Cost of a D1 TDI swap?

[junkyddog11]

The Series is a coiler, and we changed to Disco axles and stayed fulltime, but I have done an Atlas to allow 2wd also, but never converted the LT230 to part time, though I am sure it can be done.

NOTE: The Atlas has to be the one for Toyota, cannot recall the name, but it allows both right side diffs

Oh, so your talking really cool junk not the regular old junk that I build LOL. Would that be the Orion t-case?

 

[junkyddog11]

Matt's 65hundski is a pretty good estimate...Even with a well maintained donor drivetrain you're looking at 1k worth of preventative maintenance to make it a viable daily driver and another 1k to make it happen...and that's doing it yourself

No kidding. I do this all the time, so not guessing really. Info based on experience. That's the cheap end also. Some of the motors I build and install are 4 times that.

 

[mongosd2]

no **** Matt...We did a simple 3.9 swap into a 83 110 and still spent 1k in parts (petrol, not a diesel). which is a direct bolt in...

 

[Red90]

I'm sure buying the parts that are the most likely to be junk....the injection pump and the turbo.......from a "UK Junkyard" is the "safe route".

Well I would do a new VNT turbo and a known good or rebuilt pump. Access to low cost other parts is easy when you have the right friends.

Hey I might be out in Crowsnest pass area this fall racing motorbikes. Is that near you? Have to get together for a beer or something eh?

Yep, lovely place. Let us know, maybe we can get some people out.

http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Crowsnest August 2011
http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Racehorse_Pass_2009
http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Racehorse_2008
http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Dutch CreeK August 2007

 

[junkyddog11]

Well I would do a new VNT turbo and a known good or rebuilt pump. Access to low cost other parts is easy when you have the right friends

I hear you. I grew up in the UK (I'm still a British citizen) and have some pretty good sources but I don't expect any special deal beyond wholesale for the parts my business buys.....we all have to eat and fair is fair. If it's for my personal junk I can get a great deal.

.

 

[junkyddog11]

Yep, lovely place. Let us know, maybe we can get some people out.

http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Crowsnest August 2011
http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Racehorse_Pass_2009
http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Racehorse_2008
http://www.red90.ca/photos/land-rover-trips/Dutch CreeK August 2007

Cool. I'm in the process of getting a bike sorted so I don't have to ship one of mine out. The race is in Sept. Looks to be an epic type tough event

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwyWHLgZr_0&feature=related

'spose I might be getting a little of topic.............

 

[piper109]

I hear you. I grew up in the UK (I'm still a British citizen)

.

Well, we have that much in common.

Steve

 

[Rovertrader]

Oh, so your talking really cool junk not the regular old junk that I build LOL. Would that be the Orion t-case?

Orion- yes, thanks. Gotta love old age... And we have certainly built our share of -let's say 'economy' builds ;-)

 

[jwlester]

I live on the north side of Big Walker Mountain...go north on int 77 off int 81 about 10 miles then head east 7 miles I am near Dismal falls. I usually head to mount rogers with the mules great country. where you out of?

It's crazy what you come across on here sometimes. I was just scanning threads and Big Walker Mountain jumped out at me. Bluefield is family home. Dad's side from Pocahontas and Mom's from Northfork. Both grew up in Bluefield though and went to Beaver. We have family out near you....Wolfe Creek and Wilderness Rd. Is that area "home" for you?

Small world. Definitely not many rovers at home.

Josh

 

[w00ht]

I have read that in the past but couldn't find the link. Thanks!


I had noticed most people mentioned installing a clutch and converting to manual. But after reading the first article it seems that I could get an automatic tdi. Is that correct? That would be a bit less work on an automatic disco, right?

OP, I don't know if you're still thinking about this but I would like to share some of my observations with you since I recently went down this road and decided not to do it:

Doing any engine swap is a lot of work. Doesn't matter what your putting into your truck it will take a lot of money and a lot of time, and you will underestimate the amount of both required to finish the job. Of course there are folks who have swapped a Saturn V rocket into their truck for $3.27 in two weeks, but I digress. What is your time worth? I have a lot of people who I have to give my time and attention to, so I find that my free time is rather expensive. I am capable of doing the work, but came to the conclusion that I needed to be doing something else with my time other than wrenching on a 17 year old disco for a month or two. Considering you're looking into getting married I would expect someone will be a tad more interested in your time with you than you may think.

If you have a solidly running truck it's not worth the money. If your truck has a blown motor then maybe, but you'd still be better off buying a different truck. Today's national average price for a gallon of regular gas from a brand name pump is $3.48. The highest average ever was $4.11 in July of 2008. [Both figures from the daily fuel gauge report on the AAA website] For arguments sake let's agree on a cost of $3.60 for a gallon of fuel. My rover gets 12mpg with the lift and it's old ignition system. A fair bet on a mild 300 TDI in the same truck would be 22mpg on the conservative side.

Here's some math I posted in my thread over on TDIclub:

My fuel tank holds 18 gallons. Gas here in San Diego fluctuates between $3.60 and $4.00 a gallon. Diesel costs between $3.90 and $4.40 a gallon. I’m basing my calculations around today’s costs, but the cost difference per gallon stays about the same between gas and diesel (around $.40/gallon).

$3.60 x 18 = $64.80 to fill the tank with gas.
$3.90 x 18 = $70.20 to fill the tank with diesel.

Gas range is a nominal 220 miles per tank averaging 12mpg
Diesel range is anticipated to be 396 miles per tank averaging 22mpg

212 miles / $64.80 = 3.27 miles per fuel dollar
396 miles / $70.20 = 5.64 miles per fuel dollar

That equals an additional 2.37 miles per dollar spent on fuel with the diesel swap. If I spend $10,000 on the swap, it will take roughly 23,700 miles just to reach the break even.

Even if you are able to get it done for $6500, that's over 15,000 miles you have to put on the truck to just reach the break even. If you can get a good motor to swap into your truck with the appropriate trans for significantly less than $6500 the math keeps getting better, but I'd wager your buying a blown up piece of crap or getting swindled. Everyone I have called and talked to has been between $6000-$7000 plus freight and any upgrades for anything in decent shape.

Lastly a disco isn't worth anything when it comes time to move on or if someone totals it.

At the end of the day you can do whatever you want, and if you want a disco with a TDI then go for it. For my money it wasn't worth it but your milage may vary.

 

[t42beal13t]

w00ht, thank you for a great post! At the time of the post I was looking at a worn out disco, but thanks to Rovertrader I'll soon have a great condition disco, so the tdi swap will be put on the back burner. However this thread will definitely be referred to when I tackle the swap down the road. I imagine it'll be a bit harder than the civic engine swap I did on my fiances car two years ago

 

[w00ht]

Glad it was helpful. This is my 2nd disco and I really like them, but at the end of the day I would rather spend money on other things than the TDI swap. Of course it does help that my truck had a factory crate motor installed 20,000 miles ago

Good luck with your new truck