D2 Drivetrain Swap?

[dustin_mud]

I have 99 D2 that my wife drives daily and about to roll over 200k. Motor has one of the sleeves rattling and I have just about had it with this drivetrains unreliability. Been looking into a swap and wanted to see whats been done and what won't work. I was thinking a chevy ls with th400 and D300 or maybe a 4BT with the th400, really want to get away from the rover parts. Thoughts?

Oh and also going to run nothing over a 33in tire and not see any "hard trails".

 

[Rovertrader]

Tough to do on a D-II and get all the systems to integrate. Translated, dash lights will be activated and/or throwing codes, hindering successful inspections. A few alternative drive trains have been utilized, but not without considerable time, dollars, and associated frustration. Pre '96 D-Is, no problem, late D-Is, minimal issues, but D-IIs, allow 2-3x what you think it will cost...
However, should you find a reasonable solution, you would have quite the golden goose as folks love these platforms, sans drivetrain!

 

[roverandom]

Unless you feel like spending $20K+ on a DII, you should just buy a GMC Yukon or Honda Pilot.
IMO there is nothing awesome enough about the DII to warrant that kind of expenditure to ditch the factory drivetrain.
Honestly, it is cheaper to get the engine rebuilt and upgraded. They can be as reliable as anything else on road today.


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[corprin]

Unless you feel like spending $20K+ on a DII, you should just buy a GMC Yukon or Honda Pilot.
IMO there is nothing awesome enough about the DII to warrant that kind of expenditure to ditch the factory drivetrain.
Honestly, it is cheaper to get the engine rebuilt and upgraded. They can be as reliable as anything else on road today.


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Why are these comments always #1 from people in the rover world? Not everybody needs/wants to waste money by paying someone else to do the tough stuff. I had my swap worked in at ~$5000 (including a 50% overage for those oh-****s that happen). We should also not discount the D2's offroad ability over those of the oversized/weighted Yukon, and the #1 SUV for Baltimore DB's

IF you are fine with loosing all your whizbangs, then there is nothing hard about ditching the rover mill in your D2.

Engine/trans swap will require adapting to the t-case. There is an adapter that adds about 3" to the overall length of the power-train, but since the 4L80e is 3" shorter than the ZF you are good for engine location. You will have to run dual ECU's to keep all that rover BS happy. Sit down with the RAVE and notice the values that are required from the ECM and TCM to the BCU, and make sure those are still being fed.

When I was digging into a similar swap (4.3L GM v6 into '00 D2), I found I would only loose the tachometer, cruise control, and the related bits. You can keep your factory trans, which is a good unit, by using an adapter kit for mating the GM power-plant to the ZF trans. HP Tuners makes a VERY nice setup for keeping the newer GM mills happy. You will have to mock up a rover style crank position sensor, or have an electronic box built (IA Performance does work like this) that makes the rover's engine speed known, allowing the trans and other parts to function properly. BUT my truck had the SLABS ECU hobbled down to almost nothing (TC/ABS/HD shut off), and my cruise didn't work because of this.

It is about the same price to do a full rebuild with flanged sleeves to do the swap, and you will have quite the unique truck.

I started researching the importation of a D2 TD5 front-cut and doing a swap, but sold the beast and opted to just drive a truck I already had.

 

[ZG]

^+1

 

[dustin_mud]

Not worried about gauges and lights, be build new cluster. Yes all the fab work would be done myself and keeping it because it's my wife's fave out she has ever owned.

 

[EricG]

Couldn't you just pull everything out and build a new harness to run power to everything, after market ac and heat something like vintage air. Use new gauges and such. Seems like it would be doable if you had the time. Seems it would be easier than trying to get them to work together.

 

[dustin_mud]

I would just keep the factory computer to run all the windows ac heat and what not.

 

[Dmarchand]

Check your state regs on inspection and engine swap. Some states including the republic of Massachusetts have a 15 year exclusion on OBD2 now. Meaning only a safety inspection is required after 15 years so whether OBD functions or not, makes no matter. You are close depending on your build date.

 

[Blueboy]

Why are these comments always #1 from people in the rover world?

And why does it always seem some people trash the Rover drivetrain?

Why create a bastard Rover?

Install a new Rover engine, have everything work as designed, and be done with it.

 

[David Harris]

And why does it always seem some people trash the Rover drivetrain?

Why create a bastard Rover?

Install a new Rover engine, have everything work as designed, and be done with it.

Yes and yes. Forget the swaps and get a nice rebuilt 4.6 with top hat liners, i.e. like one from Atlantic British, be done with it and enjoy.

 

[dustin_mud]

Because I have never owned a less relabel drivetrain in my life, and yes I take care of it( been turning wrenches for a livening most of my life). The cost of a new short block is steep and then I'm still stuck with a trans and case with 200k on them.

 

[Blueboy]

So the transmission and transfer box have 200k on them and you consider that unreliable?

You better than most know that anything mechanical can be rebuilt back to spec and last another 200k.

 

[dustin_mud]

Oh I know everything in it can be built back to new, but at what cost? Rover parts are high, very high compared to say a 4bt or a chevy Ls.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

4bt is too tall to fit, you'll be bashing the oil pan into the diff if I recall correctly. There is an Isuzu diesel engine that works really well in them, although I've forgotten which engine. I've seen a few D2's with those. The transmission and transfer box on them are PRETTY stout, so I wouldn't really worry about them too much beyond regular PM. Rover engines are just a little hit and miss in my opinion. Some people put 250k miles on them and never have a problem, some people blow head gaskets every 50k. I had innumerable troubles with my 4.0 in my D2. Then there are other folks who never have a single issue. So, are they reliable? Yes. Are they all reliable? No.

I've seen enough of them that have lasted forever to have faith that they can be a reliable platform. But they require more PM than most.