300 TDi upgrade!

Right!

Im now mostly through the TDi upgrade, so i though I would tell you all whats been going on!

Started on monday, bloke (graham, wanted his name on here ) had already taken off most of the engine bay pipes etc.

By the end of monday, had the disco engine ready to be pulled, with them bastid poxy bellhousing bolts...

A wee tip for removing those, if you get the engine off its mounts, and remove the rubber blocks, then pull out the soundproofing on the disco bulkhead, you can get someone to gide the socket over the bolts. Much easier!

Tuesday saw both engines come out, and both of my wings removed to be replaced with better ones courtesy of a kindly yella!

Also, welded a piece of steel on the clutch release fork, replaced thrust bearing etc. Used a piece of the disco towing braket for the clutch release for brace, not realising until i had cut it out that it was 5mm steel! Its not wearing through again.

Fitted the old N/A flywheel housing to the TDi, with a new crank end seal. There were two tubular dowels in the block that had to be cut flat, or you could drill the holes bigger. I cut flat.

Wednesday (today) saw the removal of the old 12J mounts, and the removal and then rewelding of the TDi mounts from the disco chassis. We got the TDi in place, with much effort, got it bolted up and got the mounts welded on nicely. Realised this evening that the rope we were using has damaged an injector bleed-off banjo bolt, so im getting a new one tomorrow.

Got a quote for some extended oil cooler hoses, over £100! They can wait, using the old 12J blanking plate for now for one side, but the plug is a different thread so im getting one of those tomorrow also.

Havn't decided yet to use the 12J fuel filter or the disco one, the 12J one is however currently looking easiest, all the pipes are already there, and I can nick a plug and bit of pipe needed off the disco filter housing.

Jobs still to do:
Mount new exhaust
Put wings on
Mount radiator
Lengthen all the pipes
Reconnect the wiring
Blank off EGR valve
Put coolant in
Other odd bits
Try it out!

Then, when i get another few days ill be putting axles and t/box from the disco onto my 90, but thats another story.

Left my camera in the 90 today, so there will be more pics tomorrow hopefully, but these are a few taken so far!

Donor disco (it did come with headlights)


My 90 less bonnet, wings, engine


This shows one of the two studs on the TDi that needs flattening, This is mostly flattened. I hacksawed it off, then filed/ground it smooth.


More pics to follow soon, what you all think!

Boydy

Got some more pictures an'orl now.

Old 12J engine, less flywheel housing 'cos this got bolted on to the new engine


Reinforced clutch fork, nicely painted an all!


Removal of the studs from the TDi, you can see the bottom right and top left ones have to be flatted down.


It fits! The TDi is rested in place and bolted to the gearbox, then we bolted the mounts to the underside of the engine and welded in place. At this point i was trying to undo the knots in the rope.


Got the throttle cable on today, thieved from the disco also, but then i had to go to work.

yer forget to ter mention where you got yer wings

boydy1989 said:

Right!
...

Tuesday saw both engines come out, and both of my wings removed to be replaced with better ones courtesy of a kindly yella!
...
Boydy

Click to expand...

Naw i didn't! in the first post! Thanks again, hopefully they'll be on by sunday!

Right! Have almost done now, so I shall update this a bit!

Both wings are on, the wiring is done, pipes are connected, fuel lines made! All going well. Yet to remove the EGR, fit the egg sorst, and put coolant in. Had to go to work

I am really impressed by how easily this has all gone together, hopefully the upgrade will be as wonderful as every makes out! Am expecting good things.

Piccies!

This poxy bolt cost me £4.99... its barely 15mm long! It is an injector Banjo bolt for the injector bleed off, i damaged one of mine when lifting the engine as the rope slipped. Can't believe the cost of that!


Wings on, engine in!


To make the rad fit, i had to lower the bottom mounts...


and then weld a couple of bolts on to the top plate to enable me to use my old NA brackets - the disco ones are on the side of the rad body and make it not fit in the gap. I took the top panel out of the rad to weld it, saves damaging the core with the heat, and its only 4 bolts!


Here you can see the home made fuel lines that i have fitted, these were easy to make, I replaced all the lines to and from the engine/filter etc except the tank lines. This worked out easier and allowed me to use the disco filter, and the fuel in and out lines for the tank were easy to modify to fit.


Here you can see the pipwork. I managed well with the existing pipes. The 3 way one from the TDi reached OK, but i had to modify the pipe up to the expansion tank - i have a feeling its going to leak there. The top hose came from the NA engine, as did one of the heater matrix hoses. The intercooler hoses were extended though, the top one with a piece of exhaust that i was given, was perfect size and had a perfect band in it, the bottom i used a longer rubber piece. I tried to avoid long rubbery runs though, to stop the pipe expanding with the turbo pressure.


Almost finished!


And thats it, ill be back tomorrow hopefully!

boydy1989 said:

Right!

Im now mostly through the TDi upgrade, so i though I would tell you all whats been going on!

Started on monday, bloke (graham, wanted his name on here ) had already taken off most of the engine bay pipes etc.

By the end of monday, had the disco engine ready to be pulled, with them bastid poxy bellhousing bolts...

A wee tip for removing those, if you get the engine off its mounts, and remove the rubber blocks, then pull out the soundproofing on the disco bulkhead, you can get someone to gide the socket over the bolts. Much easier!

Tuesday saw both engines come out, and both of my wings removed to be replaced with better ones courtesy of a kindly yella!

Also, welded a piece of steel on the clutch release fork, replaced thrust bearing etc. Used a piece of the disco towing braket for the clutch release for brace, not realising until i had cut it out that it was 5mm steel! Its not wearing through again.

Fitted the old N/A flywheel housing to the TDi, with a new crank end seal. There were two tubular dowels in the block that had to be cut flat, or you could drill the holes bigger. I cut flat.

Wednesday (today) saw the removal of the old 12J mounts, and the removal and then rewelding of the TDi mounts from the disco chassis. We got the TDi in place, with much effort, got it bolted up and got the mounts welded on nicely. Realised this evening that the rope we were using has damaged an injector bleed-off banjo bolt, so im getting a new one tomorrow.

Got a quote for some extended oil cooler hoses, over £100! They can wait, using the old 12J blanking plate for now for one side, but the plug is a different thread so im getting one of those tomorrow also.

Havn't decided yet to use the 12J fuel filter or the disco one, the 12J one is however currently looking easiest, all the pipes are already there, and I can nick a plug and bit of pipe needed off the disco filter housing.

Jobs still to do:
Mount new exhaust
Put wings on
Mount radiator
Lengthen all the pipes
Reconnect the wiring
Blank off EGR valve
Put coolant in
Other odd bits
Try it out!

Then, when i get another few days ill be putting axles and t/box from the disco onto my 90, but thats another story.

Left my camera in the 90 today, so there will be more pics tomorrow hopefully, but these are a few taken so far!

Donor disco (it did come with headlights)

My 90 less bonnet, wings, engine

This shows one of the two studs on the TDi that needs flattening, This is mostly flattened. I hacksawed it off, then filed/ground it smooth.

More pics to follow soon, what you all think!

Boydy

Click to expand...

i made my own oil cooler pipes , i bought some hydrolic hose and some mocal fittings , cost around 30 quid.

the reenforced clutch fork is a really good idea,
so happens ive got one here , for sale,

eBay Seller: perry9625: Cars, Parts Vehicles, Local Services items on eBay.co.uk

are you using the disco r380 box? or an lt77?

nobber said:

i made my own oil cooler pipes , i bought some hydrolic hose and some mocal fittings , cost around 30 quid.

the reenforced clutch fork is a really good idea,
so happens ive got one here , for sale,

eBay Seller: perry9625: Cars, Parts Vehicles, Local Services items on eBay.co.uk

are you using the disco r380 box? or an lt77?

Click to expand...

my lt77. the disco one is very tired, and my lt77 is fairly recently reconditioned! Made sense to me really!

boydy1989 said:

my lt77. the disco one is very tired, and my lt77 is fairly recently reconditioned! Made sense to me really!

Click to expand...

so you didnt have to move the box or change the diaphram or tunnel? just locate the engine? is it close to the bulkhead?
i take it you used a 300 tdi clutch and an lt77 fork and thrust bearing?

nobber said:

so you didnt have to move the box or change the diaphram or tunnel? just locate the engine? is it close to the bulkhead?
i take it you used a 300 tdi clutch and an lt77 fork and thrust bearing?

Click to expand...

box and transmission tunnel havn't changed. The engine just went on with new mounts attached! Isn't really that close to the bulkhead, i can get my hand behind it easily enough. Sits a bit further back but not by much really. The all 4 cylinder diesel clutches are the same, so i used my NA clutch which was in better quality. Fitted a new thrust bearing, and my re-inforced fork.

Tis all looking really easy so far!

Looking Good Boydy Have you seen this site Similar swap. Some good tips. Might be a bit late for you. But useful for anyone else thinking of going down this road.

Landrover 110 engine page

redhand said:

Looking Good Boydy Have you seen this site Similar swap. Some good tips. Might be a bit late for you. But useful for anyone else thinking of going down this road.

Landrover 110 engine page

Click to expand...

Yeah thats what i found to inspire me to swap the flywheel housings! Its a good thing to read.

Am putting this up here also to mainly create a second experience of it, as i was surprised to find very limited step by step kinda things that showed up the problems along the way.

I hope its useful to someone!

How do you see the LT77 coping with the extra power of the 300tdi?

I ask this because I am probably going to do this too, I have the 1/2 finished overhaul 300tdi waiting to go into my 90, I will just get my LT77 reconed to save messing with gearboxes if its going to work ok. I suppose if its driven carefully in low gears its not going to be a problem.

As far as i know they should be fine - they used the LT77 on some 200's, and they coped with that ok, same power. Ill let you know!

As of today it runs, gotta few niggly bits to do but am happy!

As requested, here is the list of what has gone in.

Discovery:
Engine
Rad
Throttle cable
Bottom radiator hose
intercooler hoses
Downpipe - less cat, cut and shut to fit
Engine mounts - cut off the disco chassis
One internal heater hose
Fuel filter
End of oil cooler pipe, brazed shut to blank off one oil cooler port on filter header
Exhaust rubber hangars

Existing 90 bits:
Flywheel housing from old engine
Other heater hose, cut to reach
Top hose, again cut to reach
Fuel in and return lines
Radiator top mounting brackets
Wiring loom
Clutch release bearing & fork
Expansion tank (coolant)
Plate to blank off one oil cooler port on filter header

New stuff:
300TDi 90 exhaust middle and back section - ebay
offcut of exhaust (donated from local exhaust centre) to use as extender hose for intercooler top hose
Flexi fuel lines to reach to disco filter
Short rubber pipe section to extend intercooler bottom hose
8mm rolled rod to bend and weld to chassis to make new exhaust hangers
Auxilary drive belt (7 rib, polyvee) As I am not using power steering i bought a new belt that simply doesn't run round that pulley - works well. The belt length is 140cm, and it has to go round all the other pulleys for the tensioner to work.

YET TO FIT: new brake servo vacuum hose - i have improvised the old disco one but i am NOT happy with it - am getting a new one tomorrow


Im sure there are other bits that i have forgotten to add into here but I will do when i remember! Also, anyone please feel free to ask about any other bits of the conversion!

Piccies to follow in the next post once I have got annoyed at photobucket

Boydy

What the gentleman is not saying is where he got the tech help from or for the fact that both disco an 90 are at mine and i was forced to help him get it done despite a broken wrist so i can park my car in front of my place!!!

It says at the top first post thingy that you helped me Graeme! (Admittedly i did spell your name wrong then)

And you were not forced, but many thanks again for all the help mate

Piccies! Not very good ones today though, unfortunately


All in the engine bay now


Egg zorst, you can see the disco downpipe bolted to the new shiny part, and about where it sits in relation to the handbrake etc.

Am gonna get more piccies tomorrow hopefully, showing my rather bodged downpipe, the exhaust hangers etc.

Boydy

Nice job, well done.

If you had to put a price on it, not including the 300tdi what do you think it cost?

hi guys, i have a 1986 110 with lt77/isuzu fitted. i'm about to fit disco 300tdi. been reading boydy article, superb. slight problem, i dont have old 2.5 flywheel housing. i have access to full disco for spares. do i try to get hold of flywheel housing to do as you did, or fit whole disco box/engine whole and change over top partsof gearbox as i read elsewhere. can this be done or are the two boxes different ratios etc? also is it worth fitting axles from disco? any advice appreciated, cheers.

Reet... you've asked at the right time.

The 300TDi flywheel housing can be made to fit the LT77 box, just miss out a couple of bolts.

I wouldn't bother with the Disco box, swapping the selectors round is apparently a big pain in the arse.

I now have both disco axles on my 90, brakes are superb, would recommend it.

Also i now have a disco transfer box - ill get back to you on how good it is, appears to be ace so far.