P38 auto to manual

Evening All,

A bit of armchair theorising rather than an urgent need.

My personal preference is strongly for manuals and yet I'm finding my search for a manual P8 P38 or even late Disco 1 at the right price/with the "right" faults is proving harder than I anticipated.

How hard and what is involved in upgrading an auto P38 to a manual box? I've swapped boxes before (hardest/heaviest was a Rover 820 one freezing weekend a couple of years ago on a sloping driveway without a hoist or crane) so I'm not a complete noob.

Which manual boxes can I use? Will any R350 do (ie. diesel P38), or does it have to be from a V8 Disco or RR P38 to get the right gear ratios?

Can the auto box's ECU just be disconnected or will the whole thing need reprogramming on Testbook??

I'd assume I need a g/box, a clutch kit, a flywheel, a pedal box, gear stick and sector mechanism and some hydraulic gubbins for the clutch. Anything else?

Thanks,

Malcolm

Im sure someone better than I will be along shortly to tell you dont even think about going down that road.

Not too many P38 owners would consider a manual an 'upgrade'.
Unless you're doing serious hilly off roading then the manual offers little enough benefit. Even with towing the auto is no inconvenience.

Im sure the conversion has been done before but you will really need a donor vehicle to do it. You'll in all likelyhood need the BECM from the manual one to get rid of the fault codes. Rememember the manual has a button to do the hi-lo transfer box.
What's the point? If you simply have to have a manual then just bide your time and the right one will come along.

believe the bcem can be set to manual in settings-why bother buy a disco

i converted mine from auto to manual, you need
the box r380 from a range rover with the same size engine
transfer box control ecu
engine ecu
gearbox wiring harness
transfer box ecu wiring harness
pedal box ot just the clutch pedal, pin and end bracket( the rests the same)
master cylinder, pipe work and clutch slave cylinder
dual mass flywheel
clutch kit
hi/lo transfer button
gearstick and wood surround
reprogramme becm to manual
code new engine ecu to becm
i think thats about it, well worth the time in my opinion, i couldnt get on with an auto.

Have been pondering the same for my project motor, according to rave the transfer box is the same, according to ashcrofts website, they are different.

have got to put my two on the ramp and compare

definatley seems to be variations of R380 and ashcrofts charge more to exchange a P38 one as they are diferent, not sure on how different

Might be worth an email to ashcrofts to find out what the difference is

Arron
Why did you need an engine ECU..?

Arron
Why did you need an engine ECU..?[/quote]

engine ecus are different from auto to manual, something to do with software. mine did run with the auto one on but was really easy to stall, you had to rev the ring of it to pull away. after changing it to the manual engine ecu its fine, you can pull away without ant revs if you want now.

roger that

got t o decide wether to stay with an auto or put a manual in my project motor, guess it will come down to cost

or availablity of an R380

what do you reckon that cost to change from manual to auto ( if you dont mind me asking)
did you use new or second hand parts

Hi does anyone know if any parts off a classic fit as I have one I dont use and have toyed with the idea of changing to manual as I to dont like automatics

got to agree with spudH, more of a ''downgrade''

i have rebuilt many difference vehicles and built race cars, that is a lot of work for little if any debateable gains.

i would save the money and use it elsewhere.

what do you reckon that cost to change from manual to auto ( if you dont mind me asking)
did you use new or second hand parts[/quo


i did mine around 6 years ago so parts were a lot dearer than they are now, most parts were second hand apart from the ecu's and flywheel. i suppose thinking back it cost me about 2&half grand, but i did make 600 quid back when the famous four in louth bought all the bits that came off it. as for people saying its a down grade i think is a load of old booollocks, the amount of trouble people get with them auto not changing smooth and when they should. dont get that trouble with the good old manual, nice a reliable.

Wow, thats a big expense, just to have a manual.

Wow guys, thanks. Some really useful contributions here and I'm grateful.

I suspect that V8's with manuals are a bit like rocking horse poo, so if I get a P38, then it will be something I obtain parts for on an as and when basis.

The point about parts being cheaper now is valid of course; but the biggest issue will be finding the manual bits if I end up with a 4.6. I've only seen 2 manual V8's and they were both 4.0 engines.

Does anyone know how much the ratios between the two models differed (can't find the ratios listed on the web).

Also, and probably a more general question. If I can man-handle a Rover PG1 gearbox into a Rover 800 with no more than a trolley jack, some nylon cord and some muscle, could I do the same with a Land Rover R380? Picking up a PG1 in both arms is not beyond me but it sure isn't light!

Malcolm

reckon u may have an issue with that

they are a bit of a heavy bugger aqnd as RR is a long way up to lift it

Father in law did a classic obver a pit took three of them to put it back in
Good luck

Taken this from the rave manual, sounds like it would be benificial for you to get Rave!

MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Clutch
Make and type - V8 engine AP Borg and Beck, diaphragm spring ..............................................
Clutch plate diameter 265 mm (10,43 in.) .......................................................
Make and type - Diesel engine Valeo, diaphragm spring .........................................
Clutch plate diameter 242 mm (9.53 in.) .......................................................
Transfer gearbox
Borg Warner Two speed reduction on main gearbox output, front .....................................................................
and rear drive permanently engaged via a centre
differential controlled by a Viscous unit giving a 50/50
nominal front and rear torque split.
Transfer gearbox ratios
High 1.216:1 ..................................................................................
Low 3.271:1 ..................................................................................
Manual gearbox
Type R380 5 speed, single helical constant mesh with .......................................................................
synchromesh on all gears
Manual gearbox ratios:
5th 0.731:1 ...........................................................................
4th 1.000:1 ...........................................................................
3rd 1.397:1 ...........................................................................
2nd 2.132:1 ..........................................................................
1st 3.321:1 ...........................................................................
Reverse 3.429:1 ...................................................................
Diesel models low first gear 3.692:1 ....................................
Overall ratio (final drive): High transfer Low transfer
5th 3.15:1 ........................................................................... 8.46:1
4th 4.30:1 ........................................................................... 11.58:1
3rd 6.01:1 ........................................................................... 16.18:1
2nd 9.18:1 .......................................................................... 24.69:1
1st 14.29:1 ........................................................................... 38.45:1
Reverse 14.76:1 ................................................................... 39.70:1
Diesel models low 1st gear 15.89:1 ..................................... 42.75:1