Canadian Disco 2 Build

[R_Lefebvre]

Just out of curiousity, I measured the distance from the end of the trans output shaft to the back sheetmetal on the end of the trans tunnel: 6.75". Then I measured the depth of the LT230, from the input shaft seal to the back of the case: 7.25". Maybe Muskyman has some trick to make that math work that he could share.

In the meantime, I'll have to figure out how to get this back together. Either put the LT230 on the R380 and put both up together, or put the R380 on first, then lift the LT230 on before I tip the powertrain back up into position.

Anyway, so here's where I'm at so far. Old and Busted, and the New Hotness.

I used a small tranny jack to get it out, with no adaptor, just a strap over the top. It was fairly easy, except the trans couldn't slide out from under the truck on the jack, I had to drop it down onto the floor from the jack saddle. I guess the R380 will have to go up the same way.

There was some doubt by some people as to whether or not the R380 would bolt up to the cast aluminum oil pan on my truck. So far, the bolt pattern looks good. I wonder if the earlier R380 had a different bellhousing for the Gems motor?

 

[David Harris]

I couldn't snap the heads off, they just rounded. I don't have an 8mm impact socket, just a chrome one, so no chance of torqueing them off. Anyway, it's done now. Drilled out all 8. Fark.

At least I was mentally prepared for that thing to be like that. But one can always hope.

I can just cut off all the exhaust bolts except the top ones. Got a good look at the cast iron header. What a joke. The primaries are tiny!

What do you mean ZF and not LT230?

I'm putting an R380 L-suffix box in with the original LT230.

Anybody want a ZF24 core for a rebuild? Should be in great shape, the steels should be good, just needs new clutches! Maybe I'll make a cocktail table out of it.

Cutting torch (indispensable tool BTW), will take them right off. Rent one and give them hell . . . !

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yes, I know, I want to get a blue wrench but just haven't yet.

Took the flex plate and flywheel off tonight. Gosh, you sure wouldn't want to have to change the CkPS in the field! I'm probably lucky mine still worked with all the mud in the bellhousing, on the sensor, etc. I'm cleaning it all off before I reassemble. Interestingly, I can't tell the difference between the manual and automatic CkPS. They look the same, but the part number is minorly different.

I'm also fairly... amused? Astonished? Shocked? By the machining marks on the end of the crankshaft. Looks like somebody parted it off with a friggin chainsaw. I honestly don't know what kind of machine tool would have left marks like that. Great workmanship that...

I think I know what I'll do with the ZF. It'll make a nice base for a bench grinder stand.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

When installing the Spigot bush in the crankshaft, the Rave manual says to push it in, them ream it out to 19.117mm. I've installed it, and measured, and I'm coming up with 18.88 or something. It's almost line to line with the nose of the input shaft. Might be a slight press fit.

Do people really ream these things out, while installed in the crankshaft, when replacing the spigot bush? I hope I don't have to go out and buy a reamer just for this. I'm guessing it's really a 3/4" reamer? I can probably borrow that from work.

 

[C-Fish]

Garrett GT28R
42lb Injectors
Spearco Air-Water intercooler
scratch made swirl pot
OEM Lightning intercooler water pump
custom marine silicone rad hoses
Forge Motorsport blow off valve
Random Tech high flow cat.

That is an old pic with an Aerocharger hanging off the factory manifold with a custom adaptor and downpipe. Eventually that turbo failed, so I put the Garrett on. At first I used a beautiful polished SS Xios Motorsports intake manifold, but that failed catastrophicaly on the first trackday. Now I'm using a basic weld-el log manifold.

Fuel system is returnless, so no FPR to play with. I've got a Pectel T2 ECU with a Motec PLM wideband. It's an amazing ECU with all the features, even closed loop idle control and data logging. Full control, the factory ECU only runs the speedo now. I've tuned it well enough to pass emissions, but barely. The setup has seen the other side of 25psi when the boost signal hose failed. Still running strong on the original powdered metal connecting rods which is somewhat of a miracle.

Quiafe differential, still rocking the original clutch. But I don't drag race. It holds fine, but it won't take a drag launch.

Biltein inverted strut coilovers. These things are amazing, but the travel is too short which is a bummer. Wilwood Forged Superlight calipers and 12" rotors.

Autopower cage, and Sparco controls and belts.

YouTube- Harvest Happening 2005

The Blue Corvette driver was LOST on that track...He couldn't wait to point you by...:ylsmoke:

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Well, he's not too bad. A little sloppy, but I've seen worse. That track is very difficult and dangerous. Lots of places that'll really ruin your day. But it's great for a smaller car. I don't remember if it was before or after that video, but the Corvette spun in the swamp turn. So he might have been a little timid.

On of my buddies spun an MR2 in the swamp turn, and ended up upside down in the water. He'll never drive there again.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

SH607081L
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-SH607081L
7/16 x1 UNC

I would expect grade 8. If no one else replies, I can dig one out later today to make sure on the head size.

At least that's the part number for the D1, but I don't see why the DII crank would be tapped differently. But at least you know you can have an off-the-shelf bolt to check the thread with soon as you get your old flywheel off.

To do it from under that car, you have to be able to get the car pretty high in the air to get the gearbox under it on a transmission jack.
Also, if you have the shop manual, build one of the R380 gearbox support jack adapters they provide plan for. They work really well.
For lining up the gearbox to the flywheel housing, I found having four 3/8x5" bolts with the heads cut off and screwed in help a lot.

I confirmed these bolts look right last night. The auto flywheel bolts are 7/16-1.5 UNF socket heads, but the manual flywheel is shallower and needs 1" long. I'll pick up some grade 8 hex heads at lunch.

Similar question for the clutch. Looks like it needs 3/8 UNF, maybe about 5/8" long? I'll pick up grade 8 hex heads unless somebody else knows different. Just not sure if it needs washers, or washer head bolts.

Also need M8-1.25x40mm bolts for the slave cylinder.

Edit: Changed the slave cylinder bolt length.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Also wondering if I should do the rear main seal while I'm in here? The Rave CD shows it's pretty easy at this point. Just pull it out and replace it. But I've also heard that the best way to do it is to drop the pan and the 5th bearing main cap, replace the crucible seals, new pan gasket, and then put the rear main seal in.

Which is the right way to do it?

The former sounds easy for $20. The latter is going to cost much more, and more work.

It's not actually leaking. Yet.

 

[Jean-Seb]

Awesome build man ! Very very impressive craftsmanship throughout, I love the rear bumper especially.

Also nice Focus, must be one fast bug.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Borrowed a 3/4" reamer from work and used it on the spigot bearing. Pretty pointless. I could almost turn it by hand, though it did shave a little off in some places. But the surface roughness is a little worse now. <shrug> So much for that.

 

[Nonimouse]

Actually Michael, could you confirm if LR ever sold the 4.6L V8 with a manual trans? Does the R380 just bolt up? If not, but it's just a matter of the 4.6 over-powering the R380, I'm pretty gentle so maybe it would work. Currently running a stock 130hp clutch in a 250hp car with no issues. I wonder what other conversion bits would be necessary. The clutch pedal and center console....

Was picking my way through this thread in a 'damn but work is getting me down today' sort if way; and noticed this.

Did you get an answer?

If not I can tell you yes they did. It was a RoW spec. Not sure which countries got it. I came accross one back in '04. We had a customer at the 'Experience who had one. I was so interested in it that after he had finished his day with me, he let me have a go on the understanding he could drive it round the off road course.

At the time CDL wasn't back on the menu here in the UK but the RoW had it. This vehicle had a CDL (Hi/lo controlled) as well as TC and ALL the bits even rear air, all coupled up to the 4.6. It was about as nice as nice gets.

The owener worked for a Dutch based Oil exploration company and it was his 'company car' and would be flown in to wherever he was working

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Well, I thought I had the answer, that no they never did sell the R380 behind the 4.6, but now your testimony goes against that. So, I dunno. Seems like LR did all kinds of odd things for ROW customers.

I did hear that guys were putting R380's on 4.6 for challenge trucks.

I'll be anxiously waiting to see how the crawl ratio is. I did some instructing at a Jeep JK event this weekend, and saw that the crawl ratio in 1st gear low on a non-Rubi just isn't low enough. You end up having to use the clutch and brakes to get the truck to come down real slow off ledges and such. Looks like the crawl ratio on those is 38.9:1. Mine is going to come out at 39:1. I'm not worried about power going up hill, it's just the ability to go ultra slow without clutching in. The JK low range is only 2.72 and they have a 3.27 axle ratio, but then they have a 4.46 first gear which is super low.

The Rubi's have a 77:1 which is ultra low, and they just walk over anything. 4.46 first, 4.0 low range and 4.10 axles.

I knew I would suffer some in really difficult areas. But it'll be better most places.

 

[Nonimouse]

Which T box are you using? 1.22(ish); 1.44 or 1.66

Most of the challenge guys over here prefer auto's, whereas many of the folk over the English Channel like manuals - very different types of challenge

LR RoW is an amazing maze of differences. The BMW 2.8 IL6 engined 90's and 110's all had R380's. What used to happen over though is stuff would get perculated through the factory and sold in different markets than it was intended. The P38 4.0ltr had the R380 as did some of the last RRC Classics with the 4.2; I have never seen of a P38 4.6 Manual but that beast was rumoured to have lived...

I once drove a P38 DT from Overfinch that was fitted with a 3.0lt BMW TD - so nice.

The L322 Pre production vehicles had a 330bhp version of the BMW quad cam V8 but had a nasty habit of lunching CV's in low range

Sorry I'm waffling on - it's being office based today that's doing it

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I have the 1.22 I believe? Not too worried about the high ratio. It'll be turning about the same as with the ZF in top gear.

 

[Nonimouse]

That's fair

I was asking because there are still some sets of the uber low crawler gears made by Ashcrofts circulating in the darker eddies of the Land Rover world - but they need a 1.22 box. What about an underdrive

what size tyres by the way?