ice cream float.:bestwishes:
 
Well, I've started working on it (with a brief interlude for a dual battery install in my H3)...
today, this showed up
a box

with a box inside

with the rest of the parts I need to do this swap .... or at least, the big bits


for those counting, that's 3 months from order to arrival...

I also did a couple little things
at some point in my life, I'm going to cast these into hood ornaments, but until then, I'll leave this epoxied here on the dash


and I got a good, solid start to install this


in here


there will be a kennel put on top of this, and the SAR, dog gear goes underneath along with a ramp for the dogs to trot in and out....
 
after a morning of wheeling the Hummer, it was time to get to work




picture to remind me what the emergency brake looks like together


there she is... all 120 hp of fry smoking fun


after spending a bit of time trying to figure out how to bolt it to the engine stand, I punted


another reminder picture
 
I should call this my "save $40,000 build." A day or two ago, my wife said she thought maybe we should either get the new Jeep or BMW diesel (both get amazing mpgs). I said "sure, let's go look." Never argue when 1) you get to test drive new cars, and 2) do an implied "I told you so" to your wife (that's an "I told you so" without the consequences of sleeping on the couch)

So I continue on my quest to remove the motor... somehow I feel like Monte Python music should be playing in the background.... about 1/2 of me is impressed with the mechanical engineering - the other 1/2 wants to line up the electrical engineers up against the wall and shoot them.

Here's the reason for my angst


interestingly, she loves hanging in the shop with me (as opposed to my yellow-streaked mastiff who gets all in a tither over loud noises)

and she sniffs about - weird, huh? :grin:

Issue 1:

why don't they have a flat surface or even a pan rail to put a transmission jack underneath? and why hard lines to the front of the motor, then hard/soft lines to the cooler?


transfer case is out, and tomorrow I may do a detour and fix it so it has 4high and 4 high lock along with 4lo lock


so underneath is mostly apart and here's where I'm at on the top


​really, just a bit more - however, I need to figure out how to get those stupid quick-connect lines apart... there's 4 of them, 2 for the transmission and 2 for the oil cooler
 
onward
I spent most of my time tonight trying to get the radiator out... it also has 2, count them, 2 transmission coolers....


and the last hangup


on the hook


and look at that


and clean

 
first step tonight - put the other level on the transfer case so I have 4 high and 4 high lock, Land Rover thought their SALT system was so good that you wouldn't need to lock the front/rear axles together... they were wrong, but at least they left most of the bits necessary to fix the issue


the bolt with the grease on it... gets another lever - that locks the front/rear differential... really, it's that easy

and you change this bit
notice the lever - the clean is the part going back on


drained the gas and got about 4 gallons - I'm almost certain there's more, so I'll be dropping the tank (which I'll have to do anyway to replace the pump with a low psi lift pump)


I'm glad I changed the clutch - there's probably another 20k on this clutch, but it's so easy to do right now


et voila


 
And not that this isnt awesome, but any reason you didnt just go with a diesel SUV? I daily drive an 07 diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee.
 
And not that this isnt awesome, but any reason you didnt just go with a diesel SUV? I daily drive an 07 diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee.

yes, lots of them. 1) not a Jeep fan, 2) Land Rovers have more space, 3) Land Rovers are lighter, 4) I might have 7k in this build when I'm done - anything new/diesel is many multiples of that price, 5) Jeep doesn't build a quality diesel, 6) my wife wanted a Land Rover.

oh yeah, and did you notice my screen name? I like Buicks, and that's what powered the Land Rover.

And really, not being mean about Jeeps - I just have never been a fan because I always thought their concept was perfect and the execution was terrible.
 
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I can see all those points. And I would especially agree that Jeep does not build a quality diesel... Because Jeep does not build a diesel :) Its a Mercedes Benz diesel... Which will probably outlive me.

Insane price though for a newer model diesel SUV, you are correct, the diesel GCs start around 21k used.

So you used a GM diesel? I thought I remember reading TDI, assumed that meant it was a VW. What did it come out of?
 
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I can see all those points. And I would especially agree that Jeep does not build a quality diesel... Because Jeep does not build a diesel :) Its a Mercedes Benz diesel... Which will probably outlive me.

Insane price though for a newer model diesel SUV, you are correct, the diesel GCs start around 21k used.

So you used a GM diesel? I thought I remember reading TDI, assumed that meant it was a VW. What did it come out of?

it's a Land Rover diesel. If you've ever seen the Camel races - those Land Rovers are powered by this motor.

As much as the Germans would like to lay claim to TDI, it predates them.... the term is Turbo Direct Injection.

The motor is 2.5 liters, 125 hp, 192 lb torque. You can turn up the volume on them past the 380 lb torque (their transmission names come from the torque it can handle - thus the R380 means manual, 380 lb torque max) that Land Rover rates the transmission with more fuel (turn the knob, literally), bigger turbo, blocking off the egr, and bigger intercooler. The egr block off alone nets you 25 hp and 75 lb torque.

The 300 TDI is the updated version of the 200 TDI - it's the same size, but the 300 TDI meets most emission standards and has more hp.

The current version is a TD5, but it's a lot more electronically controlled. The 200 and the 300 can live a long and prosperous life without electronics.... the TD5, not so much... but if you have to meet emissions, that's the motor to use - they have something like 250 hp and 300 lb torque...
 
Nice :) Sounds like it will get fantastic gas mileage. Mine has never been worse than 20, even towing a car on a dolly around town. 25 is about the best. Not incredible, but not bad for an AWD SUV
 
Have you looked at RangeRovers.net? Good website that may be of assistance with your conversion.

Did they ever put a diesel in the P38 chassis? While Range Rover and Land Rover are the same company, they're about as different rigs as a Chevy Blazer and a Ford Bronco.

and there is a part of me that would do this kind of build (but my build dance card is full)

1982-classic-range-rover-whitworth-quarryresized-3.jpg


1982-classic-range-rover-whitworth-quarryresized.jpg
 
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Nice progress! The CDL makes a huge difference in off road traction. I made sure my next (current) rover had one when I was in the market. Im already envious of your diesel swap... Im averaging 9.5mpg with mine :confused2:
 
the guy I bought the motor from has another for 1500 pounds... call it $2500 with shipping (including a 5 speed and all the swap gear). With about any other swap, I'd say why bother, but I've talked to a lot of people, including one ditzy blond who owned a diesel swapped D2; and all say 30 mpg is routine.... for me that works out to $200 a month in fuel savings...
one thing I did learn, the CDL is different manual to automatic - I get to make a new shift rod because of it. Fortunately, the guy who sold me the motor sent me the shift stuff.... which means, I have a few extra parts to do another conversion
anyway, today's work




if you say "why is a pipe hold it up" I'll say "because".... now that that's answered



and what stopped me from doing the belt today


you know it's on tight when it tells the air hammer to eff-off.
 
So more work



oops - I knocked the threads right off the fan pulley. Don't know what I'm going to do, probably punt and use electric fans.... the replacement part is 311.00 (ouch)
before


after


I didn't put it all back together because, there's a bit of seeping from the lower crank oil seal. It's a rubber o-ring, so I'll probably pull it the rest of the way apart to replace it.... and decide what I'm going to do about the cover...
 
So tonight.... I worked until I got stopped
First, I need to clear a new fence line.... and got stuck - and I just didn't feel like getting the pickup into the backyard to winch it out.... so it sits until tomorrow


Then I buttoned up the front of the motor

and pulled the motor mount off to copy it
then realized I need to get some 1/8" steel

So I figured I'd do something easy - a bolt-in project (see where this trainwreck is headed?)
I need another pedal


and I have one with another pedal

mind you, someone mentioned that it was a "bolt on" the new pedal.... uh, no

so I came up with a plan


and worked the plan



and ran out of wire.... I was using my "backup" spool.... ugh.

 
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