TD5 or 300TDI into a NAS D2?

R_Lefebvre

R_Lefebvre

Expedition Leader
I wonder how much a 300 could be tuned up to make power? Swap on the GT20, should be fairly straight forward, it's going to make more power just from that. Turn up the boost a bit, bigger intercooler, bigger exhaust... and then tune the fuel adjustments. What have people reliably gotten out of it?
 
Storz

Storz

Explorer
It sounds like its going to be a massive amount of work regardless of which motor you go with, thrown on top of that sourcing it from overseas. Why not just swap in a smallblock chevy LSx motor? Screw the purists. You can source an entire truck locally, cheaply. There would certainly be more fabrication involved, but the end product would be utrareliable.

In the end though its going to be a labor of love either way, just need to decide if you want to wrench or drive :)
 
R_Lefebvre

R_Lefebvre

Expedition Leader
The Chevy motor is a great solution for somebody who wants to stay gas. But it's also going to be very hard on an R380 which is only rated for 280 ft-lbs. If I was going to spend the same money either way, I'd just rather have a diesel.

The guy I borrowed the trailer from to get my truck home had an SBC on an engine stand, waiting to find a Jeep to put it in. I'm always blown away whenever I see one like that. They are SO compact. Screw hp/ci. I'm all about the hp/cu.ft. or package space. :)

BTW, when we picked my truck up at Land Rover Salvage, he was smitten by a Series III 88 (?) pickup the guy had for sale and wants to put his 350 in that along with a Turbo Hydramatic 400 he's got.

I'd rather drive than wrench, but I can't drive a broken truck.
 
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Yorker

Yorker

Adventurer
R_Lefebvre said:
The Chevy motor is a great solution for somebody who wants to stay gas. But it's also going to be very hard on an R380 which is only rated for 280 ft-lbs. If I was going to spend the same money either way, I'd just rather have a diesel.
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Why do you want to go with the R380? If you are going to do a swap do a swap and start from the LT230 adapt from there and go forward.
 
R_Lefebvre

R_Lefebvre

Expedition Leader
I'd rather not have to adapt. I'd rather be driving than wrenching. ;)

If this was the winter, I might.

Why all the hate for the R380? What goes wrong on it? I am aware of the output shaft spline wear. Seems like a relatively minor issue.
 
Yorker

Yorker

Adventurer
R_Lefebvre said:
I'd rather not have to adapt. I'd rather be driving than wrenching. ;)

If this was the winter, I might.

Why all the hate for the R380? What goes wrong on it? I am aware of the output shaft spline wear. Seems like a relatively minor issue.
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Because there are better transmissions out there.

If you want quick and cheap just put another ZF in.

You aren't bound by the same constraints LR was, look outside of the box.
 
Storz

Storz

Explorer
Yorker said:
Why do you want to go with the R380? If you are going to do a swap do a swap and start from the LT230 adapt from there and go forward.
Click to expand...

Thats what I was thinking, keep the transfer case and install a more robust transmission to go with your more reliable engine ;)

What about a differnt diesel?

BTW saw a mid 90s Tacoma yesterday that had been diesel swapped, just saw it drive by but looked pretty trick. I get wanting a diesel, I love our little TDI and dream about a diesel in the Disco :)
 
R_Lefebvre

R_Lefebvre

Expedition Leader
Yorker said:
Because there are better transmissions out there.

If you want quick and cheap just put another ZF in.

You aren't bound by the same constraints LR was, look outside of the box.
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You have to understand where I'm coming from. I've seen lots of "conversions" over the years, and there are usually lots of compromises made, which the owners tollerate and ignore, but I can't. Whether it's a rattle, overheating, poor service access, or the shifter coming out in the wrong place, etc. I've seen it all. (how about a Ford 302 in the back of a 911! I have pics!)

Now I'm not saying that I know that is the case here. But I would be VERY cautious about undertaking a "conversion" without first seeing an example myself. I've just seen too much cobbled together stuff.
 
ntsqd

ntsqd

Heretic Car Camper
There are only two non-OE light duty autos that I would consider; the GM 700R4 (& it's electronic derivatives) and the GM 4L80/E.

If there is an adapter to bolt one of these to the original transfer-case (assuming that is prudent to do) then I would start there and consider what engines can be made to bolt to those transmissions.

If you were going to insist on a Cummins 4BT engine swap then I'd say a TH400, but not under any other circumstances. And I'd try pretty hard to talk you out of such a perversion.

From the previous links on the original trans I get the impression that maybe some folks have worked out how to make them work better and live longer, or at least have a reasonable life when subjected to increased HP? If so I'd be looking at applying those tricks & techniques to a rebuild or replacement stock transmission.
 
Yorker

Yorker

Adventurer
ntsqd said:
There are only two non-OE light duty autos that I would consider; the GM 700R4 (& it's electronic derivatives) and the GM 4L80/E.

If there is an adapter to bolt one of these to the original transfer-case (assuming that is prudent to do) then I would start there and consider what engines can be made to bolt to those transmissions...
Click to expand...


I posted a while back AA is supposed to have an adapter out by now that makes the LT230 mimic a Dana300, so anything that can be adapted to a Dana 300 should be able to be mated to the LT230 via that. I'm not sure if it made it to production or what- I already have an adapter for my lt230 so I haven't paid close attention to the progress with tht AA adapter. There is also the Mark's Adapter's stuff FWTW.
 
R_Lefebvre

R_Lefebvre

Expedition Leader
So an adaptor on an adaptor? Is that wise?

Looked at the Mark's stuff. Interesting. The SBC would be a great option if you want to stay gas. But looks like the kits aren't intended for the D2. You'd be left fabricating engine mounts. Also, the flywheel won't work with the Bosch injection system. So now you likely have to install an aftermarket injection system. More money.

About $2200 (plus shipping) for the kit from Marks, and at least $1000 for an engine management system, and you haven't even got an engine yet.

I was offered a price of $3600 for a 300tdi on top of the $2300 for the manual trans conversion parts.
 
Oilburner

Oilburner

Adventurer
You know what, maybe the R380 isn't that bad. All the ones I have driven were earlier ones and they were all slow shifting, in some case grinding, and weird feeling. I have not driven a later suffix one as fitted to newer trucks. Keith might be your best bet for a real opinion as he has the exact combo in his Disco and he beats on it. I have always disliked them so I am biased.

My point is that the ZF in your rig has been good until this point. An R380 will probably not give up the ghost in one shot, but you will probably be looking at rebuild time after 200kms of tough love anyways, about the same as a ZF. Then again I pulled a blown up R380 out of a Disco at 78K kms.

Trying to engineer all the failure points that might leave you stranded out of a DII is impossible, even a 300TDI can pretty easily fail, timing belt, relatively lightish injection pump, etc and a custom job by definition further compounds the issue.
 
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